ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Baptism of Our Lord – January 12, 2025
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey as Kermitt and Jackie would have celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this past Thursday (Jan. 2nd).
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Ted Smith
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE IS A CHURCH COUNCIL Meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT--
A mountain climber is caught in an avalanche. An eight-foot jump over a crevasse will save his life. Taking a mighty run, he soars seven and a half feet. Almost! A doctor performs surgery on a young man with a cancerous tumor. He succeeds in removing 99.5 percent of it. Almost! A hotel is on fire. A woman jumps 400 feet and misses the net below by only 4 feet. Almost! A fast jetliner climbs to clear a 12,000-foot mountain. By the time it comes to the mountain it has already reached the altitude of 11,950 feet. Almost! But almost doesn't count.
May we urge people not to put off their day of grace. Simply agreeing with us or just thinking about it isn't going to do any good whatever. Coming close does no good, but repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as Savior does. We need to share the entire verse. In Mark 16:16 Jesus promises, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." And then add, "Please, believe Jesus. He is God. He is truthful. And He loves you." This is very important: for more information carefully read Romans 3.
The Baptism of Our Lord
January 12, 2025
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 346 “When All the World Was Cursed”
1 When all the world was cursed
By Moses’ condemnation,
Saint John the Baptist came
With words of consolation.
With true forerunner’s zeal
The greater One he named,
And Him, as yet unknown,
As Savior he proclaimed.
2 Before he yet was born,
He leaped in joyful meeting,
Confessing Him as Lord
Whose mother he was greeting.
By Jordan’s rolling stream,
A new Elijah bold,
He testified of Him
Of whom the prophets told:
3 Behold the Lamb of God
That bears the world’s transgression,
Whose sacrifice removes
The devil’s dread oppression.
Behold the Lamb of God,
Who takes away our sin,
Who for our peace and joy
Will full atonement win.
4 O grant, dear Lord of love,
That we receive, rejoicing,
The word proclaimed by John,
Our true repentance voicing,
That gladly we may walk
Upon our Savior’s way
Until we live with Him
In His eternal day.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Isaiah 42:1a;Psalm 2:7–11, 12c
P Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessèd are all who take refuge in him.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 43:1–7
1But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 29
1Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly | beings,*
ascribe to the Lord glo- | ry and strength.
2Ascribe to the Lord the glory | due his name;*
worship the Lord in the splendor of | holiness.
3The voice of the Lord is over the | waters;*
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many | waters.
4The voice of the Lord is | powerful;*
the voice of the Lord is full of | majesty.
5The voice of the Lord breaks the | cedars;*
the Lord breaks the cedars of | Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon to skip | like a calf,*
and Sirion like a young | wild ox.
7The voice | of the Lord*
flashes forth | flames of fire.
8The voice of the Lord shakes the | wilderness;*
the Lord shakes the wilderness | of Kadesh.
9The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the | forests bare,*
and in his temple all cry, | “Glory!”
10The Lord sits enthroned o- | ver the flood;*
the Lord sits enthroned as king for- | ever.
11May the Lord give strength to his | people!*
May the Lord bless his people | with peace!
Epistle Romans 6:1–11
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 3:15–22
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter.
15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 404 “Jesus, Once with Sinners Numbered”
1 Jesus, once with sinners numbered,
Had no blemish of His own;
In the waters of the Jordan
His true worth and work were shown:
Heaven opened and the Spirit
There descended like a dove,
As the Father’s voice resounded,
“Hear My Son, the One I love.”
2 John confessed Him as the Savior--
“Look, the sinless Lamb of God!”
Yet he dared not loose the sandals
Of the One God’s love had shod.
Oh, how fair the feet of Jesus,
Bringing news of peace to us,
Christ, the herald of salvation,
Preaching mercy from the cross:
3 This the baptism that our Savior
Greatly longed to undergo;
This the crimson cleansing needed
So the world God’s love might know;
This the mission of Messiah
As He stepped from Jordan’s stream,
He, the chosen and anointed
Son of God, sent to redeem.
4 Jesus, once with sinners numbered,
Full obedience was Your path;
You, by death, have consecrated
Water in this saving bath:
Dying to the sin of Adam,
Rising to a life of grace;
We are counted with the righteous,
Over us the cross You trace.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “The Beloved Son Is Baptized” Luke 3:15-22
The Beloved Son Is Baptized – Luke 3:15-22
We are now in the season of the Epiphany of our Lord. The epiphany of our Lord is all about the many ways that our Lord, Jesus Christ reveals Himself to people. The first Gospel for the season of the Epiphany of our Lord is about our Lord revealing Himself to some magi by means of a sign in the heavens … a star that led them to the Christ-child. This week the Gospel tells us that God the Father tore the heavens open in order to talk about Jesus as Jesus submitted to a baptism by John in the Jordan. The gospel also tells us that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. Today’s gospel is an epiphany not just of Jesus, but also of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is still on His journey to the cross. He journeyed from His throne in Heaven to take on our humanity as a single cell in Mary’s womb. He grew in her womb just like any other human baby and on Christmas we celebrated His birth. He lived His life under the law just like any other human being. The only difference is that He kept the law perfectly. He never sinned.
The entire time that He grew both inside and outside of His mother, He carried our sin … your sin and mine. Up until the events in today’s Gospel, He had carried them privately … quietly. Very few people knew who He was. When it was time for Him to go public, He came to the Jordan River … to John the Baptist. He came to be baptized.
Now John was proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, (Luke 3:3, ESV) and the natural question is, “Why did Jesus have John baptize Him?” Jesus never sinned. He didn’t need to repent, and He didn’t need forgiveness of sins. What was Jesus doing in the water with John?
The best answer to this question that I know of is contained in the prayer that Martin Luther wrote for the rite of baptism. “Through the Baptism in the Jordan of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, You sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.” Jesus submitted to baptism in order to stand with you in order to save you from your sin. In the water of John’s baptism Jesus publicly proclaimed that He carried your sin. When JESUS is baptized, the sins that were washed away from sinners all stick to Him. At His Baptism, Jesus comes to be a sinner covered with our sins. And not just one person's sins. He comes to take on EVERY person's sins ever!
In the Gospel according to Luke that we just heard, both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God chosen to earn salvation for you. Today’s Gospel proclaims, “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21–22, ESV) This reverses the results of sin that God proclaimed after the first sin when He said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22–24, ESV) So, in Adam, it is our sin that closed off the way to paradise. The account of Jesus’ baptism informs us that, in Jesus, the way to paradise is open once again. For, as Jesus prayed, the heavens opened once again. The Holy Spirit descended on Him, and the Father declared Jesus to be His beloved Son … the Messiah … the one anointed to earn salvation for all people.
As Jesus journeyed to the cross, His baptism by John is a major milestone. This event is second in importance only to the crucifixion and resurrection. The Holy Spirit anointed the Christ in both His humanity and His divinity. God the Father acknowledges Him as His Son. His ministry of carrying our sins to the cross became public knowledge.
One of the demonstrations of the importance of this event comes after Jesus ascended. Judas the betrayer had hung himself, and the remainder of Jesus’ disciples came together to choose a replacement for him. Peter reminded the others of the qualifications for the replacement. He said, “One of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21–22, ESV) Many of the men Jesus chose were originally disciples of John. Like them, the replacement for Judas must be able to bear witness to the baptism of Jesus by John. The baptism of Jesus forms the beginning point of the witness.
Today’s reading from the Gospel according to Luke informs us of this incredible epiphany. The heavens were opened. God the Son was in the water. God the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. God the Father spoke to the crowds. John the Baptist witnessed this epiphany along with his followers, and some of those followers would later become Jesus’ disciples.
However, not all the witnesses of this epiphany were friendly witnesses. This epiphany was also a message to the devil and all his evil angels. God the Son has taken up human flesh. He is bringing the battle to the earth. This is the one who will crush the serpent’s head. Jesus, full of the Spirit, is ready to battle the temptations of the devil in the wilderness. He will fight for you, Dear Christian, and He will win.
In a few Sundays when the season of Lent starts, we will read the temptation that the devil brought against Jesus. Two of the temptations begin with the words, “If you are the Son of God …” (Matt. 4; Luke 4). The other temptation asks Jesus to worship the devil as God. All three temptations attack the identity of Jesus as God … the identity that the Father proclaimed at Jesus’ baptism.
Jesus endured the full fire of Satan’s temptation. He endured not only the temptation in the wilderness, but Satan never really stopped tempting Jesus. He tempted him through His friends and followers. He continued to tempt Jesus even as Jesus was hanging on the cross. As Jesus hung on the cross those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:39–40, ESV) Even as Jesus hung on the cross, the passers by were still challenging the words that the Father proclaimed in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus endured these temptations as we never will. Jesus’ perfect perseverance under Satan’s fiery temptation was part of the mission to open heaven for us.
The epiphany we heard about this morning also marks Jesus as the target of God’s wrath. In today’s epistle, the Apostle Paul says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6, ESV) Jesus took your place. He was the target of God’s wrath – a wrath that was so severe that Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Jesus suffered the original baptism of fire for you. He fulfilled John’s prophecy of baptism by fire in order to open heaven for you.
Jesus blazed a trail through death that leads to life. He conquered death and rose from the dead. Through His triumph, the way to heaven is open.
Here at His baptism, Jesus took our place under the burden of our sin. As our substitute, He carried out God’s plan perfectly. The mission that Jesus began at His baptism was successful. He opened a way to heaven. He offers to join us to Himself through baptism. The Holy Spirit gives us the faith that receives that offer. God the Father adopts us into His family by that faith. When the time comes for us to leave this world, the heavens will open, the angels will carry us home and we will hear the Father say, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Amen
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
Prayer of the Church - The Baptism of Our Lord - 12 January 2025
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Blessed Lord, You wonderfully foreshadowed the promise of Baptism in the passing of Your people through the Red Sea and Jordan River. In Christ and by His Baptism, You have kept Your Word and made Baptism the water of new life. Give us Your Holy Spirit, that we would walk as the new and holy people You have declared us to be. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks that You call and gather the baptized into Your Church. Prosper the good work of preaching the Gospel and administering the life-giving Sacraments. Bless our Synod president, our district president, our pastor and all church workers, that their ministry would be faithful and fruitful. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Preserve the family, especially all Christian homes. Turn husband and wife toward one another in love, equip fathers and mothers for their holy duty as teachers of the faith, and preserve all children in the saving faith and certain promises of their Baptism unto life everlasting. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, Your Son, Jesus, is the Christ and the true King of this world. Grant great humility to the rulers of the nations, [especially _____________,] that they would submit to the preaching of His Holy Word for the sake of their own souls and for the good of Your holy people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks for standing with us in times of weakness, illness, despair and death. Give us every aid of Your Holy Spirit, that we may endure these afflictions and find comfort in the healing wounds of our Savior. [We especially remember _____________ and ask for their healing and relief according to Your will.] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, as You have joined us to Christ’s death and resurrection in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, so feed us His body and blood for forgiveness and life in the Sacrament of the Altar. Give to Your baptized children who partake of the Supper today tender hearts that confess their need and rejoice in Your gifts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You manifested Yourself with the Holy Spirit in the fullness of grace at the Baptism of Your dear Son. With Your voice, You directed us to the One who has borne our sins, that we may receive grace and forgiveness. Keep us, we implore You, in the true faith. Since we have been baptized in accordance with Your command and the example of Your Son, strengthen our faith by Your Holy Spirit and lead us to everlasting life and salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
The Installation of St. Paul’s Officers for 2025
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for at His Baptism Your voice from heaven revealed Him as Your beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him, confirming Him to be the Christ. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
594 “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It”
1 God’s own child, I gladly say it:
I am baptized into Christ!
He, because I could not pay it,
Gave my full redemption price.
Do I need earth’s treasures many?
I have one worth more than any
That brought me salvation free
Lasting to eternity!
2 Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood?
3 Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I’ve traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me!
4 Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith’s assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.
5 There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I’ll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I’m a child of paradise!
Text: Erdmann Neumeister, 1671–1756; tr. Robert E. Voelker, 1957
Text: © 1991 Robert E. Voelker. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
598 “Once in the Blest Baptismal Waters”
(sung to a different melody)
1 Once in the blest baptismal waters
I put on Christ and made Him mine;
Now numbered with God’s sons and daughters,
I share His peace and love divine. Refrain
ref O God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Your peace may bless my dying day.
2 His body and His blood I’ve taken
In His blest Supper, feast divine;
Now I shall never be forsaken,
For I am His, and He is mine. Refrain
3 And thus I live in God contented
And die without a thought of fear;
My soul has to God’s plans consented,
For through His Son my faith is clear. Refrain
Text: Emilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, 1637–1706; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, abr., alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Cantle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 405 “To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord”
1 To Jordan’s river came our Lord,
The Christ, whom heav’nly hosts adored,
The God from God, the Light from Light,
The Lord of glory, pow’r, and might.
2 The Savior came to be baptized--
The Son of God in flesh disguised--
To stand beneath the Father’s will
And all His righteousness fulfill.
3 As Jesus in the Jordan stood
And John baptized the Lamb of God,
The Holy Spirit, heav’nly dove,
Descended on Him from above.
4 Then from God’s throne with thund’rous sound
Came God’s own voice with words profound:
“This is My Son,” was His decree,
“The one I love, who pleases Me.”
5 The Father’s word, the Spirit’s flight
Anointed Christ in glorious sight
As God’s own choice, from Adam’s fall
To save the world and free us all.
6 Now rise, faint hearts, be resolute;
This man is Christ, our substitute!
He was baptized in Jordan’s stream,
Proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme.
Text: James P. Tiefel, 1949, alt.
Text: © 1993 James P. Tiefel. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Baptism of Our Lord – January 12, 2025
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey as Kermitt and Jackie would have celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this past Thursday (Jan. 2nd).
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Ted Smith
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE IS A CHURCH COUNCIL Meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT--
A mountain climber is caught in an avalanche. An eight-foot jump over a crevasse will save his life. Taking a mighty run, he soars seven and a half feet. Almost! A doctor performs surgery on a young man with a cancerous tumor. He succeeds in removing 99.5 percent of it. Almost! A hotel is on fire. A woman jumps 400 feet and misses the net below by only 4 feet. Almost! A fast jetliner climbs to clear a 12,000-foot mountain. By the time it comes to the mountain it has already reached the altitude of 11,950 feet. Almost! But almost doesn't count.
May we urge people not to put off their day of grace. Simply agreeing with us or just thinking about it isn't going to do any good whatever. Coming close does no good, but repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as Savior does. We need to share the entire verse. In Mark 16:16 Jesus promises, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." And then add, "Please, believe Jesus. He is God. He is truthful. And He loves you." This is very important: for more information carefully read Romans 3.
The Baptism of Our Lord
January 12, 2025
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 346 “When All the World Was Cursed”
1 When all the world was cursed
By Moses’ condemnation,
Saint John the Baptist came
With words of consolation.
With true forerunner’s zeal
The greater One he named,
And Him, as yet unknown,
As Savior he proclaimed.
2 Before he yet was born,
He leaped in joyful meeting,
Confessing Him as Lord
Whose mother he was greeting.
By Jordan’s rolling stream,
A new Elijah bold,
He testified of Him
Of whom the prophets told:
3 Behold the Lamb of God
That bears the world’s transgression,
Whose sacrifice removes
The devil’s dread oppression.
Behold the Lamb of God,
Who takes away our sin,
Who for our peace and joy
Will full atonement win.
4 O grant, dear Lord of love,
That we receive, rejoicing,
The word proclaimed by John,
Our true repentance voicing,
That gladly we may walk
Upon our Savior’s way
Until we live with Him
In His eternal day.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Isaiah 42:1a;Psalm 2:7–11, 12c
P Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessèd are all who take refuge in him.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 43:1–7
1But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 29
1Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly | beings,*
ascribe to the Lord glo- | ry and strength.
2Ascribe to the Lord the glory | due his name;*
worship the Lord in the splendor of | holiness.
3The voice of the Lord is over the | waters;*
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many | waters.
4The voice of the Lord is | powerful;*
the voice of the Lord is full of | majesty.
5The voice of the Lord breaks the | cedars;*
the Lord breaks the cedars of | Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon to skip | like a calf,*
and Sirion like a young | wild ox.
7The voice | of the Lord*
flashes forth | flames of fire.
8The voice of the Lord shakes the | wilderness;*
the Lord shakes the wilderness | of Kadesh.
9The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the | forests bare,*
and in his temple all cry, | “Glory!”
10The Lord sits enthroned o- | ver the flood;*
the Lord sits enthroned as king for- | ever.
11May the Lord give strength to his | people!*
May the Lord bless his people | with peace!
Epistle Romans 6:1–11
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 3:15–22
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter.
15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 404 “Jesus, Once with Sinners Numbered”
1 Jesus, once with sinners numbered,
Had no blemish of His own;
In the waters of the Jordan
His true worth and work were shown:
Heaven opened and the Spirit
There descended like a dove,
As the Father’s voice resounded,
“Hear My Son, the One I love.”
2 John confessed Him as the Savior--
“Look, the sinless Lamb of God!”
Yet he dared not loose the sandals
Of the One God’s love had shod.
Oh, how fair the feet of Jesus,
Bringing news of peace to us,
Christ, the herald of salvation,
Preaching mercy from the cross:
3 This the baptism that our Savior
Greatly longed to undergo;
This the crimson cleansing needed
So the world God’s love might know;
This the mission of Messiah
As He stepped from Jordan’s stream,
He, the chosen and anointed
Son of God, sent to redeem.
4 Jesus, once with sinners numbered,
Full obedience was Your path;
You, by death, have consecrated
Water in this saving bath:
Dying to the sin of Adam,
Rising to a life of grace;
We are counted with the righteous,
Over us the cross You trace.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “The Beloved Son Is Baptized” Luke 3:15-22
The Beloved Son Is Baptized – Luke 3:15-22
We are now in the season of the Epiphany of our Lord. The epiphany of our Lord is all about the many ways that our Lord, Jesus Christ reveals Himself to people. The first Gospel for the season of the Epiphany of our Lord is about our Lord revealing Himself to some magi by means of a sign in the heavens … a star that led them to the Christ-child. This week the Gospel tells us that God the Father tore the heavens open in order to talk about Jesus as Jesus submitted to a baptism by John in the Jordan. The gospel also tells us that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. Today’s gospel is an epiphany not just of Jesus, but also of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is still on His journey to the cross. He journeyed from His throne in Heaven to take on our humanity as a single cell in Mary’s womb. He grew in her womb just like any other human baby and on Christmas we celebrated His birth. He lived His life under the law just like any other human being. The only difference is that He kept the law perfectly. He never sinned.
The entire time that He grew both inside and outside of His mother, He carried our sin … your sin and mine. Up until the events in today’s Gospel, He had carried them privately … quietly. Very few people knew who He was. When it was time for Him to go public, He came to the Jordan River … to John the Baptist. He came to be baptized.
Now John was proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, (Luke 3:3, ESV) and the natural question is, “Why did Jesus have John baptize Him?” Jesus never sinned. He didn’t need to repent, and He didn’t need forgiveness of sins. What was Jesus doing in the water with John?
The best answer to this question that I know of is contained in the prayer that Martin Luther wrote for the rite of baptism. “Through the Baptism in the Jordan of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, You sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.” Jesus submitted to baptism in order to stand with you in order to save you from your sin. In the water of John’s baptism Jesus publicly proclaimed that He carried your sin. When JESUS is baptized, the sins that were washed away from sinners all stick to Him. At His Baptism, Jesus comes to be a sinner covered with our sins. And not just one person's sins. He comes to take on EVERY person's sins ever!
In the Gospel according to Luke that we just heard, both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God chosen to earn salvation for you. Today’s Gospel proclaims, “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21–22, ESV) This reverses the results of sin that God proclaimed after the first sin when He said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22–24, ESV) So, in Adam, it is our sin that closed off the way to paradise. The account of Jesus’ baptism informs us that, in Jesus, the way to paradise is open once again. For, as Jesus prayed, the heavens opened once again. The Holy Spirit descended on Him, and the Father declared Jesus to be His beloved Son … the Messiah … the one anointed to earn salvation for all people.
As Jesus journeyed to the cross, His baptism by John is a major milestone. This event is second in importance only to the crucifixion and resurrection. The Holy Spirit anointed the Christ in both His humanity and His divinity. God the Father acknowledges Him as His Son. His ministry of carrying our sins to the cross became public knowledge.
One of the demonstrations of the importance of this event comes after Jesus ascended. Judas the betrayer had hung himself, and the remainder of Jesus’ disciples came together to choose a replacement for him. Peter reminded the others of the qualifications for the replacement. He said, “One of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts 1:21–22, ESV) Many of the men Jesus chose were originally disciples of John. Like them, the replacement for Judas must be able to bear witness to the baptism of Jesus by John. The baptism of Jesus forms the beginning point of the witness.
Today’s reading from the Gospel according to Luke informs us of this incredible epiphany. The heavens were opened. God the Son was in the water. God the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. God the Father spoke to the crowds. John the Baptist witnessed this epiphany along with his followers, and some of those followers would later become Jesus’ disciples.
However, not all the witnesses of this epiphany were friendly witnesses. This epiphany was also a message to the devil and all his evil angels. God the Son has taken up human flesh. He is bringing the battle to the earth. This is the one who will crush the serpent’s head. Jesus, full of the Spirit, is ready to battle the temptations of the devil in the wilderness. He will fight for you, Dear Christian, and He will win.
In a few Sundays when the season of Lent starts, we will read the temptation that the devil brought against Jesus. Two of the temptations begin with the words, “If you are the Son of God …” (Matt. 4; Luke 4). The other temptation asks Jesus to worship the devil as God. All three temptations attack the identity of Jesus as God … the identity that the Father proclaimed at Jesus’ baptism.
Jesus endured the full fire of Satan’s temptation. He endured not only the temptation in the wilderness, but Satan never really stopped tempting Jesus. He tempted him through His friends and followers. He continued to tempt Jesus even as Jesus was hanging on the cross. As Jesus hung on the cross those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:39–40, ESV) Even as Jesus hung on the cross, the passers by were still challenging the words that the Father proclaimed in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus endured these temptations as we never will. Jesus’ perfect perseverance under Satan’s fiery temptation was part of the mission to open heaven for us.
The epiphany we heard about this morning also marks Jesus as the target of God’s wrath. In today’s epistle, the Apostle Paul says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6, ESV) Jesus took your place. He was the target of God’s wrath – a wrath that was so severe that Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Jesus suffered the original baptism of fire for you. He fulfilled John’s prophecy of baptism by fire in order to open heaven for you.
Jesus blazed a trail through death that leads to life. He conquered death and rose from the dead. Through His triumph, the way to heaven is open.
Here at His baptism, Jesus took our place under the burden of our sin. As our substitute, He carried out God’s plan perfectly. The mission that Jesus began at His baptism was successful. He opened a way to heaven. He offers to join us to Himself through baptism. The Holy Spirit gives us the faith that receives that offer. God the Father adopts us into His family by that faith. When the time comes for us to leave this world, the heavens will open, the angels will carry us home and we will hear the Father say, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Amen
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
Prayer of the Church - The Baptism of Our Lord - 12 January 2025
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Blessed Lord, You wonderfully foreshadowed the promise of Baptism in the passing of Your people through the Red Sea and Jordan River. In Christ and by His Baptism, You have kept Your Word and made Baptism the water of new life. Give us Your Holy Spirit, that we would walk as the new and holy people You have declared us to be. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks that You call and gather the baptized into Your Church. Prosper the good work of preaching the Gospel and administering the life-giving Sacraments. Bless our Synod president, our district president, our pastor and all church workers, that their ministry would be faithful and fruitful. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Preserve the family, especially all Christian homes. Turn husband and wife toward one another in love, equip fathers and mothers for their holy duty as teachers of the faith, and preserve all children in the saving faith and certain promises of their Baptism unto life everlasting. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, Your Son, Jesus, is the Christ and the true King of this world. Grant great humility to the rulers of the nations, [especially _____________,] that they would submit to the preaching of His Holy Word for the sake of their own souls and for the good of Your holy people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks for standing with us in times of weakness, illness, despair and death. Give us every aid of Your Holy Spirit, that we may endure these afflictions and find comfort in the healing wounds of our Savior. [We especially remember _____________ and ask for their healing and relief according to Your will.] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, as You have joined us to Christ’s death and resurrection in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, so feed us His body and blood for forgiveness and life in the Sacrament of the Altar. Give to Your baptized children who partake of the Supper today tender hearts that confess their need and rejoice in Your gifts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You manifested Yourself with the Holy Spirit in the fullness of grace at the Baptism of Your dear Son. With Your voice, You directed us to the One who has borne our sins, that we may receive grace and forgiveness. Keep us, we implore You, in the true faith. Since we have been baptized in accordance with Your command and the example of Your Son, strengthen our faith by Your Holy Spirit and lead us to everlasting life and salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
The Installation of St. Paul’s Officers for 2025
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for at His Baptism Your voice from heaven revealed Him as Your beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him, confirming Him to be the Christ. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
594 “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It”
1 God’s own child, I gladly say it:
I am baptized into Christ!
He, because I could not pay it,
Gave my full redemption price.
Do I need earth’s treasures many?
I have one worth more than any
That brought me salvation free
Lasting to eternity!
2 Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood?
3 Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I’ve traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me!
4 Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith’s assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.
5 There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I’ll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I’m a child of paradise!
Text: Erdmann Neumeister, 1671–1756; tr. Robert E. Voelker, 1957
Text: © 1991 Robert E. Voelker. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
598 “Once in the Blest Baptismal Waters”
(sung to a different melody)
1 Once in the blest baptismal waters
I put on Christ and made Him mine;
Now numbered with God’s sons and daughters,
I share His peace and love divine. Refrain
ref O God, for Jesus’ sake I pray
Your peace may bless my dying day.
2 His body and His blood I’ve taken
In His blest Supper, feast divine;
Now I shall never be forsaken,
For I am His, and He is mine. Refrain
3 And thus I live in God contented
And die without a thought of fear;
My soul has to God’s plans consented,
For through His Son my faith is clear. Refrain
Text: Emilie Juliane von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, 1637–1706; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, abr., alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Cantle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 405 “To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord”
1 To Jordan’s river came our Lord,
The Christ, whom heav’nly hosts adored,
The God from God, the Light from Light,
The Lord of glory, pow’r, and might.
2 The Savior came to be baptized--
The Son of God in flesh disguised--
To stand beneath the Father’s will
And all His righteousness fulfill.
3 As Jesus in the Jordan stood
And John baptized the Lamb of God,
The Holy Spirit, heav’nly dove,
Descended on Him from above.
4 Then from God’s throne with thund’rous sound
Came God’s own voice with words profound:
“This is My Son,” was His decree,
“The one I love, who pleases Me.”
5 The Father’s word, the Spirit’s flight
Anointed Christ in glorious sight
As God’s own choice, from Adam’s fall
To save the world and free us all.
6 Now rise, faint hearts, be resolute;
This man is Christ, our substitute!
He was baptized in Jordan’s stream,
Proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme.
Text: James P. Tiefel, 1949, alt.
Text: © 1993 James P. Tiefel. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Second Sunday after Christmas – January 5, 2025
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey as Kermitt and Jackie would have celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this past Thursday (Jan. 2nd).
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
ALL ARE INVITED to attend an Epiphany service tomorrow, Jan. 6th. There is a 10 a.m. service at Messiah, Citrus Heights, and a 7 p.m. service at Holy Cross, Rocklin.
The eastern sages saw from far
And followed on His guiding star;
And led by light, to light they trod,
And by their gifts confessed their God. LSB 399:2
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne, Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home.
LSB 733: 1-2, 6
The Second Sunday after Christmas
January 5, 2025
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 384 “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”
1 Of the Father’s love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.
2 Oh, that birth forever blessèd,
When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face
Evermore and evermore.
3 This is He whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord
Evermore and evermore.
4 O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Ev’ry voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.
D 5 Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, 348–c. 413; (sts. 1–4): tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.; (st. 5): tr. Henry W. Baker, 1821–77
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit John 1:14; Psalm 147:1, 5, 11–12
P The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, You have poured into our hearts the true Light of Your incarnate Word. Grant that this Light may shine forth in our lives; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading 1 Kings 3:4–15
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
10It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 119:97–104
Mem
97Oh how I | love your law!*
It is my meditation | all the day.
98Your commandment makes me wiser than my | enemies,*
for it is ever | with me.
99I have more understanding than all my | teachers,*
for your testimonies are my medi- | tation.
100I understand more than the | agèd,*
for I keep your | precepts.
101I hold back my feet from every | evil way,*
in order to | keep your word.
102I do not turn aside from your | just decrees,*
for you have | taught me.
103How sweet are your words | to my taste,*
sweeter than honey | to my mouth!
104Through your precepts I get under- | standing;*
therefore I hate every | false way.
Epistle Ephesians 1:3–14
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 2:40–52
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
40The child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 410 “Within the Father’s House”
1 Within the Father’s house
The Son has found His home,
And to His temple suddenly
The Lord of life has come.
2 The doctors of the Law
Gaze on the wondrous child
And marvel at His gracious words
Of wisdom undefiled.
3 Yet not to them is giv’n
The mighty truth to know,
To lift the earthly veil that hides
Incarnate God below.
4 The secret of the Lord
Escapes each human eye,
And faithful pond’ring hearts await
The full epiphany.
5 Lord, visit Thou our souls
And teach us by Thy grace
Each dim revealing of Thyself
With loving awe to trace
D 6 Till we behold Thy face
And know as we are known
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Coequal Three in One.
Text: James R. Woodford, 1820–85, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “The Father’s Business” Luke 2:40-52
The Father’s Business – Luke 2:40-52
Today's Gospel tells us that Mary and Joseph were traveling with extended family when they were coming back from Passover in Jerusalem. This story gives us the opportunity to remember that Jesus did not live in some sort of sacred vacuum. He had friends and cousins just like any normal boy.
Imagine, if you will, that when you left a popular event that you would not fill up at a gas station near the freeway when you left, but that all those people on the freeway were walking together with you. Then imagine that you knew most of them. It would not be unusual at all for the children in the group to get together and play games while they walked. They might walk first with one family and then with another. Mary and Joseph just figured that Jesus was just somewhere in the crowd playing with His friends or cousins. They would not notice that Jesus was missing until they set up camp at the end of the day. Only then would they look for Him among the travelers and learn that He was not with them.
I can't imagine anyone under similar circumstances waiting for the next day to come. Instead, I imagine that Mary and Joseph immediately started back the way they had come in the hopes of finding Jesus somewhere on the trail. Then they searched all over Jerusalem. Finally, after three days, they found Jesus in the temple debating theology with the teachers.
Mary expressed those dual emotions that all parents have when they find their lost children: relief that the child is OK and frustration at the child for creating such a situation. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."
Jesus' reply is a reply that challenges Mary, Joseph, and us to rethink our priorities. He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be among the things of my Father?" Jesus is basically saying, "If you really knew me and understood me, the temple would have been the first place you looked. You would have found me as soon as you got into town."
If we think about it a little bit, Jesus must have had a voracious appetite for Scripture and theology. The Gospel says, "After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." In the culture of that day, teachers sat and disciples stood. The fact that Jesus was sitting among the teachers meant that they had accepted Him as a peer! He was engaged in the discussion as one among equals!
Now we might be tempted to say something like, "Well of course Jesus was good at theology. He's God. He's the one who talked to Moses and the prophets in the first place. It's not too difficult to know a book if you are the author." That would be a perfectly valid thing to say if Jesus were to call on His divine nature. However, that is not what He did.
Remember that Jesus was in a state of humility from His conception in the womb until His friends laid Him in the tomb. This means that, during that time - womb to tomb - He did not use His divine powers for His own advantage. This includes His schooling. That means He learned His Scriptures and His theology that same way everyone else did. He studied. He kept the command that says, [Deuteronomy 6:6-9] "These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." If you have a child whose mind is focused on Holy Scripture and then you set such a child loose in Jerusalem, He will find His way to the teachers of the Scriptures. That is the first place you should look for Him.
Jesus' words not only convict Mary and Joseph, but they also convict us. We too try to search for Jesus and can't find Him. We find ourselves with Mary and Joseph in that we too are looking in the wrong places. Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s house." Nevertheless, we look among the things of this world. We look to earthly security, wealth, power, popularity, and so forth. We want a Jesus who peps us up - who makes us feel good. We want a Jesus who tells us that we are OK.
Too often we fulfill Paul's prediction to Timothy: [2 Timothy 4:3-4] "The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." We wander around in false teachings and then wonder why we don't find Jesus.
Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s House," in other words, doing the things of His Father. What are the things of His Father? The things of His Father are the things His Father sent Him here to do: Living a perfect life; Taking our sin onto Himself; Carrying that sin to the cross; Dying in our place. These are the things of the Father. It is among these things that we find Jesus.
Unfortunately, the disgust of these things prevents us from looking there. The cross is gruesome, messy, obscene. It is bloody. The cross proclaims the penalty for sin across the centuries. It shows us the punishment we deserve for our sin. It shows us the justice of God. It is a place we cannot look, for it is a place that reminds us of our sin. We cannot look among the things of the Father on our own and so we will never find Jesus on our own.
The Holy Spirit must take us among the things of the Father. He does this as we hear God's Word and He uses that Word to produce faith in us. By God's Word He must show us the shame and the filth of our sin. Then He must show us the cross. As the Holy Spirit shows the cross to us, we see the place where we should hang and there is Jesus hanging for us. We could not find Him, but the Holy Spirit has gathered us to Him. There - at the cross - the Holy Spirit has showed us Jesus among the things of His father. By taking us among the things of the Father, the Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts and makes us people of the Father.
Now that the Holy Spirit has gathered us to Jesus, we see that the things of the Father do not end at the cross. Beyond the cross are more things of the Father. Beyond the cross is an empty tomb. After Jesus died on the cross, His friends laid Him in a tomb. It was there that Jesus shrugged off the state of humiliation and entered the state of exaltation. He left the tomb. He proclaimed His victory to those below in hell and then He proclaimed His victory here on earth. He rose from the dead and showed Himself alive to many witnesses. Jesus' resurrection promises us that there is a resurrection among the things of the Father. Jesus' resurrection promises the people of the Father that they will rise to enjoy the things of the Father that the Son has earned for us.
In today's Gospel, we might be tempted to say that Jesus was lost. In fact, Jesus was exactly where He was supposed to be. It was really Mary and Joseph who were lost. In a similar way, we are also lost - lost in our trespasses and sins. It is God who finds us and places us among the things of the Father. There the Holy Spirit works faith and makes us people of the Father. Since Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s house," that means we are with Jesus. That is exactly where we are supposed to be. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Second Sunday after Christmas - 5 January 2025
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, we give You thanks that Your Son, the eternal Word, has become flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Extend His praise into all the world, that many would come to hope in His steadfast love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have blessed us in Christ, Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Preserve Your Church by the preaching of the Gospel of salvation and the seal of the promised Holy Spirit in Baptism. Raise up among us faithful preachers to the praise of Christ’s glory, until we acquire the inheritance promised us in Him. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You prepared a place for Your Son, Jesus, in the womb of the Virgin Mary and in the home of Mary and Joseph. Bless our homes and all who dwell in them, that Your Word would be heard and Your mercy be shown therein. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You gave to Your servant Solomon unsurpassed wisdom to rule Your people Israel, chiefly the wisdom that begins in fearing You. Give to the leaders and elected officials of our nation wisdom for their task to discern between good and evil and to govern this people in peace and quietness. Be gracious to preserve our president and president-elect, our governor, and all legislators and judges. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, give patience and endurance to all who are sick or in any need, [especially _____________,] and heal them according to Your will. Receive our thanksgiving for every blessing and kindness You have shown to Your people in Christ [especially _____________]. Give comfort and hope to all who mourn [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son has won redemption through His blood, granting the forgiveness of our trespasses. According to the riches of Your grace, receive those who come to Your blessed Sacrament this day. Grant worthy repentance and confident faith to all who commune, united in a sincere confession of the faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, in mercy You have established the Christian home among us. We implore You, rule and direct our hearts to be good examples to children and those subject to us. Grant that we may not offend them by word or deed but faithfully teach them to love Your Church and hear Your blessed Word. Give them Your Spirit and grace, that this seed may bring forth good fruit and our homelife may advance Your glory, honor and praise as well as our own improvement and welfare, giving offense to no one; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In the beginning You created all things by Your Word; and in the fullness of time Your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Let Your Word made flesh dwell richly among us that, faithfully eating His body and drinking His blood, we may receive the fullness of Your grace and truth in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
376 “Once in Royal David’s City”
1 Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
2 He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
3 For He is our childhood’s pattern,
Day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feels for all our sadness,
And He shares in all our gladness.
4 And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heav’n above;
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
5 Not in that poor, lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
Shall we see Him, but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars His children, crowned,
All in white, His praise will sound!
Text: Cecil F. Alexander, 1818–95, alt.
Text: Public domain
385 “From East to West”
1 From east to west, from shore to shore
Let ev’ry heart awake and sing
The holy child whom Mary bore,
The Christ, the everlasting king.
2 Behold, the world’s creator wears
The form and fashion of a slave;
Our very flesh our maker shares,
His fallen creatures all to save.
3 For this how wondrously He wrought!
A maiden, in her lowly place,
Became, in ways beyond all thought,
The chosen vessel of His grace.
4 And while the angels in the sky
Sang praise above the silent field,
To shepherds poor the Lord Most High,
The one great Shepherd, was revealed.
D 5 All glory for this blessèd morn
To God the Father ever be;
All praise to You, O Virgin-born,
And Holy Ghost eternally.
Text: Coelius Sedulius, 5th cent.; tr. John Ellerton, 1826–93, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 399 “The Star Proclaims the King Is Here”
1 The star proclaims the King is here;
But, Herod, why this senseless fear?
For He who offers heav’nly birth
Seeks not the kingdoms of this earth.
2 The eastern sages saw from far
And followed on His guiding star;
And, led by light, to light they trod
And by their gifts confessed their God.
3 Within the Jordan’s sacred flood
The heav’nly Lamb in meekness stood
That He, of whom no sin was known,
Might cleanse His people from their own.
4 And oh, what miracle divine,
When water reddened into wine!
He spoke the word, and forth it flowed
In streams that nature ne’er bestowed.
D 5 For this Thy glad epiphany
All glory, Jesus, be to Thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Spirit evermore.
Text: Coelius Sedulius, 5th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Second Sunday after Christmas – January 5, 2025
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey as Kermitt and Jackie would have celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this past Thursday (Jan. 2nd).
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
ALL ARE INVITED to attend an Epiphany service tomorrow, Jan. 6th. There is a 10 a.m. service at Messiah, Citrus Heights, and a 7 p.m. service at Holy Cross, Rocklin.
The eastern sages saw from far
And followed on His guiding star;
And led by light, to light they trod,
And by their gifts confessed their God. LSB 399:2
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne, Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home.
LSB 733: 1-2, 6
The Second Sunday after Christmas
January 5, 2025
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 384 “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”
1 Of the Father’s love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.
2 Oh, that birth forever blessèd,
When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face
Evermore and evermore.
3 This is He whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord
Evermore and evermore.
4 O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Ev’ry voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.
D 5 Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, 348–c. 413; (sts. 1–4): tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.; (st. 5): tr. Henry W. Baker, 1821–77
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit John 1:14; Psalm 147:1, 5, 11–12
P The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, You have poured into our hearts the true Light of Your incarnate Word. Grant that this Light may shine forth in our lives; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading 1 Kings 3:4–15
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
10It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 119:97–104
Mem
97Oh how I | love your law!*
It is my meditation | all the day.
98Your commandment makes me wiser than my | enemies,*
for it is ever | with me.
99I have more understanding than all my | teachers,*
for your testimonies are my medi- | tation.
100I understand more than the | agèd,*
for I keep your | precepts.
101I hold back my feet from every | evil way,*
in order to | keep your word.
102I do not turn aside from your | just decrees,*
for you have | taught me.
103How sweet are your words | to my taste,*
sweeter than honey | to my mouth!
104Through your precepts I get under- | standing;*
therefore I hate every | false way.
Epistle Ephesians 1:3–14
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 2:40–52
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
40The child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 410 “Within the Father’s House”
1 Within the Father’s house
The Son has found His home,
And to His temple suddenly
The Lord of life has come.
2 The doctors of the Law
Gaze on the wondrous child
And marvel at His gracious words
Of wisdom undefiled.
3 Yet not to them is giv’n
The mighty truth to know,
To lift the earthly veil that hides
Incarnate God below.
4 The secret of the Lord
Escapes each human eye,
And faithful pond’ring hearts await
The full epiphany.
5 Lord, visit Thou our souls
And teach us by Thy grace
Each dim revealing of Thyself
With loving awe to trace
D 6 Till we behold Thy face
And know as we are known
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Coequal Three in One.
Text: James R. Woodford, 1820–85, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “The Father’s Business” Luke 2:40-52
The Father’s Business – Luke 2:40-52
Today's Gospel tells us that Mary and Joseph were traveling with extended family when they were coming back from Passover in Jerusalem. This story gives us the opportunity to remember that Jesus did not live in some sort of sacred vacuum. He had friends and cousins just like any normal boy.
Imagine, if you will, that when you left a popular event that you would not fill up at a gas station near the freeway when you left, but that all those people on the freeway were walking together with you. Then imagine that you knew most of them. It would not be unusual at all for the children in the group to get together and play games while they walked. They might walk first with one family and then with another. Mary and Joseph just figured that Jesus was just somewhere in the crowd playing with His friends or cousins. They would not notice that Jesus was missing until they set up camp at the end of the day. Only then would they look for Him among the travelers and learn that He was not with them.
I can't imagine anyone under similar circumstances waiting for the next day to come. Instead, I imagine that Mary and Joseph immediately started back the way they had come in the hopes of finding Jesus somewhere on the trail. Then they searched all over Jerusalem. Finally, after three days, they found Jesus in the temple debating theology with the teachers.
Mary expressed those dual emotions that all parents have when they find their lost children: relief that the child is OK and frustration at the child for creating such a situation. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."
Jesus' reply is a reply that challenges Mary, Joseph, and us to rethink our priorities. He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be among the things of my Father?" Jesus is basically saying, "If you really knew me and understood me, the temple would have been the first place you looked. You would have found me as soon as you got into town."
If we think about it a little bit, Jesus must have had a voracious appetite for Scripture and theology. The Gospel says, "After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." In the culture of that day, teachers sat and disciples stood. The fact that Jesus was sitting among the teachers meant that they had accepted Him as a peer! He was engaged in the discussion as one among equals!
Now we might be tempted to say something like, "Well of course Jesus was good at theology. He's God. He's the one who talked to Moses and the prophets in the first place. It's not too difficult to know a book if you are the author." That would be a perfectly valid thing to say if Jesus were to call on His divine nature. However, that is not what He did.
Remember that Jesus was in a state of humility from His conception in the womb until His friends laid Him in the tomb. This means that, during that time - womb to tomb - He did not use His divine powers for His own advantage. This includes His schooling. That means He learned His Scriptures and His theology that same way everyone else did. He studied. He kept the command that says, [Deuteronomy 6:6-9] "These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." If you have a child whose mind is focused on Holy Scripture and then you set such a child loose in Jerusalem, He will find His way to the teachers of the Scriptures. That is the first place you should look for Him.
Jesus' words not only convict Mary and Joseph, but they also convict us. We too try to search for Jesus and can't find Him. We find ourselves with Mary and Joseph in that we too are looking in the wrong places. Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s house." Nevertheless, we look among the things of this world. We look to earthly security, wealth, power, popularity, and so forth. We want a Jesus who peps us up - who makes us feel good. We want a Jesus who tells us that we are OK.
Too often we fulfill Paul's prediction to Timothy: [2 Timothy 4:3-4] "The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." We wander around in false teachings and then wonder why we don't find Jesus.
Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s House," in other words, doing the things of His Father. What are the things of His Father? The things of His Father are the things His Father sent Him here to do: Living a perfect life; Taking our sin onto Himself; Carrying that sin to the cross; Dying in our place. These are the things of the Father. It is among these things that we find Jesus.
Unfortunately, the disgust of these things prevents us from looking there. The cross is gruesome, messy, obscene. It is bloody. The cross proclaims the penalty for sin across the centuries. It shows us the punishment we deserve for our sin. It shows us the justice of God. It is a place we cannot look, for it is a place that reminds us of our sin. We cannot look among the things of the Father on our own and so we will never find Jesus on our own.
The Holy Spirit must take us among the things of the Father. He does this as we hear God's Word and He uses that Word to produce faith in us. By God's Word He must show us the shame and the filth of our sin. Then He must show us the cross. As the Holy Spirit shows the cross to us, we see the place where we should hang and there is Jesus hanging for us. We could not find Him, but the Holy Spirit has gathered us to Him. There - at the cross - the Holy Spirit has showed us Jesus among the things of His father. By taking us among the things of the Father, the Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts and makes us people of the Father.
Now that the Holy Spirit has gathered us to Jesus, we see that the things of the Father do not end at the cross. Beyond the cross are more things of the Father. Beyond the cross is an empty tomb. After Jesus died on the cross, His friends laid Him in a tomb. It was there that Jesus shrugged off the state of humiliation and entered the state of exaltation. He left the tomb. He proclaimed His victory to those below in hell and then He proclaimed His victory here on earth. He rose from the dead and showed Himself alive to many witnesses. Jesus' resurrection promises us that there is a resurrection among the things of the Father. Jesus' resurrection promises the people of the Father that they will rise to enjoy the things of the Father that the Son has earned for us.
In today's Gospel, we might be tempted to say that Jesus was lost. In fact, Jesus was exactly where He was supposed to be. It was really Mary and Joseph who were lost. In a similar way, we are also lost - lost in our trespasses and sins. It is God who finds us and places us among the things of the Father. There the Holy Spirit works faith and makes us people of the Father. Since Jesus said, "I must be in my Father’s house," that means we are with Jesus. That is exactly where we are supposed to be. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Second Sunday after Christmas - 5 January 2025
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, we give You thanks that Your Son, the eternal Word, has become flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Extend His praise into all the world, that many would come to hope in His steadfast love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have blessed us in Christ, Your beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Preserve Your Church by the preaching of the Gospel of salvation and the seal of the promised Holy Spirit in Baptism. Raise up among us faithful preachers to the praise of Christ’s glory, until we acquire the inheritance promised us in Him. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You prepared a place for Your Son, Jesus, in the womb of the Virgin Mary and in the home of Mary and Joseph. Bless our homes and all who dwell in them, that Your Word would be heard and Your mercy be shown therein. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You gave to Your servant Solomon unsurpassed wisdom to rule Your people Israel, chiefly the wisdom that begins in fearing You. Give to the leaders and elected officials of our nation wisdom for their task to discern between good and evil and to govern this people in peace and quietness. Be gracious to preserve our president and president-elect, our governor, and all legislators and judges. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, give patience and endurance to all who are sick or in any need, [especially _____________,] and heal them according to Your will. Receive our thanksgiving for every blessing and kindness You have shown to Your people in Christ [especially _____________]. Give comfort and hope to all who mourn [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son has won redemption through His blood, granting the forgiveness of our trespasses. According to the riches of Your grace, receive those who come to Your blessed Sacrament this day. Grant worthy repentance and confident faith to all who commune, united in a sincere confession of the faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, in mercy You have established the Christian home among us. We implore You, rule and direct our hearts to be good examples to children and those subject to us. Grant that we may not offend them by word or deed but faithfully teach them to love Your Church and hear Your blessed Word. Give them Your Spirit and grace, that this seed may bring forth good fruit and our homelife may advance Your glory, honor and praise as well as our own improvement and welfare, giving offense to no one; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In the beginning You created all things by Your Word; and in the fullness of time Your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Let Your Word made flesh dwell richly among us that, faithfully eating His body and drinking His blood, we may receive the fullness of Your grace and truth in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
376 “Once in Royal David’s City”
1 Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
2 He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
3 For He is our childhood’s pattern,
Day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feels for all our sadness,
And He shares in all our gladness.
4 And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heav’n above;
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
5 Not in that poor, lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
Shall we see Him, but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars His children, crowned,
All in white, His praise will sound!
Text: Cecil F. Alexander, 1818–95, alt.
Text: Public domain
385 “From East to West”
1 From east to west, from shore to shore
Let ev’ry heart awake and sing
The holy child whom Mary bore,
The Christ, the everlasting king.
2 Behold, the world’s creator wears
The form and fashion of a slave;
Our very flesh our maker shares,
His fallen creatures all to save.
3 For this how wondrously He wrought!
A maiden, in her lowly place,
Became, in ways beyond all thought,
The chosen vessel of His grace.
4 And while the angels in the sky
Sang praise above the silent field,
To shepherds poor the Lord Most High,
The one great Shepherd, was revealed.
D 5 All glory for this blessèd morn
To God the Father ever be;
All praise to You, O Virgin-born,
And Holy Ghost eternally.
Text: Coelius Sedulius, 5th cent.; tr. John Ellerton, 1826–93, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 399 “The Star Proclaims the King Is Here”
1 The star proclaims the King is here;
But, Herod, why this senseless fear?
For He who offers heav’nly birth
Seeks not the kingdoms of this earth.
2 The eastern sages saw from far
And followed on His guiding star;
And, led by light, to light they trod
And by their gifts confessed their God.
3 Within the Jordan’s sacred flood
The heav’nly Lamb in meekness stood
That He, of whom no sin was known,
Might cleanse His people from their own.
4 And oh, what miracle divine,
When water reddened into wine!
He spoke the word, and forth it flowed
In streams that nature ne’er bestowed.
D 5 For this Thy glad epiphany
All glory, Jesus, be to Thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Spirit evermore.
Text: Coelius Sedulius, 5th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The First Sunday after Christmas – December 29, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
GOD IS PRESENT IN OUR STORMS--
The storm did not awaken Jesus, but the cry of his disciples did. Storms happen all the time on the Sea of Galilee, but apparently this was a pretty bad one, because even the seasoned sailors were freaking out. Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat. Now, in a broad sense, God never sleeps. He’s always aware of what we’re going through. The Bible tells us that “he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song,
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the
fiercest drought and storm;
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
When strivings cease,
My Comforter, My All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand!
MORNING SERVICE WITH HOLY COMMUNION
The First Sunday after Christmas – December 29, 2024
PRESERVICE MUSIC AND RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN: 519 “In His Temple Now Behold Him”
INVOCATION, CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
ALL: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all
things, Judge of all people, we admit and confess our sinful-
ness. We have turned away from you and from each other in
our thoughts, words, and actions. We do repent and are truly
sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father, because of
the obedience of our Brother, Jesus Christ, your Son. Forgive
us all that is past, renew us with the power of the Holy Spirit,
and move us to faithful service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ
our Lord.
P: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and turn to
Him. May He keep you in His grace by the Holy Spirit, lead you to
greater faith and obedience, and bring you to live with Him forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
KYRIE [sung to the tune of the hymn Amazing Grace]
Have mercy on Your people, Lord.
Have mercy, Christ our King.
Renew us by Your mercy, Lord;
Accept the prayers we bring.
HYMN OF PRAISE [tune – Hark the Herald Angels Sing]
“Glory be to God on high.” This is now our joyful cry.
Peace to all who live on earth, Grace and favor for new birth.
You we praise and glorify, Worship You, O Lord most high.
Gracious Father, heav’nly King, To Your name alone we sing:
Praise the glory of Your name, Now and evermore the same.
Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Sole-begotten, Holy One,
Born on earth from realms on high, Born true man for us to die,
Lamb of God, You take away This world’s sin: Grant peace we pray.
With the Spirit, You alone Are most high, O God the Son,
And the Father, God above. Praise we now Your glorious love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15
13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”
3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
EPISTLE LESSON Colossians 3:12-17
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Stand
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:22-40
22When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation
31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Sit
SERMON HYMN: 389 “Let All Together Praise Our God”
SERMON “God Is in His Temple, Let Us All Adore Him!”
Luke 2:22-40
God Is in His Temple, Let Us All Adore Him! - Luke 2:22-40
We have an interesting situation in today's Gospel. The Bible tells us about different ways that God reveals Himself. We have Moses and the Burning Bush, the cloud by day and fire by night, the tabernacle, and the temple. All these are ways for the people to know that God is with them. When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, they were bringing the ultimate expression of God's presence into another expression of God's presence. They were bringing the holy God into His holy house.
The Son of God took on human flesh so that He could keep the law perfectly in our place. He even kept the very ceremonial laws that pointed to His coming. We read about one of those ceremonial laws in today's Old Testament reading. The LORD said to Moses, "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine." This consecration is a reminder of the Passover in Egypt. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' This ceremony constantly pointed back to the great salvation God won for His people when He freed them from slavery in Egypt. Now, in today's Gospel, we see the one who fulfills this ceremonial law is also the one who will purchase freedom from the slavery of sin for all humanity.
Luke's inspired words in today's Gospel are very careful to tell us that the purification in the temple was according to the Law of Moses, and as it is written in the Law of the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, and to do for him according to the custom of the Law, and when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord. In addition to all this, today's Gospel immediately follows another verse that tells that Jesus had already fulfilled another requirement of the ceremonial law. [Luke 2:21] At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. This circumcision was also a fulfillment of the law. The Holy Spirit really wants us to understand that Jesus is the perfect substitute for us in that He keeps the law perfectly - even as an infant.
Luke's inspired account of Jesus fulfilling the law even as an infant teaches us that Jesus was already at work to save us from our sin. From the moment of His conception as the only perfect, sinless human being who ever lived, He was already at the work of earning our salvation for us.
As Mary and Joseph bring Jesus into the temple in order to fulfill the law, they meet this wonderful Old Testament saint named Simeon. We call Simeon an Old Testament Christian because of the description: this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The words "waiting for the consolation of Israel" tell us that He was looking forward to the future savior. That is the reason that he could be described as righteous and devout for no one can be righteous in God's sight without faith in the Savior.
God gave Simeon a special promise. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. This is a marvelous gift to give to an Old Testament Christian who believed in and waited for the future Savior. He had the promise of God that the future Savior would come during his lifetime.
Simeon became a prophet when he took the infant Christ up into his arms. The Holy Spirit gave him a proclamation of thanksgiving for the opportunity to see the Christ with his own eyes, and a proclamation of the salvation that this infant would bring to the world. The Lord had kept His promise to Simeon and now Simeon's life was complete. He was ready for the Lord to take him home to heaven at any time for he had seen the long-promised salvation of the Lord.
Simeon also had a message from God for Mary. This message affects Mary at the personal level and at the public level. It affects Mary personally as a foretelling of the grief she would endure for her Son suffering and dying on the cross. It also affects Mary as the personification of Israel. The mission of Jesus will pass through Israel like a sword and reveal the secret thoughts of many hearts.
As Simeon held the infant savior and prophesied another Old Testament saint appeared, Anna the prophetess. Luke does not record her words. Instead, he tells how Anna spread the Gospel of the Savior to all who would hear. She, like Simeon, was waiting. She was looking forward to the Redemption of Jerusalem. Now, she too had seen the promised Christ.
Christ Jesus came to the temple long ago to fulfill the law and so continue to keep the law perfectly. He must keep the law for us because that is something that we cannot do. We have defiled the law in thought, word, and deed. We have sinned by not doing as the law commands. We have sinned by doing what the law prohibits. We love ourselves more than we love God or our neighbor. Even when we do those things that seem right to the world around us, our hearts have not been in the right place and our motives have been selfish. We deserve a miserable existence in this life and eternal torment in the life to come. We know our only hope lies in the Christ who entered the temple as an infant to keep the law perfectly in our place.
We too can have the faith of Simeon that Jesus is the salvation that [the Lord has] prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to [His] people Israel. The salvation that the Lord has prepared will work its way out as Jesus continues to live the perfect, sinless life that is impossible for us. Just as He is our substitute under the law in order to keep it, He is also our substitute under the law in order to bear the punishment that the law demands for sin. In His great love for us, He took up the sin of the world. As God said through the prophet, [Isaiah 53:6b] The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [1 Peter 2:24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. This is the salvation that is a light for revelation to the Gentiles. Our Lord Jesus Christ took our sins to the cross and paid the penalty for them all.
We can have confidence in Jesus because [1 Corinthians 15:20] Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. In His resurrection, we have the sure and certain hope that we will also rise from the dead. For just as Christ is the firstfruits, so also are we the harvest that will follow Him so that we can live with Him forever.
We who meet here on this day follow in the footsteps of Simeon and Anna. We also desire to see our salvation. We also desire to see the Christ. We have a promise that is just as certain as Simeon's for Jesus Himself said, [Matthew 18:20] "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them," and [Matthew 28:20b] "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Then there are these words: [1 Corinthians 11:23-26] “The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” When we eat the bread, we are eating the body of Christ. When we drink the wine, we are drinking the blood of Christ. In the bread and wine, we experience the very presence of the body and blood of Jesus. Here is the certain promise that we will find the Savior when the Holy Spirit draws us into His house.
That is the reason that we respond with Simeon's words as we chant: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” As we chant those words, we join Simeon and Anna in thanksgiving to God that we also do not see death before we see the Lord's Christ.
Once again we are reminded that we come to God's house to be with Christ and to receive His gifts. Just as the Holy Spirit gathered Simeon and Anna to the temple in order to see their Savior, so He also does the same for us today. He gathers us together in God's house to receive His blessings.
Simeon and Anna saw the Lord at the beginning of His work to be our substitute under the Law. The Lord finished His work under the law as He kept the law perfectly and took its punishment in our place. Now He comes to us through His holy Word and His blessed Sacraments. As He comes to us, we receive forgiveness, life, and salvation.
The day will come when we will join Simeon, Anna, Joseph, Mary, our loved ones, and all who believe in Christ as the Holy Spirit gathers us to eternal life. There we shall live in the eternal grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen
CREEDAL HYMN [tune – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise]
In God we believe: the creator whose pow’r
In mercy has brought us for worship this hour.
He graciously grants us our years and our days
And blesses with kindness our work and our ways.
In Jesus, the Savior, our hope is secured,
True God and true man once the cross He endured,
To grant our lives wholeness, forgiveness of sin.
With hearts freed from guilt, we know true peace within.
God’s Spirit at work in our lives we confess;
With power and truth the Church now He does bless.
As saints, God’s forgiven, one day we shall then,
Be living in glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH/PRAYERS FOR HEALING
P: In our prayers we pray for the whole Church and the world, we lift
before God specific needs especially in our own parish, and we
remember and give thanks for the faithful departed….. Great God our
Healer, by Your power, the Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave hope
to the hopeless. In His name and for His sake,
C: look upon us with mercy and bless us with your healing Spirit.
P: Bring us comfort in the midst of pain, strength to transform our
weakness,
C: and light to illuminate our darkness.
P: Grant Your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that
they may be made whole; Lord in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, the awareness of
Your presence; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to
soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering;
grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Lord, in Your
mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with Your grace
strengthen those who mourn; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation,
and in the world; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious God, in baptism You anointed us with the oil of salvation, and
joined us to the death and resurrection of Your Son. Bless all who seek
Your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more
deeply into the mystery of Your love, that following Christ in the way of
the cross they may know the power of His resurrection; who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday after Christmas - 29 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, You have chosen us from the foundation of the world to be Your people. Strengthen our hearts by Your grace and open our lips to sing Your praises, that Your Holy Word would dwell richly within us from generation to generation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, grant Your blessing to the whole Church on earth, that Christ’s people may set their hearts and minds on the things above and be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lover of mankind, bind our families together in perfect harmony and rule our hearts with the peace of Christ. Cause His Word to dwell richly among us, and let fathers and heads of the household teach and admonish their families in all wisdom. Let our songs, words and deeds be done in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, as blessed St. Anna waited in the temple for the consolation of Israel, give to Your people who await the second advent of our Savior endurance in our vocations, that we would do the good works You have prepared in advance for us to do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You wounded Your own Son to bring us the eternal healing of Your love. Bless all who suffer wounds of body and soul [especially _____________ and those we name before You in our hearts]. Grant them healing according to Your will, and sustain them unto the day of the resurrection of all flesh. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, as blessed Mary treasured all things in her heart, grant us to know what is worthy of our attention and what will pass away, that approaching the table of our Lord we may be well-prepared to receive with repentance and faith His flesh for the life of the world and His blood that cleanses us from all our sin. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things we pray, O Lord, in confidence of Your mercy, trusting that You will grant us all things needful and prevent all things harmful to our faith, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
OFFERING PRESENTATION AND PRAYER
Stand
PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P: It is truly good, right, and salutary…..evermore praising You and
saying:
SANCTUS [tune – Holy, Holy, Holy]
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
Day and night we join to praise Your love and majesty.
You alone are holy, worthy and righteous.
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
We rejoice to join the hymn of earth and sky and sea.
Generations praise You, with saints and angels,
Holy and bless’d through all eternity.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
AGNUS DEI [tune – My Faith Looks Up to Thee]
O Lamb of God, we pray: Take all our sins away,
Our faith increase. Have mercy on us all,
Strengthen us when we fall,
Answer our fervent call And grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE OPTIONAL ANOINTING WITH OIL [See explanation on page 8]
[Note: If you wish to be anointed with oil, please remain kneeling after pastor dismisses the communion table. You may then return to your seat after being anointed.]
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS:
624 “The Infant Priest Was Holy Born”
386 “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice”
Stand
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION
P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
CLOSING HYMN: 390 “Let Us All with Gladsome Voice”
+ spes mea Christus – My Hope is in Christ +
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS
BIBLE CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
Anointing with Oil
Oil was and is effective medicine. As Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan who bandaged wounds and poured oil on them in Luke 10:30-34, He also instructed His disciples to anoint and cure the ill (Mark 6:7,13). The extended Church and its elders [pastors] in James 5:14-16 were urged to pray for healing and anoint with oil. Oil, applied to the forehead in a service of healing, has no healing effect on its own. However, anointing with the sign of the cross using a forefinger or thumb, touches us with the fingerprint of the Great Physician. Anointing points to the presence of our healing Savior as the source of our restoration to wholeness.
For this reason, some may wish to receive this special anointing. If you do not wish to do so, it does not mean that you do not wish God’s healing presence in your life. It is simply an optional rite in the Church that some have found helpful/advantageous over the centuries, as Psalm 23:5 indicates—“you anoint my head with oil.”
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The First Sunday after Christmas – December 29, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
GOD IS PRESENT IN OUR STORMS--
The storm did not awaken Jesus, but the cry of his disciples did. Storms happen all the time on the Sea of Galilee, but apparently this was a pretty bad one, because even the seasoned sailors were freaking out. Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat. Now, in a broad sense, God never sleeps. He’s always aware of what we’re going through. The Bible tells us that “he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song,
This Cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the
fiercest drought and storm;
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
When strivings cease,
My Comforter, My All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand!
MORNING SERVICE WITH HOLY COMMUNION
The First Sunday after Christmas – December 29, 2024
PRESERVICE MUSIC AND RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN: 519 “In His Temple Now Behold Him”
INVOCATION, CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
ALL: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all
things, Judge of all people, we admit and confess our sinful-
ness. We have turned away from you and from each other in
our thoughts, words, and actions. We do repent and are truly
sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father, because of
the obedience of our Brother, Jesus Christ, your Son. Forgive
us all that is past, renew us with the power of the Holy Spirit,
and move us to faithful service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ
our Lord.
P: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and turn to
Him. May He keep you in His grace by the Holy Spirit, lead you to
greater faith and obedience, and bring you to live with Him forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
KYRIE [sung to the tune of the hymn Amazing Grace]
Have mercy on Your people, Lord.
Have mercy, Christ our King.
Renew us by Your mercy, Lord;
Accept the prayers we bring.
HYMN OF PRAISE [tune – Hark the Herald Angels Sing]
“Glory be to God on high.” This is now our joyful cry.
Peace to all who live on earth, Grace and favor for new birth.
You we praise and glorify, Worship You, O Lord most high.
Gracious Father, heav’nly King, To Your name alone we sing:
Praise the glory of Your name, Now and evermore the same.
Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Sole-begotten, Holy One,
Born on earth from realms on high, Born true man for us to die,
Lamb of God, You take away This world’s sin: Grant peace we pray.
With the Spirit, You alone Are most high, O God the Son,
And the Father, God above. Praise we now Your glorious love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15
13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”
3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.
11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
EPISTLE LESSON Colossians 3:12-17
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Stand
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 2:22-40
22When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation
31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Sit
SERMON HYMN: 389 “Let All Together Praise Our God”
SERMON “God Is in His Temple, Let Us All Adore Him!”
Luke 2:22-40
God Is in His Temple, Let Us All Adore Him! - Luke 2:22-40
We have an interesting situation in today's Gospel. The Bible tells us about different ways that God reveals Himself. We have Moses and the Burning Bush, the cloud by day and fire by night, the tabernacle, and the temple. All these are ways for the people to know that God is with them. When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, they were bringing the ultimate expression of God's presence into another expression of God's presence. They were bringing the holy God into His holy house.
The Son of God took on human flesh so that He could keep the law perfectly in our place. He even kept the very ceremonial laws that pointed to His coming. We read about one of those ceremonial laws in today's Old Testament reading. The LORD said to Moses, "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine." This consecration is a reminder of the Passover in Egypt. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.' This ceremony constantly pointed back to the great salvation God won for His people when He freed them from slavery in Egypt. Now, in today's Gospel, we see the one who fulfills this ceremonial law is also the one who will purchase freedom from the slavery of sin for all humanity.
Luke's inspired words in today's Gospel are very careful to tell us that the purification in the temple was according to the Law of Moses, and as it is written in the Law of the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, and to do for him according to the custom of the Law, and when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord. In addition to all this, today's Gospel immediately follows another verse that tells that Jesus had already fulfilled another requirement of the ceremonial law. [Luke 2:21] At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. This circumcision was also a fulfillment of the law. The Holy Spirit really wants us to understand that Jesus is the perfect substitute for us in that He keeps the law perfectly - even as an infant.
Luke's inspired account of Jesus fulfilling the law even as an infant teaches us that Jesus was already at work to save us from our sin. From the moment of His conception as the only perfect, sinless human being who ever lived, He was already at the work of earning our salvation for us.
As Mary and Joseph bring Jesus into the temple in order to fulfill the law, they meet this wonderful Old Testament saint named Simeon. We call Simeon an Old Testament Christian because of the description: this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The words "waiting for the consolation of Israel" tell us that He was looking forward to the future savior. That is the reason that he could be described as righteous and devout for no one can be righteous in God's sight without faith in the Savior.
God gave Simeon a special promise. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. This is a marvelous gift to give to an Old Testament Christian who believed in and waited for the future Savior. He had the promise of God that the future Savior would come during his lifetime.
Simeon became a prophet when he took the infant Christ up into his arms. The Holy Spirit gave him a proclamation of thanksgiving for the opportunity to see the Christ with his own eyes, and a proclamation of the salvation that this infant would bring to the world. The Lord had kept His promise to Simeon and now Simeon's life was complete. He was ready for the Lord to take him home to heaven at any time for he had seen the long-promised salvation of the Lord.
Simeon also had a message from God for Mary. This message affects Mary at the personal level and at the public level. It affects Mary personally as a foretelling of the grief she would endure for her Son suffering and dying on the cross. It also affects Mary as the personification of Israel. The mission of Jesus will pass through Israel like a sword and reveal the secret thoughts of many hearts.
As Simeon held the infant savior and prophesied another Old Testament saint appeared, Anna the prophetess. Luke does not record her words. Instead, he tells how Anna spread the Gospel of the Savior to all who would hear. She, like Simeon, was waiting. She was looking forward to the Redemption of Jerusalem. Now, she too had seen the promised Christ.
Christ Jesus came to the temple long ago to fulfill the law and so continue to keep the law perfectly. He must keep the law for us because that is something that we cannot do. We have defiled the law in thought, word, and deed. We have sinned by not doing as the law commands. We have sinned by doing what the law prohibits. We love ourselves more than we love God or our neighbor. Even when we do those things that seem right to the world around us, our hearts have not been in the right place and our motives have been selfish. We deserve a miserable existence in this life and eternal torment in the life to come. We know our only hope lies in the Christ who entered the temple as an infant to keep the law perfectly in our place.
We too can have the faith of Simeon that Jesus is the salvation that [the Lord has] prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to [His] people Israel. The salvation that the Lord has prepared will work its way out as Jesus continues to live the perfect, sinless life that is impossible for us. Just as He is our substitute under the law in order to keep it, He is also our substitute under the law in order to bear the punishment that the law demands for sin. In His great love for us, He took up the sin of the world. As God said through the prophet, [Isaiah 53:6b] The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [1 Peter 2:24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. This is the salvation that is a light for revelation to the Gentiles. Our Lord Jesus Christ took our sins to the cross and paid the penalty for them all.
We can have confidence in Jesus because [1 Corinthians 15:20] Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. In His resurrection, we have the sure and certain hope that we will also rise from the dead. For just as Christ is the firstfruits, so also are we the harvest that will follow Him so that we can live with Him forever.
We who meet here on this day follow in the footsteps of Simeon and Anna. We also desire to see our salvation. We also desire to see the Christ. We have a promise that is just as certain as Simeon's for Jesus Himself said, [Matthew 18:20] "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them," and [Matthew 28:20b] "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Then there are these words: [1 Corinthians 11:23-26] “The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” When we eat the bread, we are eating the body of Christ. When we drink the wine, we are drinking the blood of Christ. In the bread and wine, we experience the very presence of the body and blood of Jesus. Here is the certain promise that we will find the Savior when the Holy Spirit draws us into His house.
That is the reason that we respond with Simeon's words as we chant: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of Thy people Israel.” As we chant those words, we join Simeon and Anna in thanksgiving to God that we also do not see death before we see the Lord's Christ.
Once again we are reminded that we come to God's house to be with Christ and to receive His gifts. Just as the Holy Spirit gathered Simeon and Anna to the temple in order to see their Savior, so He also does the same for us today. He gathers us together in God's house to receive His blessings.
Simeon and Anna saw the Lord at the beginning of His work to be our substitute under the Law. The Lord finished His work under the law as He kept the law perfectly and took its punishment in our place. Now He comes to us through His holy Word and His blessed Sacraments. As He comes to us, we receive forgiveness, life, and salvation.
The day will come when we will join Simeon, Anna, Joseph, Mary, our loved ones, and all who believe in Christ as the Holy Spirit gathers us to eternal life. There we shall live in the eternal grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen
CREEDAL HYMN [tune – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise]
In God we believe: the creator whose pow’r
In mercy has brought us for worship this hour.
He graciously grants us our years and our days
And blesses with kindness our work and our ways.
In Jesus, the Savior, our hope is secured,
True God and true man once the cross He endured,
To grant our lives wholeness, forgiveness of sin.
With hearts freed from guilt, we know true peace within.
God’s Spirit at work in our lives we confess;
With power and truth the Church now He does bless.
As saints, God’s forgiven, one day we shall then,
Be living in glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH/PRAYERS FOR HEALING
P: In our prayers we pray for the whole Church and the world, we lift
before God specific needs especially in our own parish, and we
remember and give thanks for the faithful departed….. Great God our
Healer, by Your power, the Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave hope
to the hopeless. In His name and for His sake,
C: look upon us with mercy and bless us with your healing Spirit.
P: Bring us comfort in the midst of pain, strength to transform our
weakness,
C: and light to illuminate our darkness.
P: Grant Your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that
they may be made whole; Lord in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, the awareness of
Your presence; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to
soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering;
grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Lord, in Your
mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with Your grace
strengthen those who mourn; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation,
and in the world; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious God, in baptism You anointed us with the oil of salvation, and
joined us to the death and resurrection of Your Son. Bless all who seek
Your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more
deeply into the mystery of Your love, that following Christ in the way of
the cross they may know the power of His resurrection; who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday after Christmas - 29 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, You have chosen us from the foundation of the world to be Your people. Strengthen our hearts by Your grace and open our lips to sing Your praises, that Your Holy Word would dwell richly within us from generation to generation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, grant Your blessing to the whole Church on earth, that Christ’s people may set their hearts and minds on the things above and be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lover of mankind, bind our families together in perfect harmony and rule our hearts with the peace of Christ. Cause His Word to dwell richly among us, and let fathers and heads of the household teach and admonish their families in all wisdom. Let our songs, words and deeds be done in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, as blessed St. Anna waited in the temple for the consolation of Israel, give to Your people who await the second advent of our Savior endurance in our vocations, that we would do the good works You have prepared in advance for us to do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You wounded Your own Son to bring us the eternal healing of Your love. Bless all who suffer wounds of body and soul [especially _____________ and those we name before You in our hearts]. Grant them healing according to Your will, and sustain them unto the day of the resurrection of all flesh. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, as blessed Mary treasured all things in her heart, grant us to know what is worthy of our attention and what will pass away, that approaching the table of our Lord we may be well-prepared to receive with repentance and faith His flesh for the life of the world and His blood that cleanses us from all our sin. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things we pray, O Lord, in confidence of Your mercy, trusting that You will grant us all things needful and prevent all things harmful to our faith, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
OFFERING PRESENTATION AND PRAYER
Stand
PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P: It is truly good, right, and salutary…..evermore praising You and
saying:
SANCTUS [tune – Holy, Holy, Holy]
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
Day and night we join to praise Your love and majesty.
You alone are holy, worthy and righteous.
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
We rejoice to join the hymn of earth and sky and sea.
Generations praise You, with saints and angels,
Holy and bless’d through all eternity.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
AGNUS DEI [tune – My Faith Looks Up to Thee]
O Lamb of God, we pray: Take all our sins away,
Our faith increase. Have mercy on us all,
Strengthen us when we fall,
Answer our fervent call And grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE OPTIONAL ANOINTING WITH OIL [See explanation on page 8]
[Note: If you wish to be anointed with oil, please remain kneeling after pastor dismisses the communion table. You may then return to your seat after being anointed.]
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS:
624 “The Infant Priest Was Holy Born”
386 “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice”
Stand
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION
P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
CLOSING HYMN: 390 “Let Us All with Gladsome Voice”
+ spes mea Christus – My Hope is in Christ +
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS
BIBLE CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
Anointing with Oil
Oil was and is effective medicine. As Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan who bandaged wounds and poured oil on them in Luke 10:30-34, He also instructed His disciples to anoint and cure the ill (Mark 6:7,13). The extended Church and its elders [pastors] in James 5:14-16 were urged to pray for healing and anoint with oil. Oil, applied to the forehead in a service of healing, has no healing effect on its own. However, anointing with the sign of the cross using a forefinger or thumb, touches us with the fingerprint of the Great Physician. Anointing points to the presence of our healing Savior as the source of our restoration to wholeness.
For this reason, some may wish to receive this special anointing. If you do not wish to do so, it does not mean that you do not wish God’s healing presence in your life. It is simply an optional rite in the Church that some have found helpful/advantageous over the centuries, as Psalm 23:5 indicates—“you anoint my head with oil.”
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 22, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group is taking a break for the rest of December and will resume meeting on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
UPCOMING CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT ST. PAUL:
And heaven and nature sing!
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the importance of the personal invitation. In a recent poll, 47% of Americans indicated that they would be attending religious services this Christmas. And get this, another 25% said they would be willing to attend a service IF someone personally invited them. Do you know someone you could personally invite?
As each happy Christmas, dawns on earth again,
Comes the holy Christ Child, to the hearts of men.
Enters with His blessing into ev’ry home,
Guides and guards our footsteps as we go and come.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 22, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 934 “My Soul Now Magnifies the Lord”
1 My soul now magnifies the Lord;
My spirit leaps for joy in Him.
He keeps me in His kind regard,
And I am blest for time to come.
2 For He alone who shows such might
Has done amazing things to me.
His mercy flows; His name like light
Remains in time perpetually.
3 His arm is strong; His strength is great.
He scatters those of proud intent
And casts them down from high estate,
Then gives the low His nourishment.
4 He feeds the hungry as His own;
The wealthy leave with empty hands.
He gives His help to Israel;
His gracious promise always stands.
Text: Luke 1:46–55; adapt. Stephanie K. Frey, 1952
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Luke 1:46b–47; 1 Samuel 2:1b, 2, 5b–7
P My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Micah 5:2–5a
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
3Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
4And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
5And he shall be their peace.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 80:1–7
1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph | like a flock!*
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, | shine forth.
2Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Ma- | nasseh,*
stir up your might
and come to | save us!
3Restore us, | O God;*
let your face shine, that we | may be saved!
4O Lord | God of hosts,*
how long will you be angry with your | people’s prayers?
5You have fed them with the | bread of tears*
and given them tears to drink in full | measure.
6You make us an object of contention for our | neighbors,*
and our enemies laugh a- | mong themselves.
7Restore us, O | God of hosts;*
let your face shine, that we | may be saved!
Epistle Hebrews 10:5–10
5When Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Luke 1:39–45
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter.
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 357 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear. Refrain
ref Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
2 O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go. Refrain
3 O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the Law
In cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
4 O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,
Free them from Satan’s tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. Refrain
5 O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery. Refrain
6 O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
7 O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
Text: Latin, c. 12th cent.; Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, 1710, Köln; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “A Most Blessed Meeting” Luke 1:39-45
A Most Blessed Meeting – Luke 1:39-45
If you were to write a headline for today's Gospel, you might write "Miracle Mothers Mutual Ministry." In a culture that married women off the instant they were old enough to have children, we have a mother who became pregnant before she consummated her marriage with her betrothed husband. She had to be very young and - since no one knew the nature of her pregnancy - very scandalized. At the other end of the spectrum, we have a woman who is six months pregnant with her firstborn when she should already be a grandmother. Ordinary pregnancies often produce all kinds of challenging situations. These two pregnancies present a whole new set of challenges.
At the same time, God has provided a way for these two women to help each other. God has seen to it that there is a family relationship between the two of them. Then, when He sends His angel to inform the younger woman that she is about to become a mother, He also has the angel inform the young mother that her older relative is already six months pregnant. What could be more natural than for this young woman to help her older relative deal with the consequences of giving birth at an old age? At the same time, who else in all of Israel would have more empathy for the miracle of a Virgin birth than a woman who was experiencing the miracle of a birth in old age? So, today's Gospel begins as the virgin mother, Mary, makes her way to lend physical support to the ancient mother, Elizabeth. At the same time Elizabeth can provide emotional and mental support to Mary. It is an opportunity for these two miracle mothers to provide mutual ministry to each other.
Of course, the miracles don't stop with just the mothers. The babies themselves are also miracles. Elizabeth's baby is the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He is the very forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist. On the other hand, Mary's baby is the Messiah, the very miracle of Almighty God taking on the flesh of a baby in the womb of the Virgin.
As today's Gospel continues, so do the miracles. As the miracle mothers greet one another an amazing thing happens. Three months before he is even born, John the Baptist already receives his calling as prophet. The Holy Spirit enters him with a kick. Already, in the womb of his mother, he is pointing to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Here we have one of the great testimonies that even a child in the womb can have faith. Here we have one more reminder of the reason for baptizing infants. Here we have a great word of comfort for those sad mothers who lose their child to a miscarriage. Here we have a reminder that the Holy Spirit can produce faith in anyone at any time.
As the Holy Spirit worked in John, He also worked in John's mother. She recognized that this young mother coming toward her is the Mother of God. For she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Elizabeth had many fine things to say about Mary, but when she used the title Mother of my Lord, she was saying that the little rice sized embryo in Mary's womb was indeed the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Think of it. The moment that Gabriel's words reached Mary's ears, the very person of our Lord Jesus Christ began His existence, not just as the Son of God, but as the Human Son of God. From eternity, the Son of God [Formula: SD, art. viii, par. 6] is true, essential, perfect God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. From the moment the Holy Spirit worked the miracle in Mary's womb, even as that new living cell within her began to divide and grow, the Son of God [Formula: SD, art. viii, par. 6] received also the human nature into the unity of His person. He did not do this in such a way that there are now two persons or two Christs. Christ Jesus is now in one person at the same time true, eternal God, born of the Father from eternity, and a true man, born of the most blessed Virgin Mary.
So it is that we get to join Elizabeth and the little prophet in her womb and say all kinds of startling things about Mary - not by virtue of how great Mary is, but by virtue of greatness of the Child Who now lives in her womb. Elizabeth has already told us that Mary is the Mother of God. For nine months, Mary is the very Temple of God, for where else does God dwell with His people other than in His temple? All the things that any mother does for any child, Mary will do for God.
As we think about what Mary will do for her son, we can also think about what Mary's son will do for her. In fact, the Holy Spirit inspired Mary to respond in a special way to Elizabeth's greeting. These words tell us about the work of the life that grows within her. These words tell us about the great reversal that God will bring into the world through her son.
St. Luke also records what Mary said in the verses following our text: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior …" I wonder if Mary understood that she was praising the life that grew within her, for it is Jesus, her son, who is God her Savior. I wonder if she understood that all the works of God that she praised with her words would be accomplished in her son.
Mary's words describe a great reversal. God will scatter the proud and bring down the mighty. At the same time, He will exalt those of humble estate. God will fill the hungry and empty the rich. All things will be reversed. The rich, the mighty, and the proud are those who believe that they are secure in their own resources. They believe in themselves. The humble and the hungry know that they are helpless. They know that their only help must come from God. Everything that appears powerful in this world will fail. God will rescue those who forget themselves and look only to Him.
Mary's words can even remind us of how her Son would accomplish the great reversal. Her praise included these words: "He has shown strength with his arm …" Throughout the Old Testament, such a statement would have to be a metaphor. God is a spirit. A spirit does not have arms. That all changed. At the time of today's Gospel, Christ Jesus was in one person at the same time true, eternal God, born of the Father from eternity, and a true man, growing within the womb of the Virgin Mary. At the time of today's Gospel, God the Son had taken humanity into Himself and that humanity was very busy growing arms and all the other parts of His body. Some day that body would be stretched out to die. Someday those arms would be nailed to a cross. Someday, He would show the strength of His arm by the weakness of His death on the cross. Someday, the baby growing in Mary's womb would sacrifice Himself on a cross, and His sacrifice would accomplish the great reversal - salvation for us sinners who cannot save ourselves.
Two miracle mothers and the pre-born prophet have much to teach us today. All three of them point us in one direction - to the baby who is God gestating in Mary's womb - to our pre-born savior.
Even though these three do not have all the details of their salvation, they point to the one who will earn that salvation - salvation for them - and salvation for us. They point to the Christ - focal point of our faith. They point to the fulfillment of God's promise of a savior. After all, that is the way salvation comes to all people - through faith in God's promise. God made many promises concerning the savior and Jesus fulfilled them all.
Jesus promised that He would return to raise all the dead and take His people to live with Him forever. We can believe that promise because after Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, He rose from the dead. In that resurrection, we have the sure and certain pledge that our Savior, Jesus Christ will return one day to live with us forever.
In the meantime we can join Mary and praise God for the great reversal that He works in our lives - the reversal where we poor sinners become saints in the eyes of God. Amen
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: Hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Fourth Sunday in Advent - 22 December 2024
O Lord, there is none like You in holiness, constancy and might; yet, You exercise Your power for the salvation of sinners. As we draw near to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, fill our hearts with gratitude that Your Son humbled Himself and became flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, You have done great things for us, looking upon our humble estate and exalting us to be Your children for Jesus’ sake. Preserve us by Your Holy Word, that we would properly fear Your name and rejoice in it all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son from of old was born of Mary in time to be our peace. Grant us repentant hearts, that for His sake we would be at peace with You. Grant also that, forgiven of our sins, we may forgive and be at peace with those around us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, Bethlehem was too small to be among the clans of Judah, yet from it came forth the King of kings. Remember the congregations of Your people where numbers are small and resources are scarce. Provide for their needs, and remind them that the Lord of lords dwells among them in His Means of Grace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You are the Creator of all life. Have mercy on those women who are unable to conceive or who suffer the heartbreak of miscarriage. Be their rock against despair, provide them consolation and purpose in Your Son, and restore them to exult in Your salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, You sent Your Son to shepherd His flock in strength and to be great to the ends of the earth. Grant wisdom to our leaders and peace among the nations, that we may dwell secure. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, uphold [_____________ and] all who suffer in mind or body. Give them the knowledge of Christ, their Immanuel, who is with them in their trials. Grant them health and healing in accord with Your perfect will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ on the cross. Prepare the hearts of all who commune this day with penitence and trust in Your promises, and so make us holy with Your Son’s body and blood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we give You thanks for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is truly the King of the nations and their desire. He who formed us of clay took on our human nature that He might save us. He came to His own and was rejected by them, yet You established Him as the true cornerstone, tested and precious, that whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. Grant that, as we recall with thanksgiving His advent in the flesh, we may always confess Him and remain watchful for His advent in glory at the Last Day; for You live and reign, ever one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
340 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”
1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits.
The King of kings is drawing near;
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation He doth bring;
Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise
Your joyful songs of praise.
2 A righteous Helper comes to thee;
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings;
Therefore the earth is glad and sings.
To Christ the Savior raise
Your grateful hymns of praise.
3 How blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O peaceful hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy is He
Who comes to set His people free.
To God the Spirit raise
Your happy shouts of praise.
4 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heav’n’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
So shall your Sov’reign enter in
And new and nobler life begin.
To God alone be praise
For word and deed and grace!
5 Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
933 “My Soul Rejoices”
1 My soul rejoices,
My spirit voices--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
For God my Savior
Has shown me favor--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
With praise and blessing,
Join in confessing
God, who is solely
Mighty and holy--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
His mercy surely
Shall rest securely
On all who fear Him,
Love and revere Him--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
2 His arm now baring,
His strength declaring--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
The proud He scatters,
Their rule He shatters--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
Oppression halted;
The meek exalted.
Full are the hungry;
Empty, the wealthy--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
Here is the token
All that was spoken
To Abr’ham’s offspring
God is fulfilling--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1991 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 342 “What Hope! An Eden Prophesied”
1 What hope! An Eden prophesied
Where tame live with the wild;
The lamb and lion side by side,
Led by a little child!
2 A shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stem,
A branch from David’s line,
A Prince of Peace in Bethlehem:
The fruit of God’s design.
3 As banner of God’s love unfurled,
Christ came to suffer loss,
That by His death a dying world
Would rally to the cross.
4 Come, Jesus, come, Messiah Lord,
Lost Paradise restore;
Lead past the angel’s flaming sword--
Come, open heaven’s door.
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1998 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 22, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group is taking a break for the rest of December and will resume meeting on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
UPCOMING CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT ST. PAUL:
- Candlelight Christmas Eve service is 5 p.m., Christmas Day Worship with Holy Communion is 10:30 a.m.
And heaven and nature sing!
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the importance of the personal invitation. In a recent poll, 47% of Americans indicated that they would be attending religious services this Christmas. And get this, another 25% said they would be willing to attend a service IF someone personally invited them. Do you know someone you could personally invite?
As each happy Christmas, dawns on earth again,
Comes the holy Christ Child, to the hearts of men.
Enters with His blessing into ev’ry home,
Guides and guards our footsteps as we go and come.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 22, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 934 “My Soul Now Magnifies the Lord”
1 My soul now magnifies the Lord;
My spirit leaps for joy in Him.
He keeps me in His kind regard,
And I am blest for time to come.
2 For He alone who shows such might
Has done amazing things to me.
His mercy flows; His name like light
Remains in time perpetually.
3 His arm is strong; His strength is great.
He scatters those of proud intent
And casts them down from high estate,
Then gives the low His nourishment.
4 He feeds the hungry as His own;
The wealthy leave with empty hands.
He gives His help to Israel;
His gracious promise always stands.
Text: Luke 1:46–55; adapt. Stephanie K. Frey, 1952
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Luke 1:46b–47; 1 Samuel 2:1b, 2, 5b–7
P My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Micah 5:2–5a
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
3Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
4And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
5And he shall be their peace.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 80:1–7
1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph | like a flock!*
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, | shine forth.
2Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Ma- | nasseh,*
stir up your might
and come to | save us!
3Restore us, | O God;*
let your face shine, that we | may be saved!
4O Lord | God of hosts,*
how long will you be angry with your | people’s prayers?
5You have fed them with the | bread of tears*
and given them tears to drink in full | measure.
6You make us an object of contention for our | neighbors,*
and our enemies laugh a- | mong themselves.
7Restore us, O | God of hosts;*
let your face shine, that we | may be saved!
Epistle Hebrews 10:5–10
5When Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Luke 1:39–45
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter.
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 357 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear. Refrain
ref Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
2 O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go. Refrain
3 O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the Law
In cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
4 O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,
Free them from Satan’s tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. Refrain
5 O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery. Refrain
6 O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
7 O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
Text: Latin, c. 12th cent.; Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, 1710, Köln; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “A Most Blessed Meeting” Luke 1:39-45
A Most Blessed Meeting – Luke 1:39-45
If you were to write a headline for today's Gospel, you might write "Miracle Mothers Mutual Ministry." In a culture that married women off the instant they were old enough to have children, we have a mother who became pregnant before she consummated her marriage with her betrothed husband. She had to be very young and - since no one knew the nature of her pregnancy - very scandalized. At the other end of the spectrum, we have a woman who is six months pregnant with her firstborn when she should already be a grandmother. Ordinary pregnancies often produce all kinds of challenging situations. These two pregnancies present a whole new set of challenges.
At the same time, God has provided a way for these two women to help each other. God has seen to it that there is a family relationship between the two of them. Then, when He sends His angel to inform the younger woman that she is about to become a mother, He also has the angel inform the young mother that her older relative is already six months pregnant. What could be more natural than for this young woman to help her older relative deal with the consequences of giving birth at an old age? At the same time, who else in all of Israel would have more empathy for the miracle of a Virgin birth than a woman who was experiencing the miracle of a birth in old age? So, today's Gospel begins as the virgin mother, Mary, makes her way to lend physical support to the ancient mother, Elizabeth. At the same time Elizabeth can provide emotional and mental support to Mary. It is an opportunity for these two miracle mothers to provide mutual ministry to each other.
Of course, the miracles don't stop with just the mothers. The babies themselves are also miracles. Elizabeth's baby is the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He is the very forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist. On the other hand, Mary's baby is the Messiah, the very miracle of Almighty God taking on the flesh of a baby in the womb of the Virgin.
As today's Gospel continues, so do the miracles. As the miracle mothers greet one another an amazing thing happens. Three months before he is even born, John the Baptist already receives his calling as prophet. The Holy Spirit enters him with a kick. Already, in the womb of his mother, he is pointing to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Here we have one of the great testimonies that even a child in the womb can have faith. Here we have one more reminder of the reason for baptizing infants. Here we have a great word of comfort for those sad mothers who lose their child to a miscarriage. Here we have a reminder that the Holy Spirit can produce faith in anyone at any time.
As the Holy Spirit worked in John, He also worked in John's mother. She recognized that this young mother coming toward her is the Mother of God. For she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
Elizabeth had many fine things to say about Mary, but when she used the title Mother of my Lord, she was saying that the little rice sized embryo in Mary's womb was indeed the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Think of it. The moment that Gabriel's words reached Mary's ears, the very person of our Lord Jesus Christ began His existence, not just as the Son of God, but as the Human Son of God. From eternity, the Son of God [Formula: SD, art. viii, par. 6] is true, essential, perfect God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. From the moment the Holy Spirit worked the miracle in Mary's womb, even as that new living cell within her began to divide and grow, the Son of God [Formula: SD, art. viii, par. 6] received also the human nature into the unity of His person. He did not do this in such a way that there are now two persons or two Christs. Christ Jesus is now in one person at the same time true, eternal God, born of the Father from eternity, and a true man, born of the most blessed Virgin Mary.
So it is that we get to join Elizabeth and the little prophet in her womb and say all kinds of startling things about Mary - not by virtue of how great Mary is, but by virtue of greatness of the Child Who now lives in her womb. Elizabeth has already told us that Mary is the Mother of God. For nine months, Mary is the very Temple of God, for where else does God dwell with His people other than in His temple? All the things that any mother does for any child, Mary will do for God.
As we think about what Mary will do for her son, we can also think about what Mary's son will do for her. In fact, the Holy Spirit inspired Mary to respond in a special way to Elizabeth's greeting. These words tell us about the work of the life that grows within her. These words tell us about the great reversal that God will bring into the world through her son.
St. Luke also records what Mary said in the verses following our text: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior …" I wonder if Mary understood that she was praising the life that grew within her, for it is Jesus, her son, who is God her Savior. I wonder if she understood that all the works of God that she praised with her words would be accomplished in her son.
Mary's words describe a great reversal. God will scatter the proud and bring down the mighty. At the same time, He will exalt those of humble estate. God will fill the hungry and empty the rich. All things will be reversed. The rich, the mighty, and the proud are those who believe that they are secure in their own resources. They believe in themselves. The humble and the hungry know that they are helpless. They know that their only help must come from God. Everything that appears powerful in this world will fail. God will rescue those who forget themselves and look only to Him.
Mary's words can even remind us of how her Son would accomplish the great reversal. Her praise included these words: "He has shown strength with his arm …" Throughout the Old Testament, such a statement would have to be a metaphor. God is a spirit. A spirit does not have arms. That all changed. At the time of today's Gospel, Christ Jesus was in one person at the same time true, eternal God, born of the Father from eternity, and a true man, growing within the womb of the Virgin Mary. At the time of today's Gospel, God the Son had taken humanity into Himself and that humanity was very busy growing arms and all the other parts of His body. Some day that body would be stretched out to die. Someday those arms would be nailed to a cross. Someday, He would show the strength of His arm by the weakness of His death on the cross. Someday, the baby growing in Mary's womb would sacrifice Himself on a cross, and His sacrifice would accomplish the great reversal - salvation for us sinners who cannot save ourselves.
Two miracle mothers and the pre-born prophet have much to teach us today. All three of them point us in one direction - to the baby who is God gestating in Mary's womb - to our pre-born savior.
Even though these three do not have all the details of their salvation, they point to the one who will earn that salvation - salvation for them - and salvation for us. They point to the Christ - focal point of our faith. They point to the fulfillment of God's promise of a savior. After all, that is the way salvation comes to all people - through faith in God's promise. God made many promises concerning the savior and Jesus fulfilled them all.
Jesus promised that He would return to raise all the dead and take His people to live with Him forever. We can believe that promise because after Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, He rose from the dead. In that resurrection, we have the sure and certain pledge that our Savior, Jesus Christ will return one day to live with us forever.
In the meantime we can join Mary and praise God for the great reversal that He works in our lives - the reversal where we poor sinners become saints in the eyes of God. Amen
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: Hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Fourth Sunday in Advent - 22 December 2024
O Lord, there is none like You in holiness, constancy and might; yet, You exercise Your power for the salvation of sinners. As we draw near to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, fill our hearts with gratitude that Your Son humbled Himself and became flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, You have done great things for us, looking upon our humble estate and exalting us to be Your children for Jesus’ sake. Preserve us by Your Holy Word, that we would properly fear Your name and rejoice in it all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son from of old was born of Mary in time to be our peace. Grant us repentant hearts, that for His sake we would be at peace with You. Grant also that, forgiven of our sins, we may forgive and be at peace with those around us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, Bethlehem was too small to be among the clans of Judah, yet from it came forth the King of kings. Remember the congregations of Your people where numbers are small and resources are scarce. Provide for their needs, and remind them that the Lord of lords dwells among them in His Means of Grace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You are the Creator of all life. Have mercy on those women who are unable to conceive or who suffer the heartbreak of miscarriage. Be their rock against despair, provide them consolation and purpose in Your Son, and restore them to exult in Your salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, You sent Your Son to shepherd His flock in strength and to be great to the ends of the earth. Grant wisdom to our leaders and peace among the nations, that we may dwell secure. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, uphold [_____________ and] all who suffer in mind or body. Give them the knowledge of Christ, their Immanuel, who is with them in their trials. Grant them health and healing in accord with Your perfect will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ on the cross. Prepare the hearts of all who commune this day with penitence and trust in Your promises, and so make us holy with Your Son’s body and blood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we give You thanks for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is truly the King of the nations and their desire. He who formed us of clay took on our human nature that He might save us. He came to His own and was rejected by them, yet You established Him as the true cornerstone, tested and precious, that whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. Grant that, as we recall with thanksgiving His advent in the flesh, we may always confess Him and remain watchful for His advent in glory at the Last Day; for You live and reign, ever one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
340 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”
1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits.
The King of kings is drawing near;
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation He doth bring;
Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise
Your joyful songs of praise.
2 A righteous Helper comes to thee;
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings;
Therefore the earth is glad and sings.
To Christ the Savior raise
Your grateful hymns of praise.
3 How blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O peaceful hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy is He
Who comes to set His people free.
To God the Spirit raise
Your happy shouts of praise.
4 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heav’n’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
So shall your Sov’reign enter in
And new and nobler life begin.
To God alone be praise
For word and deed and grace!
5 Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
933 “My Soul Rejoices”
1 My soul rejoices,
My spirit voices--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
For God my Savior
Has shown me favor--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
With praise and blessing,
Join in confessing
God, who is solely
Mighty and holy--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
His mercy surely
Shall rest securely
On all who fear Him,
Love and revere Him--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
2 His arm now baring,
His strength declaring--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
The proud He scatters,
Their rule He shatters--
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
Oppression halted;
The meek exalted.
Full are the hungry;
Empty, the wealthy--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
Here is the token
All that was spoken
To Abr’ham’s offspring
God is fulfilling--
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1991 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 342 “What Hope! An Eden Prophesied”
1 What hope! An Eden prophesied
Where tame live with the wild;
The lamb and lion side by side,
Led by a little child!
2 A shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stem,
A branch from David’s line,
A Prince of Peace in Bethlehem:
The fruit of God’s design.
3 As banner of God’s love unfurled,
Christ came to suffer loss,
That by His death a dying world
Would rally to the cross.
4 Come, Jesus, come, Messiah Lord,
Lost Paradise restore;
Lead past the angel’s flaming sword--
Come, open heaven’s door.
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1998 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Third Sunday in Advent – December 15, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Wayne Helley
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group is taking a break for the rest of December and will resume meeting on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
UPCOMING SERVICES AT ST. PAUL:
Hang on! God will remain faithful. Don't despair. Cling to the truth the psalmist proclaims: "Wait with hope for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous" (Psalm 27:14). The Lord won't extinguish a smoking wick but instead will make it glow brightly. He won't break the damaged cattail but instead will strengthen it (Isaiah 42:3)—Martin Luther.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Third Sunday in Advent
December 15, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 803 “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
1 Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Praising Thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
Drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.
2 All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird, and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee.
D 3 Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Fountainhead of love divine:
Joyful, we Thy heav’n inherit!
Joyful, we by grace are Thine!
Text: Henry Van Dyke, 1852–1933, alt.
Text: Public domain
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken]Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, King who comes to save us.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung by all] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Zephaniah 3:14–20
L A reading from Zephaniah, chapter 3.
14Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
17The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
18I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
19Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Philippians 4:4–7
L A reading from Philippians, chapter 4.
4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Reading of the Holy Gospel Luke 7:18–28
L A reading from Luke, chapter 7.
18The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
24When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
28I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 345 “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding”
1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
“Christ is near,” we hear it say.
“Cast away the works of darkness,
All you children of the day!”
2 Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, its sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
3 See, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav’n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all, to be forgiv’n;
4 So, when next He comes in glory
And the world is wrapped in fear,
He will shield us with His mercy
And with words of love draw near.
D 5 Honor, glory, might, dominion
To the Father and the Son
With the ever-living Spirit
While eternal ages run!
Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Looking for Someone?” Luke 7:18-28
Looking for Someone? - Luke 7:18-28
Today's Gospel contains a very important question: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" The answer that we would give to this question on the day of our death would reveal our eternal destiny. It is a variation on the question: "Is Jesus my Savior?" John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask this question of Jesus.
In a way, it seems very odd that John should ask this question. After all, he is the one who leaped in the womb when his mother heard the greeting of the Lord's mother. He is also the one who [John 1:29] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” It was John's mission as prophet to identify Jesus to the world. He was the forerunner of the Messiah. Surely, he, of all people, knew who Jesus was. Surely, he knew that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. Nevertheless, John is sending his disciples to ask the question: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Perhaps the very fact that John could not ask this question in person also gives us some understanding of the reason for the question. He was in jail. He had followed his vocation as prophet. He had spoken truth to power. The power did not like the truth. Herod, the son of Herod the Great, had John arrested. John wasn't going anywhere. John had dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, but still found himself in prison.
Now John had no delusions that he wasn't a sinner who deserved punishment. After all He is the one who said, [Luke 3:16] "He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
John's problem isn't that he was in jail, but that he was in jail for doing the right thing. He, the prophet of God, was in jail for proclaiming God's truth. After all, Jesus referred to Himself as the fulfillment of the prophecy: [Luke 4:18] "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me … He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives ... to set at liberty those who are oppressed." Who is more captive than John the Baptist as he sits in prison because of his ministry as the forerunner of Jesus?
John's question is still valid for us today. We are not in prison for our faith in Jesus, but doubts come our way nevertheless. We all have those times when we consider Jesus and we wonder, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
The world gets more dangerous every day. Those who have worked hard for a lifetime now wonder if those hard earned retirement benefits will still be there. Some of us have aches and pains in places that we didn't even know we had. Loved ones live clear across the country and we don't see them as often as we wish. Loved ones die and are missing from our lives. All these things and more bring doubts into our lives. When Jesus answers John's doubts, we too should pay attention. His words are not just for John, but they are for us as well.
Jesus responded to John's question with more than simple words. In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. Jesus showed John's disciples how He was the fulfillment of the promises that God had made through His prophets. Then Jesus sent His answer back to John, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Jesus certified that He is the promised Messiah by pointing to the prophetic signs of His healing and teaching.
John is not the only one who receives this answer. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record this account so that we would also have Jesus' answer. We can also know that Jesus is the promised Messiah by virtue of His miraculous signs. In fact, we have even more signs than John had. The Bible tells us that Herod would order his beheading soon, and John would not live to see the greatest signs that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises.
We, on the other hand, live after Jesus accomplished His mission to earn our salvation. We have the history of our Savior's saving work in ink on paper. We know that Jesus lived a perfect life. We know that through Baptism he gives that perfect life to us and takes all our sins, all our doubts onto Himself. We know that the corrupt leadership in Jerusalem used a political scheme to force Pontius Pilate to execute Jesus on a cross. We know that through that cross, Jesus received the punishment we earned with our doubts and other sins. We know that through His death, Jesus conquered all our sins. We know that through his resurrection, Jesus leads us to eternal life with Him. We experience Christ's baptism of Spirit and fire. We know the intimacy of Jesus' presence within us as we eat His body and drink His blood in the Sacrament of the altar. John experienced none of these things during his life on this earth.
John proclaimed the New Testament, but never got to experience it in this life. This is the key to understanding the strange statement that Jesus made about John. Jesus said, "I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." How can the least be greater than the greatest? The least in the kingdom of God is greater than John because the most insignificant member of the kingdom participates in signs that John never experienced before he died.
So it is that, while none of us will be the prophet that John was, we are all greater than John. We experience signs that John never lived to see. We experience them now and so have the greater blessing from God. We have even greater reason to believe that Jesus is our savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
The verses that immediately follow today's reading tell us that many people believed that this teaching was from God. These people see God's salvation breaking into the world in Jesus. Luke specifically mentions the tax collectors who were considered to be the scum of society. Even the tax collectors eagerly listened to Jesus and believed His words. They had submitted to John's baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and were ready for the coming of Jesus.
Sadly, there were others who were not ready for Jesus. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to tell us that the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves. These people represent the opposition and are hostile to both John and Jesus. They deny their need for repentance or forgiveness.
Jesus had some very harsh words for them. He told a story of children who refused to dance to the flute or mourn to the dirge. Then He told how both He and John had the same message, but two different styles. John was strict and austere and kept to himself. Jesus participated in the life of the community and enjoyed the good gifts of God's creation. In each case, the opponents found something to criticize. They were not willing to listen no matter how God delivered the truth to them.
There will always be people who rationalize the rejection of the truth with these words, "It's not what he says. It's the way he says it." Such people follow the example of the opposition. In reality, it doesn't make any difference how anyone shares the Word of God with them, they will still reject it.
On the other hand, the people who listened to Jesus also listened to John. They did not care how eccentric the teacher was. Their focus was on the grace that God was pouring out on them through the message.
During this Advent season of penitential preparation, we consider our doubts and other sins. As we consider these sins, their consequences and punishment should terrify us. How wonderful it is, then, to learn that in Jesus Christ we have all the signs of God's promise. We have the signs of His miracles and His teaching, but especially we have the sign of His crucifixion and resurrection that earn forgiveness for our sins and give us the promise of life everlasting in His gracious presence.
Today is Gaudete Sunday - the Sunday of rejoicing - the Sunday of the rose candle. On this Sunday, we rejoice that the Son of God came into this world to offer Himself up as our substitute and take away our sins. We rejoice that by His resurrection He has opened heaven for us. We rejoice that, although our sin is great, our savior is even greater. We rejoice in the way He came to conquer sin. We rejoice in the way He now comes to offer forgiveness to all people. We rejoice in the way He will come to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. We rejoice that a day is coming when Jesus will remove all doubt. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Prayer of the Church - Third Sunday in Advent - 15 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, as You once sent messengers before the face of Jesus to prepare His way, so strengthen and encourage pastors and church workers as they make known His saving name. Open the ears of all who hear to rejoice, repent and firmly believe in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You rescue the daughter of Zion from her enemies and take away the judgments against her. Look with compassion upon Your people wherever they suffer for the name of Jesus. Give them wisdom when they are pressured to compromise, provide for them when they suffer loss, give courage when they are afraid, and strengthen them in the midst of persecution until You deliver them. Preserve us in the joyful hope that You will restore all that is lost with what cannot be taken away. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, Giver of all good gifts, look upon the households of Your people. Provide companionship for those who are alone. Strengthen the bonds of marriage. Equip parents to raise their children in love and faith. Grant that our homes may be places of joy, reasonableness, peace and prayer. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You command us not to be anxious, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving to make our requests known to You. Give wisdom, health and success to the authorities who govern us and those newly elected. Give earthly peace in our time, even as Your Gospel gives eternally the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of all joy, You bid us to be anxious about nothing, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make our requests known to You. Forgive our anxieties, and strengthen us to examine ourselves for whatever causes us to doubt Your mercy. Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and hear the prayers that we offer today. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Look with kindness on all people, especially those for whom we pray: _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, the Son of Man came eating and drinking with sinners, that He might proclaim the kingdom and welcome them in by the forgiveness of sins. As He hosts His Supper this day for His repentant people, grant those who partake of His body and blood to be worthy and well-prepared, firmly believing the words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
341 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”
1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits.
The King of kings is drawing near;
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation He doth bring;
Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise
Your joyful songs of praise.
2 A righteous Helper comes to thee;
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings;
Therefore the earth is glad and sings.
To Christ the Savior raise
Your grateful hymns of praise.
3 How blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O peaceful hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy is He
Who comes to set His people free.
To God the Spirit raise
Your happy shouts of praise.
4 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heav’n’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
So shall your Sov’reign enter in
And new and nobler life begin.
To God alone be praise
For word and deed and grace!
5 Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
515 “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers”
1 Rejoice, rejoice, believers,
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising
And soon is drawing nigh.
Up, pray and watch and wrestle;
At midnight comes the cry.
2 The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go forth as He approaches
With alleluias clear.
The marriage feast is waiting;
The gates wide open stand.
Arise, O heirs of glory;
The Bridegroom is at hand.
3 The saints, who here in patience
Their cross and suff’rings bore,
Shall live and reign forever
When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory
The Lamb they shall behold;
In triumph cast before Him
Their diadems of gold.
4 Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, O Sun so longed for,
O’er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption
That sets Your people free!
Text: Laurentius Laurenti, 1660–1722; tr. Sarah B. Findlater, 1823–1907, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 818 “In Thee Is Gladness”
1 In Thee is gladness
Amid all sadness,
Jesus, sunshine of my heart.
By Thee are given
The gifts of heaven,
Thou the true Redeemer art.
Our souls Thou wakest,
Our bonds Thou breakest;
Who trusts Thee surely
Has built securely;
He stands forever: Alleluia!
Our hearts are pining
To see Thy shining,
Dying or living
To Thee are cleaving;
Naught can us sever: Alleluia!
2 Since He is ours,
We fear no powers,
Not of earth nor sin nor death.
He sees and blesses
In worst distresses;
He can change them with a breath.
Wherefore the story
Tell of His glory
With hearts and voices;
All heav’n rejoices
In Him forever: Alleluia!
We shout for gladness,
Triumph o’er sadness,
Love Him and praise Him
And still shall raise Him
Glad hymns forever: Alleluia!
Text: Johann Lindemann, 1549–1631; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Third Sunday in Advent – December 15, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Wayne Helley
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group is taking a break for the rest of December and will resume meeting on the first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay. They also will have a scheduled activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley. They are beginning a new study entitled, “Pew Sisters.”
UPCOMING SERVICES AT ST. PAUL:
- Midweek Advent Soup Supper and Devotion – Dec. 18th.
- Candlelight Christmas Eve service is 5 p.m., Christmas Day Worship with Holy Communion is 10:30 a.m.
Hang on! God will remain faithful. Don't despair. Cling to the truth the psalmist proclaims: "Wait with hope for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous" (Psalm 27:14). The Lord won't extinguish a smoking wick but instead will make it glow brightly. He won't break the damaged cattail but instead will strengthen it (Isaiah 42:3)—Martin Luther.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Third Sunday in Advent
December 15, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 803 “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
1 Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Praising Thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
Drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.
2 All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird, and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee.
D 3 Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Fountainhead of love divine:
Joyful, we Thy heav’n inherit!
Joyful, we by grace are Thine!
Text: Henry Van Dyke, 1852–1933, alt.
Text: Public domain
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken]Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, King who comes to save us.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung by all] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Zephaniah 3:14–20
L A reading from Zephaniah, chapter 3.
14Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
17The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
18I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
19Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Philippians 4:4–7
L A reading from Philippians, chapter 4.
4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Reading of the Holy Gospel Luke 7:18–28
L A reading from Luke, chapter 7.
18The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
24When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
28I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 345 “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding”
1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
“Christ is near,” we hear it say.
“Cast away the works of darkness,
All you children of the day!”
2 Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, its sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
3 See, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav’n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all, to be forgiv’n;
4 So, when next He comes in glory
And the world is wrapped in fear,
He will shield us with His mercy
And with words of love draw near.
D 5 Honor, glory, might, dominion
To the Father and the Son
With the ever-living Spirit
While eternal ages run!
Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Looking for Someone?” Luke 7:18-28
Looking for Someone? - Luke 7:18-28
Today's Gospel contains a very important question: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" The answer that we would give to this question on the day of our death would reveal our eternal destiny. It is a variation on the question: "Is Jesus my Savior?" John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask this question of Jesus.
In a way, it seems very odd that John should ask this question. After all, he is the one who leaped in the womb when his mother heard the greeting of the Lord's mother. He is also the one who [John 1:29] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” It was John's mission as prophet to identify Jesus to the world. He was the forerunner of the Messiah. Surely, he, of all people, knew who Jesus was. Surely, he knew that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. Nevertheless, John is sending his disciples to ask the question: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Perhaps the very fact that John could not ask this question in person also gives us some understanding of the reason for the question. He was in jail. He had followed his vocation as prophet. He had spoken truth to power. The power did not like the truth. Herod, the son of Herod the Great, had John arrested. John wasn't going anywhere. John had dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's, but still found himself in prison.
Now John had no delusions that he wasn't a sinner who deserved punishment. After all He is the one who said, [Luke 3:16] "He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
John's problem isn't that he was in jail, but that he was in jail for doing the right thing. He, the prophet of God, was in jail for proclaiming God's truth. After all, Jesus referred to Himself as the fulfillment of the prophecy: [Luke 4:18] "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me … He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives ... to set at liberty those who are oppressed." Who is more captive than John the Baptist as he sits in prison because of his ministry as the forerunner of Jesus?
John's question is still valid for us today. We are not in prison for our faith in Jesus, but doubts come our way nevertheless. We all have those times when we consider Jesus and we wonder, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
The world gets more dangerous every day. Those who have worked hard for a lifetime now wonder if those hard earned retirement benefits will still be there. Some of us have aches and pains in places that we didn't even know we had. Loved ones live clear across the country and we don't see them as often as we wish. Loved ones die and are missing from our lives. All these things and more bring doubts into our lives. When Jesus answers John's doubts, we too should pay attention. His words are not just for John, but they are for us as well.
Jesus responded to John's question with more than simple words. In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. Jesus showed John's disciples how He was the fulfillment of the promises that God had made through His prophets. Then Jesus sent His answer back to John, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Jesus certified that He is the promised Messiah by pointing to the prophetic signs of His healing and teaching.
John is not the only one who receives this answer. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record this account so that we would also have Jesus' answer. We can also know that Jesus is the promised Messiah by virtue of His miraculous signs. In fact, we have even more signs than John had. The Bible tells us that Herod would order his beheading soon, and John would not live to see the greatest signs that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises.
We, on the other hand, live after Jesus accomplished His mission to earn our salvation. We have the history of our Savior's saving work in ink on paper. We know that Jesus lived a perfect life. We know that through Baptism he gives that perfect life to us and takes all our sins, all our doubts onto Himself. We know that the corrupt leadership in Jerusalem used a political scheme to force Pontius Pilate to execute Jesus on a cross. We know that through that cross, Jesus received the punishment we earned with our doubts and other sins. We know that through His death, Jesus conquered all our sins. We know that through his resurrection, Jesus leads us to eternal life with Him. We experience Christ's baptism of Spirit and fire. We know the intimacy of Jesus' presence within us as we eat His body and drink His blood in the Sacrament of the altar. John experienced none of these things during his life on this earth.
John proclaimed the New Testament, but never got to experience it in this life. This is the key to understanding the strange statement that Jesus made about John. Jesus said, "I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." How can the least be greater than the greatest? The least in the kingdom of God is greater than John because the most insignificant member of the kingdom participates in signs that John never experienced before he died.
So it is that, while none of us will be the prophet that John was, we are all greater than John. We experience signs that John never lived to see. We experience them now and so have the greater blessing from God. We have even greater reason to believe that Jesus is our savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
The verses that immediately follow today's reading tell us that many people believed that this teaching was from God. These people see God's salvation breaking into the world in Jesus. Luke specifically mentions the tax collectors who were considered to be the scum of society. Even the tax collectors eagerly listened to Jesus and believed His words. They had submitted to John's baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and were ready for the coming of Jesus.
Sadly, there were others who were not ready for Jesus. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to tell us that the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves. These people represent the opposition and are hostile to both John and Jesus. They deny their need for repentance or forgiveness.
Jesus had some very harsh words for them. He told a story of children who refused to dance to the flute or mourn to the dirge. Then He told how both He and John had the same message, but two different styles. John was strict and austere and kept to himself. Jesus participated in the life of the community and enjoyed the good gifts of God's creation. In each case, the opponents found something to criticize. They were not willing to listen no matter how God delivered the truth to them.
There will always be people who rationalize the rejection of the truth with these words, "It's not what he says. It's the way he says it." Such people follow the example of the opposition. In reality, it doesn't make any difference how anyone shares the Word of God with them, they will still reject it.
On the other hand, the people who listened to Jesus also listened to John. They did not care how eccentric the teacher was. Their focus was on the grace that God was pouring out on them through the message.
During this Advent season of penitential preparation, we consider our doubts and other sins. As we consider these sins, their consequences and punishment should terrify us. How wonderful it is, then, to learn that in Jesus Christ we have all the signs of God's promise. We have the signs of His miracles and His teaching, but especially we have the sign of His crucifixion and resurrection that earn forgiveness for our sins and give us the promise of life everlasting in His gracious presence.
Today is Gaudete Sunday - the Sunday of rejoicing - the Sunday of the rose candle. On this Sunday, we rejoice that the Son of God came into this world to offer Himself up as our substitute and take away our sins. We rejoice that by His resurrection He has opened heaven for us. We rejoice that, although our sin is great, our savior is even greater. We rejoice in the way He came to conquer sin. We rejoice in the way He now comes to offer forgiveness to all people. We rejoice in the way He will come to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. We rejoice that a day is coming when Jesus will remove all doubt. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Prayer of the Church - Third Sunday in Advent - 15 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, as You once sent messengers before the face of Jesus to prepare His way, so strengthen and encourage pastors and church workers as they make known His saving name. Open the ears of all who hear to rejoice, repent and firmly believe in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You rescue the daughter of Zion from her enemies and take away the judgments against her. Look with compassion upon Your people wherever they suffer for the name of Jesus. Give them wisdom when they are pressured to compromise, provide for them when they suffer loss, give courage when they are afraid, and strengthen them in the midst of persecution until You deliver them. Preserve us in the joyful hope that You will restore all that is lost with what cannot be taken away. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, Giver of all good gifts, look upon the households of Your people. Provide companionship for those who are alone. Strengthen the bonds of marriage. Equip parents to raise their children in love and faith. Grant that our homes may be places of joy, reasonableness, peace and prayer. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You command us not to be anxious, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving to make our requests known to You. Give wisdom, health and success to the authorities who govern us and those newly elected. Give earthly peace in our time, even as Your Gospel gives eternally the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of all joy, You bid us to be anxious about nothing, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make our requests known to You. Forgive our anxieties, and strengthen us to examine ourselves for whatever causes us to doubt Your mercy. Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and hear the prayers that we offer today. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Look with kindness on all people, especially those for whom we pray: _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, the Son of Man came eating and drinking with sinners, that He might proclaim the kingdom and welcome them in by the forgiveness of sins. As He hosts His Supper this day for His repentant people, grant those who partake of His body and blood to be worthy and well-prepared, firmly believing the words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
341 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”
1 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits.
The King of kings is drawing near;
The Savior of the world is here.
Life and salvation He doth bring;
Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.
To God the Father raise
Your joyful songs of praise.
2 A righteous Helper comes to thee;
His chariot is humility,
His kingly crown is holiness,
His scepter, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings;
Therefore the earth is glad and sings.
To Christ the Savior raise
Your grateful hymns of praise.
3 How blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O peaceful hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless sun of joy is He
Who comes to set His people free.
To God the Spirit raise
Your happy shouts of praise.
4 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heav’n’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
So shall your Sov’reign enter in
And new and nobler life begin.
To God alone be praise
For word and deed and grace!
5 Redeemer, come and open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
O enter with Thy grace divine;
Thy face of mercy on me shine.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until our glorious goal is won.
Eternal praise and fame
We offer to Thy name.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
515 “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers”
1 Rejoice, rejoice, believers,
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising
And soon is drawing nigh.
Up, pray and watch and wrestle;
At midnight comes the cry.
2 The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go forth as He approaches
With alleluias clear.
The marriage feast is waiting;
The gates wide open stand.
Arise, O heirs of glory;
The Bridegroom is at hand.
3 The saints, who here in patience
Their cross and suff’rings bore,
Shall live and reign forever
When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory
The Lamb they shall behold;
In triumph cast before Him
Their diadems of gold.
4 Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, O Sun so longed for,
O’er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption
That sets Your people free!
Text: Laurentius Laurenti, 1660–1722; tr. Sarah B. Findlater, 1823–1907, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 818 “In Thee Is Gladness”
1 In Thee is gladness
Amid all sadness,
Jesus, sunshine of my heart.
By Thee are given
The gifts of heaven,
Thou the true Redeemer art.
Our souls Thou wakest,
Our bonds Thou breakest;
Who trusts Thee surely
Has built securely;
He stands forever: Alleluia!
Our hearts are pining
To see Thy shining,
Dying or living
To Thee are cleaving;
Naught can us sever: Alleluia!
2 Since He is ours,
We fear no powers,
Not of earth nor sin nor death.
He sees and blesses
In worst distresses;
He can change them with a breath.
Wherefore the story
Tell of His glory
With hearts and voices;
All heav’n rejoices
In Him forever: Alleluia!
We shout for gladness,
Triumph o’er sadness,
Love Him and praise Him
And still shall raise Him
Glad hymns forever: Alleluia!
Text: Johann Lindemann, 1549–1631; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Second Sunday in Advent – December 8, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Devra Eisert
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is this Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Questions? See Randy Peeters.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Second Sunday in Advent
December 8, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 350 “Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come”
1 Come, Thou precious Ransom, come,
Only hope for sinful mortals!
Come, O Savior of the world!
Open are to Thee all portals.
Come, Thy beauty let us see;
Anxiously we wait for Thee.
2 Enter now my waiting heart,
Glorious King and Lord most holy.
Dwell in me and ne’er depart,
Though I am but poor and lowly.
Ah, what riches will be mine
When Thou art my guest divine!
3 My hosannas and my palms
Graciously receive, I pray Thee;
Evermore, as best I can,
Savior, I will homage pay Thee,
And in faith I will embrace,
Lord, Thy merit through Thy grace.
4 Hail! Hosanna, David’s Son!
Jesus, hear our supplication!
Let Thy kingdom, scepter, crown,
Bring us blessing and salvation,
That forever we may sing:
Hail! Hosanna to our King.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Luke 3:4b; Psalm 81:8, 10–11, 13
P The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Malachi 3:1–7b
1“Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
6“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 66:1–12
1Shout for joy to God, | all the earth;*
2sing the glory of his name;
give to him | glorious praise!
3Say to God, “How awesome | are your deeds!*
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing | to you.
4All the earth worships you
and sings prais- | es to you;*
they sing praises | to your name.”
5Come and see what | God has done:*
he is awesome in his deeds toward the chil- | dren of man.
6He turned the sea into | dry land;*
they passed through the riv- | er on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the | nations—*
let not the rebellious ex- | alt themselves.
8Bless our God, O | peoples;*
let the sound of his | praise be heard,
9who has kept our soul among the | living*
and has not let our | feet slip.
10For you, O God, have | tested us;*
you have tried us as sil- | ver is tried.
11You brought us in- | to the net;*
you laid a crushing burden | on our backs;
12you let men ride o- | ver our heads;*
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of a- | bundance.
Epistle Philippians 1:2–11
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 3:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 344 “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
1 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings!
2 Then cleansed be ev’ry life from sin;
Make straight the way for God within,
And let us all our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.
3 We hail Thee as our Savior, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without Thy grace we waste away
Like flow’rs that wither and decay.
4 Lay on the sick Thy healing hand
And make the fallen strong to stand;
Show us the glory of Thy face
Till beauty springs in ev’ry place.
D 5 All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
Whose advent sets Thy people free,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.
Text: Charles Coffin, 1676–1749; tr. composite
Text: Public domain
Sermon “God Sent John” Luke 3:1-14
God Sent John – Luke 3:1-14
There is one basic difference between the church of the Old Testament and the church of the New Testament. The Old Testament and New Testament saints all have the same faith in the same Savior. The only difference is that the coming of the Savior was a future promise in the Old Testament while it is an ongoing reality in the New Testament.
The New Testament church lives during the coming of the Savior. The New Testament church lives after the coming of the Savior to earn our salvation. We live during the time when He comes to bring that salvation to us. We look forward to the time when He will come to end time as we know it and take His church into eternity.
John the Baptist was the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. As an Old Testament prophet, he pointed forward to the coming Messiah - the Christ - the anointed one. The wonderful thing about his prophetic ministry is that the Christ would actually reveal Himself to the world during that ministry. John was the forerunner or harbinger of Jesus. Jesus would actually begin His public ministry even while John proclaimed His coming. In fact, John the Baptist was the fulfillment of many prophecies as we read in today's Old Testament reading and as Luke points out as he quotes Isaiah. John Himself was a sign that the Savior was about to appear on the scene in a public way.
John did what prophets do. He spoke the truth as God gave it to him. John was not interested in winning friends or influencing people. He was interested in the truth - even if it cost him his life. The truth that God gave John to proclaim was not popular, it was not nice, and it was definitely not politically correct.
John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In this respect, he was already following the instructions that Jesus would later give to the church. For near the end of the Gospel according to Luke - after the resurrection - Jesus appeared to His disciples and [Luke 24:45-47] He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Jesus made it very clear that the job of the church is to proclaim repentance and the forgiveness of sins. The entire work of the church is wrapped around the proclamation of repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of the Christ.
In true prophetic fashion God revealed this focus of the church to John before Jesus even began His public ministry. So, when we learn from today's Gospel that [John] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, we already see John following the instructions of Jesus just about three years before Jesus even gave those instructions to the disciples.
The proclamation of repentance begins by making people aware that they are, in fact, sinners. In today's Gospel, we hear the proclamation of repentance that John has for those who think they are righteous: "You brood of vipers!"
In this context, words like viper, serpent, and snake take us back to Eden where the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. The word brood is a synonym of offspring. Basically, John is telling these people that they may think they are righteous, but they are in fact children of the devil.
John went on to say that these self-righteous people are not entitled to any special treatment because of their heritage: "Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to explain it this way. [Romans 9:7-8] Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring … This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. The true children of Abraham are those who are children by faith and not by biology. Those who believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins are the true children of Abraham. Those who believe in their own righteousness, even though they may be biological children of Abraham, are not true children of Abraham. In fact, they betray the faith of Abraham.
This message of repentance should serve as a warning to us. One of the lies that our sinful nature tries to tell us is that we are not all that sinful - that there is some sort of goodness buried deep down inside of us. All we need is a chance to get at it. John's words serve as a warning that deep down inside of us, we are all children of the devil. He warns us that there is nothing in our heritage that makes us right before God. All of us are, in fact, sinners.
What is the punishment for sin? John used the metaphor of an axe chopping down a tree for fire wood. "Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." These words warn all sinners that they will burn in hell unless someone does something about their sin. This beginning of repentance [Apology: art. xii, par. 29] is the true terror of conscience, which feels that God is angry with sin and grieves that it has sinned.
Now, if this terror was all that there was to repentance, then we should be overcome in despair. But this is not all there is to repentance. In the second part of repentance, we have [Apology: art. xii, par. 35] faith in Christ. The Gospel, in which the forgiveness of sins is freely promised concerning Christ, should be presented to consciences in these terrors. They should believe that, for Christ's sake, their sins are freely forgiven.
The preaching and baptism of John prepared people for the Christ who would soon come to earn the forgiveness of sin for the world. In fact, many of the people who came to John thought that he himself might be the Christ. As we heard in today's Gospel: the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ. This gave John the opportunity to tell the people about the true Christ.
John answered them all in verse 16 which follows our text, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John took the opportunity to tell the people that he was not the Christ, but that the Christ would soon come. He took the opportunity to tell the people how mighty the Christ would truly be.
The mighty Christ is none other than Jesus. He is the one whom the prophets proclaimed and He is the one in whom they believed. This mighty Christ is the solution to our problem of sin. He is the one who earned forgiveness for our sins and offers that forgiveness to us for free. He is the one who makes us holy in God's sight.
How did He do this? As mighty as Jesus is, He demonstrated His might in weakness. Even though we are not worthy to touch His feet, He allowed mere men to nail Him to a cross. It was from the apparent weakness of that cross that Jesus demonstrated His greatest might. In the apparent defeat of death, Christ conquered death. He became the solution for sin by taking our sin onto Himself and paying the price for it. It is only through Him that we receive the forgiveness of sins.
We can have absolute confidence in Christ's forgiveness because He did not remain in the tomb after He died on the cross. He rose from the dead and that gives us confidence that the day will come when He will raise up me and all the dead and will give eternal life to me and to all believers in Christ.
God sent John to prepare the way for the Lord. John did this by making people intensely aware of their sins. It is the calling of all of God's servants to make His people aware of their sin. This is the way that God makes people aware of their need for their savior. The more we understand our sin, the more we appreciate our savior. The deeper we grieve over sin, the more we rejoice over our salvation. As hard as it is to examine ourselves in the light of God's commands, it is the way we prepare for the coming of the Lord.
John the Baptizer was indeed a great prophet of God. Nevertheless, the one who followed him was even greater; for the one who followed him is God in flesh and blood. He is the one who took our sins to the cross and exchanged them for His righteousness as He shed His precious blood for us and died to pay for our sins. He is the one who baptizes us with the Spirit when water is combined with Word. He is the one who works through the Spirit to give us the faith that believes. It is His coming that marks the season of Advent as we remember how He came long ago in manger and cross, how He will come again in future clouds of glory, and how He comes today in Word and Sacrament.
May this season prepare us so that when Jesus says, [Revelation 22:20] "Surely I am coming soon," we can join God's people and reply, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" Amen
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Second Sunday in Advent - 8 December 2024
O Lord, our God, You declared Israel to be Your people and brought them out of Egypt. You desired their salvation even when they would not listen to Your voice. Since You have called and gathered us also to be Your people, open our hearts to listen and gladly submit to Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, as You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord, send forth pastors and missionaries to declare Your saving Word to the nations. Preserve them from temptation, protect them in suffering and equip them with every good gift to make known the Christ who still comes to save. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, as You call and gather us into Your family, so bless the households of this congregation. Bless husbands and wives, fathers and mothers as they go about their work of strengthening marriage and raising children. Let their love abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, and fill their homes with the righteousness that comes through Christ Jesus. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of hosts, St. John the Baptist counseled penitent soldiers to go about their military duties according to Your Word. Remember those who serve in the armed forces [especially _____________]. Protect them from harm, give them wisdom and courage, and grant that they fulfill their duties honorably. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, Your forerunner prepared the way for the One who is mightier than all: Your Son, Jesus Christ. For His sake, we entrust to You those in need of healing, comfort and rescue [especially _____________]. Have mercy upon them, deliver them according to Your will and strengthen them in faith, that they might be assured of Your faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, You sent St. John the Baptist to prepare all flesh to see the salvation of God. Prepare also the hearts of all who kneel at Your altar today to receive worthily Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, You sent Your Son to purify us, that we might be righteous and holy before You. Deliver us from the love of sin, which defiles us and stains our works. Cleanse our hearts by Your grace, so that we may delight in Your promises and our works would be pleasing to You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us, Father, for the sake of Him who died and rose again and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
343 “Prepare the Royal Highway”
1 Prepare the royal highway;
The King of kings is near!
Let ev’ry hill and valley
A level road appear!
Then greet the King of Glory
Foretold in sacred story: Refrain
ref Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word!
2 God’s people, see Him coming:
Your own eternal king!
Palm branches strew before Him!
Spread garments! Shout and sing!
God’s promise will not fail you!
No more shall doubt assail you! Refrain
3 Then fling the gates wide open
To greet your promised king!
Your king, yet ev’ry nation
Its tribute too should bring.
All lands, bow down before Him!
All nations, now adore Him! Refrain
4 His is no earthly kingdom;
It comes from heav’n above.
His rule is peace and freedom
And justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding
For kindness so abounding: Refrain
Text: Frans Mikael Franzén, 1772–1847; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978, alt.
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
346 “When All the World Was Cursed”
1 When all the world was cursed
By Moses’ condemnation,
Saint John the Baptist came
With words of consolation.
With true forerunner’s zeal
The greater One he named,
And Him, as yet unknown,
As Savior he proclaimed.
2 Before he yet was born,
He leaped in joyful meeting,
Confessing Him as Lord
Whose mother he was greeting.
By Jordan’s rolling stream,
A new Elijah bold,
He testified of Him
Of whom the prophets told:
3 Behold the Lamb of God
That bears the world’s transgression,
Whose sacrifice removes
The devil’s dread oppression.
Behold the Lamb of God,
Who takes away our sin,
Who for our peace and joy
Will full atonement win.
4 O grant, dear Lord of love,
That we receive, rejoicing,
The word proclaimed by John,
Our true repentance voicing,
That gladly we may walk
Upon our Savior’s way
Until we live with Him
In His eternal day.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 349 “Hark the Glad Sound”
1 Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,
The Savior promised long;
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne
And ev’ry voice a song.
2 He comes the pris’ners to release,
In Satan’s bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
3 He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.
4 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heav’n’s eternal arches ring
With Thy belovèd name.
Text: Philip Doddridge, 1702–51
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, VOTERS’ MEETING, and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Second Sunday in Advent – December 8, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Devra Eisert
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is this Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Questions? See Randy Peeters.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
- Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 11, 18.
- VOTERS’ MEETING T-O-D-A-Y Dec. 8th after church.
- Bethlehem Express T-H-I-S Sat. Dec. 14th from 10 to noon with lunch following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts and Bible story. All aboard!
- Candlelight Christmas Eve service is 5 p.m., Christmas Day Worship with Holy Communion is 10:30 a.m.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I’ll say it again: REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4
The Second Sunday in Advent
December 8, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 350 “Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come”
1 Come, Thou precious Ransom, come,
Only hope for sinful mortals!
Come, O Savior of the world!
Open are to Thee all portals.
Come, Thy beauty let us see;
Anxiously we wait for Thee.
2 Enter now my waiting heart,
Glorious King and Lord most holy.
Dwell in me and ne’er depart,
Though I am but poor and lowly.
Ah, what riches will be mine
When Thou art my guest divine!
3 My hosannas and my palms
Graciously receive, I pray Thee;
Evermore, as best I can,
Savior, I will homage pay Thee,
And in faith I will embrace,
Lord, Thy merit through Thy grace.
4 Hail! Hosanna, David’s Son!
Jesus, hear our supplication!
Let Thy kingdom, scepter, crown,
Bring us blessing and salvation,
That forever we may sing:
Hail! Hosanna to our King.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Luke 3:4b; Psalm 81:8, 10–11, 13
P The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Malachi 3:1–7b
1“Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
6“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 66:1–12
1Shout for joy to God, | all the earth;*
2sing the glory of his name;
give to him | glorious praise!
3Say to God, “How awesome | are your deeds!*
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing | to you.
4All the earth worships you
and sings prais- | es to you;*
they sing praises | to your name.”
5Come and see what | God has done:*
he is awesome in his deeds toward the chil- | dren of man.
6He turned the sea into | dry land;*
they passed through the riv- | er on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the | nations—*
let not the rebellious ex- | alt themselves.
8Bless our God, O | peoples;*
let the sound of his | praise be heard,
9who has kept our soul among the | living*
and has not let our | feet slip.
10For you, O God, have | tested us;*
you have tried us as sil- | ver is tried.
11You brought us in- | to the net;*
you laid a crushing burden | on our backs;
12you let men ride o- | ver our heads;*
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of a- | bundance.
Epistle Philippians 1:2–11
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 3:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 344 “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
1 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings!
2 Then cleansed be ev’ry life from sin;
Make straight the way for God within,
And let us all our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.
3 We hail Thee as our Savior, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without Thy grace we waste away
Like flow’rs that wither and decay.
4 Lay on the sick Thy healing hand
And make the fallen strong to stand;
Show us the glory of Thy face
Till beauty springs in ev’ry place.
D 5 All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
Whose advent sets Thy people free,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.
Text: Charles Coffin, 1676–1749; tr. composite
Text: Public domain
Sermon “God Sent John” Luke 3:1-14
God Sent John – Luke 3:1-14
There is one basic difference between the church of the Old Testament and the church of the New Testament. The Old Testament and New Testament saints all have the same faith in the same Savior. The only difference is that the coming of the Savior was a future promise in the Old Testament while it is an ongoing reality in the New Testament.
The New Testament church lives during the coming of the Savior. The New Testament church lives after the coming of the Savior to earn our salvation. We live during the time when He comes to bring that salvation to us. We look forward to the time when He will come to end time as we know it and take His church into eternity.
John the Baptist was the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. As an Old Testament prophet, he pointed forward to the coming Messiah - the Christ - the anointed one. The wonderful thing about his prophetic ministry is that the Christ would actually reveal Himself to the world during that ministry. John was the forerunner or harbinger of Jesus. Jesus would actually begin His public ministry even while John proclaimed His coming. In fact, John the Baptist was the fulfillment of many prophecies as we read in today's Old Testament reading and as Luke points out as he quotes Isaiah. John Himself was a sign that the Savior was about to appear on the scene in a public way.
John did what prophets do. He spoke the truth as God gave it to him. John was not interested in winning friends or influencing people. He was interested in the truth - even if it cost him his life. The truth that God gave John to proclaim was not popular, it was not nice, and it was definitely not politically correct.
John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In this respect, he was already following the instructions that Jesus would later give to the church. For near the end of the Gospel according to Luke - after the resurrection - Jesus appeared to His disciples and [Luke 24:45-47] He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Jesus made it very clear that the job of the church is to proclaim repentance and the forgiveness of sins. The entire work of the church is wrapped around the proclamation of repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of the Christ.
In true prophetic fashion God revealed this focus of the church to John before Jesus even began His public ministry. So, when we learn from today's Gospel that [John] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, we already see John following the instructions of Jesus just about three years before Jesus even gave those instructions to the disciples.
The proclamation of repentance begins by making people aware that they are, in fact, sinners. In today's Gospel, we hear the proclamation of repentance that John has for those who think they are righteous: "You brood of vipers!"
In this context, words like viper, serpent, and snake take us back to Eden where the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. The word brood is a synonym of offspring. Basically, John is telling these people that they may think they are righteous, but they are in fact children of the devil.
John went on to say that these self-righteous people are not entitled to any special treatment because of their heritage: "Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to explain it this way. [Romans 9:7-8] Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring … This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. The true children of Abraham are those who are children by faith and not by biology. Those who believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins are the true children of Abraham. Those who believe in their own righteousness, even though they may be biological children of Abraham, are not true children of Abraham. In fact, they betray the faith of Abraham.
This message of repentance should serve as a warning to us. One of the lies that our sinful nature tries to tell us is that we are not all that sinful - that there is some sort of goodness buried deep down inside of us. All we need is a chance to get at it. John's words serve as a warning that deep down inside of us, we are all children of the devil. He warns us that there is nothing in our heritage that makes us right before God. All of us are, in fact, sinners.
What is the punishment for sin? John used the metaphor of an axe chopping down a tree for fire wood. "Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." These words warn all sinners that they will burn in hell unless someone does something about their sin. This beginning of repentance [Apology: art. xii, par. 29] is the true terror of conscience, which feels that God is angry with sin and grieves that it has sinned.
Now, if this terror was all that there was to repentance, then we should be overcome in despair. But this is not all there is to repentance. In the second part of repentance, we have [Apology: art. xii, par. 35] faith in Christ. The Gospel, in which the forgiveness of sins is freely promised concerning Christ, should be presented to consciences in these terrors. They should believe that, for Christ's sake, their sins are freely forgiven.
The preaching and baptism of John prepared people for the Christ who would soon come to earn the forgiveness of sin for the world. In fact, many of the people who came to John thought that he himself might be the Christ. As we heard in today's Gospel: the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ. This gave John the opportunity to tell the people about the true Christ.
John answered them all in verse 16 which follows our text, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John took the opportunity to tell the people that he was not the Christ, but that the Christ would soon come. He took the opportunity to tell the people how mighty the Christ would truly be.
The mighty Christ is none other than Jesus. He is the one whom the prophets proclaimed and He is the one in whom they believed. This mighty Christ is the solution to our problem of sin. He is the one who earned forgiveness for our sins and offers that forgiveness to us for free. He is the one who makes us holy in God's sight.
How did He do this? As mighty as Jesus is, He demonstrated His might in weakness. Even though we are not worthy to touch His feet, He allowed mere men to nail Him to a cross. It was from the apparent weakness of that cross that Jesus demonstrated His greatest might. In the apparent defeat of death, Christ conquered death. He became the solution for sin by taking our sin onto Himself and paying the price for it. It is only through Him that we receive the forgiveness of sins.
We can have absolute confidence in Christ's forgiveness because He did not remain in the tomb after He died on the cross. He rose from the dead and that gives us confidence that the day will come when He will raise up me and all the dead and will give eternal life to me and to all believers in Christ.
God sent John to prepare the way for the Lord. John did this by making people intensely aware of their sins. It is the calling of all of God's servants to make His people aware of their sin. This is the way that God makes people aware of their need for their savior. The more we understand our sin, the more we appreciate our savior. The deeper we grieve over sin, the more we rejoice over our salvation. As hard as it is to examine ourselves in the light of God's commands, it is the way we prepare for the coming of the Lord.
John the Baptizer was indeed a great prophet of God. Nevertheless, the one who followed him was even greater; for the one who followed him is God in flesh and blood. He is the one who took our sins to the cross and exchanged them for His righteousness as He shed His precious blood for us and died to pay for our sins. He is the one who baptizes us with the Spirit when water is combined with Word. He is the one who works through the Spirit to give us the faith that believes. It is His coming that marks the season of Advent as we remember how He came long ago in manger and cross, how He will come again in future clouds of glory, and how He comes today in Word and Sacrament.
May this season prepare us so that when Jesus says, [Revelation 22:20] "Surely I am coming soon," we can join God's people and reply, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" Amen
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Second Sunday in Advent - 8 December 2024
O Lord, our God, You declared Israel to be Your people and brought them out of Egypt. You desired their salvation even when they would not listen to Your voice. Since You have called and gathered us also to be Your people, open our hearts to listen and gladly submit to Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, as You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord, send forth pastors and missionaries to declare Your saving Word to the nations. Preserve them from temptation, protect them in suffering and equip them with every good gift to make known the Christ who still comes to save. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, as You call and gather us into Your family, so bless the households of this congregation. Bless husbands and wives, fathers and mothers as they go about their work of strengthening marriage and raising children. Let their love abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, and fill their homes with the righteousness that comes through Christ Jesus. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of hosts, St. John the Baptist counseled penitent soldiers to go about their military duties according to Your Word. Remember those who serve in the armed forces [especially _____________]. Protect them from harm, give them wisdom and courage, and grant that they fulfill their duties honorably. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, Your forerunner prepared the way for the One who is mightier than all: Your Son, Jesus Christ. For His sake, we entrust to You those in need of healing, comfort and rescue [especially _____________]. Have mercy upon them, deliver them according to Your will and strengthen them in faith, that they might be assured of Your faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, You sent St. John the Baptist to prepare all flesh to see the salvation of God. Prepare also the hearts of all who kneel at Your altar today to receive worthily Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, You sent Your Son to purify us, that we might be righteous and holy before You. Deliver us from the love of sin, which defiles us and stains our works. Cleanse our hearts by Your grace, so that we may delight in Your promises and our works would be pleasing to You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us, Father, for the sake of Him who died and rose again and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
343 “Prepare the Royal Highway”
1 Prepare the royal highway;
The King of kings is near!
Let ev’ry hill and valley
A level road appear!
Then greet the King of Glory
Foretold in sacred story: Refrain
ref Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word!
2 God’s people, see Him coming:
Your own eternal king!
Palm branches strew before Him!
Spread garments! Shout and sing!
God’s promise will not fail you!
No more shall doubt assail you! Refrain
3 Then fling the gates wide open
To greet your promised king!
Your king, yet ev’ry nation
Its tribute too should bring.
All lands, bow down before Him!
All nations, now adore Him! Refrain
4 His is no earthly kingdom;
It comes from heav’n above.
His rule is peace and freedom
And justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding
For kindness so abounding: Refrain
Text: Frans Mikael Franzén, 1772–1847; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978, alt.
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
346 “When All the World Was Cursed”
1 When all the world was cursed
By Moses’ condemnation,
Saint John the Baptist came
With words of consolation.
With true forerunner’s zeal
The greater One he named,
And Him, as yet unknown,
As Savior he proclaimed.
2 Before he yet was born,
He leaped in joyful meeting,
Confessing Him as Lord
Whose mother he was greeting.
By Jordan’s rolling stream,
A new Elijah bold,
He testified of Him
Of whom the prophets told:
3 Behold the Lamb of God
That bears the world’s transgression,
Whose sacrifice removes
The devil’s dread oppression.
Behold the Lamb of God,
Who takes away our sin,
Who for our peace and joy
Will full atonement win.
4 O grant, dear Lord of love,
That we receive, rejoicing,
The word proclaimed by John,
Our true repentance voicing,
That gladly we may walk
Upon our Savior’s way
Until we live with Him
In His eternal day.
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 349 “Hark the Glad Sound”
1 Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,
The Savior promised long;
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne
And ev’ry voice a song.
2 He comes the pris’ners to release,
In Satan’s bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
3 He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.
4 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heav’n’s eternal arches ring
With Thy belovèd name.
Text: Philip Doddridge, 1702–51
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, VOTERS’ MEETING, and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The First Sunday in Advent – December 1, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Check with Randy Peeters for tickets.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
“The Bible is about Christ from cover to cover. The Incarnate Word [Jesus Christ] makes Himself known in the written Word.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
The First Sunday in Advent
December 1, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 331 “The Advent of Our King”
1 The advent of our King
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing
In strains of holy joy.
2 The everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be,
Himself a servant’s form puts on
To set His servants free.
3 O Zion’s daughter, rise
To meet your lowly King,
Nor let your faithless heart despise
The peace He comes to bring.
4 As judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again
And His true members all unite
With Him in heav’n to reign.
5 Before the dawning day
Let sin’s dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away,
The new self now put on.
D 6 All glory to the Son,
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one
Through all eternity.
Text: Charles Coffin, 1676–1749; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, alt.
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Zech. 9:9b; Psalm 89:6, 14–16, 18
P Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having sal- vation.
Who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord? Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessèd are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 33:14–16
14“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 25:1–10
1To you, | O Lord,*
I lift | up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be | put to shame;*
let not my enemies exult | over me.
3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame;*
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly | treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, | O Lord;*
teach me | your paths.
5Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my sal- | vation;*
for you I wait all the | day long.
6Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your | steadfast love,*
for they have been | from of old.
7Remember not the sins of my youth or my trans- | gressions;*
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, | O Lord!
8Good and upright | is the Lord;*
therefore he instructs sinners | in the way.
9He leads the humble in | what is right,*
and teaches the humble | his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and | faithfulness,*
for those who keep his covenant and his testi- | monies.
Epistle 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
9What thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 19:28–40
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the nineteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
28When [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 332 “Savior of the Nations, Come”
1 Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
2 Not by human flesh and blood,
By the Spirit of our God,
Was the Word of God made flesh--
Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.
3 Here a maid was found with child,
Yet remained a virgin mild.
In her womb this truth was shown:
God was there upon His throne.
4 Then stepped forth the Lord of all
From His pure and kingly hall;
God of God, yet fully man,
His heroic course began.
5 God the Father was His source,
Back to God He ran His course.
Into hell His road went down,
Back then to His throne and crown.
6 For You are the Father’s Son
Who in flesh the vict’ry won.
By Your mighty pow’r make whole
All our ills of flesh and soul.
7 From the manger newborn light
Shines in glory through the night.
Darkness there no more resides;
In this light faith now abides.
D 8 Glory to the Father sing,
Glory to the Son, our king,
Glory to the Spirit be
Now and through eternity.
Text: attr. Ambrose of Milan, 340–397; German version, Martin Luther, 1483–1546; (sts. 1–2): tr. William M. Reynolds, 1812–76; (sts. 3, 6): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006; (sts. 4–5, 8): tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913–2001; (st. 7): tr. Gifford A. Grobien, 1973
Text (sts. 1–2): Public domain
Text (sts. 3, 6–7): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House; (sts. 4–5, 8): © 1978 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Jesus Is Coming” Luke 19:28-40
Jesus Is Coming – Luke 19:28-40
Today's Gospel encourages us to think about the way we respond to the coming of Jesus Christ.
It is once again the beginning of a new church year. We begin the church year with the season of Advent. Many of you probably know that the word Advent comes from a Latin word that means “to come.” Advent is all about preparing for the coming of Christ. We first heard that theme in today's Introit with the words "Behold, your king is coming to you." Today's collect expresses that theme in its opening words, "Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come…" The Old Testament reading starts with the words, "Behold, the days are coming …" The epistle ends with the words, "… at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints." And the Gospel is the story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Advent is a time for thinking about the way God comes to us. It is a time of preparation for that coming. It is a time to examine our response to His coming.
How do we respond to this coming? Do we respond differently to His coming in the manger than we respond to His coming to us in the bread and wine of the sacrament? Last week, we heard about Jesus coming in the clouds with glory and power. Will we respond differently when that time comes?
We have two sample responses in today's Gospel, but are these two the only ways that we can respond as God comes to us?
Jesus' disciples and the Passover pilgrims responded in one way. They used their cloaks just like we would use a red carpet today. They threw their cloaks on the road before Jesus. They shouted and sang at the top of their lungs. The parallel accounts in the other gospels tell us they also threw palm branches on the road before Him. After all, here was Jesus riding into Jerusalem in precise fulfillment of the prophecies they had learned from their parents and in Synagogue school. Jesus was fulfilling the very image of the anticipation they have felt since childhood.
While their response was most excellent on the outside, did they really understand what they were doing? The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to describe the motivation of the people. Luke wrote, "The whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen." These people were rightly praising Jesus as Messiah, but they didn't understand what it meant to be Messiah. They hailed Jesus as their king, but they didn't understand that His coronation would be with a crown of thorns and not a crown of gold. Many were looking for a king to liberate them from the Romans, not a savior to liberate them from their sins. They did not understand [Luke 24:46] that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. They would only understand this after Jesus rose from the dead.
The other response we have comes from those old party poopers, the Pharisees. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." These Pharisees did not see the fulfillment of prophecy. Instead, they saw a troublemaker and blasphemer. They saw a challenge to their authority and power.
They may also have rationalized that the commotion would draw the attention of the Roman peacekeepers. The Roman garrison in Jerusalem had a rather no nonsense way of dealing with those who broke the peace. They arrested or killed them. The Pharisees could easily rationalize that Jesus was a threat to the peace of Jerusalem and to their comfortable way of life.
Does our response fit into one of these two categories or are there other ways we can respond to the coming of Jesus Christ? Perhaps some of us regard Jesus in much the same way that we regard that officer who gives us the speeding ticket. We see Jesus as someone who points out all the wrong things that we do. If there is something that we really enjoy, it is probably against one of those Ten Commandments. We see Jesus as a cosmic judge who comes to take away all our fun.
Of course, that police officer is really looking after our best interests when he stops us for a traffic violation. In a similar way, Jesus Christ also has our best interests at heart. He has nothing but love for us as He comes to us. The police officer wants us to drive more safely – with respect for ourselves and others. He wants us to celebrate many, many more holidays with our loved ones. Jesus wants to free us from our sins. He wants us to celebrate with Him forever in heaven. In fact, that is why He was coming into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. He was coming to keep His appointment with the cross.
Jesus entered Jerusalem in majestic procession, but the day of His coronation was very different. On the day He entered Jerusalem, people shouted Hosanna. On the day of His coronation, the crowd shouted, "Crucify Him!" On the day He entered Jerusalem; people removed their clothes and laid them before Him. On the day of His coronation, soldiers removed His clothes, beat Him, flogged Him, and nailed Him to a cross. On the day of His coronation, He died hanging from a cross. He did this, not to take away our fun, but to take away our sin. Just before He died, He cried out in triumph, "It is finished." He finished enduring the punishment for our sins. He finished the most unfair exchange in all history. He exchanged His perfect righteousness for our filthy sins.
Before Jesus entered Jerusalem, the disciples set Jesus on a donkey that had never been used. After He died, they laid Him in a tomb that had never been used. They thought they would never see Him again. They did not understand that the earthly humiliation of Christ in His suffering and death was a heavenly coronation. They did not understand that the King who conquered sin, death, and the devil could not remain in that tomb. They did not expect Him to rise from the dead, but He did.
Jesus rose in royal victory. He paved the way for all who believe in Him to pass through death into eternal life. He is now the King of kings and Lord of lords.
How do we respond to that love? Do we call Him King? Yes. Do we call Him Lord? Yes. More importantly, by the power of the Holy Spirit's gift of faith, we call Him Savior, brother, and friend. By the righteousness we receive through faith, God adopts us into His family and, as family; we have the right to call God our Father and Christ our brother. We also have the right to live on the family place forever.
Happy New Church Year--Jesus is coming. He comes to offer forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation. He comes to give us peace. Those who refuse these gifts will respond to this coming in terror. Those who receive these gifts through the Holy Spirit's gift of faith will respond in joy and celebration. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday in Advent - 1 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord of all, Your Son declared that if His disciples ceased praising Him, the very stones would cry out. Receive our thanks that You continue to preserve Your Word among us. Even in a world that opposes Your name, grant us tongues that joyfully declare Your praise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we often use the cares of this life as excuses for dissipation, drunkenness and distraction from You and Your promises. Guard us from temptations that would harm our faith and cause us to fear Your coming. Preserve us by Your grace, that we may wait with joy to stand before the Son of Man in glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, grant us repentant hearts and increase our love for one another, that we may show forth our faith in good works. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our King, righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne, and steadfast love and faithfulness go before You. Watch over the authorities of our land, and grant that they would govern justly so that we may live in peace as we proclaim Your love and faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give thanks to You, O God, that as You establish our hearts blameless in holiness before You, so You also provide for all our needs in this body and life. Hear our earnest prayers for those who are in need of Your mercy, [especially _____________,] and comfort all who mourn [including _____________] until the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, and blessed is Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came in Your name to save us from sin and death. As He visits us this day with His body and blood under the bread and wine, give us penitent hearts that worthily welcome His coming and rejoice in His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have loved and chosen us according to Your mercy and called us through the living voice of Your Word. Grant to us the Spirit of Your grace, that what You have begun in us may be brought to completion when Christ appears in His glory on the Last Day; for You live and reign, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your boundless mercy You sent Your servant, John the Baptist, to proclaim that in Christ the kingdom of heaven draws near.
With thankful hearts we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” confident that in His body and blood, given us to eat and drink, we receive the forgiveness of sins and so proclaim His death until He comes again in glory.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You
1 O Lord, how shall I meet You,
How welcome You aright?
Your people long to greet You,
My hope, my heart’s delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please You best.
2 Your Zion strews before You
Green boughs and fairest palms;
And I too will adore You
With joyous songs and psalms.
My heart shall bloom forever
For You with praises new
And from Your name shall never
Withhold the honor due.
3 I lay in fetters, groaning;
You came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
You came to honor me.
A glorious crown You give me,
A treasure safe on high
That will not fail or leave me
As earthly riches fly.
4 Love caused Your incarnation;
Love brought You down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
That led You to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race.
5 Sin’s debt, that fearful burden,
Cannot His love erase;
Your guilt the Lord will pardon
And cover by His grace.
He comes, for you procuring
The peace of sin forgiv’n,
His children thus securing
Eternal life in heav’n.
6 He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to His foes,
A light of consolations
And blessèd hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.
Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
333 Once He Came in Blessing
1 Once He came in blessing,
All our sins redressing;
Came in likeness lowly,
Son of God most holy;
Bore the cross to save us;
Hope and freedom gave us.
2 Now He gently leads us;
With Himself He feeds us
Precious food from heaven,
Pledge of peace here given,
Manna that will nourish
Souls that they may flourish.
3 Soon will come that hour
When with mighty power
Christ will come in splendor
And will judgment render,
With the faithful sharing
Joy beyond comparing.
4 Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
From our sins release us.
Keep our hearts believing,
That we, grace receiving,
Ever may confess You
Till in heav’n we bless You.
Text: Johann Horn, c. 1490–1547; (sts. 1, 4): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006
Text (sts. 1, 4): Public domain
Text (sts. 2–3): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 348 “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”
1 The King shall come when morning dawns
And light triumphant breaks,
When beauty gilds the eastern hills
And life to joy awakes.
2 Not as of old a little child,
To bear and fight and die,
But crowned with glory like the sun
That lights the morning sky.
3 Oh, brighter than the rising morn
When Christ, victorious, rose
And left the lonesome place of death
Despite the rage of foes.
4 Oh, brighter than that glorious morn
Shall dawn upon our race
The day when Christ in splendor comes
And we shall see His face.
5 The King shall come when morning dawns
And light and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray:
Come quickly, King of kings!
Text: John Brownlie, 1859–1925, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The First Sunday in Advent – December 1, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Allan Bliss, Randy Peeters, Rob Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Check with Randy Peeters for tickets.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
- Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18.
- VOTERS’ MEETING next Sunday, Dec. 8th after church.
- Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14th from 10 to noon with lunch following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts and Bible story. All aboard!
- Christmas Eve service is 5 p.m., Christmas Day is 10:30 a.m.
“The Bible is about Christ from cover to cover. The Incarnate Word [Jesus Christ] makes Himself known in the written Word.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
The First Sunday in Advent
December 1, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 331 “The Advent of Our King”
1 The advent of our King
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing
In strains of holy joy.
2 The everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be,
Himself a servant’s form puts on
To set His servants free.
3 O Zion’s daughter, rise
To meet your lowly King,
Nor let your faithless heart despise
The peace He comes to bring.
4 As judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again
And His true members all unite
With Him in heav’n to reign.
5 Before the dawning day
Let sin’s dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away,
The new self now put on.
D 6 All glory to the Son,
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one
Through all eternity.
Text: Charles Coffin, 1676–1749; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, alt.
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Zech. 9:9b; Psalm 89:6, 14–16, 18
P Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having sal- vation.
Who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord? Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessèd are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Kyrie
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 33:14–16
14“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 25:1–10
1To you, | O Lord,*
I lift | up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be | put to shame;*
let not my enemies exult | over me.
3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame;*
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly | treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, | O Lord;*
teach me | your paths.
5Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my sal- | vation;*
for you I wait all the | day long.
6Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your | steadfast love,*
for they have been | from of old.
7Remember not the sins of my youth or my trans- | gressions;*
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, | O Lord!
8Good and upright | is the Lord;*
therefore he instructs sinners | in the way.
9He leads the humble in | what is right,*
and teaches the humble | his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and | faithfulness,*
for those who keep his covenant and his testi- | monies.
Epistle 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
9What thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Luke 19:28–40
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the nineteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
28When [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 332 “Savior of the Nations, Come”
1 Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
2 Not by human flesh and blood,
By the Spirit of our God,
Was the Word of God made flesh--
Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.
3 Here a maid was found with child,
Yet remained a virgin mild.
In her womb this truth was shown:
God was there upon His throne.
4 Then stepped forth the Lord of all
From His pure and kingly hall;
God of God, yet fully man,
His heroic course began.
5 God the Father was His source,
Back to God He ran His course.
Into hell His road went down,
Back then to His throne and crown.
6 For You are the Father’s Son
Who in flesh the vict’ry won.
By Your mighty pow’r make whole
All our ills of flesh and soul.
7 From the manger newborn light
Shines in glory through the night.
Darkness there no more resides;
In this light faith now abides.
D 8 Glory to the Father sing,
Glory to the Son, our king,
Glory to the Spirit be
Now and through eternity.
Text: attr. Ambrose of Milan, 340–397; German version, Martin Luther, 1483–1546; (sts. 1–2): tr. William M. Reynolds, 1812–76; (sts. 3, 6): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006; (sts. 4–5, 8): tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913–2001; (st. 7): tr. Gifford A. Grobien, 1973
Text (sts. 1–2): Public domain
Text (sts. 3, 6–7): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House; (sts. 4–5, 8): © 1978 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Jesus Is Coming” Luke 19:28-40
Jesus Is Coming – Luke 19:28-40
Today's Gospel encourages us to think about the way we respond to the coming of Jesus Christ.
It is once again the beginning of a new church year. We begin the church year with the season of Advent. Many of you probably know that the word Advent comes from a Latin word that means “to come.” Advent is all about preparing for the coming of Christ. We first heard that theme in today's Introit with the words "Behold, your king is coming to you." Today's collect expresses that theme in its opening words, "Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come…" The Old Testament reading starts with the words, "Behold, the days are coming …" The epistle ends with the words, "… at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints." And the Gospel is the story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Advent is a time for thinking about the way God comes to us. It is a time of preparation for that coming. It is a time to examine our response to His coming.
How do we respond to this coming? Do we respond differently to His coming in the manger than we respond to His coming to us in the bread and wine of the sacrament? Last week, we heard about Jesus coming in the clouds with glory and power. Will we respond differently when that time comes?
We have two sample responses in today's Gospel, but are these two the only ways that we can respond as God comes to us?
Jesus' disciples and the Passover pilgrims responded in one way. They used their cloaks just like we would use a red carpet today. They threw their cloaks on the road before Jesus. They shouted and sang at the top of their lungs. The parallel accounts in the other gospels tell us they also threw palm branches on the road before Him. After all, here was Jesus riding into Jerusalem in precise fulfillment of the prophecies they had learned from their parents and in Synagogue school. Jesus was fulfilling the very image of the anticipation they have felt since childhood.
While their response was most excellent on the outside, did they really understand what they were doing? The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to describe the motivation of the people. Luke wrote, "The whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen." These people were rightly praising Jesus as Messiah, but they didn't understand what it meant to be Messiah. They hailed Jesus as their king, but they didn't understand that His coronation would be with a crown of thorns and not a crown of gold. Many were looking for a king to liberate them from the Romans, not a savior to liberate them from their sins. They did not understand [Luke 24:46] that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. They would only understand this after Jesus rose from the dead.
The other response we have comes from those old party poopers, the Pharisees. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." These Pharisees did not see the fulfillment of prophecy. Instead, they saw a troublemaker and blasphemer. They saw a challenge to their authority and power.
They may also have rationalized that the commotion would draw the attention of the Roman peacekeepers. The Roman garrison in Jerusalem had a rather no nonsense way of dealing with those who broke the peace. They arrested or killed them. The Pharisees could easily rationalize that Jesus was a threat to the peace of Jerusalem and to their comfortable way of life.
Does our response fit into one of these two categories or are there other ways we can respond to the coming of Jesus Christ? Perhaps some of us regard Jesus in much the same way that we regard that officer who gives us the speeding ticket. We see Jesus as someone who points out all the wrong things that we do. If there is something that we really enjoy, it is probably against one of those Ten Commandments. We see Jesus as a cosmic judge who comes to take away all our fun.
Of course, that police officer is really looking after our best interests when he stops us for a traffic violation. In a similar way, Jesus Christ also has our best interests at heart. He has nothing but love for us as He comes to us. The police officer wants us to drive more safely – with respect for ourselves and others. He wants us to celebrate many, many more holidays with our loved ones. Jesus wants to free us from our sins. He wants us to celebrate with Him forever in heaven. In fact, that is why He was coming into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. He was coming to keep His appointment with the cross.
Jesus entered Jerusalem in majestic procession, but the day of His coronation was very different. On the day He entered Jerusalem, people shouted Hosanna. On the day of His coronation, the crowd shouted, "Crucify Him!" On the day He entered Jerusalem; people removed their clothes and laid them before Him. On the day of His coronation, soldiers removed His clothes, beat Him, flogged Him, and nailed Him to a cross. On the day of His coronation, He died hanging from a cross. He did this, not to take away our fun, but to take away our sin. Just before He died, He cried out in triumph, "It is finished." He finished enduring the punishment for our sins. He finished the most unfair exchange in all history. He exchanged His perfect righteousness for our filthy sins.
Before Jesus entered Jerusalem, the disciples set Jesus on a donkey that had never been used. After He died, they laid Him in a tomb that had never been used. They thought they would never see Him again. They did not understand that the earthly humiliation of Christ in His suffering and death was a heavenly coronation. They did not understand that the King who conquered sin, death, and the devil could not remain in that tomb. They did not expect Him to rise from the dead, but He did.
Jesus rose in royal victory. He paved the way for all who believe in Him to pass through death into eternal life. He is now the King of kings and Lord of lords.
How do we respond to that love? Do we call Him King? Yes. Do we call Him Lord? Yes. More importantly, by the power of the Holy Spirit's gift of faith, we call Him Savior, brother, and friend. By the righteousness we receive through faith, God adopts us into His family and, as family; we have the right to call God our Father and Christ our brother. We also have the right to live on the family place forever.
Happy New Church Year--Jesus is coming. He comes to offer forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation. He comes to give us peace. Those who refuse these gifts will respond to this coming in terror. Those who receive these gifts through the Holy Spirit's gift of faith will respond in joy and celebration. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday in Advent - 1 December 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord of all, Your Son declared that if His disciples ceased praising Him, the very stones would cry out. Receive our thanks that You continue to preserve Your Word among us. Even in a world that opposes Your name, grant us tongues that joyfully declare Your praise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we often use the cares of this life as excuses for dissipation, drunkenness and distraction from You and Your promises. Guard us from temptations that would harm our faith and cause us to fear Your coming. Preserve us by Your grace, that we may wait with joy to stand before the Son of Man in glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, grant us repentant hearts and increase our love for one another, that we may show forth our faith in good works. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our King, righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne, and steadfast love and faithfulness go before You. Watch over the authorities of our land, and grant that they would govern justly so that we may live in peace as we proclaim Your love and faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give thanks to You, O God, that as You establish our hearts blameless in holiness before You, so You also provide for all our needs in this body and life. Hear our earnest prayers for those who are in need of Your mercy, [especially _____________,] and comfort all who mourn [including _____________] until the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, and blessed is Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came in Your name to save us from sin and death. As He visits us this day with His body and blood under the bread and wine, give us penitent hearts that worthily welcome His coming and rejoice in His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have loved and chosen us according to Your mercy and called us through the living voice of Your Word. Grant to us the Spirit of Your grace, that what You have begun in us may be brought to completion when Christ appears in His glory on the Last Day; for You live and reign, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your boundless mercy You sent Your servant, John the Baptist, to proclaim that in Christ the kingdom of heaven draws near.
With thankful hearts we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” confident that in His body and blood, given us to eat and drink, we receive the forgiveness of sins and so proclaim His death until He comes again in glory.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You
1 O Lord, how shall I meet You,
How welcome You aright?
Your people long to greet You,
My hope, my heart’s delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please You best.
2 Your Zion strews before You
Green boughs and fairest palms;
And I too will adore You
With joyous songs and psalms.
My heart shall bloom forever
For You with praises new
And from Your name shall never
Withhold the honor due.
3 I lay in fetters, groaning;
You came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
You came to honor me.
A glorious crown You give me,
A treasure safe on high
That will not fail or leave me
As earthly riches fly.
4 Love caused Your incarnation;
Love brought You down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
That led You to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race.
5 Sin’s debt, that fearful burden,
Cannot His love erase;
Your guilt the Lord will pardon
And cover by His grace.
He comes, for you procuring
The peace of sin forgiv’n,
His children thus securing
Eternal life in heav’n.
6 He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to His foes,
A light of consolations
And blessèd hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.
Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
333 Once He Came in Blessing
1 Once He came in blessing,
All our sins redressing;
Came in likeness lowly,
Son of God most holy;
Bore the cross to save us;
Hope and freedom gave us.
2 Now He gently leads us;
With Himself He feeds us
Precious food from heaven,
Pledge of peace here given,
Manna that will nourish
Souls that they may flourish.
3 Soon will come that hour
When with mighty power
Christ will come in splendor
And will judgment render,
With the faithful sharing
Joy beyond comparing.
4 Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
From our sins release us.
Keep our hearts believing,
That we, grace receiving,
Ever may confess You
Till in heav’n we bless You.
Text: Johann Horn, c. 1490–1547; (sts. 1, 4): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006
Text (sts. 1, 4): Public domain
Text (sts. 2–3): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 348 “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”
1 The King shall come when morning dawns
And light triumphant breaks,
When beauty gilds the eastern hills
And life to joy awakes.
2 Not as of old a little child,
To bear and fight and die,
But crowned with glory like the sun
That lights the morning sky.
3 Oh, brighter than the rising morn
When Christ, victorious, rose
And left the lonesome place of death
Despite the rage of foes.
4 Oh, brighter than that glorious morn
Shall dawn upon our race
The day when Christ in splendor comes
And we shall see His face.
5 The King shall come when morning dawns
And light and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray:
Come quickly, King of kings!
Text: John Brownlie, 1859–1925, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Veni Emmanuel+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Last Sunday of the Church Year – November 24, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Dave Dixon
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Check with Randy Peeters for tickets.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
and Bible story. All aboard!
November 24, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 549 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
1 All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
2 Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
3 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
4 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
5 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
The wormwood and the gall,
Go, spread your trophies at His feet
And crown Him Lord of all.
Go, spread your trophies at His feet
And crown Him Lord of all.
6 Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe,
On this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
7 Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all.
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all.
Text (sts. 1–5): Edward Perronet, 1726–92, alt.; (sts. 6–7): A Selection of Hymns, 1787, London, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit 2 Peter 3:13b NIV; Psalm 39:4–5a, 7–8, 12a
P We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 51:4–6
4“Give attention to me, my people,
and give ear to me, my nation;
for a law will go out from me,
and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
5My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coastlands hope for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 93
1The Lord reigns; he is robed in | majesty;*
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength | as his belt.
Yes, the world is es- | tablished;*
it shall nev- | er be moved.
2Your throne is established | from of old;*
you are from ever- | lasting.
3The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted | up their voice;*
the floods lift up their | roaring.
4Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves | of the sea,*
the Lord on high is | mighty!
5Your decrees are very | trustworthy;*
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, for- | evermore.
Epistle Jude 20–25
20But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22And have mercy on those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
24Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Mark 13:24–37
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the thirteenth chapter.
24[Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning— 36lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 336 “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending”
1 Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
Once for ev’ry sinner slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of His train:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Christ the Lord returns to reign.
2 Ev’ry eye shall now behold Him
Robed in glorious majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold Him,
Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall their true Messiah see.
3 Those dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!
4 Yea, amen, let all adore Thee,
High on Thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the pow’r and glory,
Claim the kingdom as Thine own.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Stay Awake” Mark 13:24-37
Stay Awake! – Mark 13: 24-37
We all underestimate God. We can't help it. The Bible describes God with characteristics that fit into categories like infinite, absolute, limitless, and so forth. Absolutely nothing in this world can compare with those kinds of characteristics. We who live in a world with limits have no point of reference or experience with which to deal with God's character. Although we can imagine traveling in time, how do we wrap our minds around a God who is always in all times? Although we can travel from place to place, how can we possibly envision a God who has no need to travel because He already is in all places? How do we approach a God who not only knows the positions and activities of every proton, neutron, and electron in every atom in the entire universe, but actually supervises them so that they behave in a somewhat predictable way? We can't do it. Our minds are too small.
I suppose that is one reason that we are so intimidated and yet intrigued by end times scenarios. If anyone with any kind of scientific or theological credentials says or publishes anything about the Apocalypse or Armageddon, they are bound to draw an audience. At some point or another every Bible Student has their period of fascination with Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, and other passages that talk about the end of time including today's reading from St. Mark. Many times, their imagination runs off with their speculation and they miss the true meaning of these wonderful words of prophecy.
The difficulty, as I said earlier, is that we underestimate God. We tend to forget that God maintains the universe that He created. We tend to forget that the laws of science are merely descriptions of the way God runs the material world. On the day that God stops maintaining the universe, it will simply not be there. That is exactly what Jesus describes in today's Gospel. "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken." Jesus is basically telling his first century audience that the universe will simply go away on the last day. God will stop supporting it and it will be gone.
Today's Gospel is part of the teaching that Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives after He left the temple on that last Tuesday before his crucifixion. Last week, we read the beginning of that teaching. You may remember from last week's Gospel that Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" Jesus took that opportunity to teach His disciples about the end times.
Jesus said, "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." There have always been people who ask, "If Jesus returns to this side of the world, how will people on the other side of the world see Him when He returns? There have been others who were happy with the advent of satellite communication because it solves that problem. Everyone will be able to see Jesus return on their favorite cable news channel. Again, these people underestimate God and the very nature of the end of the earth. If heaven and earth have passed away, then it makes no difference where Christ reveals Himself. If He comes in power and glory, we will have no problem seeing Him. In fact, He will be the only thing worth seeing. I imagine that even the blind will receive their sight and see Him clearly.
There will be no need for anyone to say, "This is the end of the world." The events will be so dramatic that everyone will know it immediately.
One of the things that Jesus made very clear is that no one will know when these things will happen until they happen. In last week's Gospel, the disciples asked, "When will these things be?" In His explanation of the last things Jesus said, "Concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Even Jesus, in His state of humiliation, didn't know the time of the end.
If it was not necessary for even Jesus to know the time of the end, it is certainly not necessary for anyone else to know the time either. Nevertheless, many have been seduced by the mystery of it all and actually set dates and times for Christ's return. What a waste of time and resources. Many hundreds have set dates and times, and been wrong, for we are still here.
Instead of wearing ourselves out on useless diversions, why not listen to the Words of Christ. His main teaching in today's Gospel runs in perfect parallel with the main theme of last weeks Gospel. Last week the theme was, "The one who endures to the end will be saved." This week Jesus tells us to "Be on guard, keep awake, stay awake, stay awake, Stay awake."
Notice how often Jesus repeated Himself. I tell the catechumens that any time I repeat something, they should make a special note of it. If I say something three times, it is very important. Here Jesus tells us to be on guard or to stay awake five times. How important this teaching must be.
Jesus used the word picture of a doorman waiting for his master to return from a trip. The reason the doorman must keep watch or stay awake is that he is to be ready when the master returns. Thus "to stay awake" means to be ready for our master's return. Since Christ is our master, how can we be ready for His return?
Certainly our material wealth can't help us. When the sun darkens, the moon fails to give light, and the stars fall from the sky, our material wealth will be long gone. Our stuff will disappear with the rest of the universe.
What about our good works? Consider your life in the light of the Ten Commandments. Have you loved God with all your resources? Has God's name always been holy to you and used only to call for help in times of trouble, for prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. Have you gladly heard and learned God's Word or have you despised God's Word by making Sunday School and Divine Service a low priority in your life? Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Have you always respected your parents and other authorities? Have you respected other people's life, property, and reputation? Have you kept your thoughts pure? I know that when I examine myself in this way, all I see are works of shame.
No, if we relied on any of our own resources on that day, we shall wish that the earth was still there so that we could hide and call to the mountains, [Revelation 6:16,17] "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
On that last day, only the true God will remain. All the false gods will pass away with the earth. The only salvation that remains will be the very one who reveals Himself in power and glory coming in clouds. That One is Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can give us salvation.
How does he do this? Jesus, who will come in power and glory, came once before - not in power and glory, but in poverty and humility. Although He is the master of all, He became the servant of all. He lived the perfect life that we can never live. Then He allowed men to crucify Him so that He could offer Himself as a sacrifice that we could never make. In His death, He conquered death so that the grave could not hold Him. On the Sunday after His friends laid Him in the tomb, He rose from the dead to live forever more.
Now He makes an offering to us. He offers to take away our sin and cover us in His righteousness. He offers to restore our broken relationship with God. He offers us forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. He offers these things to us as He reveals Himself in His Word and Sacraments.
The Holy Spirit uses those Words and Sacraments to build and sustain our faith in Jesus Christ. It is by that faith that we are on guard, awake and watchful. It is the Holy Spirit's gift of faith in Jesus Christ that keeps us ready for the return of the Son of Man who comes in power and glory.
There is something wonderful about the readiness that the Holy Spirit gives us through faith in Jesus Christ. It prepares us for the end of our time on earth no matter how or when it happens. After all, many will not see that last day before they leave this earth through death. Just as no one knows the day that the world will end, so none of us knows if we will be around when it comes. The same faith in Jesus Christ that keeps us watchful and ready for the one, also keeps us watchful for the other. Whether we leave this world at the end of our own lives or at the end of the world, the same readiness saves us. No matter which way our end comes, it is God who saves us by the Father's grace, for the Son's sake, through the Holy Spirit's gift of faith. Amen.
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
[P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: Hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Last Sunday of the Church Year - 24 November 2024
O Almighty God, merciful Father, in this present life of sin and suffering Your Holy Church longs for the return of Christ. Give us grace to make a good confession and strength to stand firm in the faith, ever watchful for His coming in power and glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bestow strength and steadfastness on the pastors and missionaries of Your Church, [especially _____________,] that in these gray and latter days Your little flock may be nurtured and built up to the praise of Christ, who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Most merciful God and Father, give grace to Your Holy Church throughout the world, that she may serve You with reverence and awe and endure faithful to the end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, in humility Your only-begotten Son stood before governors and kings and was accused unjustly for our sake. Defend the cause of the weak and those who have no voice in our society, particularly the unborn, the poor and the homeless. Give the government of our nation the fortitude to serve its citizens and strive for fairness and justice. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, with all creation we look in eager expectation toward our final redemption at the revelation of Your Son. Until that day, sustain those who live under the cross. Give them patience and hope, and grant healing and aid to the sick [especially _____________]. Draw near to the dying. Hold them in the arms of Your love, and defend them against the final assaults of the evil one. Comfort those who mourn [especially _____________] with the hope of the resurrection of the body to eternal life. Give us faith to believe that, in such crosses, You work all things for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, make each communicant worthy to receive Christ’s body and blood this day, that they would do so with a repentant heart and in faith, not to their judgment but for their salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Receive our thanks and praise for all those who have died in the faith, and bring us with them to share in the splendors of the new heavens and the new earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei [sung]
C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
663 “Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray”
1 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray;
From your sleep awaken!
Be not by the evil day
Unawares o’ertaken;
For the foe,
Well we know,
Is a harvest reaping
While the saints are sleeping.
2 Watch against the devil’s snares
Lest asleep he find you;
For indeed no pains he spares
To deceive and blind you.
Satan’s prey
Oft are they
Who secure are sleeping
And no watch are keeping.
3 Watch! Let not the wicked world
With its lies defeat you
Lest with bold deceptions hurled
It betray and cheat you.
Watch and see
Lest there be
Faithless friends to charm you,
Who but seek to harm you.
4 Watch against yourself, my soul,
Lest with grace you trifle;
Let not self your thoughts control
Nor God’s mercy stifle.
Pride and sin
Lurk within,
All your hopes to shatter;
Heed not when they flatter.
5 But while watching, also pray
To the Lord unceasing.
God protects you day by day,
Strength and faith increasing,
So that still
Mind and will
Shall unite to serve Him
And forever love Him.
Text: Johann Burkhard Freystein, 1671–1718; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
626 “Come, Let Us Eat”
1 Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread,
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.
Our Lord’s body let us take together,
Our Lord’s body let us take together.
2 Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured,
Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured.
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together,
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together.
3 In His presence now we meet and rest,
In His presence now we meet and rest.
In the presence of our Lord we gather,
In the presence of our Lord we gather.
4 Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word,
Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word.
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom,
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom.
Text (sts. 1–3): tr. Margaret D. Miller, 1927, alt.; (sts. 1–3): Billema Kwillia, 1925; (st. 4): Gilbert E. Doan, 1930–2024, alt.
Text (sts. 1–3): © Lutheran World Federation; (st. 4): © 1972 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Nunc Dimittis”
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 516 “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying”
1 “Wake, awake, for night is flying,”
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?
The Bridegroom comes, awake!
Your lamps with gladness take!
Alleluia!
With bridal care
Yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.”
2 Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom.
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious;
Her star is ris’n, her light is come.
Now come, Thou Blessèd One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son,
Hail! Hosanna!
We enter all
The wedding hall
To eat the Supper at Thy call.
3 Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee,
Let saints and angels sing before Thee
With harp and cymbals’ clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, joining with the choir immortal,
We gather round Thy radiant throne.
No eye has seen the light,
No ear has heard the might
Of Thy glory;
Therefore will we
Eternally
Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!
Text: tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Voters’ Meeting and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Last Sunday of the Church Year – November 24, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Cast your cares (worries) on Him [Jesus], for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Dave Dixon
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Check with Randy Peeters for tickets.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
- Thanksgiving Eve Devotion THIS Wed. – This will be re-corded at 5 p.m. (Members are welcome to come to for this.)
- Christmas Tree Decorating Sat. Dec. 1st at 10 a.m.
- Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18.
- VOTERS’ MEETING Sunday, Dec. 8th after church.
- Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14 from 10 to noon with lunch
and Bible story. All aboard!
- Christmas Eve service is 5 p.m., Christmas Day is 10:30 a.m.
November 24, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 549 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
1 All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
2 Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
3 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
4 Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
5 Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
The wormwood and the gall,
Go, spread your trophies at His feet
And crown Him Lord of all.
Go, spread your trophies at His feet
And crown Him Lord of all.
6 Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe,
On this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
7 Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all.
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all.
Text (sts. 1–5): Edward Perronet, 1726–92, alt.; (sts. 6–7): A Selection of Hymns, 1787, London, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit 2 Peter 3:13b NIV; Psalm 39:4–5a, 7–8, 12a
P We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 51:4–6
4“Give attention to me, my people,
and give ear to me, my nation;
for a law will go out from me,
and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
5My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coastlands hope for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 93
1The Lord reigns; he is robed in | majesty;*
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength | as his belt.
Yes, the world is es- | tablished;*
it shall nev- | er be moved.
2Your throne is established | from of old;*
you are from ever- | lasting.
3The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted | up their voice;*
the floods lift up their | roaring.
4Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves | of the sea,*
the Lord on high is | mighty!
5Your decrees are very | trustworthy;*
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, for- | evermore.
Epistle Jude 20–25
20But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22And have mercy on those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
24Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Mark 13:24–37
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the thirteenth chapter.
24[Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning— 36lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 336 “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending”
1 Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
Once for ev’ry sinner slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of His train:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Christ the Lord returns to reign.
2 Ev’ry eye shall now behold Him
Robed in glorious majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold Him,
Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall their true Messiah see.
3 Those dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!
4 Yea, amen, let all adore Thee,
High on Thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the pow’r and glory,
Claim the kingdom as Thine own.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Stay Awake” Mark 13:24-37
Stay Awake! – Mark 13: 24-37
We all underestimate God. We can't help it. The Bible describes God with characteristics that fit into categories like infinite, absolute, limitless, and so forth. Absolutely nothing in this world can compare with those kinds of characteristics. We who live in a world with limits have no point of reference or experience with which to deal with God's character. Although we can imagine traveling in time, how do we wrap our minds around a God who is always in all times? Although we can travel from place to place, how can we possibly envision a God who has no need to travel because He already is in all places? How do we approach a God who not only knows the positions and activities of every proton, neutron, and electron in every atom in the entire universe, but actually supervises them so that they behave in a somewhat predictable way? We can't do it. Our minds are too small.
I suppose that is one reason that we are so intimidated and yet intrigued by end times scenarios. If anyone with any kind of scientific or theological credentials says or publishes anything about the Apocalypse or Armageddon, they are bound to draw an audience. At some point or another every Bible Student has their period of fascination with Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, and other passages that talk about the end of time including today's reading from St. Mark. Many times, their imagination runs off with their speculation and they miss the true meaning of these wonderful words of prophecy.
The difficulty, as I said earlier, is that we underestimate God. We tend to forget that God maintains the universe that He created. We tend to forget that the laws of science are merely descriptions of the way God runs the material world. On the day that God stops maintaining the universe, it will simply not be there. That is exactly what Jesus describes in today's Gospel. "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken." Jesus is basically telling his first century audience that the universe will simply go away on the last day. God will stop supporting it and it will be gone.
Today's Gospel is part of the teaching that Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives after He left the temple on that last Tuesday before his crucifixion. Last week, we read the beginning of that teaching. You may remember from last week's Gospel that Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" Jesus took that opportunity to teach His disciples about the end times.
Jesus said, "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory." There have always been people who ask, "If Jesus returns to this side of the world, how will people on the other side of the world see Him when He returns? There have been others who were happy with the advent of satellite communication because it solves that problem. Everyone will be able to see Jesus return on their favorite cable news channel. Again, these people underestimate God and the very nature of the end of the earth. If heaven and earth have passed away, then it makes no difference where Christ reveals Himself. If He comes in power and glory, we will have no problem seeing Him. In fact, He will be the only thing worth seeing. I imagine that even the blind will receive their sight and see Him clearly.
There will be no need for anyone to say, "This is the end of the world." The events will be so dramatic that everyone will know it immediately.
One of the things that Jesus made very clear is that no one will know when these things will happen until they happen. In last week's Gospel, the disciples asked, "When will these things be?" In His explanation of the last things Jesus said, "Concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Even Jesus, in His state of humiliation, didn't know the time of the end.
If it was not necessary for even Jesus to know the time of the end, it is certainly not necessary for anyone else to know the time either. Nevertheless, many have been seduced by the mystery of it all and actually set dates and times for Christ's return. What a waste of time and resources. Many hundreds have set dates and times, and been wrong, for we are still here.
Instead of wearing ourselves out on useless diversions, why not listen to the Words of Christ. His main teaching in today's Gospel runs in perfect parallel with the main theme of last weeks Gospel. Last week the theme was, "The one who endures to the end will be saved." This week Jesus tells us to "Be on guard, keep awake, stay awake, stay awake, Stay awake."
Notice how often Jesus repeated Himself. I tell the catechumens that any time I repeat something, they should make a special note of it. If I say something three times, it is very important. Here Jesus tells us to be on guard or to stay awake five times. How important this teaching must be.
Jesus used the word picture of a doorman waiting for his master to return from a trip. The reason the doorman must keep watch or stay awake is that he is to be ready when the master returns. Thus "to stay awake" means to be ready for our master's return. Since Christ is our master, how can we be ready for His return?
Certainly our material wealth can't help us. When the sun darkens, the moon fails to give light, and the stars fall from the sky, our material wealth will be long gone. Our stuff will disappear with the rest of the universe.
What about our good works? Consider your life in the light of the Ten Commandments. Have you loved God with all your resources? Has God's name always been holy to you and used only to call for help in times of trouble, for prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. Have you gladly heard and learned God's Word or have you despised God's Word by making Sunday School and Divine Service a low priority in your life? Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Have you always respected your parents and other authorities? Have you respected other people's life, property, and reputation? Have you kept your thoughts pure? I know that when I examine myself in this way, all I see are works of shame.
No, if we relied on any of our own resources on that day, we shall wish that the earth was still there so that we could hide and call to the mountains, [Revelation 6:16,17] "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
On that last day, only the true God will remain. All the false gods will pass away with the earth. The only salvation that remains will be the very one who reveals Himself in power and glory coming in clouds. That One is Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can give us salvation.
How does he do this? Jesus, who will come in power and glory, came once before - not in power and glory, but in poverty and humility. Although He is the master of all, He became the servant of all. He lived the perfect life that we can never live. Then He allowed men to crucify Him so that He could offer Himself as a sacrifice that we could never make. In His death, He conquered death so that the grave could not hold Him. On the Sunday after His friends laid Him in the tomb, He rose from the dead to live forever more.
Now He makes an offering to us. He offers to take away our sin and cover us in His righteousness. He offers to restore our broken relationship with God. He offers us forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. He offers these things to us as He reveals Himself in His Word and Sacraments.
The Holy Spirit uses those Words and Sacraments to build and sustain our faith in Jesus Christ. It is by that faith that we are on guard, awake and watchful. It is the Holy Spirit's gift of faith in Jesus Christ that keeps us ready for the return of the Son of Man who comes in power and glory.
There is something wonderful about the readiness that the Holy Spirit gives us through faith in Jesus Christ. It prepares us for the end of our time on earth no matter how or when it happens. After all, many will not see that last day before they leave this earth through death. Just as no one knows the day that the world will end, so none of us knows if we will be around when it comes. The same faith in Jesus Christ that keeps us watchful and ready for the one, also keeps us watchful for the other. Whether we leave this world at the end of our own lives or at the end of the world, the same readiness saves us. No matter which way our end comes, it is God who saves us by the Father's grace, for the Son's sake, through the Holy Spirit's gift of faith. Amen.
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
[P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: Hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Last Sunday of the Church Year - 24 November 2024
O Almighty God, merciful Father, in this present life of sin and suffering Your Holy Church longs for the return of Christ. Give us grace to make a good confession and strength to stand firm in the faith, ever watchful for His coming in power and glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bestow strength and steadfastness on the pastors and missionaries of Your Church, [especially _____________,] that in these gray and latter days Your little flock may be nurtured and built up to the praise of Christ, who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Most merciful God and Father, give grace to Your Holy Church throughout the world, that she may serve You with reverence and awe and endure faithful to the end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, in humility Your only-begotten Son stood before governors and kings and was accused unjustly for our sake. Defend the cause of the weak and those who have no voice in our society, particularly the unborn, the poor and the homeless. Give the government of our nation the fortitude to serve its citizens and strive for fairness and justice. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, with all creation we look in eager expectation toward our final redemption at the revelation of Your Son. Until that day, sustain those who live under the cross. Give them patience and hope, and grant healing and aid to the sick [especially _____________]. Draw near to the dying. Hold them in the arms of Your love, and defend them against the final assaults of the evil one. Comfort those who mourn [especially _____________] with the hope of the resurrection of the body to eternal life. Give us faith to believe that, in such crosses, You work all things for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, make each communicant worthy to receive Christ’s body and blood this day, that they would do so with a repentant heart and in faith, not to their judgment but for their salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Receive our thanks and praise for all those who have died in the faith, and bring us with them to share in the splendors of the new heavens and the new earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei [sung]
C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
663 “Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray”
1 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray;
From your sleep awaken!
Be not by the evil day
Unawares o’ertaken;
For the foe,
Well we know,
Is a harvest reaping
While the saints are sleeping.
2 Watch against the devil’s snares
Lest asleep he find you;
For indeed no pains he spares
To deceive and blind you.
Satan’s prey
Oft are they
Who secure are sleeping
And no watch are keeping.
3 Watch! Let not the wicked world
With its lies defeat you
Lest with bold deceptions hurled
It betray and cheat you.
Watch and see
Lest there be
Faithless friends to charm you,
Who but seek to harm you.
4 Watch against yourself, my soul,
Lest with grace you trifle;
Let not self your thoughts control
Nor God’s mercy stifle.
Pride and sin
Lurk within,
All your hopes to shatter;
Heed not when they flatter.
5 But while watching, also pray
To the Lord unceasing.
God protects you day by day,
Strength and faith increasing,
So that still
Mind and will
Shall unite to serve Him
And forever love Him.
Text: Johann Burkhard Freystein, 1671–1718; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
626 “Come, Let Us Eat”
1 Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread,
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.
Our Lord’s body let us take together,
Our Lord’s body let us take together.
2 Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured,
Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured.
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together,
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together.
3 In His presence now we meet and rest,
In His presence now we meet and rest.
In the presence of our Lord we gather,
In the presence of our Lord we gather.
4 Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word,
Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word.
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom,
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom.
Text (sts. 1–3): tr. Margaret D. Miller, 1927, alt.; (sts. 1–3): Billema Kwillia, 1925; (st. 4): Gilbert E. Doan, 1930–2024, alt.
Text (sts. 1–3): © Lutheran World Federation; (st. 4): © 1972 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Nunc Dimittis”
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 516 “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying”
1 “Wake, awake, for night is flying,”
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?
The Bridegroom comes, awake!
Your lamps with gladness take!
Alleluia!
With bridal care
Yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.”
2 Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom.
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious;
Her star is ris’n, her light is come.
Now come, Thou Blessèd One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son,
Hail! Hosanna!
We enter all
The wedding hall
To eat the Supper at Thy call.
3 Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee,
Let saints and angels sing before Thee
With harp and cymbals’ clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, joining with the choir immortal,
We gather round Thy radiant throne.
No eye has seen the light,
No ear has heard the might
Of Thy glory;
Therefore will we
Eternally
Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!
Text: tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Voters’ Meeting and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost – November 17, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey whose birthday would have been November 12th.
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Tickets are $25 or $19 if ten or more sign up. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Room.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18 Soup at 6 p.m., devotion at 7 p.m.
Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14 from 10 to noon with lunch following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts
and Bible story – “train” stops at Carol Town, Crafty Corners and Bethlehem.
Christmas Eve Candlelight service 5 p.m., Christmas Day service with communion at 10:30 a.m. The Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
November 17, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 873 “Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies”
1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true and only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise;
Triumph o’er the shades of night.
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
3 Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung by all] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Reading Daniel 12:1–3
L A reading from Daniel, chapter 12.
1“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading Hebrews 10:11–25
L A reading from Hebrews, chapter 10.
11Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
17then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading Mark 13:1–13
L A reading from Mark, chapter 13.
1As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Hymn of the Day: 508 “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”
1 The day is surely drawing near
When Jesus, God’s anointed,
In all His power shall appear
As judge whom God appointed.
Then fright shall banish idle mirth,
And flames on flames shall ravage earth
As Scripture long has warned us.
2 The final trumpet then shall sound
And all the earth be shaken,
And all who rest beneath the ground
Shall from their sleep awaken.
But all who live will in that hour,
By God’s almighty, boundless pow’r,
Be changed at His commanding.
3 The books are opened then to all,
A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small,
When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen,
And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions.
4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord
And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised His precious Word
And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand
And at the judge’s stern command
To Satan be delivered.
5 My Savior paid the debt I owe
And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know
My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free,
And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
6 May Christ our intercessor be
And through His blood and merit
Read from His book that we are free
With all who life inherit.
Then we shall see Him face to face,
With all His saints in that blest place
Which He has purchased for us.
7 O Jesus Christ, do not delay,
But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way
In fear and tribulation.
O hear and grant our fervent plea:
Come, mighty judge, and set us free
From death and ev’ry evil.
Text: Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, 1532–99; tr. Philip A. Peter, 1832–1919, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Enduring to the End” Mark 13:1-13
Enduring to the End – Mark 13:1-13
A pastor friend writes: “Sooner or later, every engineering student comes into contact with Murphy's Law. Murphy's Law says, ‘If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong at the worst possible time in the worst possible way.’ The fact of the matter is that sooner or later everything in this world wears out. Hydraulic systems leak, the motor doesn't start, the mechanism jams, and so forth. As a pastor who was once an engineer stated, “I know that eighty to ninety per cent of the controls on a typical machine are there to deal with those times when the equipment does not operate according to its design.”
Murphy's Law doesn't just affect engineers. Did you ever notice that when you drop a sandwich, it lands with the peanut butter and jelly on the carpet? Did you ever notice that if you get in the shortest line at the grocery store, the person in front of you often needs a price check? Did you ever notice that traffic is usually most congested when you are late? Murphy's Law is one expression of the decay and frustration that came into this world when Adam and Eve sinned in Eden.
Sin corrupted this world and this world has been slowly coming to an end ever since. It has been slowly wearing out. The time will come when God will bring it to an end. He will purify it and bring a new, pure, and perfect world into existence. The world we see around us will cease to exist and a new one will take its place.
It is the tradition of the church to think about those end times as we come to the end of another church year in another week. The Bible readings for this week and next week tell us something about the end of this world.
Today's gospel reading begins as Jesus left the Temple for the last time. It is Holy Tuesday - the Tuesday before Good Friday. Jesus is just a few days from the cross. It is at this time that one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" These buildings impressed this disciple.
It is so easy for us to forget that all things must come to an end. After all, the pyramids and the sphinx have been around for thousands of years. The mountain ranges of the earth have been around even longer. Not much changes during our relatively short time here on this earth. We come to think that some things are permanent. We are tempted to think that what has been will continue to be. The disciple in today's Gospel reading wondered how something as magnificent as the Temple could ever come to a bad end.
Jesus reminded this disciple and us that all things come to and end. Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." Jesus agreed that the buildings were great, that they were beautiful, but He also warned that they would not last. As beautiful and imposing as they were, they would not last to the end of the century. In the year 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem including the Temple. Today, a Moslem shrine, the Dome of the Rock, now stands where the temple once stood.
Jesus not only warned against trusting in the physical materials of this world, but He also warned against trust in the social and spiritual institutions of this world. Later that same day, as He sat on the Mount of Olives and looked across the valley at the Temple and the city, He warned His followers then and now what to expect as the world wears down to its final moment.
Jesus talked about the spiritual decay of the world. Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray." He warned that some people will even claim to be the returning Christ.
We have plenty of would be Messiahs even today. Korean born Sun Myung Moon claimed to be the Messiah. Jim Jones claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and led hundreds in a ritual suicide. It doesn't seem that long ago that David Koresh of the Branch Davidians claimed to be the Messiah. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Christ already set up his millennial kingdom in 1914. The Mormons have a living prophet as the head of their church. L. Ron Hubbard started the church of scientology.
The fringe cults and sects seem to have enough false christs to go around, but those fringe cults and sects aren't the only fulfillments of Christ's prophecy in today's Gospel. Even churches that claim to be part of main line Christianity lead people astray. One mainline church in San Francisco prays to “The Goddess.” Their version of the Lord's Prayer begins with these words: "Our Mother who is within us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom come. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us." Another mainline church body no longer requires their clergy to confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The tendency for even main line denominations to abandon the word of God demonstrates the spiritual decay that Jesus spoke about in today's Gospel.
Jesus also talked about the social decay of the world. Many of the catastrophes He described are man-made; wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Famine might even be a result of people using hunger as a weapon against their fellow man. Even family members will turn against one another; brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. A simple review of the news headlines tells us that these social breakdowns are happening.
The interesting thing about all these warning prophecies is that they have all happened and continue to happen. All the warnings in today's Gospel already happened during the lifetime of the Apostles. Wars, famines, spiritual unfaithfulness, and family breakdowns are more or less part of the world scene today. Many in today's society don't even think these are warning signs because they have never known a world without them. Since these prophecies have all come true, the stage is set for the end of the world and has been for some time.
If all things come to an end - if we can't take it with us when we die and it will all dissolve on the last day, why do we give the things of this world such a high priority? Why do we focus on the buildings and stones of this world? Why do we rely on things that cannot last?
There is another way. Jesus said, "The one who endures to the end will be saved." There is a salvation that lasts beyond the end of this world. It is a salvation that lasts forever.
Today's Gospel began with the temporary stones of the temple. Those stones cannot save, but there is a stone that can save us. The Psalmist said, [Psalm 118:22-23 22] "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."
The Temple authorities rejected this stone with extreme prejudice. They arrested Him and arranged to have Him beaten and crucified. As He hung on the cross, it looked like His end was near. As He died on the cross, it looked like His end had come. As His cold body lay in the tomb, it looked like His end had passed.
His suffering and death was an end, but it was not His end. It was the end of our slavery to sin. It was the end of the condemnation and guilt that our sin earned. It was the end of death's reign in this world. For on the Sunday after He was laid in the tomb, He rose from the dead. He rose to live forever. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This stone, of course, is Jesus Christ Himself, the Rock of Ages. Those who believe in Him, believe in the only stone that lasts forever. They believe in the living stone who is the foundation of the New Heavens and the New Earth. The one who endures to the end is the one whose faith in Jesus Christ endures. That one who believes that Jesus Christ is the only savior from sin is the one who endures to the end and will be saved.
All things on this earth come to an end. Today's Gospel talks of the beautiful buildings of the temple. They have been replaced by a Moslem Mosque. There will be a time when that mosque will also be gone. Eventually, even the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars will all be gone. Only Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages will remain to preserve us. Those who followed the false prophets of this world will remain without salvation. Those who endured in the one true faith to the end will be saved. Amen.
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost - 17 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, preserve Your Church throughout the world, and keep us ready at all times for Your Son’s glorious return. Lead us to proclaim with zeal His coming to the ends of the earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless all pastors and ministers, that they may preach the pure doctrine of God’s saving Word, which will never pass away. Give faith to all who hear, that in Christ they may have the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks, Holy Lord, for the fruits of the earth provided by Your hand. Supply the needs of all who grow, process and distribute our food, and move us to share these bountiful gifts with our neighbors in their time of need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Uphold all in authority, especially the president and Congress of the United States, the governor and legislature of this state, and all judges. Graciously enable them to lead according to Your will and for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy One, the blood of Christ gives us confidence to enter the holy places and draw near to You with true hearts in the full assurance of faith. Behold Your servants who are in difficult and trying times, those who are in prison, those who are sick [especially _____________], those who mourn [especially _____________], and the lonely and homebound. Grant them comfort according to Your gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Author and Giver of all good, Your Son gives us His very body and blood with which He purchased the world’s redemption at the cross. Prepare our hearts and minds to welcome with thanksgiving the sign and seal of this new and eternal covenant, that in the forgiveness of sins we may look forward to the day of His return. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
645 “Built on the Rock”
1 Built on the Rock the Church shall stand
Even when steeples are falling.
Crumbled have spires in ev’ry land;
Bells still are chiming and calling,
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the souls distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.
2 Surely in temples made with hands
God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling.
Yet He who dwells in heav’n above
Chooses to live with us in love,
Making our bodies His temple.
3 We are God’s house of living stones,
Built for His own habitation.
He through baptismal grace us owns
Heirs of His wondrous salvation.
Were we but two His name to tell,
Yet He would deign with us to dwell
With all His grace and His favor.
4 Here stands the font before our eyes,
Telling how God has received us.
The_altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
And evermore, our Redeemer.
5 Grant, then, O God, Your will be done,
That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
Where Christ His message is bringing:
“I know My own; My own know Me.
You, not the world, My face shall see.
My peace I leave with you. Amen.”
Text: Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig, 1783–1872, abr.; tr. Carl Döving, 1867–1937, alt.
Text: Public domain
639 “Wide Open Stand the Gates”
1 Wide open stand the gates adorned with pearl,
While round God’s golden throne
The choirs of saints in endless circles curl,
And joyous praise the Son!
They watch Him now descending
To visit waiting earth.
The Lord of Life unending
Brings dying hope new birth!
2 He speaks the Word the bread and wine to bless:
“This is My flesh and blood!”
He bids us eat and drink with thankfulness
This gift of holy food.
All human thought must falter--
Our God stoops low to heal,
Now present on the altar,
For us both host and meal!
3 The cherubim, their faces veiled from light,
While saints in wonder kneel,
Sing praise to Him whose face with glory bright
No earthly masks conceal.
This sacrament God gives us
Binds us in unity,
Joins earth with heav’n beyond us,
Time with eternity!
Text: J. K. Wilhelm Loehe, 1808–72; tr. Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 1923–2007
Text: © 2002 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L O Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 553 “O Christ, Our Hope, Our Hearts’ Desire”
1 O Christ, our hope, our hearts’ desire,
Creation’s mighty Lord,
Redeemer of the fallen world,
By holy love outpoured:
2 How vast Your mercy to accept
The burden of our sin
And bow Your head in cruel death
To make us clean within.
3 But now the bonds of death are burst,
The ransom has been paid;
You now ascend the Father’s throne
In robes of light arrayed.
4 O let Your mighty love prevail
To purge us of our pride
That we may stand before Your throne
By mercy purified.
5 Christ Jesus, be our present joy,
Our future great reward;
Our only glory, may it be
To glory in the Lord!
D 6 All praise to You, ascended Lord;
All glory ever be
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Through all eternity!
Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, adapt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost – November 17, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
TODAY’S FLOWERS are given in loving memory of Jackie Dickey whose birthday would have been November 12th.
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Tickets are $25 or $19 if ten or more sign up. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Room.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
- Thanksgiving Eve Devotion – This will be recorded at 5 p.m.
Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18 Soup at 6 p.m., devotion at 7 p.m.
Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14 from 10 to noon with lunch following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts
and Bible story – “train” stops at Carol Town, Crafty Corners and Bethlehem.
Christmas Eve Candlelight service 5 p.m., Christmas Day service with communion at 10:30 a.m. The Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
November 17, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 873 “Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies”
1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true and only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise;
Triumph o’er the shades of night.
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
3 Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung by all] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Reading Daniel 12:1–3
L A reading from Daniel, chapter 12.
1“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading Hebrews 10:11–25
L A reading from Hebrews, chapter 10.
11Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
17then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading Mark 13:1–13
L A reading from Mark, chapter 13.
1As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Hymn of the Day: 508 “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”
1 The day is surely drawing near
When Jesus, God’s anointed,
In all His power shall appear
As judge whom God appointed.
Then fright shall banish idle mirth,
And flames on flames shall ravage earth
As Scripture long has warned us.
2 The final trumpet then shall sound
And all the earth be shaken,
And all who rest beneath the ground
Shall from their sleep awaken.
But all who live will in that hour,
By God’s almighty, boundless pow’r,
Be changed at His commanding.
3 The books are opened then to all,
A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small,
When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen,
And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions.
4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord
And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised His precious Word
And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand
And at the judge’s stern command
To Satan be delivered.
5 My Savior paid the debt I owe
And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know
My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free,
And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
6 May Christ our intercessor be
And through His blood and merit
Read from His book that we are free
With all who life inherit.
Then we shall see Him face to face,
With all His saints in that blest place
Which He has purchased for us.
7 O Jesus Christ, do not delay,
But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way
In fear and tribulation.
O hear and grant our fervent plea:
Come, mighty judge, and set us free
From death and ev’ry evil.
Text: Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, 1532–99; tr. Philip A. Peter, 1832–1919, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Enduring to the End” Mark 13:1-13
Enduring to the End – Mark 13:1-13
A pastor friend writes: “Sooner or later, every engineering student comes into contact with Murphy's Law. Murphy's Law says, ‘If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong at the worst possible time in the worst possible way.’ The fact of the matter is that sooner or later everything in this world wears out. Hydraulic systems leak, the motor doesn't start, the mechanism jams, and so forth. As a pastor who was once an engineer stated, “I know that eighty to ninety per cent of the controls on a typical machine are there to deal with those times when the equipment does not operate according to its design.”
Murphy's Law doesn't just affect engineers. Did you ever notice that when you drop a sandwich, it lands with the peanut butter and jelly on the carpet? Did you ever notice that if you get in the shortest line at the grocery store, the person in front of you often needs a price check? Did you ever notice that traffic is usually most congested when you are late? Murphy's Law is one expression of the decay and frustration that came into this world when Adam and Eve sinned in Eden.
Sin corrupted this world and this world has been slowly coming to an end ever since. It has been slowly wearing out. The time will come when God will bring it to an end. He will purify it and bring a new, pure, and perfect world into existence. The world we see around us will cease to exist and a new one will take its place.
It is the tradition of the church to think about those end times as we come to the end of another church year in another week. The Bible readings for this week and next week tell us something about the end of this world.
Today's gospel reading begins as Jesus left the Temple for the last time. It is Holy Tuesday - the Tuesday before Good Friday. Jesus is just a few days from the cross. It is at this time that one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" These buildings impressed this disciple.
It is so easy for us to forget that all things must come to an end. After all, the pyramids and the sphinx have been around for thousands of years. The mountain ranges of the earth have been around even longer. Not much changes during our relatively short time here on this earth. We come to think that some things are permanent. We are tempted to think that what has been will continue to be. The disciple in today's Gospel reading wondered how something as magnificent as the Temple could ever come to a bad end.
Jesus reminded this disciple and us that all things come to and end. Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." Jesus agreed that the buildings were great, that they were beautiful, but He also warned that they would not last. As beautiful and imposing as they were, they would not last to the end of the century. In the year 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem including the Temple. Today, a Moslem shrine, the Dome of the Rock, now stands where the temple once stood.
Jesus not only warned against trusting in the physical materials of this world, but He also warned against trust in the social and spiritual institutions of this world. Later that same day, as He sat on the Mount of Olives and looked across the valley at the Temple and the city, He warned His followers then and now what to expect as the world wears down to its final moment.
Jesus talked about the spiritual decay of the world. Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray." He warned that some people will even claim to be the returning Christ.
We have plenty of would be Messiahs even today. Korean born Sun Myung Moon claimed to be the Messiah. Jim Jones claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and led hundreds in a ritual suicide. It doesn't seem that long ago that David Koresh of the Branch Davidians claimed to be the Messiah. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Christ already set up his millennial kingdom in 1914. The Mormons have a living prophet as the head of their church. L. Ron Hubbard started the church of scientology.
The fringe cults and sects seem to have enough false christs to go around, but those fringe cults and sects aren't the only fulfillments of Christ's prophecy in today's Gospel. Even churches that claim to be part of main line Christianity lead people astray. One mainline church in San Francisco prays to “The Goddess.” Their version of the Lord's Prayer begins with these words: "Our Mother who is within us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom come. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us." Another mainline church body no longer requires their clergy to confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The tendency for even main line denominations to abandon the word of God demonstrates the spiritual decay that Jesus spoke about in today's Gospel.
Jesus also talked about the social decay of the world. Many of the catastrophes He described are man-made; wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Famine might even be a result of people using hunger as a weapon against their fellow man. Even family members will turn against one another; brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. A simple review of the news headlines tells us that these social breakdowns are happening.
The interesting thing about all these warning prophecies is that they have all happened and continue to happen. All the warnings in today's Gospel already happened during the lifetime of the Apostles. Wars, famines, spiritual unfaithfulness, and family breakdowns are more or less part of the world scene today. Many in today's society don't even think these are warning signs because they have never known a world without them. Since these prophecies have all come true, the stage is set for the end of the world and has been for some time.
If all things come to an end - if we can't take it with us when we die and it will all dissolve on the last day, why do we give the things of this world such a high priority? Why do we focus on the buildings and stones of this world? Why do we rely on things that cannot last?
There is another way. Jesus said, "The one who endures to the end will be saved." There is a salvation that lasts beyond the end of this world. It is a salvation that lasts forever.
Today's Gospel began with the temporary stones of the temple. Those stones cannot save, but there is a stone that can save us. The Psalmist said, [Psalm 118:22-23 22] "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."
The Temple authorities rejected this stone with extreme prejudice. They arrested Him and arranged to have Him beaten and crucified. As He hung on the cross, it looked like His end was near. As He died on the cross, it looked like His end had come. As His cold body lay in the tomb, it looked like His end had passed.
His suffering and death was an end, but it was not His end. It was the end of our slavery to sin. It was the end of the condemnation and guilt that our sin earned. It was the end of death's reign in this world. For on the Sunday after He was laid in the tomb, He rose from the dead. He rose to live forever. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This stone, of course, is Jesus Christ Himself, the Rock of Ages. Those who believe in Him, believe in the only stone that lasts forever. They believe in the living stone who is the foundation of the New Heavens and the New Earth. The one who endures to the end is the one whose faith in Jesus Christ endures. That one who believes that Jesus Christ is the only savior from sin is the one who endures to the end and will be saved.
All things on this earth come to an end. Today's Gospel talks of the beautiful buildings of the temple. They have been replaced by a Moslem Mosque. There will be a time when that mosque will also be gone. Eventually, even the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars will all be gone. Only Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages will remain to preserve us. Those who followed the false prophets of this world will remain without salvation. Those who endured in the one true faith to the end will be saved. Amen.
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost - 17 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, preserve Your Church throughout the world, and keep us ready at all times for Your Son’s glorious return. Lead us to proclaim with zeal His coming to the ends of the earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless all pastors and ministers, that they may preach the pure doctrine of God’s saving Word, which will never pass away. Give faith to all who hear, that in Christ they may have the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks, Holy Lord, for the fruits of the earth provided by Your hand. Supply the needs of all who grow, process and distribute our food, and move us to share these bountiful gifts with our neighbors in their time of need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Uphold all in authority, especially the president and Congress of the United States, the governor and legislature of this state, and all judges. Graciously enable them to lead according to Your will and for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy One, the blood of Christ gives us confidence to enter the holy places and draw near to You with true hearts in the full assurance of faith. Behold Your servants who are in difficult and trying times, those who are in prison, those who are sick [especially _____________], those who mourn [especially _____________], and the lonely and homebound. Grant them comfort according to Your gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Author and Giver of all good, Your Son gives us His very body and blood with which He purchased the world’s redemption at the cross. Prepare our hearts and minds to welcome with thanksgiving the sign and seal of this new and eternal covenant, that in the forgiveness of sins we may look forward to the day of His return. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
645 “Built on the Rock”
1 Built on the Rock the Church shall stand
Even when steeples are falling.
Crumbled have spires in ev’ry land;
Bells still are chiming and calling,
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the souls distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.
2 Surely in temples made with hands
God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling.
Yet He who dwells in heav’n above
Chooses to live with us in love,
Making our bodies His temple.
3 We are God’s house of living stones,
Built for His own habitation.
He through baptismal grace us owns
Heirs of His wondrous salvation.
Were we but two His name to tell,
Yet He would deign with us to dwell
With all His grace and His favor.
4 Here stands the font before our eyes,
Telling how God has received us.
The_altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
And evermore, our Redeemer.
5 Grant, then, O God, Your will be done,
That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
Where Christ His message is bringing:
“I know My own; My own know Me.
You, not the world, My face shall see.
My peace I leave with you. Amen.”
Text: Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig, 1783–1872, abr.; tr. Carl Döving, 1867–1937, alt.
Text: Public domain
639 “Wide Open Stand the Gates”
1 Wide open stand the gates adorned with pearl,
While round God’s golden throne
The choirs of saints in endless circles curl,
And joyous praise the Son!
They watch Him now descending
To visit waiting earth.
The Lord of Life unending
Brings dying hope new birth!
2 He speaks the Word the bread and wine to bless:
“This is My flesh and blood!”
He bids us eat and drink with thankfulness
This gift of holy food.
All human thought must falter--
Our God stoops low to heal,
Now present on the altar,
For us both host and meal!
3 The cherubim, their faces veiled from light,
While saints in wonder kneel,
Sing praise to Him whose face with glory bright
No earthly masks conceal.
This sacrament God gives us
Binds us in unity,
Joins earth with heav’n beyond us,
Time with eternity!
Text: J. K. Wilhelm Loehe, 1808–72; tr. Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 1923–2007
Text: © 2002 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L O Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 553 “O Christ, Our Hope, Our Hearts’ Desire”
1 O Christ, our hope, our hearts’ desire,
Creation’s mighty Lord,
Redeemer of the fallen world,
By holy love outpoured:
2 How vast Your mercy to accept
The burden of our sin
And bow Your head in cruel death
To make us clean within.
3 But now the bonds of death are burst,
The ransom has been paid;
You now ascend the Father’s throne
In robes of light arrayed.
4 O let Your mighty love prevail
To purge us of our pride
That we may stand before Your throne
By mercy purified.
5 Christ Jesus, be our present joy,
Our future great reward;
Our only glory, may it be
To glory in the Lord!
D 6 All praise to You, ascended Lord;
All glory ever be
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Through all eternity!
Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, adapt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost – November 10, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Pat Tavare
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Tickets are $25 or $19 if ten or more sign up. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Room.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
1) Thanksgiving Eve Devotion – This will be recorded at 5 p.m.
(Members are welcome to come to church for this.)
2) Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18
Soup at 6 p.m., devotion at 7 p.m.
3) Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14 from, 10 to noon with lunch
following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts
and Bible story – “train” stops at Carol Town, Crafty Corners and Bethlehem.
4) Christmas Eve Candlelight service 5 p.m., Christmas Day service with communion at 10:30 a.m.
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
November 10, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 905 “Come, Thou Almighty King”
1 Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing;
Help us to praise;
Father all-glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
2 Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword;
Our prayer attend.
Come and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success,
And let Thy righteousness
On us descend.
3 Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour!
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in ev’ry heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of pow’r.
D 4 To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be
Hence evermore!
Thy sov’reign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.
Text: English, before 1760, alt.
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 107:8, 1–2, 41–42
P Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble. He raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Grant us so firmly to believe in Your Son Jesus that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading 1 Kings 17:8–16
8Then the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], 9“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14For thus says the Lord the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 146
1Praise | the Lord!*
Praise the Lord, | O my soul!
2I will praise the Lord as long | as I live;*
I will sing praises to my God while I have my | being.
3Put not your trust in | princes,*
in a son of man, in whom there is no sal- | vation.
4When his breath departs he returns | to the earth;*
on that very day his plans | perish.
5Blessèd is he whose help is the God of | Jacob,*
whose hope is in the | Lord his God,
6who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is | in them,*
who keeps faith for- | ever;
7who executes justice for | the oppressed,*
who gives food to the | hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8the Lord opens the eyes | of the blind.*
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the | righteous.
9The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the | fatherless,*
but the way of the wicked he brings to | ruin.
10The Lord will reign for- | ever,*
your God, O Zion, to all generations. | Praise the Lord!
Epistle Hebrews 9:24–28
24For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Mark 12:38–44
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the twelfth chapter.
38In his teaching [Jesus] said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 787 “The Temple Rang with Golden Coins”
1 The temple rang with golden coins
The rich in bright array
Contributed from gleaming hoards
Their scales could scarcely weigh.
2 A widow came with copper coins
And offered them in praise.
They were the last she had to give
Or save for darker days.
3 When Jesus saw her costly gift
And knew she had no more,
He praised a love that spared not self
And called her rich, though poor.
4 At last He brought His offering
And laid it on a tree;
There gave Himself, His life, His love
For all humanity.
5 Lord, help us all, with You, to yield
Whatever love demands
And freely give, as You have giv’n,
With open hearts and hands.
Text: Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 1923–2007
Text: © 1993 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Giving All” Mark 12:41-44
Giving All – Mark 12:41-44
Today's gospel reading of the widow's mite reminds me of a film from 1987 called Babette's Feast. It takes place in remote village in Denmark in the 1800's. Two sisters live with their elderly father who is a minister. They are very beautiful women, and more than one suitor from the big city tries to marry them. But the would-be husbands are too worldly for their protective father.
One day a woman arrives at their door with a letter of reference from one of the suitors in France. Her name is Babette, and she is a refugee from the bloodshed of social turmoil going on in Paris. They agree to take her in as a housekeeper and cook. She works for them for 14 years, and her service inspires the people of the village who see that she truly appreciates their hospitality.
One day Babette comes into some money from back home. It's more than enough for her to return to Paris and to become a renowned chef. Before she leaves, she prepares a feast in honor of her friends who took her in when she had nothing. She orders exotic ingredients shipped in from France, things the people never heard of or think are too worldly for Christians to eat. She prepares a meal of turtle soup, caviar, and quail for a main course. She imports ingredients such as blue cheese, papaya, figs, grapes, pineapple, and pomegranate. Expensive wines are served. She buys the finest china and crystal to serve the meal. The people of the village try to act unimpressed by the taste of the meal, but it's apparent that it is the most wonderful thing they've ever tasted.
After the meal, the sisters ask when she will be returning to France. Unfortunately, Babette has spent all of her money on this fabulous meal, and she stays on as the family housekeeper and cook. She gave all that she had.
Jesus saw all kinds of people at the temple. Important teachers and scribes with long flowing robes, and longer prayers that called attention to themselves. But when the people came up to put their offering in the treasury box, some were making a show of how much they threw in. The court of women held thirteen such receptacles, and people could cast their money in as they walked by. It was a poor widow that caught Jesus' attention. Poor means she might have had to beg in the streets for what she needed. This woman only gave two copper mites (The ESV calls them two small copper coins) worth no more than a single penny, but like Babette, it was the greatest gift, because it was all she had to give.
What can we learn from this? Jesus gave us everything he had. Not money, not gold or silver but His holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death—in other words, He gave His very life. He gave everything for us. That's what we needed. Not a helping hand. Not a guide to reform our lives. Not a few pointers on how to live a better life. We needed a new life. That's what he offers us. Kill your life with its sin and evil desires, its love of things and self-preservation. Our Savior says, "Come, follow me, and die to all of that, and I will give you a new life that never ends."
Some might say the widow should have kept her two pennies for her own support, or at least half of it, because the gift was so small what good could it do? Remember when the woman poured the expensive perfume on Jesus, and Judas the thief said she should have sold it and given him the money? We always come up with reasons not to give. But the faith and trust of this woman's heart becomes the greatest gift in the eye of Jesus, bigger than that of the richest people in Jerusalem.
Poverty can be a great curse as well as a great blessing. It's a curse when it fills your heart with anxious care and worry, complaining, or leads to unbelief and dishonesty. Poverty is a blessing when it moves the poor man to cast himself on God who has promised to care for his children.
God gave all he had for us, His only Son. The Son gave all he had, His very life. It may not look like much in the course of history. One life. Thousands die every day. For God, His life was all he had. Jesus’ death is everything to believers. It makes the difference between life and death. It brings us forgiveness before God. It means we can live forever. We have peace and joy in our hearts because we are at peace with God through the life, death and resurrection of Our Savior.
Babette spent all her money on one meal because she was thankful for the people she worked for. What are you thankful for? Life, health, a job, a family, a place to live, good food to eat, clothes to wear? God gives these to us, and to everyone, even if they don't believe in Him. Christians learn to give thanks for such daily bread. God is the source of all good things, and for good things after life ends.
The Christian is a person who is thankful. One of the ways we give thanks is by giving monetary offerings. We can also give of our time and talents or abilities to help and serve others.
Usually the poor believer will give more in the offering, percentage wise, than the rich person. This is perhaps because they know what it is to be without and have learned that God takes care of them.
The people of Jerusalem mostly gave from what is over and above what they needed. There was a lot of money going into the receptacles that day. Jesus said the poor woman with her two pennies gave more than all of them. The poor widow woman gave from her poverty all she had. It was a sacrifice indeed. She placed herself completely into the hands of God, who could and would provide for her far better than any two pennies, or a million times that amount could. Great was her faith!
Many people who have enough to live on give too little because they are afraid they will not have enough for the future. They give from their lack of faith, and that robs their giving of it's true value, and the joy of giving. The widow's offering, though copper, was gold in the eyes of the Lord. How do your gifts look in his eye? Copy her faith, and you will be in her class, and the size of your gift will take care of itself.
So, to recap: First, God sees what man overlooks. The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching. But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow. This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of. The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.
Second, God’s evaluation is different from man’s. The widow’s two mites added up to a penny, according to man’s tabulation. But Jesus said that she had given more than anyone else that day (Mark 12:43). How could this be, when “many rich people threw in large amounts” (Mark 12:41)? The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.
Third, God commends giving in faith. Here was a woman in need of receiving charity, yet she had a heart to give. Even though the amount was negligible—what could a widow’s mite buy?—she gave it in faith that God could use it. The widow’s faith is also evident in the fact that she gave the last of her money. Like the widow of Zarephath, who gave her last meal to Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:7–16), the widow in the temple gave away her last means of self-support. Does that mean the widow left the temple completely destitute, went home, and died of starvation? No. The Bible teaches that God provides for our needs (Matthew 6:25–34). We don’t know the details of this particular widow’s future, but we can be certain that she was provided for. Just as God provided for the widow and her son in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 17:15–16), God also provided for the widow in Jesus’ day.
It is interesting that, just before Jesus commented on the widow’s mite, He commented on the scribes “who devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). The religious officials of the day, instead of helping the widows in need, were perfectly content to rob them of their livelihood and inheritance. The system was corrupt, and the darkness of the scribes’ greed makes the widow’s sacrifice shine even more brightly. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), and He is faithful to take care of His own.
Babette gave everything to put on her meal. The Lord gives us everything today in His Supper, for it is His own body and blood, that was given to restore us. As we sing: “This is the feast of victory for our God: Alleluia!” And God’s people said: Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Stand
Offertory LSB 159
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, having created all things, took on human flesh and was born of the virgin Mary. For our sake He died on the cross and rose from the dead to put an end to death, thus fulfilling Your will and gaining for You a holy people. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost - 10 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, You send Your Holy Spirit to sanctify and keep Your people in the true faith. Preserve us from false doctrine, and curb and restrain all error. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You send the Holy Spirit to call Your people to faith. Graciously keep us in the divine Word, and send out faithful laborers into Your harvest. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, grant us faith like that of the widow, who gave her last two coins, trusting that You would care for her every need. Deliver us from all hypocrisy, and give us genuine faith, joyful piety and cheerful giving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You call us to honor the authorities set over us. Look with favor upon those who hold office in this land, especially our president and Congress, our judges and magistrates, our governor and legislature. Preserve them from evil, and bless them in body and soul. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, Your Son came not to be served but to serve, especially to serve those who are ignored and despised. Comfort the afflicted and troubled, the sick [especially _____________ and all who have asked for our prayers], all women with child, all young children, all who mourn, and all who are in need. Keep them steadfast in the faith, and bring their suffering to an end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty Father, grant repentance and faith to all who receive our Lord’s body and blood today, that in the unity of a true confession, they may receive it for the forgiveness of their sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
725 “Children of the Heavenly Father”
1 Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.
2 God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.
3 Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.
4 Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832–1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870–1958
Text: Public domain
703 “How Can I Thank You, Lord”
1 How can I thank You, Lord,
For all Your loving-kindness,
That You have patiently
Borne with me in my blindness!
When dead in many sins
And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God,
Your anger ev’ry day.
2 It is Your work alone
That I am now converted;
O’er Satan’s work in me
You have Your pow’r asserted.
Your mercy and Your grace
That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart
Into a heart newborn.
3 Lord, You have raised me up
To joy and exultation
And clearly shown the way
That leads me to salvation.
My sins are washed away;
For this I thank You, Lord.
Now with my heart and soul
All evil I abhor.
4 Grant that Your Spirit’s help
To me be always given
Lest I should fall again
And lose the way to heaven.
Grant that He give me strength
In my infirmity;
May He renew my heart
To serve You willingly.
D 5 O Father, God of love,
Now hear my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God,
Accept my adoration;
O Holy Spirit, be
My ever faithful guide
That I may serve You here
And there with You abide.
Text: David Denicke, 1603–80; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 784 “Take My Life and Let It Be”
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost – November 10, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Pat Tavare
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG is Tuesday, December 10th at the Placer High School Theater. Tickets are $25 or $19 if ten or more sign up. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Room.
UPCOMING SERVICES/EVENTS AT ST. PAUL:
1) Thanksgiving Eve Devotion – This will be recorded at 5 p.m.
(Members are welcome to come to church for this.)
2) Midweek Advent Soup Suppers and Devotion – Dec. 4, 11, 18
Soup at 6 p.m., devotion at 7 p.m.
3) Bethlehem Express – Sat. Dec. 14 from, 10 to noon with lunch
following. This is for everyone and consists of singing, crafts
and Bible story – “train” stops at Carol Town, Crafty Corners and Bethlehem.
4) Christmas Eve Candlelight service 5 p.m., Christmas Day service with communion at 10:30 a.m.
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
November 10, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 905 “Come, Thou Almighty King”
1 Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing;
Help us to praise;
Father all-glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
2 Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword;
Our prayer attend.
Come and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success,
And let Thy righteousness
On us descend.
3 Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour!
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in ev’ry heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of pow’r.
D 4 To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be
Hence evermore!
Thy sov’reign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.
Text: English, before 1760, alt.
Text: Public domain
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 107:8, 1–2, 41–42
P Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble. He raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Grant us so firmly to believe in Your Son Jesus that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading 1 Kings 17:8–16
8Then the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], 9“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14For thus says the Lord the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 146
1Praise | the Lord!*
Praise the Lord, | O my soul!
2I will praise the Lord as long | as I live;*
I will sing praises to my God while I have my | being.
3Put not your trust in | princes,*
in a son of man, in whom there is no sal- | vation.
4When his breath departs he returns | to the earth;*
on that very day his plans | perish.
5Blessèd is he whose help is the God of | Jacob,*
whose hope is in the | Lord his God,
6who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is | in them,*
who keeps faith for- | ever;
7who executes justice for | the oppressed,*
who gives food to the | hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8the Lord opens the eyes | of the blind.*
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the | righteous.
9The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the | fatherless,*
but the way of the wicked he brings to | ruin.
10The Lord will reign for- | ever,*
your God, O Zion, to all generations. | Praise the Lord!
Epistle Hebrews 9:24–28
24For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Mark 12:38–44
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the twelfth chapter.
38In his teaching [Jesus] said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
41And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 787 “The Temple Rang with Golden Coins”
1 The temple rang with golden coins
The rich in bright array
Contributed from gleaming hoards
Their scales could scarcely weigh.
2 A widow came with copper coins
And offered them in praise.
They were the last she had to give
Or save for darker days.
3 When Jesus saw her costly gift
And knew she had no more,
He praised a love that spared not self
And called her rich, though poor.
4 At last He brought His offering
And laid it on a tree;
There gave Himself, His life, His love
For all humanity.
5 Lord, help us all, with You, to yield
Whatever love demands
And freely give, as You have giv’n,
With open hearts and hands.
Text: Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 1923–2007
Text: © 1993 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Giving All” Mark 12:41-44
Giving All – Mark 12:41-44
Today's gospel reading of the widow's mite reminds me of a film from 1987 called Babette's Feast. It takes place in remote village in Denmark in the 1800's. Two sisters live with their elderly father who is a minister. They are very beautiful women, and more than one suitor from the big city tries to marry them. But the would-be husbands are too worldly for their protective father.
One day a woman arrives at their door with a letter of reference from one of the suitors in France. Her name is Babette, and she is a refugee from the bloodshed of social turmoil going on in Paris. They agree to take her in as a housekeeper and cook. She works for them for 14 years, and her service inspires the people of the village who see that she truly appreciates their hospitality.
One day Babette comes into some money from back home. It's more than enough for her to return to Paris and to become a renowned chef. Before she leaves, she prepares a feast in honor of her friends who took her in when she had nothing. She orders exotic ingredients shipped in from France, things the people never heard of or think are too worldly for Christians to eat. She prepares a meal of turtle soup, caviar, and quail for a main course. She imports ingredients such as blue cheese, papaya, figs, grapes, pineapple, and pomegranate. Expensive wines are served. She buys the finest china and crystal to serve the meal. The people of the village try to act unimpressed by the taste of the meal, but it's apparent that it is the most wonderful thing they've ever tasted.
After the meal, the sisters ask when she will be returning to France. Unfortunately, Babette has spent all of her money on this fabulous meal, and she stays on as the family housekeeper and cook. She gave all that she had.
Jesus saw all kinds of people at the temple. Important teachers and scribes with long flowing robes, and longer prayers that called attention to themselves. But when the people came up to put their offering in the treasury box, some were making a show of how much they threw in. The court of women held thirteen such receptacles, and people could cast their money in as they walked by. It was a poor widow that caught Jesus' attention. Poor means she might have had to beg in the streets for what she needed. This woman only gave two copper mites (The ESV calls them two small copper coins) worth no more than a single penny, but like Babette, it was the greatest gift, because it was all she had to give.
What can we learn from this? Jesus gave us everything he had. Not money, not gold or silver but His holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death—in other words, He gave His very life. He gave everything for us. That's what we needed. Not a helping hand. Not a guide to reform our lives. Not a few pointers on how to live a better life. We needed a new life. That's what he offers us. Kill your life with its sin and evil desires, its love of things and self-preservation. Our Savior says, "Come, follow me, and die to all of that, and I will give you a new life that never ends."
Some might say the widow should have kept her two pennies for her own support, or at least half of it, because the gift was so small what good could it do? Remember when the woman poured the expensive perfume on Jesus, and Judas the thief said she should have sold it and given him the money? We always come up with reasons not to give. But the faith and trust of this woman's heart becomes the greatest gift in the eye of Jesus, bigger than that of the richest people in Jerusalem.
Poverty can be a great curse as well as a great blessing. It's a curse when it fills your heart with anxious care and worry, complaining, or leads to unbelief and dishonesty. Poverty is a blessing when it moves the poor man to cast himself on God who has promised to care for his children.
God gave all he had for us, His only Son. The Son gave all he had, His very life. It may not look like much in the course of history. One life. Thousands die every day. For God, His life was all he had. Jesus’ death is everything to believers. It makes the difference between life and death. It brings us forgiveness before God. It means we can live forever. We have peace and joy in our hearts because we are at peace with God through the life, death and resurrection of Our Savior.
Babette spent all her money on one meal because she was thankful for the people she worked for. What are you thankful for? Life, health, a job, a family, a place to live, good food to eat, clothes to wear? God gives these to us, and to everyone, even if they don't believe in Him. Christians learn to give thanks for such daily bread. God is the source of all good things, and for good things after life ends.
The Christian is a person who is thankful. One of the ways we give thanks is by giving monetary offerings. We can also give of our time and talents or abilities to help and serve others.
Usually the poor believer will give more in the offering, percentage wise, than the rich person. This is perhaps because they know what it is to be without and have learned that God takes care of them.
The people of Jerusalem mostly gave from what is over and above what they needed. There was a lot of money going into the receptacles that day. Jesus said the poor woman with her two pennies gave more than all of them. The poor widow woman gave from her poverty all she had. It was a sacrifice indeed. She placed herself completely into the hands of God, who could and would provide for her far better than any two pennies, or a million times that amount could. Great was her faith!
Many people who have enough to live on give too little because they are afraid they will not have enough for the future. They give from their lack of faith, and that robs their giving of it's true value, and the joy of giving. The widow's offering, though copper, was gold in the eyes of the Lord. How do your gifts look in his eye? Copy her faith, and you will be in her class, and the size of your gift will take care of itself.
So, to recap: First, God sees what man overlooks. The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching. But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow. This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of. The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.
Second, God’s evaluation is different from man’s. The widow’s two mites added up to a penny, according to man’s tabulation. But Jesus said that she had given more than anyone else that day (Mark 12:43). How could this be, when “many rich people threw in large amounts” (Mark 12:41)? The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.
Third, God commends giving in faith. Here was a woman in need of receiving charity, yet she had a heart to give. Even though the amount was negligible—what could a widow’s mite buy?—she gave it in faith that God could use it. The widow’s faith is also evident in the fact that she gave the last of her money. Like the widow of Zarephath, who gave her last meal to Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:7–16), the widow in the temple gave away her last means of self-support. Does that mean the widow left the temple completely destitute, went home, and died of starvation? No. The Bible teaches that God provides for our needs (Matthew 6:25–34). We don’t know the details of this particular widow’s future, but we can be certain that she was provided for. Just as God provided for the widow and her son in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 17:15–16), God also provided for the widow in Jesus’ day.
It is interesting that, just before Jesus commented on the widow’s mite, He commented on the scribes “who devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). The religious officials of the day, instead of helping the widows in need, were perfectly content to rob them of their livelihood and inheritance. The system was corrupt, and the darkness of the scribes’ greed makes the widow’s sacrifice shine even more brightly. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), and He is faithful to take care of His own.
Babette gave everything to put on her meal. The Lord gives us everything today in His Supper, for it is His own body and blood, that was given to restore us. As we sing: “This is the feast of victory for our God: Alleluia!” And God’s people said: Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Stand
Offertory LSB 159
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, having created all things, took on human flesh and was born of the virgin Mary. For our sake He died on the cross and rose from the dead to put an end to death, thus fulfilling Your will and gaining for You a holy people. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost - 10 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, You send Your Holy Spirit to sanctify and keep Your people in the true faith. Preserve us from false doctrine, and curb and restrain all error. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You send the Holy Spirit to call Your people to faith. Graciously keep us in the divine Word, and send out faithful laborers into Your harvest. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, grant us faith like that of the widow, who gave her last two coins, trusting that You would care for her every need. Deliver us from all hypocrisy, and give us genuine faith, joyful piety and cheerful giving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You call us to honor the authorities set over us. Look with favor upon those who hold office in this land, especially our president and Congress, our judges and magistrates, our governor and legislature. Preserve them from evil, and bless them in body and soul. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, Your Son came not to be served but to serve, especially to serve those who are ignored and despised. Comfort the afflicted and troubled, the sick [especially _____________ and all who have asked for our prayers], all women with child, all young children, all who mourn, and all who are in need. Keep them steadfast in the faith, and bring their suffering to an end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty Father, grant repentance and faith to all who receive our Lord’s body and blood today, that in the unity of a true confession, they may receive it for the forgiveness of their sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
725 “Children of the Heavenly Father”
1 Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.
2 God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.
3 Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.
4 Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832–1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870–1958
Text: Public domain
703 “How Can I Thank You, Lord”
1 How can I thank You, Lord,
For all Your loving-kindness,
That You have patiently
Borne with me in my blindness!
When dead in many sins
And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God,
Your anger ev’ry day.
2 It is Your work alone
That I am now converted;
O’er Satan’s work in me
You have Your pow’r asserted.
Your mercy and Your grace
That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart
Into a heart newborn.
3 Lord, You have raised me up
To joy and exultation
And clearly shown the way
That leads me to salvation.
My sins are washed away;
For this I thank You, Lord.
Now with my heart and soul
All evil I abhor.
4 Grant that Your Spirit’s help
To me be always given
Lest I should fall again
And lose the way to heaven.
Grant that He give me strength
In my infirmity;
May He renew my heart
To serve You willingly.
D 5 O Father, God of love,
Now hear my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God,
Accept my adoration;
O Holy Spirit, be
My ever faithful guide
That I may serve You here
And there with You abide.
Text: David Denicke, 1603–80; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 784 “Take My Life and Let It Be”
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
All Saints’ Day (Observed) – November 3, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
Can You Imagine?
Imagine that you are trapped in a large burning building in your community. Both your legs are broken, all your ribs are cracked (we're going to make this real bad), you can hardly breathe, you are pinned to the floor, fire is everywhere, you are ready to give up and die and someone rescues you. Could you imagine later on one of your friends saying too you, "Hey, how did you get rescued?" And you reply, "I'm not going to tell you. It's a secret. Don't embarrass me by having to tell." Would you do that? Then why are you embarrassed to tell about your biggest Rescuer who saved you from the biggest fire, the fire of hell, who is your very, very best Friend and Savior, to whom you owe your life now and forever in heaven, Jesus Christ? My friend, it's time for you to stop being embarrassed about Jesus! You have a great story to tell, and you know some people who are "dying" to hear it! Someone told you. Now you tell it.
+ + + +
“The Bible says little about ‘seeing’ God, but it says a great deal about
‘hearing’ him. To be sure, after death we shall see God (1 Corinthians 13:12). But for now, we must listen to Him, and what we must listen to is the Bible.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
All Saints’ Day (Observed)
November 3, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 677 “For All the Saints” stanzas 1-3
1 For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: William W. How, 1823–97, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Revelation 7:14b; Psalm 31:1, 3, 5
P These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
First Reading Revelation 7:9–17
9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 149
1Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a | new song,*
his praise in the assembly of the | godly!
2Let Israel be glad in his | Maker;*
let the children of Zion rejoice | in their King!
3Let them praise his name with | dancing,*
making melody to him with tambou- | rine and lyre!
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his | people;*
he adorns the humble with sal- | vation.
5Let the godly exult in | glory;*
let them sing for joy | on their beds.
6Let the high praises of God be | in their throats*
and two-edged swords | in their hands,
7to execute vengeance on the | nations*
and punishments on the | peoples,
8to bind their | kings with chains*
and their nobles with fet- | ters of iron,
9to execute on them the judgment | written!*
This is honor for all his godly ones. | Praise the Lord!
Epistle 1 John 3:1–3
1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Matthew 5:1–12
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 671 “Sing with All the Saints in Glory”
1 Sing with all the saints in glory,
Sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story,
To the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking;
Soon the storms of time shall cease;
In God’s likeness we awaken,
Knowing everlasting peace.
2 Oh, what glory, far exceeding
All that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts for ages pleading
Never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it;
There on high our welcome waits.
Ev’ry humble spirit shares it,
Christ has passed the_eternal gates.
3 Life eternal! Heav’n rejoices:
Jesus lives who once was dead.
Shout with joy, O deathless voices!
Child of God, lift up your head!
Life eternal! Oh, what wonders
Crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
When, amid earth’s closing thunders,
Saints shall stand before the throne!
Text: William J. Irons, 1812–83, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “For All the Saints” Revelation 7:9-17
FOR ALL THE SAINTS – Rev. 7:9-17
The first reading for this day is taken from the Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John. When we read from Revelation, we need to understand that almost everything is symbolic. When John heard the number of the sealed, he heard the number 144,000. The number 144,000 is not a specific quantity. Instead, it symbolizes the completeness of the salvation of all believers in all times and places. It even symbolizes that these believers come from both the Old and New Testaments. The actual description of all believers comes a few verses later when John looked and beheld a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.
By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John had a vision of the saints of heaven. Today's reading tells us that there are a lot of saints - more than anyone can number. More importantly, he is teaching us what it takes to make a saint. One of the elders tells John the exact process for making a saint. The elder said, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus Christ for when John the Baptist [John 1:29] saw Jesus coming toward him, [he] said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! The writer to the Hebrews also said, [Hebrews 13:12] "Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood." The Apostle John wrote, [1 John 1:7] "The blood of Jesus [God's] Son cleanses us from all sin." When the Bible talks about what it takes to make a saint, it means what Jesus did for us on the cross when He suffered and died and shed His blood to take away our sin.
You see the world has the idea that saints come about by virtue of their own moral character - their own good works. We will often hear someone say, "What a saint," when someone bears up under a tragedy with grace and dignity, or when someone endures and carries on even though everything in life seems to go against them, or when someone is a great encourager and cheerleader within the community. Now, such people are wonderful, gallant, noble, and so forth, but are they truly saints because of what they do or who they are?
Since our last All Saints’ observance, seven of our saints said good bye to life in this world: Marge Roe, Robert Haase, Shirley Everett, Verlyn Eisert, Irma Sprung, Ray Kirk and Jackie Dickey. I can confidently say that they are saints. Our Lord Jesus Christ has called them out of this veil of tears to Himself in heaven. And why are they saints? They are saints because they openly confessed their sins and they openly confessed their faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. They are saints because their filthy, sinful robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and are now the purest white.
You see, no one can confer sainthood on themselves for [Isaiah 64:6] we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. Instead, sainthood is conferred on us by the perfect life, and the innocent suffering and death of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If we were to call ourselves saints according to the world's idea of sainthood, we would be pointing to our own accomplishments and the world would be right to call us arrogant and self-righteous. On the other hand, if we call ourselves saints according to the Bible, then we are pointing away from ourselves and toward the work of Jesus Christ. We are saying that [1 John 1:7] the blood of Jesus [God's] Son cleanses us from all sin and makes us into saints.
You may have noticed that I said that Carolyn and Audrey are saints. That will never change and the same could be said for all our loved ones who died with faith in the Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. When we say that someone is a saint in the Biblical sense of the word, we are simply saying that the Holy Spirit has worked faith in them - that they believe that the Son of God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ so that He could earn the forgiveness of sins for us with His holy, precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.
Does the description of a saint sound a lot like the description of a Christian? It should. All Christians are saints and all saints are Christians. Today's epistle gives us yet another name for saint. John wrote, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Child of God, saint, Christian - these are all different names for those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ - all different names for those of the great multitude who will stand before the throne of the Lamb.
When we talk of all the saints as one large group of believers, we are really talking about the Holy Christian Church. The Holy Christian Church is also known as the Communion of Saints.
This Communion of Saints spans two different worlds. Here on this earth, the Communion of Saints struggles with life in this sin-soaked world. We are the Church Militant. Even though Jesus has defeated Satan with His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, Satan still fights and the Church Militant is the battle field. We continuously look to our Champion, Jesus Christ to give us the victory.
Then there is the Church Triumphant gathered at the throne of the Lamb - the ones who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are without sin, without hunger, without misery, without tears, and without death itself. And the one called the Lamb is their Shepherd - who leads His own lambs to living fountains of water. All memory of pain, death, sin, sickness, poverty, hunger, persecution, and hatred are wiped from their eyes along with their tears.
Even though this church spans two worlds, there are not two churches: one here on earth and another in heaven. Rather we "believe in one holy Christian and apostolic church." The oneness of the church is not destroyed even by the separation of death. For where Jesus is, there are the saints - those here on earth, and those who have "come out of the great tribulation" of life in this world.
The church on earth and the church in heaven unite around the throne of God and in the presence of the Lamb. When we gather around the altar on Sunday, we know that our deceased relatives and friends who have likewise "washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb" are part of the company of heaven. The Lord who is with us in, with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion with His holy body and precious blood, is also with them in heaven. So, we can say that they are with us in a supernatural way through our precious Savior, Jesus. When we sing "Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world," we sing along with the countless Christians of every age. When we chant "Holy, holy, holy," we do so with billions of the faithful from every time and place. And when we come before the Body and Blood of the Lord, we join with those whom we love but can no longer embrace. We are not only in the presence of Jesus, but are also surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, this host arrayed in white, those who fall on their faces night and day before the Lord Himself.
And so, it is proper that we praise God for the men and women of faith whose works of love inspire us and set an example of the godly Christian life for us. It is appropriate that we honor the work that God has done in their lives to give them the true saving faith. It is also appropriate that we honor the work that God has done through their lives to affect the lives of the people around them. It is appropriate that we honor those who have preceded us into the Church Triumphant.
For when we honor the redeemed, we are also honoring the Redeemer. The saints who are holy in God's eyes testify to the only One who is eternally holy: our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His blood that covers our sin and allows us to stand in His presence. It is being baptized into His death that gives us a white robe. It is His Word and Sacraments that usher us into the throne room where we will never again suffer or be unhappy.
What then shall we do while we wait for our turn to leave the battle of this world and enter the rest our Savior has prepared for us? Perhaps you've heard the short verse, "Living above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory; but living below with saints we know, that is a different story." Life in this world is problematic. Although we are saints in God's eyes, we still sin. The battle with sin rages around us and in us. We live in the great tribulation.
But the Savior promises never to leave us or forsake us. Though we live in a mortal body decaying with sin, these bodies will be raised and made new. Though our worship is imperfect, it will be perfected. Though our voices crack, they will one day sing in perfect harmony with the angels. Though we're tired and distracted, hungry and bored, we will one day be so alive and filled with joy that we will never grow weary of joining this great crowd in heaven, singing and praising God.
Dear friends, we who believe are already saints. By His death on the cross, the Lord Himself clothes us with His righteousness, and through His resurrection He will one day shepherd us to everlasting life. In that blessed place we will experience the eternal joy of God's presence along with the rest of the Communion of Saints. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - All Saints’ Day - 1 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Father in heaven, remember the poor in spirit who gather this day to receive Your grace and steadfast love, by which we are made rich in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God, our Father, You have set apart a people for Yourself and washed them in the blood of the Lamb to be Your own. Restore us daily through repentance and forgiveness, and renew our hearts and spirits in holiness, righteousness and faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, bless all ministers of the Gospel and the congregations committed to their care, that the comfort of Christ’s sacrifice and the joy of His resurrection may be proclaimed to all who grieve their sin and mourn their dead. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we know Your deep love for us, for You have called us Your children. Deepen the love of children for their parents, and parents for their children. Strengthen fathers and mothers in their vocations, that they may raise their children in the way that they should go. Hear the prayers of those who long for families. Sustain [_____________ and] all expectant mothers and their little ones. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, remember all civil authorities in Your kindness, and give them wisdom, courage and integrity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of compassion, be near to the sick, the aged and infirm, the dying, the grieving, and all the afflicted [especially _____________]. Grant healing according to Your will, and comfort them with the certain hope of the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, gather us in the blessed Sacrament around the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whom saints and angels adore around Your eternal throne. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
“I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.’” We remember with thanksgiving those who have gone before us with the sign of faith, for they were redeemed by God. He gave them new life through His Son in Holy Baptism. He nourished them in the company of His people at His holy table. In His mercy and wisdom, He summoned them to His nearer presence so that they may rest in His blissful peace forever. For Your having given them to us to love and to know, we give you thanks. And God’s people said: AMEN.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
By faith the saints of old held fast to Your promise of things hoped for though not yet seen, leaving an example and encouragement for us who walk now by faith and not by sight.
Grant that we may faithfully eat and drink this Holy Supper of Your Son’s body and blood and in the union of His mystical body, the Church, be joined in unending praise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Moses, Elijah, and all the faithful prophets; the blessed apostles and evangelists, the holy martyrs, and all the saints in glory who fought the good fight of faith before us.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
676 “Behold a Host, Arrayed in White”
1 Behold a host, arrayed in white,
Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright!
With palms they stand;
Who is this band
Before the throne of light?
These are the saints of glorious fame,
Who from the great affliction came
And in the flood
Of Jesus’ blood
Are cleansed from guilt and shame.
They now serve God both day and night;
They sing their songs in endless light.
Their anthems ring
As they all sing
With angels shining bright.
2 Despised and scorned, they sojourned here;
But now, how glorious they appear!
Those martyrs stand,
A priestly band,
God’s throne forever near.
On earth they wept through bitter years;
Now God has wiped away their tears,
Transformed their strife
To heav’nly life,
And freed them from their fears.
They now enjoy the Sabbath rest,
The heav’nly banquet of the blest;
The Lamb, their Lord,
At festive board
Himself is host and guest.
3 O blessèd saints in bright array
Now safely home in endless day,
Extol the Lord,
Who with His Word
Sustained you on the way.
The steep and narrow path you trod;
You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;
Rejoice and bring
Your fruits and sing
Before the throne of God.
The myriad angels raise their song;
O saints, sing with that happy throng!
Lift up one voice;
Let heav’n rejoice
In our Redeemer’s song!
Text: Hans Adolf Brorson, 1694–1764; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
675 “Oh, What Their Joy”
1 Oh, what their joy and their glory must be,
Those endless Sabbaths the blessèd ones see!
Crowns for the valiant, to weary ones rest;
God shall be all, and in all ever blest.
2 In new Jerusalem joy shall be found,
Blessings of peace shall forever abound;
Wish and fulfillment are not severed there,
Nor the things prayed for come short of the prayer.
3 We, where no trouble distraction can bring,
Safely the anthems of Zion shall sing;
While for Your grace, Lord, their voices of praise
Your blessèd people shall evermore raise.
D 4 Now let us worship our Lord and our King,
Joyfully raising our voices to sing:
Praise to the Father, and praise to the Son,
Praise to the Spirit, to God, Three in One.
Text: Peter Abelard, 1079–1142; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 677 “For All the Saints” stanzas 4-8
4 Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day:
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
D 8 From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: William W. How, 1823–97, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
All Saints’ Day (Observed) – November 3, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman,
Steve Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
Can You Imagine?
Imagine that you are trapped in a large burning building in your community. Both your legs are broken, all your ribs are cracked (we're going to make this real bad), you can hardly breathe, you are pinned to the floor, fire is everywhere, you are ready to give up and die and someone rescues you. Could you imagine later on one of your friends saying too you, "Hey, how did you get rescued?" And you reply, "I'm not going to tell you. It's a secret. Don't embarrass me by having to tell." Would you do that? Then why are you embarrassed to tell about your biggest Rescuer who saved you from the biggest fire, the fire of hell, who is your very, very best Friend and Savior, to whom you owe your life now and forever in heaven, Jesus Christ? My friend, it's time for you to stop being embarrassed about Jesus! You have a great story to tell, and you know some people who are "dying" to hear it! Someone told you. Now you tell it.
+ + + +
“The Bible says little about ‘seeing’ God, but it says a great deal about
‘hearing’ him. To be sure, after death we shall see God (1 Corinthians 13:12). But for now, we must listen to Him, and what we must listen to is the Bible.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
All Saints’ Day (Observed)
November 3, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 677 “For All the Saints” stanzas 1-3
1 For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: William W. How, 1823–97, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Revelation 7:14b; Psalm 31:1, 3, 5
P These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
First Reading Revelation 7:9–17
9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 149
1Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a | new song,*
his praise in the assembly of the | godly!
2Let Israel be glad in his | Maker;*
let the children of Zion rejoice | in their King!
3Let them praise his name with | dancing,*
making melody to him with tambou- | rine and lyre!
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his | people;*
he adorns the humble with sal- | vation.
5Let the godly exult in | glory;*
let them sing for joy | on their beds.
6Let the high praises of God be | in their throats*
and two-edged swords | in their hands,
7to execute vengeance on the | nations*
and punishments on the | peoples,
8to bind their | kings with chains*
and their nobles with fet- | ters of iron,
9to execute on them the judgment | written!*
This is honor for all his godly ones. | Praise the Lord!
Epistle 1 John 3:1–3
1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Matthew 5:1–12
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 671 “Sing with All the Saints in Glory”
1 Sing with all the saints in glory,
Sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story,
To the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking;
Soon the storms of time shall cease;
In God’s likeness we awaken,
Knowing everlasting peace.
2 Oh, what glory, far exceeding
All that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts for ages pleading
Never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it;
There on high our welcome waits.
Ev’ry humble spirit shares it,
Christ has passed the_eternal gates.
3 Life eternal! Heav’n rejoices:
Jesus lives who once was dead.
Shout with joy, O deathless voices!
Child of God, lift up your head!
Life eternal! Oh, what wonders
Crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
When, amid earth’s closing thunders,
Saints shall stand before the throne!
Text: William J. Irons, 1812–83, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “For All the Saints” Revelation 7:9-17
FOR ALL THE SAINTS – Rev. 7:9-17
The first reading for this day is taken from the Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John. When we read from Revelation, we need to understand that almost everything is symbolic. When John heard the number of the sealed, he heard the number 144,000. The number 144,000 is not a specific quantity. Instead, it symbolizes the completeness of the salvation of all believers in all times and places. It even symbolizes that these believers come from both the Old and New Testaments. The actual description of all believers comes a few verses later when John looked and beheld a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.
By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John had a vision of the saints of heaven. Today's reading tells us that there are a lot of saints - more than anyone can number. More importantly, he is teaching us what it takes to make a saint. One of the elders tells John the exact process for making a saint. The elder said, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus Christ for when John the Baptist [John 1:29] saw Jesus coming toward him, [he] said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! The writer to the Hebrews also said, [Hebrews 13:12] "Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood." The Apostle John wrote, [1 John 1:7] "The blood of Jesus [God's] Son cleanses us from all sin." When the Bible talks about what it takes to make a saint, it means what Jesus did for us on the cross when He suffered and died and shed His blood to take away our sin.
You see the world has the idea that saints come about by virtue of their own moral character - their own good works. We will often hear someone say, "What a saint," when someone bears up under a tragedy with grace and dignity, or when someone endures and carries on even though everything in life seems to go against them, or when someone is a great encourager and cheerleader within the community. Now, such people are wonderful, gallant, noble, and so forth, but are they truly saints because of what they do or who they are?
Since our last All Saints’ observance, seven of our saints said good bye to life in this world: Marge Roe, Robert Haase, Shirley Everett, Verlyn Eisert, Irma Sprung, Ray Kirk and Jackie Dickey. I can confidently say that they are saints. Our Lord Jesus Christ has called them out of this veil of tears to Himself in heaven. And why are they saints? They are saints because they openly confessed their sins and they openly confessed their faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. They are saints because their filthy, sinful robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and are now the purest white.
You see, no one can confer sainthood on themselves for [Isaiah 64:6] we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. Instead, sainthood is conferred on us by the perfect life, and the innocent suffering and death of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If we were to call ourselves saints according to the world's idea of sainthood, we would be pointing to our own accomplishments and the world would be right to call us arrogant and self-righteous. On the other hand, if we call ourselves saints according to the Bible, then we are pointing away from ourselves and toward the work of Jesus Christ. We are saying that [1 John 1:7] the blood of Jesus [God's] Son cleanses us from all sin and makes us into saints.
You may have noticed that I said that Carolyn and Audrey are saints. That will never change and the same could be said for all our loved ones who died with faith in the Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. When we say that someone is a saint in the Biblical sense of the word, we are simply saying that the Holy Spirit has worked faith in them - that they believe that the Son of God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ so that He could earn the forgiveness of sins for us with His holy, precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.
Does the description of a saint sound a lot like the description of a Christian? It should. All Christians are saints and all saints are Christians. Today's epistle gives us yet another name for saint. John wrote, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." Child of God, saint, Christian - these are all different names for those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ - all different names for those of the great multitude who will stand before the throne of the Lamb.
When we talk of all the saints as one large group of believers, we are really talking about the Holy Christian Church. The Holy Christian Church is also known as the Communion of Saints.
This Communion of Saints spans two different worlds. Here on this earth, the Communion of Saints struggles with life in this sin-soaked world. We are the Church Militant. Even though Jesus has defeated Satan with His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, Satan still fights and the Church Militant is the battle field. We continuously look to our Champion, Jesus Christ to give us the victory.
Then there is the Church Triumphant gathered at the throne of the Lamb - the ones who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are without sin, without hunger, without misery, without tears, and without death itself. And the one called the Lamb is their Shepherd - who leads His own lambs to living fountains of water. All memory of pain, death, sin, sickness, poverty, hunger, persecution, and hatred are wiped from their eyes along with their tears.
Even though this church spans two worlds, there are not two churches: one here on earth and another in heaven. Rather we "believe in one holy Christian and apostolic church." The oneness of the church is not destroyed even by the separation of death. For where Jesus is, there are the saints - those here on earth, and those who have "come out of the great tribulation" of life in this world.
The church on earth and the church in heaven unite around the throne of God and in the presence of the Lamb. When we gather around the altar on Sunday, we know that our deceased relatives and friends who have likewise "washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb" are part of the company of heaven. The Lord who is with us in, with and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion with His holy body and precious blood, is also with them in heaven. So, we can say that they are with us in a supernatural way through our precious Savior, Jesus. When we sing "Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world," we sing along with the countless Christians of every age. When we chant "Holy, holy, holy," we do so with billions of the faithful from every time and place. And when we come before the Body and Blood of the Lord, we join with those whom we love but can no longer embrace. We are not only in the presence of Jesus, but are also surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, this host arrayed in white, those who fall on their faces night and day before the Lord Himself.
And so, it is proper that we praise God for the men and women of faith whose works of love inspire us and set an example of the godly Christian life for us. It is appropriate that we honor the work that God has done in their lives to give them the true saving faith. It is also appropriate that we honor the work that God has done through their lives to affect the lives of the people around them. It is appropriate that we honor those who have preceded us into the Church Triumphant.
For when we honor the redeemed, we are also honoring the Redeemer. The saints who are holy in God's eyes testify to the only One who is eternally holy: our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His blood that covers our sin and allows us to stand in His presence. It is being baptized into His death that gives us a white robe. It is His Word and Sacraments that usher us into the throne room where we will never again suffer or be unhappy.
What then shall we do while we wait for our turn to leave the battle of this world and enter the rest our Savior has prepared for us? Perhaps you've heard the short verse, "Living above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory; but living below with saints we know, that is a different story." Life in this world is problematic. Although we are saints in God's eyes, we still sin. The battle with sin rages around us and in us. We live in the great tribulation.
But the Savior promises never to leave us or forsake us. Though we live in a mortal body decaying with sin, these bodies will be raised and made new. Though our worship is imperfect, it will be perfected. Though our voices crack, they will one day sing in perfect harmony with the angels. Though we're tired and distracted, hungry and bored, we will one day be so alive and filled with joy that we will never grow weary of joining this great crowd in heaven, singing and praising God.
Dear friends, we who believe are already saints. By His death on the cross, the Lord Himself clothes us with His righteousness, and through His resurrection He will one day shepherd us to everlasting life. In that blessed place we will experience the eternal joy of God's presence along with the rest of the Communion of Saints. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church - All Saints’ Day - 1 November 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Father in heaven, remember the poor in spirit who gather this day to receive Your grace and steadfast love, by which we are made rich in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God, our Father, You have set apart a people for Yourself and washed them in the blood of the Lamb to be Your own. Restore us daily through repentance and forgiveness, and renew our hearts and spirits in holiness, righteousness and faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, bless all ministers of the Gospel and the congregations committed to their care, that the comfort of Christ’s sacrifice and the joy of His resurrection may be proclaimed to all who grieve their sin and mourn their dead. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we know Your deep love for us, for You have called us Your children. Deepen the love of children for their parents, and parents for their children. Strengthen fathers and mothers in their vocations, that they may raise their children in the way that they should go. Hear the prayers of those who long for families. Sustain [_____________ and] all expectant mothers and their little ones. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, remember all civil authorities in Your kindness, and give them wisdom, courage and integrity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of compassion, be near to the sick, the aged and infirm, the dying, the grieving, and all the afflicted [especially _____________]. Grant healing according to Your will, and comfort them with the certain hope of the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, gather us in the blessed Sacrament around the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whom saints and angels adore around Your eternal throne. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
“I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.’” We remember with thanksgiving those who have gone before us with the sign of faith, for they were redeemed by God. He gave them new life through His Son in Holy Baptism. He nourished them in the company of His people at His holy table. In His mercy and wisdom, He summoned them to His nearer presence so that they may rest in His blissful peace forever. For Your having given them to us to love and to know, we give you thanks. And God’s people said: AMEN.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
By faith the saints of old held fast to Your promise of things hoped for though not yet seen, leaving an example and encouragement for us who walk now by faith and not by sight.
Grant that we may faithfully eat and drink this Holy Supper of Your Son’s body and blood and in the union of His mystical body, the Church, be joined in unending praise with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Moses, Elijah, and all the faithful prophets; the blessed apostles and evangelists, the holy martyrs, and all the saints in glory who fought the good fight of faith before us.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
676 “Behold a Host, Arrayed in White”
1 Behold a host, arrayed in white,
Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright!
With palms they stand;
Who is this band
Before the throne of light?
These are the saints of glorious fame,
Who from the great affliction came
And in the flood
Of Jesus’ blood
Are cleansed from guilt and shame.
They now serve God both day and night;
They sing their songs in endless light.
Their anthems ring
As they all sing
With angels shining bright.
2 Despised and scorned, they sojourned here;
But now, how glorious they appear!
Those martyrs stand,
A priestly band,
God’s throne forever near.
On earth they wept through bitter years;
Now God has wiped away their tears,
Transformed their strife
To heav’nly life,
And freed them from their fears.
They now enjoy the Sabbath rest,
The heav’nly banquet of the blest;
The Lamb, their Lord,
At festive board
Himself is host and guest.
3 O blessèd saints in bright array
Now safely home in endless day,
Extol the Lord,
Who with His Word
Sustained you on the way.
The steep and narrow path you trod;
You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;
Rejoice and bring
Your fruits and sing
Before the throne of God.
The myriad angels raise their song;
O saints, sing with that happy throng!
Lift up one voice;
Let heav’n rejoice
In our Redeemer’s song!
Text: Hans Adolf Brorson, 1694–1764; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
675 “Oh, What Their Joy”
1 Oh, what their joy and their glory must be,
Those endless Sabbaths the blessèd ones see!
Crowns for the valiant, to weary ones rest;
God shall be all, and in all ever blest.
2 In new Jerusalem joy shall be found,
Blessings of peace shall forever abound;
Wish and fulfillment are not severed there,
Nor the things prayed for come short of the prayer.
3 We, where no trouble distraction can bring,
Safely the anthems of Zion shall sing;
While for Your grace, Lord, their voices of praise
Your blessèd people shall evermore raise.
D 4 Now let us worship our Lord and our King,
Joyfully raising our voices to sing:
Praise to the Father, and praise to the Son,
Praise to the Spirit, to God, Three in One.
Text: Peter Abelard, 1079–1142; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 677 “For All the Saints” stanzas 4-8
4 Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day:
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
D 8 From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: William W. How, 1823–97, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Festival of the Reformation (Observed) – October 27, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
WE WELCOME Gabe Dixon as a communicant member today as he publicly confesses his faith through the rite of Jr. Confirmation! Welcome in Jesus’ Name!
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
TODAY, at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
Hang on! God will remain faithful. Don't despair. Cling to the truth the psalmist proclaims: "Wait with hope for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous" (Psalm 27:14). The Lord won't extinguish a smoking wick but instead will make it glow brightly. He won't break the damaged cattail but instead will strengthen it (Isaiah 42:3)—Martin Luther.
"The LORD your God is in your midst.”
Zephaniah 3:17
Reformation Day (Observed)
October 27, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 656 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
A trusty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.
2 With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.
3 Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none.
He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.
4 The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
Our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.
Text: tr. composite; Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 119:46; 34:1–2, 11, 22
P I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,] and shall not be put to shame. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Almighty and gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and deliver us in times of temptation, defend us against all enemies, and grant to Your Church Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
First Reading Revelation 14:6–7
6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 46
1God is our ref- | uge and strength,*
a very present help in | trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear though the | earth gives way,*
though the mountains be moved into the heart | of the sea,
3though its waters | roar and foam,*
though the mountains tremble at its | swelling.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- | y of God,*
the holy habitation of the | Most High.
5God is in the midst of her; she shall | not be moved;*
God will help her when | morning dawns.
6The nations rage, the kingdoms | totter;*
he utters his voice, the | earth melts.
7The Lord of hosts is | with us;*
the God of Jacob is our | fortress.
8Come, behold the works | of the Lord,*
how he has brought desolations | on the earth.
9He makes wars cease to the end | of the earth;*
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots | with fire.
10“Be still, and know that | I am God.*
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted | in the earth!”
11The Lord of hosts is | with us;*
the God of Jacob is our | fortress.
Epistle Romans 3:19–28
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel John 8:31–36
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighth chapter.
31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 582 “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
sung to the melody of 657, “A Mighty Fortress”
1 God’s Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way,
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure,
We keep its teachings pure
Throughout all generations.
Text: Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig, 1783–1872; tr. Ole G. Belsheim, 1861–1925, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage” John 8:31-32
God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage – John 8:31-32
Today is Reformation Sunday. This coming Thursday is the actual 507th anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg. It became the triggering event that led to a reformation in the church.
Many people are confused about what the word reformation means. Reformation is not the same as revolution. It is not about innovation. It is not about creativity. Reformation is about getting back to the basics. Reformation is about going back to the truth.
Most of the time, when we Lutherans say “Reformation,” we mean the sixteenth century reformation in Europe. While that reformation was important and while that reformation was a great event in world history, it is NOT the only reformation. In fact, there have been many reformations. We can find several of them in the Old Testament. For example, in 2 Kings 18 we read:
“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah poles of the false gods. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings 18:1,3-4a, 5) Hezekiah led people back to the truth. He brought back the true worship of the true God. That is what reformation is about---getting back to the truth
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. “In the eighteenth year of King Josiah [when he was 26 years old], Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it before the king.”
“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, ‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’" (2 Kings 22:1-13) Josiah's ancestors had strayed so far from the Lord that the Book of the Law got lost in the temple. When Josiah learned what the Book of the Law said, he and the members of his court became reformers. They were getting back to the truth.
There are many reformations in the Bible. Israel often strayed from the Lord, and God often sent a reformer to bring them back to the truth. In a way, Jesus Christ Himself was the greatest of all reformers, for He led the people back to the truth. In today's Gospel, we heard Him say, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
After Jesus ascended, He sent many people to lead the church back to the truth. Martin Luther is one of a long line of reformers that God used to bring a straying church back to the truth. We could say that because we are always straying from the truth, we always need reforming. We always need to get back to the truth. Reformation is not about starting something new. Instead, it is about getting back to the way things are supposed to be.
When Luther posted the 95 Theses, He had no intention of being a reformer. He only wanted to host a scholarly debate on indulgences. The 95 Theses were simply the points he wanted to debate. He not only posted them on the door of the church, but he also mailed them to people that he thought would be interested in the topic. He had no idea that he was exposing the corruption in the church. He had no idea that the church hierarchy would respond so aggressively.
As the church reacted to Luther's posting, they forced Luther to study the words of Holy Scripture in order to defend himself. As Luther immersed himself in Holy Scripture, he discovered a way of salvation that was very different from the teachings he had received as he grew up. The teaching that he received growing up filled him with terror and dread over his sins and the punishment he deserved. The teaching he discovered in Holy Scripture filled him with confidence in his salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures taught Martin Luther that he had absolutely nothing to do with his salvation. Instead, Justification before God is solely through the righteousness of Christ, imputed to the believer, without the works of the law. If our salvation depends on Christ and Christ alone, then it is done. Jesus promised, and He died to keep that promise. It is just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:22-25)
Luther began to find this teaching everywhere in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) Then there is the promise the Lord made to Abraham: "In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 22:18)
Our enemies, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, do not want you to know this truth. They continually tempt you to stray from it. They continually try to convince you that you don't need Jesus for salvation. The teachings of our enemies come in many ways. Nevertheless, in the end, they all want you to believe that you don't need the Jesus of the Bible.
+The Universalist reasons that a loving god would never send anyone to hell. Therefore, everyone will go to heaven. In other words, there is universal salvation for all
+Others try to explain that the laws in the Bible were written for the primitive people of long ago. Since we have become so advanced, we no longer need to keep those laws.
+Others judge themselves against the behavior of their other people. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed this way: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” (Luke 18:11-12) Have you ever tried to convince a police officer not to give you a ticket because other people were driving faster than you were? It probably only made them mad.
+Then there are the "good outweighs the bad" people. "Yes, I know I've done some really bad things, but I've also done a lot of good things. The good outweighs the bad, right?" I once saw a movie about a doctor who had an incredible knowledge of human anatomy. He used this knowledge to successfully treat hundreds of patients. He saved the lives of thousands. Everyone thought of him as a miracle worker. Then the people learned that his knowledge of the human body came from the "experiments" he conducted in NAZI concentration camps. Eventually, the world court found Josef Mengele guilty of crimes against humanity. He spent the rest of his life in prison. After all the lives he saved, he was still guilty.
There are countless other ways in which our enemies try to convince us that we do not need Jesus. Paul's words in today's epistle tell us otherwise. “By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” These words and many other verses in the Bible tell us that there is nothing that we can do in our own strength, there is nothing we can do that will earn or merit eternal life. Instead, God's divine law condemns us and shows our sin.
Our enemies constantly tempt us to stray. This is the reason God continually sends reformers, people to call us back to the truth. This is the reason pastors need to constantly follow the example of Paul who wrote, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) We need to constantly proclaim Christ crucified, not Christ the life coach, not Christ the divine example, not Christ who was merely a good man, but Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, who led a perfect life and then exchanged His righteousness for your sin with His suffering and death on the cross who rose from the dead to give you absolute certainty of eternal life that even though you die, He will raise you and all the dead, and give eternal life to you and all believers in Christ.
The posting of the 95 Theses was like a small sound that triggers an avalanche. There are times when the deep snow accumulates in the mountains, and the smallest sound can trigger an avalanche of incredible power. Laughter, a sneeze, a shout, a baby's cry, and suddenly it is as if the side of the mountain has come to life with villages buried, lives lost and so forth. In October of 1517, all of Europe was like a mountain piled high with snow. Luther's 95 Theses set off a historical avalanche that we still feel today, an avalanche that restored the Gospel to the church and gave us comfort and confidence in our salvation. We give thanks for Martin Luther and his fellow reformers on this day. We also remember that we still stray, and God still works reformation in us to bring us back to the truth in His word.
As Nicolai Grundtvig penned 300 years after Oct. 31, 1517:
“God’s Word is our great heritage and shall be ours forever; To spread its truth from age to age shall be our chief endeavor. Through life, it guides our way, In death it is our stay. Lord, grant while worlds endure, we keep its teachings pure throughout all generations.”
Offertory
Offering
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Reformation Day - 31 October 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, we give You thanks and praise for all Your goodness and tender care, especially on this Reformation festival. Thank You for the gift of Your Son and for the revelation of Your will and grace. Implant Your Word in us, and give us fertile hearts to keep it and bring forth its good fruit in our lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of grace, keep us steadfast in Your Word, and prevent our wayward hearts from following false gospels that lead us away from You. Provide Your Church with faithful pastors who preach in purity and joy, that we are saved by Your grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, You have great power and yet You act with mercy. Teach those who lead us to use power rightly for the preservation of order, the accomplishment of justice, the protection of life and the defense of the weak. Give us wise, godly and faithful leaders who will follow Your commands and serve with integrity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, remember all who face adversity of any kind [especially _____________]. Comfort them by Your Holy Spirit, that they would acknowledge their afflictions as the manifestation of Your fatherly will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given us the certainty of sins forgiven in Your Son, set forth as the propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. So lead us to eat and drink Your holy body and precious blood in repentance and faith, now and always. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Preserve Your Church, O Lord, and each of us as members of Christ’s Body, that we may not surrender the true Gospel for any reason, but be kept in this faith and fear throughout the days of our earthly pilgrimage, until that day when we and all Your people shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the reward You have prepared for us and all who have loved His appearing; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
The Rite of Junior Confirmation for Gabriel Dixon LSB 272
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who on this day overcame death and the grave and by His glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
557 “Seek Where You May to Find a Way”
1 Seek where you may
To find a way
That leads to your salvation.
My heart is stilled,
On Christ I build,
He is the one foundation.
His Word is sure,
His works endure;
He overthrows
All evil foes;
Through Him I more than conquer.
2 Seek whom you may
To be your stay,
None can redeem his brother.
All helpers failed;
This man prevailed,
The God-man and none other,
Our Servant-King
Of whom we sing.
We’re justified
Because He died,
The guilty being guiltless.
3 Seek Him alone
Who did atone,
Who did your souls deliver.
O seek Him first,
All you who thirst
For grace that fails you never.
In ev’ry need
Seek Him indeed;
To ev’ry heart
He will impart
His blessings without measure.
4 My heart’s delight,
My crown most bright,
O Christ, my joy forever.
Not wealth nor pride
Nor fortune’s tide
Our bonds of love shall sever.
You are my Lord;
Your precious Word
Shall guide my way
And help me stay
Forever in Your presence.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Arthur P. Voss, 1899–1955, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
655 “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”
1 Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;
Curb those who by deceit or sword
Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son
And bring to naught all He has done.
2 Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow’r make known,
For You are Lord of lords alone;
Defend Your holy Church that we
May sing Your praise eternally.
3 O Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth;
Support us in our final strife
And lead us out of death to life.
Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 657 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
2 No strength of ours can match his might.
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is He,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God’s only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.
3 Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat’ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow’r us.
Let this world’s tyrant rage;
In battle we’ll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God’s judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
4 God’s Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God Himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom’s ours forever!
Text: tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978; Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Festival of the Reformation (Observed) – October 27, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
WE WELCOME Gabe Dixon as a communicant member today as he publicly confesses his faith through the rite of Jr. Confirmation! Welcome in Jesus’ Name!
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
TODAY, at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
Hang on! God will remain faithful. Don't despair. Cling to the truth the psalmist proclaims: "Wait with hope for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous" (Psalm 27:14). The Lord won't extinguish a smoking wick but instead will make it glow brightly. He won't break the damaged cattail but instead will strengthen it (Isaiah 42:3)—Martin Luther.
"The LORD your God is in your midst.”
Zephaniah 3:17
Reformation Day (Observed)
October 27, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 656 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
A trusty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.
2 With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.
3 Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none.
He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.
4 The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
Our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.
Text: tr. composite; Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 119:46; 34:1–2, 11, 22
P I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,] and shall not be put to shame. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Almighty and gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and deliver us in times of temptation, defend us against all enemies, and grant to Your Church Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
First Reading Revelation 14:6–7
6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 46
1God is our ref- | uge and strength,*
a very present help in | trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear though the | earth gives way,*
though the mountains be moved into the heart | of the sea,
3though its waters | roar and foam,*
though the mountains tremble at its | swelling.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the cit- | y of God,*
the holy habitation of the | Most High.
5God is in the midst of her; she shall | not be moved;*
God will help her when | morning dawns.
6The nations rage, the kingdoms | totter;*
he utters his voice, the | earth melts.
7The Lord of hosts is | with us;*
the God of Jacob is our | fortress.
8Come, behold the works | of the Lord,*
how he has brought desolations | on the earth.
9He makes wars cease to the end | of the earth;*
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots | with fire.
10“Be still, and know that | I am God.*
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted | in the earth!”
11The Lord of hosts is | with us;*
the God of Jacob is our | fortress.
Epistle Romans 3:19–28
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel John 8:31–36
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighth chapter.
31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 582 “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
sung to the melody of 657, “A Mighty Fortress”
1 God’s Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way,
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure,
We keep its teachings pure
Throughout all generations.
Text: Nikolai Fredrik Severin Grundtvig, 1783–1872; tr. Ole G. Belsheim, 1861–1925, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage” John 8:31-32
God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage – John 8:31-32
Today is Reformation Sunday. This coming Thursday is the actual 507th anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg. It became the triggering event that led to a reformation in the church.
Many people are confused about what the word reformation means. Reformation is not the same as revolution. It is not about innovation. It is not about creativity. Reformation is about getting back to the basics. Reformation is about going back to the truth.
Most of the time, when we Lutherans say “Reformation,” we mean the sixteenth century reformation in Europe. While that reformation was important and while that reformation was a great event in world history, it is NOT the only reformation. In fact, there have been many reformations. We can find several of them in the Old Testament. For example, in 2 Kings 18 we read:
“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah poles of the false gods. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings 18:1,3-4a, 5) Hezekiah led people back to the truth. He brought back the true worship of the true God. That is what reformation is about---getting back to the truth
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. “In the eighteenth year of King Josiah [when he was 26 years old], Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it before the king.”
“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, ‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’" (2 Kings 22:1-13) Josiah's ancestors had strayed so far from the Lord that the Book of the Law got lost in the temple. When Josiah learned what the Book of the Law said, he and the members of his court became reformers. They were getting back to the truth.
There are many reformations in the Bible. Israel often strayed from the Lord, and God often sent a reformer to bring them back to the truth. In a way, Jesus Christ Himself was the greatest of all reformers, for He led the people back to the truth. In today's Gospel, we heard Him say, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
After Jesus ascended, He sent many people to lead the church back to the truth. Martin Luther is one of a long line of reformers that God used to bring a straying church back to the truth. We could say that because we are always straying from the truth, we always need reforming. We always need to get back to the truth. Reformation is not about starting something new. Instead, it is about getting back to the way things are supposed to be.
When Luther posted the 95 Theses, He had no intention of being a reformer. He only wanted to host a scholarly debate on indulgences. The 95 Theses were simply the points he wanted to debate. He not only posted them on the door of the church, but he also mailed them to people that he thought would be interested in the topic. He had no idea that he was exposing the corruption in the church. He had no idea that the church hierarchy would respond so aggressively.
As the church reacted to Luther's posting, they forced Luther to study the words of Holy Scripture in order to defend himself. As Luther immersed himself in Holy Scripture, he discovered a way of salvation that was very different from the teachings he had received as he grew up. The teaching that he received growing up filled him with terror and dread over his sins and the punishment he deserved. The teaching he discovered in Holy Scripture filled him with confidence in his salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures taught Martin Luther that he had absolutely nothing to do with his salvation. Instead, Justification before God is solely through the righteousness of Christ, imputed to the believer, without the works of the law. If our salvation depends on Christ and Christ alone, then it is done. Jesus promised, and He died to keep that promise. It is just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:22-25)
Luther began to find this teaching everywhere in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) Then there is the promise the Lord made to Abraham: "In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 22:18)
Our enemies, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, do not want you to know this truth. They continually tempt you to stray from it. They continually try to convince you that you don't need Jesus for salvation. The teachings of our enemies come in many ways. Nevertheless, in the end, they all want you to believe that you don't need the Jesus of the Bible.
+The Universalist reasons that a loving god would never send anyone to hell. Therefore, everyone will go to heaven. In other words, there is universal salvation for all
+Others try to explain that the laws in the Bible were written for the primitive people of long ago. Since we have become so advanced, we no longer need to keep those laws.
+Others judge themselves against the behavior of their other people. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed this way: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” (Luke 18:11-12) Have you ever tried to convince a police officer not to give you a ticket because other people were driving faster than you were? It probably only made them mad.
+Then there are the "good outweighs the bad" people. "Yes, I know I've done some really bad things, but I've also done a lot of good things. The good outweighs the bad, right?" I once saw a movie about a doctor who had an incredible knowledge of human anatomy. He used this knowledge to successfully treat hundreds of patients. He saved the lives of thousands. Everyone thought of him as a miracle worker. Then the people learned that his knowledge of the human body came from the "experiments" he conducted in NAZI concentration camps. Eventually, the world court found Josef Mengele guilty of crimes against humanity. He spent the rest of his life in prison. After all the lives he saved, he was still guilty.
There are countless other ways in which our enemies try to convince us that we do not need Jesus. Paul's words in today's epistle tell us otherwise. “By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” These words and many other verses in the Bible tell us that there is nothing that we can do in our own strength, there is nothing we can do that will earn or merit eternal life. Instead, God's divine law condemns us and shows our sin.
Our enemies constantly tempt us to stray. This is the reason God continually sends reformers, people to call us back to the truth. This is the reason pastors need to constantly follow the example of Paul who wrote, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) We need to constantly proclaim Christ crucified, not Christ the life coach, not Christ the divine example, not Christ who was merely a good man, but Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, who led a perfect life and then exchanged His righteousness for your sin with His suffering and death on the cross who rose from the dead to give you absolute certainty of eternal life that even though you die, He will raise you and all the dead, and give eternal life to you and all believers in Christ.
The posting of the 95 Theses was like a small sound that triggers an avalanche. There are times when the deep snow accumulates in the mountains, and the smallest sound can trigger an avalanche of incredible power. Laughter, a sneeze, a shout, a baby's cry, and suddenly it is as if the side of the mountain has come to life with villages buried, lives lost and so forth. In October of 1517, all of Europe was like a mountain piled high with snow. Luther's 95 Theses set off a historical avalanche that we still feel today, an avalanche that restored the Gospel to the church and gave us comfort and confidence in our salvation. We give thanks for Martin Luther and his fellow reformers on this day. We also remember that we still stray, and God still works reformation in us to bring us back to the truth in His word.
As Nicolai Grundtvig penned 300 years after Oct. 31, 1517:
“God’s Word is our great heritage and shall be ours forever; To spread its truth from age to age shall be our chief endeavor. Through life, it guides our way, In death it is our stay. Lord, grant while worlds endure, we keep its teachings pure throughout all generations.”
Offertory
Offering
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Reformation Day - 31 October 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, we give You thanks and praise for all Your goodness and tender care, especially on this Reformation festival. Thank You for the gift of Your Son and for the revelation of Your will and grace. Implant Your Word in us, and give us fertile hearts to keep it and bring forth its good fruit in our lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of grace, keep us steadfast in Your Word, and prevent our wayward hearts from following false gospels that lead us away from You. Provide Your Church with faithful pastors who preach in purity and joy, that we are saved by Your grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, You have great power and yet You act with mercy. Teach those who lead us to use power rightly for the preservation of order, the accomplishment of justice, the protection of life and the defense of the weak. Give us wise, godly and faithful leaders who will follow Your commands and serve with integrity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, remember all who face adversity of any kind [especially _____________]. Comfort them by Your Holy Spirit, that they would acknowledge their afflictions as the manifestation of Your fatherly will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given us the certainty of sins forgiven in Your Son, set forth as the propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. So lead us to eat and drink Your holy body and precious blood in repentance and faith, now and always. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Preserve Your Church, O Lord, and each of us as members of Christ’s Body, that we may not surrender the true Gospel for any reason, but be kept in this faith and fear throughout the days of our earthly pilgrimage, until that day when we and all Your people shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the reward You have prepared for us and all who have loved His appearing; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
The Rite of Junior Confirmation for Gabriel Dixon LSB 272
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who on this day overcame death and the grave and by His glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
557 “Seek Where You May to Find a Way”
1 Seek where you may
To find a way
That leads to your salvation.
My heart is stilled,
On Christ I build,
He is the one foundation.
His Word is sure,
His works endure;
He overthrows
All evil foes;
Through Him I more than conquer.
2 Seek whom you may
To be your stay,
None can redeem his brother.
All helpers failed;
This man prevailed,
The God-man and none other,
Our Servant-King
Of whom we sing.
We’re justified
Because He died,
The guilty being guiltless.
3 Seek Him alone
Who did atone,
Who did your souls deliver.
O seek Him first,
All you who thirst
For grace that fails you never.
In ev’ry need
Seek Him indeed;
To ev’ry heart
He will impart
His blessings without measure.
4 My heart’s delight,
My crown most bright,
O Christ, my joy forever.
Not wealth nor pride
Nor fortune’s tide
Our bonds of love shall sever.
You are my Lord;
Your precious Word
Shall guide my way
And help me stay
Forever in Your presence.
Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Arthur P. Voss, 1899–1955, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
655 “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”
1 Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;
Curb those who by deceit or sword
Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son
And bring to naught all He has done.
2 Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow’r make known,
For You are Lord of lords alone;
Defend Your holy Church that we
May sing Your praise eternally.
3 O Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth;
Support us in our final strife
And lead us out of death to life.
Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 657 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
1 A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
2 No strength of ours can match his might.
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is He,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God’s only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.
3 Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat’ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow’r us.
Let this world’s tyrant rage;
In battle we’ll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God’s judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
4 God’s Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God Himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom’s ours forever!
Text: tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978; Martin Luther, 1483–1546
Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost – October 20, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Randy Peeters
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Devra Eisert
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
Be open to conversations - Aaron Earls
Half of Americans (51%), including 60% of the religiously unaffiliated, say they’re curious as to why some people are so devoted to their faith, according to a recent Lifeway Research study. Two in 3 Americans (66%) say they’re at least open to having a conversation about faith with a friend. And 51% are even open to those conversations with a stranger. Even with a growing number of Americans no longer believing in God’s existence, most are still willing to have a conversation about faith and religion.
"The LORD your God is in your midst.” Zephaniah 3:17
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
October 20, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 906 “O Day of Rest and Gladness”
1 O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright;
This day the high and lowly,
Through ages joined to bless,
Sing, “Holy, holy, holy,”
The triune God confess.
2 This day at earth’s creation
The light first had its birth;
This day for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
This day our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heav’n,
And thus this day most glorious
A threefold light was giv’n.
3 This day, God’s people meeting,
His Holy Scripture hear;
His living presence greeting,
Through bread and wine made near.
We journey on, believing,
Renewed with heav’nly might,
From grace more grace receiving,
On this blest day of light.
D 4 That light our hope sustaining,
We walk the pilgrim way,
At length our rest attaining,
Our endless Sabbath day.
We sing to Thee our praises,
O Father, Spirit, Son;
The Church her voice upraises
To Thee, blest Three in One.
Text (sts. 1–2): Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85, alt.; (st. 3): Charles P. Price, 1920–99; (st. 4): The Hymnal 1982
Text (sts. 1–2): Public domain
Text (st. 3): © 1982 Charles P. Price; (st. 4): © 1985 The Church Pension Fund. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Ecclesiastes 5:10–20
L A reading from Ecclesiastes, chapter 5.
10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Hebrews 4:1–13
L A reading from Hebrews, chapter 4.
1Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.”
6Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
11Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Holy Gospel Mark 10:23–31
L A reading from St. Mark, chapter 10.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 690 “Hope of the World”
1 Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion;
Speak to our fearful hearts by conflict rent.
Save us, Thy people, from consuming passion,
Who by our own false hopes and aims are spent.
2 Hope of the world, God’s gift from highest heaven,
Bringing to hungry souls the bread of life,
Still let Thy Spirit unto us be given
To heal earth’s wounds and end our bitter strife.
3 Hope of the world, afoot on dusty highways,
Showing to wand’ring souls the path of light,
Walk Thou beside us lest the tempting byways
Lure us away from Thee to endless night.
4 Hope of the world, who by Thy cross didst save us
From death and dark despair, from sin and guilt,
We render back the love Thy mercy gave us;
Take Thou our lives and use them as Thou wilt.
5 Hope of the world, O Christ, o’er death victorious,
Who by this sign didst conquer grief and pain,
We would be faithful to Thy Gospel glorious.
Thou art our Lord! Thou dost forever reign!
Text: Georgia Harkness, 1891–1974
Text: © 1954, renewed 1982 The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Then Who Can Be Saved?” Mark 10:23-31
Then Who Can Be Saved? Mark 10:23-31
Last week we heard an encounter that Jesus had with a man who ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Jesus used this question to teach this man and us that there is nothing that anyone can do to earn eternal life for himself. God is the one who must act if we are to have eternal life.
Jesus specifically showed the man that he loved his stuff more than he loved God. Jesus said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21–22) Jesus gave the man a lot to think about. He had to come to grips with his sin of idolatry and his need for forgiveness from Jesus.
Today’s Gospel then continues this account. “As the man went away sorrowful, Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were amazed at his words.” (Mark 10:23–24) Jesus said something that seems fairly reasonable to us, but the disciples were amazed at His words. Why did these words seem so unusual to the disciples when they don’t seem all that unusual to us?
This is where we need to remember those three things that are very important for Biblical interpretation … (You’ve heard this before.) … context, context, and context. In this case, we need to review the cultural context of First Century Israel.
The twenty-first century culture of the United States simply does not have the respect for wealth that was common in First Century Israel. In fact, there are quite a few people who look down on wealth. The first instinct of many people in our culture is to assume that wealthy people are somehow unethical, cruel, heartless, unfeeling, and so forth. This was not the case in First Century Israel.
The average citizen of First Century Israel looked up to the wealthy. As long as a person came by wealth honestly … hard work, good fortune, inheritance, and so forth … Wealthy people were considered especially blessed by God. Ordinarily, people assumed that honest wealth on earth indicated an equivalent treasure in heaven. People assumed that the wealthy would be at the front of the line when it came time to enter the kingdom of God.
So when Jesus said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,” everyone who heard Him would think, “Well, if the wealthy have a hard time, then the rest of us don’t have a chance!” That is the reason that the disciples were amazed at his words.
Then Jesus reinforced His teaching with the camel through the eye of the needle metaphor. Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” (Mark 10:24–26) Remember now, that culture thought that it was easier for rich people to enter the kingdom of God than for poor people. So, if the impossibility of a rich person entering the kingdom of God is greater than the impossibility of a camel passing through the eye of a needle, then Jesus is basically saying that no one has a chance.
When the disciples asked the question, “Then who can be saved,” (Mark 10:26) the obvious answer is that nobody can do this. No one, not the rich, not the poor, no one can enter the Kingdom of God. That is the message of the law in today’s Gospel. The teaching in today’s Gospel is not that it is bad to be rich, but that no one is able to enter the Kingdom of God with their own resources. When Jesus said that the most respected members of the culture could not earn their way into God’s Kingdom, He was saying that none of us rich or poor can earn a place in God’s Kingdom. All of us are as likely to enter God’s Kingdom as a camel is likely to pass through the eye of a needle.
Jesus then revealed the one and only way to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) Here is the main teaching of today’s reading from the Gospel. It is indeed true that no one can earn his or her own way into the Kingdom of God. Instead, God must do all the work.
When God does all the work, it makes it look easy for us. Earlier in the service, I stood up here and forgave your sins. All I did was say the words. It was easy for me because God does all the work. Holy Baptism looks simple … a few words … a little water. It doesn’t look like much. God makes it look easy because He does all the work. Later on in the service, I will say a few words over some bread wafers and some wine. It doesn’t look like much because God does all the work. Even now, this sermon sounds like any other speech. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal because God makes it look easy.
In fact, in all these things, you are witnessing something more amazing than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. You are witnessing God at work forgiving sins. In Holy Baptism … in holy absolution … in the preaching and reading of the Word … in the Lord’s Table … God is at work. The Holy Spirit is busy pulling people into the Kingdom of God.
Now I said before that it looked easy for us. We say a few simple words. We apply a little water. We eat a tasteless wafer of flour. We drink a swallow of wine. Although it is easy for us, it was not easy for Jesus. A camel through a needle’s eye pales in comparison to what Jesus did to bring you and me into His kingdom.
In order to bring you and me into the Kingdom of God, Jesus, the Son of God, had to take on human flesh and become one of us. He had to live with sinful people without sinning Himself. Then He had to suffer unjust torture and a cruel death by crucifixion. That is the price that God paid so that you and I could enter His kingdom. Jesus had to sacrifice Himself for us on a cross. His death, the death of a perfect, holy, and innocent man, did for us what it is impossible for us to do for ourselves. He made it possible for the Kingdom of God to be in us and for us to be in the Kingdom of God.
When God brought you and me into the Kingdom of God, everything that Jesus did now belongs to us. Jesus lived the perfect life and you and I get the credit. Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross and you and I get the credit. Jesus rose from the dead and you and I have the promise of eternal life. Jesus did all the work. You and I receive all the blessings.
When we think about the miracles that God works so that we inherit eternal life, there are three that stand out. First of all, Jesus had to take our place and satisfy God’s justice. Second of all, the Holy Spirit had to work the miracle of faith in us. Finally, the Holy Spirit continually delivers forgiveness through the Gospel. Jesus took our place by living the perfect life, dying on the cross, and rising from the dead. The Holy Spirit did His part by joining us to Jesus in faith so that everything Jesus did now belongs to us. Now the Holy Spirit delivers forgiveness to us in the wet Gospel of Water and Word, the audible Gospel of absolution and preaching the Word, and the very body and blood of Christ in our mouths. That is quite a set of miracles. “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
1 We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord,
The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored.
To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing,
The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring:
“O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”
2 The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise;
The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise.
The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng,
Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song:
“O all-majestic Father, Your true and only Son,
And Holy Spirit, Comforter—forever Three in One!”
3 You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son,
Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ryone:
You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb,
Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb;
Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve--
You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
4 You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand,
Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command.
We know that You will come as our Judge that final day,
So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray;
May we with saints be numbered where praises never end,
In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24B) - 20 October 2024
Lord, You are near to the brokenhearted, and You save the crushed in spirit. Deliver us from every fear and trouble, that the praise of Your name would continually be in our mouths. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, with us salvation is impossible, but with You all things are possible. Give boldness to Your Church to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, by whose death and resurrection the way to Your kingdom has been opened. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bless all who study at our universities and seminaries. Raise up more church workers, for the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Spare the servants of Your Church from love of wealth and from fear of the difficulty of their task, that they would gladly set aside every comfort for Your sake and for the Gospel. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, lead our households to find eternal rest in Your Son and His Word. Give fathers and mothers diligence in teaching their children, and preserve us all from hardness of heart. Give us urgency to hear the good message of salvation today. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, guide our nation and its leaders in true wisdom to promote honest labor, temporal protection and fitting enjoyment under the sun. Guide Your Christians to serve Christ in their citizenship and callings. Do not let our hearts be occupied with the vanity of riches that perish, but with the true joy of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
When the righteous cry, You hear, O Lord, and deliver them out of all their troubles. Draw near to save the brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, the sick and those in need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Since we have a great High Priest, Jesus Christ, hold us fast in our confession through all temptation and preserve us from sin, O Lord. Give Your blessing to all who draw near to Your throne of grace, especially those who receive the blessed Sacrament this day, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, Your Son left His earthly home to do His saving work, and so He knows what it is to leave family behind. Comfort Your children who have left home and loved ones for the sake of the Gospel. Set them firmly into the family of the Church, and sustain them in the hope of eternal life in the age to come; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
626 “Come, Let Us Eat”
1 Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread,
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.
Our Lord’s body let us take together,
Our Lord’s body let us take together.
2 Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured,
Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured.
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together,
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together.
3 In His presence now we meet and rest,
In His presence now we meet and rest.
In the presence of our Lord we gather,
In the presence of our Lord we gather.
4 Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word,
Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word.
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom,
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom.
Text (sts. 1–3): tr. Margaret D. Miller, 1927, alt.; (sts. 1–3): Billema Kwillia, 1925; (st. 4): Gilbert E. Doan, 1930, alt.
Text (sts. 1–3): © Lutheran World Federation; (st. 4): © 1972 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
782 “Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings”
1 Gracious God, You send great blessings
New each morning all our days.
For Your mercies never ending,
For Your love we offer praise. Refrain
ref Lord, we pray that we, Your people
Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,
Through the sharing of Your blessings
May bring glory to Your name.
2 By Your Word You formed creation
Filled with creatures large and small;
As we tend that endless treasure
May our care encircle all. Refrain
3 In His earthly life, our Savior
Knew the care of faithful friends;
May our deeds of dedication
Offer love that never ends. Refrain
D 4 Heav’nly Father, may our caring
Bear the imprint of Your grace;
With the Son and Holy Spirit,
Praise be Yours in ev’ry place! Refrain
Text: Gregory J. Wismar, 1946
Text: © 2004 Gregory J. Wismar. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L O God, Your divine wisdom sets in order all things in heaven and on earth. Put away from us all things hurtful and give us those things that are beneficial for us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 850 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
1 God of grace and God of glory,
On Your people pour Your pow’r;
Crown Your ancient Church’s story;
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
2 Lo, the hosts of evil round us
Scorn the Christ, assail His ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
3 Cure Your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to Your control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal.
4 Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the gift of Your salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving You whom we adore,
Serving You whom we adore.
Text: Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1878–1969
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost – October 20, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Randy Peeters
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Devra Eisert
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
Be open to conversations - Aaron Earls
Half of Americans (51%), including 60% of the religiously unaffiliated, say they’re curious as to why some people are so devoted to their faith, according to a recent Lifeway Research study. Two in 3 Americans (66%) say they’re at least open to having a conversation about faith with a friend. And 51% are even open to those conversations with a stranger. Even with a growing number of Americans no longer believing in God’s existence, most are still willing to have a conversation about faith and religion.
"The LORD your God is in your midst.” Zephaniah 3:17
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
October 20, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 906 “O Day of Rest and Gladness”
1 O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright;
This day the high and lowly,
Through ages joined to bless,
Sing, “Holy, holy, holy,”
The triune God confess.
2 This day at earth’s creation
The light first had its birth;
This day for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
This day our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heav’n,
And thus this day most glorious
A threefold light was giv’n.
3 This day, God’s people meeting,
His Holy Scripture hear;
His living presence greeting,
Through bread and wine made near.
We journey on, believing,
Renewed with heav’nly might,
From grace more grace receiving,
On this blest day of light.
D 4 That light our hope sustaining,
We walk the pilgrim way,
At length our rest attaining,
Our endless Sabbath day.
We sing to Thee our praises,
O Father, Spirit, Son;
The Church her voice upraises
To Thee, blest Three in One.
Text (sts. 1–2): Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85, alt.; (st. 3): Charles P. Price, 1920–99; (st. 4): The Hymnal 1982
Text (sts. 1–2): Public domain
Text (st. 3): © 1982 Charles P. Price; (st. 4): © 1985 The Church Pension Fund. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Ecclesiastes 5:10–20
L A reading from Ecclesiastes, chapter 5.
10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Hebrews 4:1–13
L A reading from Hebrews, chapter 4.
1Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.”
6Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
11Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Holy Gospel Mark 10:23–31
L A reading from St. Mark, chapter 10.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 690 “Hope of the World”
1 Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion;
Speak to our fearful hearts by conflict rent.
Save us, Thy people, from consuming passion,
Who by our own false hopes and aims are spent.
2 Hope of the world, God’s gift from highest heaven,
Bringing to hungry souls the bread of life,
Still let Thy Spirit unto us be given
To heal earth’s wounds and end our bitter strife.
3 Hope of the world, afoot on dusty highways,
Showing to wand’ring souls the path of light,
Walk Thou beside us lest the tempting byways
Lure us away from Thee to endless night.
4 Hope of the world, who by Thy cross didst save us
From death and dark despair, from sin and guilt,
We render back the love Thy mercy gave us;
Take Thou our lives and use them as Thou wilt.
5 Hope of the world, O Christ, o’er death victorious,
Who by this sign didst conquer grief and pain,
We would be faithful to Thy Gospel glorious.
Thou art our Lord! Thou dost forever reign!
Text: Georgia Harkness, 1891–1974
Text: © 1954, renewed 1982 The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Then Who Can Be Saved?” Mark 10:23-31
Then Who Can Be Saved? Mark 10:23-31
Last week we heard an encounter that Jesus had with a man who ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) Jesus used this question to teach this man and us that there is nothing that anyone can do to earn eternal life for himself. God is the one who must act if we are to have eternal life.
Jesus specifically showed the man that he loved his stuff more than he loved God. Jesus said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21–22) Jesus gave the man a lot to think about. He had to come to grips with his sin of idolatry and his need for forgiveness from Jesus.
Today’s Gospel then continues this account. “As the man went away sorrowful, Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were amazed at his words.” (Mark 10:23–24) Jesus said something that seems fairly reasonable to us, but the disciples were amazed at His words. Why did these words seem so unusual to the disciples when they don’t seem all that unusual to us?
This is where we need to remember those three things that are very important for Biblical interpretation … (You’ve heard this before.) … context, context, and context. In this case, we need to review the cultural context of First Century Israel.
The twenty-first century culture of the United States simply does not have the respect for wealth that was common in First Century Israel. In fact, there are quite a few people who look down on wealth. The first instinct of many people in our culture is to assume that wealthy people are somehow unethical, cruel, heartless, unfeeling, and so forth. This was not the case in First Century Israel.
The average citizen of First Century Israel looked up to the wealthy. As long as a person came by wealth honestly … hard work, good fortune, inheritance, and so forth … Wealthy people were considered especially blessed by God. Ordinarily, people assumed that honest wealth on earth indicated an equivalent treasure in heaven. People assumed that the wealthy would be at the front of the line when it came time to enter the kingdom of God.
So when Jesus said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,” everyone who heard Him would think, “Well, if the wealthy have a hard time, then the rest of us don’t have a chance!” That is the reason that the disciples were amazed at his words.
Then Jesus reinforced His teaching with the camel through the eye of the needle metaphor. Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” (Mark 10:24–26) Remember now, that culture thought that it was easier for rich people to enter the kingdom of God than for poor people. So, if the impossibility of a rich person entering the kingdom of God is greater than the impossibility of a camel passing through the eye of a needle, then Jesus is basically saying that no one has a chance.
When the disciples asked the question, “Then who can be saved,” (Mark 10:26) the obvious answer is that nobody can do this. No one, not the rich, not the poor, no one can enter the Kingdom of God. That is the message of the law in today’s Gospel. The teaching in today’s Gospel is not that it is bad to be rich, but that no one is able to enter the Kingdom of God with their own resources. When Jesus said that the most respected members of the culture could not earn their way into God’s Kingdom, He was saying that none of us rich or poor can earn a place in God’s Kingdom. All of us are as likely to enter God’s Kingdom as a camel is likely to pass through the eye of a needle.
Jesus then revealed the one and only way to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) Here is the main teaching of today’s reading from the Gospel. It is indeed true that no one can earn his or her own way into the Kingdom of God. Instead, God must do all the work.
When God does all the work, it makes it look easy for us. Earlier in the service, I stood up here and forgave your sins. All I did was say the words. It was easy for me because God does all the work. Holy Baptism looks simple … a few words … a little water. It doesn’t look like much. God makes it look easy because He does all the work. Later on in the service, I will say a few words over some bread wafers and some wine. It doesn’t look like much because God does all the work. Even now, this sermon sounds like any other speech. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal because God makes it look easy.
In fact, in all these things, you are witnessing something more amazing than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. You are witnessing God at work forgiving sins. In Holy Baptism … in holy absolution … in the preaching and reading of the Word … in the Lord’s Table … God is at work. The Holy Spirit is busy pulling people into the Kingdom of God.
Now I said before that it looked easy for us. We say a few simple words. We apply a little water. We eat a tasteless wafer of flour. We drink a swallow of wine. Although it is easy for us, it was not easy for Jesus. A camel through a needle’s eye pales in comparison to what Jesus did to bring you and me into His kingdom.
In order to bring you and me into the Kingdom of God, Jesus, the Son of God, had to take on human flesh and become one of us. He had to live with sinful people without sinning Himself. Then He had to suffer unjust torture and a cruel death by crucifixion. That is the price that God paid so that you and I could enter His kingdom. Jesus had to sacrifice Himself for us on a cross. His death, the death of a perfect, holy, and innocent man, did for us what it is impossible for us to do for ourselves. He made it possible for the Kingdom of God to be in us and for us to be in the Kingdom of God.
When God brought you and me into the Kingdom of God, everything that Jesus did now belongs to us. Jesus lived the perfect life and you and I get the credit. Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross and you and I get the credit. Jesus rose from the dead and you and I have the promise of eternal life. Jesus did all the work. You and I receive all the blessings.
When we think about the miracles that God works so that we inherit eternal life, there are three that stand out. First of all, Jesus had to take our place and satisfy God’s justice. Second of all, the Holy Spirit had to work the miracle of faith in us. Finally, the Holy Spirit continually delivers forgiveness through the Gospel. Jesus took our place by living the perfect life, dying on the cross, and rising from the dead. The Holy Spirit did His part by joining us to Jesus in faith so that everything Jesus did now belongs to us. Now the Holy Spirit delivers forgiveness to us in the wet Gospel of Water and Word, the audible Gospel of absolution and preaching the Word, and the very body and blood of Christ in our mouths. That is quite a set of miracles. “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
1 We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord,
The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored.
To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing,
The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring:
“O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”
2 The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise;
The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise.
The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng,
Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song:
“O all-majestic Father, Your true and only Son,
And Holy Spirit, Comforter—forever Three in One!”
3 You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son,
Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ryone:
You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb,
Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb;
Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve--
You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
4 You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand,
Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command.
We know that You will come as our Judge that final day,
So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray;
May we with saints be numbered where praises never end,
In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24B) - 20 October 2024
Lord, You are near to the brokenhearted, and You save the crushed in spirit. Deliver us from every fear and trouble, that the praise of Your name would continually be in our mouths. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, with us salvation is impossible, but with You all things are possible. Give boldness to Your Church to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, by whose death and resurrection the way to Your kingdom has been opened. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bless all who study at our universities and seminaries. Raise up more church workers, for the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Spare the servants of Your Church from love of wealth and from fear of the difficulty of their task, that they would gladly set aside every comfort for Your sake and for the Gospel. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, lead our households to find eternal rest in Your Son and His Word. Give fathers and mothers diligence in teaching their children, and preserve us all from hardness of heart. Give us urgency to hear the good message of salvation today. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, guide our nation and its leaders in true wisdom to promote honest labor, temporal protection and fitting enjoyment under the sun. Guide Your Christians to serve Christ in their citizenship and callings. Do not let our hearts be occupied with the vanity of riches that perish, but with the true joy of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
When the righteous cry, You hear, O Lord, and deliver them out of all their troubles. Draw near to save the brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, the sick and those in need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Since we have a great High Priest, Jesus Christ, hold us fast in our confession through all temptation and preserve us from sin, O Lord. Give Your blessing to all who draw near to Your throne of grace, especially those who receive the blessed Sacrament this day, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, Your Son left His earthly home to do His saving work, and so He knows what it is to leave family behind. Comfort Your children who have left home and loved ones for the sake of the Gospel. Set them firmly into the family of the Church, and sustain them in the hope of eternal life in the age to come; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
626 “Come, Let Us Eat”
1 Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread,
Come, let us eat, for now the feast is spread.
Our Lord’s body let us take together,
Our Lord’s body let us take together.
2 Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured,
Come, let us drink, for now the wine is poured.
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together,
Jesus’ blood poured let us drink together.
3 In His presence now we meet and rest,
In His presence now we meet and rest.
In the presence of our Lord we gather,
In the presence of our Lord we gather.
4 Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word,
Rise, then, to spread abroad God’s mighty Word.
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom,
Jesus risen will bring in the Kingdom.
Text (sts. 1–3): tr. Margaret D. Miller, 1927, alt.; (sts. 1–3): Billema Kwillia, 1925; (st. 4): Gilbert E. Doan, 1930, alt.
Text (sts. 1–3): © Lutheran World Federation; (st. 4): © 1972 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
782 “Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings”
1 Gracious God, You send great blessings
New each morning all our days.
For Your mercies never ending,
For Your love we offer praise. Refrain
ref Lord, we pray that we, Your people
Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,
Through the sharing of Your blessings
May bring glory to Your name.
2 By Your Word You formed creation
Filled with creatures large and small;
As we tend that endless treasure
May our care encircle all. Refrain
3 In His earthly life, our Savior
Knew the care of faithful friends;
May our deeds of dedication
Offer love that never ends. Refrain
D 4 Heav’nly Father, may our caring
Bear the imprint of Your grace;
With the Son and Holy Spirit,
Praise be Yours in ev’ry place! Refrain
Text: Gregory J. Wismar, 1946
Text: © 2004 Gregory J. Wismar. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
L O God, Your divine wisdom sets in order all things in heaven and on earth. Put away from us all things hurtful and give us those things that are beneficial for us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 850 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
1 God of grace and God of glory,
On Your people pour Your pow’r;
Crown Your ancient Church’s story;
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
2 Lo, the hosts of evil round us
Scorn the Christ, assail His ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
3 Cure Your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to Your control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Your kingdom’s goal.
4 Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the gift of Your salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving You whom we adore,
Serving You whom we adore.
Text: Harry Emerson Fosdick, 1878–1969
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost – October 13, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Gena Dillon
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song,
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm;
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
When strivings cease,
My Comforter, My All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand!
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 13, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 915 “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”
1 Today Your mercy calls us
To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass,
Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy
Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us
And make us clean today.
2 Today Your gate is open,
And all who enter in
Shall find a Father’s welcome
And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten,
A present joy be giv’n,
A future grace be promised,
A glorious crown in heav’n.
3 Today our Father calls us;
His Holy Spirit waits;
His blessèd angels gather
Around the heav’nly gates.
No question will be asked us
How often we have come;
Although we oft have wandered,
It is our Father’s home.
4 O all-embracing Mercy,
O ever-open Door,
What should we do without You
When heart and eye run o’er?
When all things seem against us,
To drive us to despair,
We know one gate is open,
One ear will hear our prayer.
Text: Oswald Allen, 1816–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 112:1, 3–6
P Praise the Lord! Blessèd is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
Kyrie
Canticle: “This Is the Feast”
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace always precedes and follows us, help us to forsake all trust in earthly gain and to find in You our heavenly treasure; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Amos 5:6–7, 10–15
6Seek the Lord and live,
lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
7O you who turn justice to wormwood
and cast down righteousness to the earth! . . .
10They hate him who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
11Therefore because you trample on the poor
and you exact taxes of grain from him,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12For I know how many are your transgressions
and how great are your sins--
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and turn aside the needy in the gate.
13Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time,
for it is an evil time.
14Seek good, and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
as you have said.
15Hate evil, and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 90:1,12–17
12So teach us to number | our days*
that we may get a heart of | wisdom.
13Return, O Lord! | How long?*
Have pity on your | servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your | steadfast love,*
that we may rejoice and be glad | all our days.
15Make us glad for as many days as you have af- | flicted us,*
and for as many years as we have seen | evil.
16Let your work be shown to your | servants,*
and your glorious power to their | children.
17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands up- | on us;*
yes, establish the work | of our hands!
Epistle Hebrews 3:12–19
12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Mark 10:17–22
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the tenth chapter.
17As [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: “694 Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower”
1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
Thee will I love, my hope, my joy.
Thee will I love with all my power,
With ardor time shall ne’er destroy.
Thee will I love, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
2 Thee will I love, my life, my Savior,
Who art my best and truest friend.
Thee will I love and praise forever,
For never shall Thy kindness end.
Thee will I love with all my heart--
Thou my Redeemer art!
3 I thank Thee, Jesus, Sun from heaven,
Whose radiance hath brought light to me;
I thank Thee, who hast richly given
All that could make me glad and free;
I thank Thee that my soul is healed
By what Thy lips revealed.
4 O keep me watchful, then, and humble;
Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble,
And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light,
O Radiance strong and bright!
5 Thee will I love, my crown of gladness;
Thee will I love, my God and Lord,
Amid the darkest depths of sadness,
And not for hope of high reward,
For Thine own sake, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
Text: Johann Scheffler, 1624–77; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Look What God Has Done” Mark 10:17-22
Look What God Has Done – Mark 10:17-22
The Gospel we just heard begins as a man ran up and knelt before [Jesus] and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) This question is a form of a very basic question that every human being asks. He was really asking a form of the question, “What must I do to get ahead?”
Every baby enters this world with the belief that he or she is the center of the universe. And, for a short time, the world does seem to cater to every little whim the baby has. The slightest squawk from the baby and someone … usually Mom … scrambles to care for every desire. For a brief moment in time, as infants, we all believed that we were the most important person in the universe. We thought we were the sum total of why the universe is even here.
But then we grow up. We learn that other people have rights. We learn to share. We learn to take our turn. We learn to stand in line. We learn that not only are we not the most important person in the universe, but we are not even the most important person in our own house. We begin to learn that there are rules that govern the way we should live.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that some rules will help us get ahead. The right education will help get a better job. The right investments will produce a wealthier portfolio. The right friends will open up new opportunities. And on, and on, and on.
At some point in time, we begin to wonder if there isn’t some sort of rule that will get us ahead indefinitely … some technique that will insure that we always win … that we always come out on top. We begin a search for the key to happiness, health, wealth, wisdom, and so forth. Naturally, there are thousands of authors in the “self-help” section of Amazon.com who would be more than happy to share the key to success with you for $12.95 plus shipping, and tax.
The fact that there are so many books in the self-help section indicates that no one really has the secret to success. But even if there was help for you in a book, or a seminar, or some other program, it would not be enough. Supposedly, someone once asked John D. Rockefeller how much is enough, and He replied, “Just a little bit more.” Now, whether he said that or not, it does reflect the desires of our inborn sinful nature. We are always on the lookout for that magic formula that will give us an advantage … a magic formula that will give us just a little bit more.
The man who came to Jesus seemed to want a little bit more. He wanted a little bit more assurance of his salvation. He had done everything that he could think of to guarantee his salvation, but he wasn’t really sure. Did he have all the bases covered? Was there one more technique that would give him confidence? Would one more bit of self-help give him that confidence he needed to live in victory? Maybe Jesus had that one gimmick that would insure his salvation forever. So he asked Jesus a question that demonstrated that he didn’t have a clue. He asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
Perhaps some of you have been heirs of a will or two. Did you do anything that made you heirs of those wills? You were heirs of the wills because someone else wrote you into the wills. You had nothing to do with it. When the man came to Jesus and talked about doing something to inherit something, he showed a basic lack of understanding about his salvation.
Jesus showed love for this man by showing him the reality of his situation. There is nothing the man could do to earn salvation.
Jesus began by reminding the man that only God is good enough to provide salvation. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18) At this point the man should have stopped to think, “If only God is good and I am not God, then I cannot be good.” Then Jesus reviewed the commandments that deal with loving the neighbor. He said, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
At this point the man should have realized that he did not love his neighbor as he loved himself. He should have come to understand that he could not possibly do anything to earn salvation, but he didn’t. Instead, he said to [Jesus], “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (Mark 10:20) Once again, he demonstrated his basic lack of understanding about his salvation. He had deluded himself into thinking he had kept these commandments perfectly.
It is at this point that the Holy Spirit inspired Mark to remind us that Jesus loved this man. The Greek word is ηγαπησεν (agapesen), a verb form of the word ἀγάπη (agape), that selfless form of giving love. Jesus loved him enough to tell him the truth about his condition. Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21) Jesus set up a condition that forced this man to realize that he loved his wealth more than he loved God.
How did the man respond? “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:22) The man’s possessions were literally more important to him than his own salvation. This man’s possessions were his god.
Is there anything or anyone that Jesus would ask of you that would cause you to be disheartened and walk away sorrowful? What gods are important to you? Financial security? Family? Friends? Happiness? Getting your own way? Your reputation among your peers? Later on this month, we will sing “A Mighty Fortress.” In that hymn we say, “And take they our life, goods, fame, child, or spouse, though these all be gone, our victory has been won.” Could you really surrender your life, goods, fame, child, or spouse?
Our Gospel tells us that Jesus loved this man with ἀγάπη love. ἀγάπη love gives people what they need, and that often means that it does not give people what they want. Jesus told this man what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear. This man needed to learn the hopelessness of his situation. He needed to learn that he could not save himself. He needed to understand that he needed a savior outside of himself. That is how Jesus showed His love to this man … even if it meant that the man would walk away sorrowful.
Jesus loves us the same way. He sends the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin. The Holy Spirit comes to us through the proclamation of the Word of God in order to shine the searing light of the law into our hearts. He shows our true nature to us. He takes us to the depths of pure terror as He shows us the future we have earned for ourselves. He shows us the true hopelessness of our good works.
It is only after we begin to understand that hopelessness of our own works that the Holy Spirit points to the one who actually did surrender everything … Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. He surrendered His throne at God the Father’s right hand and took up our human flesh. Even as a human being, He lived in poverty. Even though He is the author of the law, He lived under the law.
Jesus surrendered everything. He even surrendered His life, and when He died, He did not even own the clothes on His back. “They crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.” (Mark 15:24) Jesus surrendered Himself so that you and I would inherit eternal life. It is not what I do that inherits eternal life. It is what Jesus has already done. We inherit eternal life because Jesus made us heirs in His last will and testament by the promise of His word and the seal of His blood on the cross.
Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated the inheritance that He offers to all people by rising from the dead. In His resurrection, we have the promise that He will raise all the dead and give eternal life to all who believe in Him.
Jesus has named an executor to His estate, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel to deliver the inheritance of eternal life. The Holy Spirit also works through the Gospel to establish the faith that receives the inheritance of eternal life. Through that faith we constantly receive the forgiveness of our sins, and God declares us holy in his eyes. We stop asking the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Instead, the Holy Spirit uses us to point to Jesus and declare “Look what God has done to give me eternal life.”
We who believe already have our inheritance of eternal life. But when the time comes for us to leave this life, we will experience our inheritance more fully as members of the Church Triumphant in heaven. There, in heaven, we shall leave our sins behind and live under Jesus in His kingdom. There, we shall wait with Jesus for the Last Day when Jesus will raise our bodies to immortality, and we shall once again be complete in body and spirit and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. Amen
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B) - 13 October 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty and everlasting God, look with compassion on Your Church. Protect Your children from an evil, unbelieving heart that would lead us away from You into the deceitfulness of sin. By Your Spirit’s power, enable us to hold our original confidence firm to the end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, God of hosts, keep us from hating those You send to reprove us with Your law. Do not let us abhor those who speak Your truth to us, that we might repent and live. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son warns us against the danger of trusting in wealth and earthly goods. Give us hearts that are content with His promises and hands that are generous with our worldly possessions. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, in kindness remember the president of our country, our Congress and justices, and all who bear office in this land. Protect them from the temptations of power and wealth that would lead them away from their calling. Make their service a blessing to our land and its people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, have pity on [_____________ and] all Your servants afflicted in body or soul. Satisfy them with Your steadfast love in Christ, and grant health and healing in accord with Your perfect will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, satisfy our longing hearts with Your steadfast love here in the feast of Christ’s body and blood, that we may rejoice and be glad in You all our days and into eternity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give thanks to You, O Lord, for the faithful of every time and place who heard Your Word and held their confidence firm to the end. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may have our share with them in the eternal inheritance that You have promised; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
565 “Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ”
1 Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done,
They bid my fear depart. Refrain
ref To whom save Thee,
Who canst alone
For sin atone,
Lord, shall I flee?
2 Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ,
Can heal my bruisèd soul;
Thy stripes, not mine, contain
The balm that makes me whole. Refrain
3 Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
Has borne the crushing load
Of sins that none could bear
But the incarnate God. Refrain
4 Thy death, not mine, O Christ,
Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine
Would have been all too few. Refrain
5 Thy righteousness, O Christ,
Alone can cover me;
No righteousness avails
Save that which is of Thee. Refrain
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808–89, alt.
Text: Public domain
753 “All for Christ I Have Forsaken”
1 All for Christ I have forsaken
And have taken up my cross;
Worldly joy, its fame and fortune,
Now I count as worthless dross.
2 Who is sweeter than Christ Jesus?
No good thing in Him I lack!
Hand to plow, at peace I follow
Where He leads me . . . why look back?
3 Gone the past, unknown the future--
Grace supplies my daily breath;
Strong in Christ through death’s dark valley,
Firm and faithful unto death.
4 When God takes me home to heaven,
Should this be the day I die,
God will keep my spouse and children
As the apple of His eye.
5 Though the road ahead be thorny,
Though dark clouds all light obscure,
Though my cross-shaped path grows steeper,
With the Lord, I am secure.
Text: Calvin Chao, 1906–96; tr. Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 918 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”
1 Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
2 Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield;
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Text: William Williams, 1717–91, abr.; (st. 1): tr. Peter Williams, 1722–96, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. William Williams, 1717–91
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost – October 13, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Gena Dillon
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak
Whitley (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song,
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm;
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
When strivings cease,
My Comforter, My All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand!
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 13, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 915 “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”
1 Today Your mercy calls us
To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass,
Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy
Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us
And make us clean today.
2 Today Your gate is open,
And all who enter in
Shall find a Father’s welcome
And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten,
A present joy be giv’n,
A future grace be promised,
A glorious crown in heav’n.
3 Today our Father calls us;
His Holy Spirit waits;
His blessèd angels gather
Around the heav’nly gates.
No question will be asked us
How often we have come;
Although we oft have wandered,
It is our Father’s home.
4 O all-embracing Mercy,
O ever-open Door,
What should we do without You
When heart and eye run o’er?
When all things seem against us,
To drive us to despair,
We know one gate is open,
One ear will hear our prayer.
Text: Oswald Allen, 1816–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 112:1, 3–6
P Praise the Lord! Blessèd is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
Kyrie
Canticle: “This Is the Feast”
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace always precedes and follows us, help us to forsake all trust in earthly gain and to find in You our heavenly treasure; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Amos 5:6–7, 10–15
6Seek the Lord and live,
lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
7O you who turn justice to wormwood
and cast down righteousness to the earth! . . .
10They hate him who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
11Therefore because you trample on the poor
and you exact taxes of grain from him,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12For I know how many are your transgressions
and how great are your sins--
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and turn aside the needy in the gate.
13Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time,
for it is an evil time.
14Seek good, and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
as you have said.
15Hate evil, and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 90:1,12–17
12So teach us to number | our days*
that we may get a heart of | wisdom.
13Return, O Lord! | How long?*
Have pity on your | servants!
14Satisfy us in the morning with your | steadfast love,*
that we may rejoice and be glad | all our days.
15Make us glad for as many days as you have af- | flicted us,*
and for as many years as we have seen | evil.
16Let your work be shown to your | servants,*
and your glorious power to their | children.
17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands up- | on us;*
yes, establish the work | of our hands!
Epistle Hebrews 3:12–19
12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel Mark 10:17–22
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the tenth chapter.
17As [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: “694 Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower”
1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
Thee will I love, my hope, my joy.
Thee will I love with all my power,
With ardor time shall ne’er destroy.
Thee will I love, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
2 Thee will I love, my life, my Savior,
Who art my best and truest friend.
Thee will I love and praise forever,
For never shall Thy kindness end.
Thee will I love with all my heart--
Thou my Redeemer art!
3 I thank Thee, Jesus, Sun from heaven,
Whose radiance hath brought light to me;
I thank Thee, who hast richly given
All that could make me glad and free;
I thank Thee that my soul is healed
By what Thy lips revealed.
4 O keep me watchful, then, and humble;
Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble,
And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light,
O Radiance strong and bright!
5 Thee will I love, my crown of gladness;
Thee will I love, my God and Lord,
Amid the darkest depths of sadness,
And not for hope of high reward,
For Thine own sake, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
Text: Johann Scheffler, 1624–77; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “Look What God Has Done” Mark 10:17-22
Look What God Has Done – Mark 10:17-22
The Gospel we just heard begins as a man ran up and knelt before [Jesus] and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) This question is a form of a very basic question that every human being asks. He was really asking a form of the question, “What must I do to get ahead?”
Every baby enters this world with the belief that he or she is the center of the universe. And, for a short time, the world does seem to cater to every little whim the baby has. The slightest squawk from the baby and someone … usually Mom … scrambles to care for every desire. For a brief moment in time, as infants, we all believed that we were the most important person in the universe. We thought we were the sum total of why the universe is even here.
But then we grow up. We learn that other people have rights. We learn to share. We learn to take our turn. We learn to stand in line. We learn that not only are we not the most important person in the universe, but we are not even the most important person in our own house. We begin to learn that there are rules that govern the way we should live.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that some rules will help us get ahead. The right education will help get a better job. The right investments will produce a wealthier portfolio. The right friends will open up new opportunities. And on, and on, and on.
At some point in time, we begin to wonder if there isn’t some sort of rule that will get us ahead indefinitely … some technique that will insure that we always win … that we always come out on top. We begin a search for the key to happiness, health, wealth, wisdom, and so forth. Naturally, there are thousands of authors in the “self-help” section of Amazon.com who would be more than happy to share the key to success with you for $12.95 plus shipping, and tax.
The fact that there are so many books in the self-help section indicates that no one really has the secret to success. But even if there was help for you in a book, or a seminar, or some other program, it would not be enough. Supposedly, someone once asked John D. Rockefeller how much is enough, and He replied, “Just a little bit more.” Now, whether he said that or not, it does reflect the desires of our inborn sinful nature. We are always on the lookout for that magic formula that will give us an advantage … a magic formula that will give us just a little bit more.
The man who came to Jesus seemed to want a little bit more. He wanted a little bit more assurance of his salvation. He had done everything that he could think of to guarantee his salvation, but he wasn’t really sure. Did he have all the bases covered? Was there one more technique that would give him confidence? Would one more bit of self-help give him that confidence he needed to live in victory? Maybe Jesus had that one gimmick that would insure his salvation forever. So he asked Jesus a question that demonstrated that he didn’t have a clue. He asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)
Perhaps some of you have been heirs of a will or two. Did you do anything that made you heirs of those wills? You were heirs of the wills because someone else wrote you into the wills. You had nothing to do with it. When the man came to Jesus and talked about doing something to inherit something, he showed a basic lack of understanding about his salvation.
Jesus showed love for this man by showing him the reality of his situation. There is nothing the man could do to earn salvation.
Jesus began by reminding the man that only God is good enough to provide salvation. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18) At this point the man should have stopped to think, “If only God is good and I am not God, then I cannot be good.” Then Jesus reviewed the commandments that deal with loving the neighbor. He said, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” (Mark 10:19)
At this point the man should have realized that he did not love his neighbor as he loved himself. He should have come to understand that he could not possibly do anything to earn salvation, but he didn’t. Instead, he said to [Jesus], “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (Mark 10:20) Once again, he demonstrated his basic lack of understanding about his salvation. He had deluded himself into thinking he had kept these commandments perfectly.
It is at this point that the Holy Spirit inspired Mark to remind us that Jesus loved this man. The Greek word is ηγαπησεν (agapesen), a verb form of the word ἀγάπη (agape), that selfless form of giving love. Jesus loved him enough to tell him the truth about his condition. Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21) Jesus set up a condition that forced this man to realize that he loved his wealth more than he loved God.
How did the man respond? “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:22) The man’s possessions were literally more important to him than his own salvation. This man’s possessions were his god.
Is there anything or anyone that Jesus would ask of you that would cause you to be disheartened and walk away sorrowful? What gods are important to you? Financial security? Family? Friends? Happiness? Getting your own way? Your reputation among your peers? Later on this month, we will sing “A Mighty Fortress.” In that hymn we say, “And take they our life, goods, fame, child, or spouse, though these all be gone, our victory has been won.” Could you really surrender your life, goods, fame, child, or spouse?
Our Gospel tells us that Jesus loved this man with ἀγάπη love. ἀγάπη love gives people what they need, and that often means that it does not give people what they want. Jesus told this man what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear. This man needed to learn the hopelessness of his situation. He needed to learn that he could not save himself. He needed to understand that he needed a savior outside of himself. That is how Jesus showed His love to this man … even if it meant that the man would walk away sorrowful.
Jesus loves us the same way. He sends the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin. The Holy Spirit comes to us through the proclamation of the Word of God in order to shine the searing light of the law into our hearts. He shows our true nature to us. He takes us to the depths of pure terror as He shows us the future we have earned for ourselves. He shows us the true hopelessness of our good works.
It is only after we begin to understand that hopelessness of our own works that the Holy Spirit points to the one who actually did surrender everything … Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. He surrendered His throne at God the Father’s right hand and took up our human flesh. Even as a human being, He lived in poverty. Even though He is the author of the law, He lived under the law.
Jesus surrendered everything. He even surrendered His life, and when He died, He did not even own the clothes on His back. “They crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.” (Mark 15:24) Jesus surrendered Himself so that you and I would inherit eternal life. It is not what I do that inherits eternal life. It is what Jesus has already done. We inherit eternal life because Jesus made us heirs in His last will and testament by the promise of His word and the seal of His blood on the cross.
Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated the inheritance that He offers to all people by rising from the dead. In His resurrection, we have the promise that He will raise all the dead and give eternal life to all who believe in Him.
Jesus has named an executor to His estate, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel to deliver the inheritance of eternal life. The Holy Spirit also works through the Gospel to establish the faith that receives the inheritance of eternal life. Through that faith we constantly receive the forgiveness of our sins, and God declares us holy in his eyes. We stop asking the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Instead, the Holy Spirit uses us to point to Jesus and declare “Look what God has done to give me eternal life.”
We who believe already have our inheritance of eternal life. But when the time comes for us to leave this life, we will experience our inheritance more fully as members of the Church Triumphant in heaven. There, in heaven, we shall leave our sins behind and live under Jesus in His kingdom. There, we shall wait with Jesus for the Last Day when Jesus will raise our bodies to immortality, and we shall once again be complete in body and spirit and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. Amen
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B) - 13 October 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty and everlasting God, look with compassion on Your Church. Protect Your children from an evil, unbelieving heart that would lead us away from You into the deceitfulness of sin. By Your Spirit’s power, enable us to hold our original confidence firm to the end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, God of hosts, keep us from hating those You send to reprove us with Your law. Do not let us abhor those who speak Your truth to us, that we might repent and live. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Your Son warns us against the danger of trusting in wealth and earthly goods. Give us hearts that are content with His promises and hands that are generous with our worldly possessions. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, in kindness remember the president of our country, our Congress and justices, and all who bear office in this land. Protect them from the temptations of power and wealth that would lead them away from their calling. Make their service a blessing to our land and its people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, have pity on [_____________ and] all Your servants afflicted in body or soul. Satisfy them with Your steadfast love in Christ, and grant health and healing in accord with Your perfect will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, satisfy our longing hearts with Your steadfast love here in the feast of Christ’s body and blood, that we may rejoice and be glad in You all our days and into eternity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give thanks to You, O Lord, for the faithful of every time and place who heard Your Word and held their confidence firm to the end. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may have our share with them in the eternal inheritance that You have promised; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Offertory
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
565 “Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ”
1 Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done,
They bid my fear depart. Refrain
ref To whom save Thee,
Who canst alone
For sin atone,
Lord, shall I flee?
2 Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ,
Can heal my bruisèd soul;
Thy stripes, not mine, contain
The balm that makes me whole. Refrain
3 Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
Has borne the crushing load
Of sins that none could bear
But the incarnate God. Refrain
4 Thy death, not mine, O Christ,
Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine
Would have been all too few. Refrain
5 Thy righteousness, O Christ,
Alone can cover me;
No righteousness avails
Save that which is of Thee. Refrain
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808–89, alt.
Text: Public domain
753 “All for Christ I Have Forsaken”
1 All for Christ I have forsaken
And have taken up my cross;
Worldly joy, its fame and fortune,
Now I count as worthless dross.
2 Who is sweeter than Christ Jesus?
No good thing in Him I lack!
Hand to plow, at peace I follow
Where He leads me . . . why look back?
3 Gone the past, unknown the future--
Grace supplies my daily breath;
Strong in Christ through death’s dark valley,
Firm and faithful unto death.
4 When God takes me home to heaven,
Should this be the day I die,
God will keep my spouse and children
As the apple of His eye.
5 Though the road ahead be thorny,
Though dark clouds all light obscure,
Though my cross-shaped path grows steeper,
With the Lord, I am secure.
Text: Calvin Chao, 1906–96; tr. Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Post-Communion Canticle: “Thank the Lord”
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 918 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”
1 Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
2 Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield;
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Text: William Williams, 1717–91, abr.; (st. 1): tr. Peter Williams, 1722–96, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. William Williams, 1717–91
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 29, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
OCTOBER 10TH – 13TH is our Annual Camping Trip. This year it is at the Coloma Resort which includes spending half a day at the Gold Discovery Days event. Seventeen campers are signed up for overnight stays. Those wishing to come just for a day are welcome to join us on Friday for the special event. If doing so, please add your name to the list on the church bulletin board and indicate “Day Tripper.” Thanks.
ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
“The Bible says little about ‘seeing’ God, but it says a great deal about
‘hearing’ him. To be sure, after death we shall see God (1 Corinthians 13:12). But for now, we must listen to him, and what we must listen to is the Bible.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
MORNING SERVICE WITH HOLY COMMUNION
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 29, 2024
PRESERVICE MUSIC AND RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN: 839, “O Christ, Our True and Only Light”
INVOCATION, CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
ALL: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all
things, Judge of all people, we admit and confess our sinful-
ness. We have turned away from you and from each other in
our thoughts, words, and actions. We do repent and are truly
sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father, because of
the obedience of our Brother, Jesus Christ, your Son. Forgive
us all that is past, renew us with the power of the Holy Spirit,
and move us to faithful service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ
our Lord.
P: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and turn to
Him. May He keep you in His grace by the Holy Spirit, lead you to
greater faith and obedience, and bring you to live with Him forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
KYRIE [sung to the tune of the hymn Amazing Grace]
Have mercy on Your people, Lord.
Have mercy, Christ our King.
Renew us by Your mercy, Lord;
Accept the prayers we bring.
HYMN OF PRAISE [tune – Hark the Herald Angels Sing]
“Glory be to God on high.” This is now our joyful cry.
Peace to all who live on earth, Grace and favor for new birth.
You we praise and glorify, Worship You, O Lord most high.
Gracious Father, heav’nly King, To Your name alone we sing:
Praise the glory of Your name, Now and evermore the same.[cont.]
Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Sole-begotten, Holy One,
Born on earth from realms on high, Born true man for us to die,
Lamb of God, You take away This world’s sin: Grant peace we pray.
With the Spirit, You alone Are most high, O God the Son,
And the Father, God above. Praise we now Your glorious love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: O God, the Strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully
accept our prayer, and because through the weakness of our
mortal nature we can do no good thing without Your aid, grant
us the help of Your grace that, keeping Your commandments,
we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
4Now the rabble that was among [the children of Israel] had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at. . . .
10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”
16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. . . .”
24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”
EPISTLE LESSON James 5:13-20
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Stand
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 9:38-50
38John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40For the one who is not against us is for us. 41For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
42“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Sit
SERMON HYMN: 845, “Where Charity and Love Prevail”
SERMON “Removing the Scandal” Mark 9:38-50
Removing the Scandal – Mark 9:38-50
Hell is far worse than anything we can experience in this world. It is so terrifying that many people refuse to believe that it exists. Even more people believe that it so distressing that we should not talk about it. Today’s reading from Mark’s Gospel account forces us to talk about hell because Jesus talked about hell. He said, “It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:43, 45, 47-48) Jesus described hell with terms such as unquenchable fire and undying worms. He also said it was better to lose body parts than to enter hell with an intact body.
Jesus then spoke of one of the many reasons we deserve to go to hell. He spoke about causing someone or something to sin. Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. (Mark 9:42–46)
The Greek behind the phrase causing someone to sin is from the word that gives English the word “scandalize.” Whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believe in me … If your hand scandalizes you … If your foot scandalizes you … If your eye scandalizes you … throw it into the sea. Cut it off. Gouge it out. Do whatever it takes to get rid of the scandal.
Imagine your surgeon holding up a slide from the CT-scan of your left kidney. He points to the very obvious growth and simply says, “This needs to come out.” In other words, “It is better for you to live with one kidney than to have both kidneys and die of cancer.” Jesus said that the “cause” of scandal in our lives needs to come out just like a cancerous kidney.
Notice also that Jesus used the word “if.” Although that word is only two letters long, it is very important. Yes, the eyes see the scandal. Yes, the feet take us to the scandal. Yes, the hands participate in the scandal. Nevertheless, are any of these body parts the root cause of the scandal? Jesus said that if they are, we should get rid of them. But did any of these body parts participate in the actual decision process that led to the scandal?
Ultimately, none of these body parts had any choice. It is the mind that interprets the information from the eye and distributes orders to the feet and the hands. The eyes, the feet, and the hands have no choice. It is the mind that is the true source of the scandal. In the Gospel reading from a few weeks ago, we heard Jesus say, “From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:21–23) So it is our thoughts, feelings, desires, and so forth that are the true cause of scandal. And, if Jesus is right about removing the cause of scandal from our lives … and He is … then it is our inner being that has to go. That means that we must die.
It is at this point that I begin to wonder if Jesus hasn’t painted Himself into a corner. He has said that in order to enter eternal life, we must remove everything that scandalizes us, but at an earlier time in His ministry, He taught that main source of scandal is our inner being … our essence … the thing that makes me … me. Has Jesus really gotten us to the point that we must understand that God gives us eternal life by destroying the self? Has He really said that God gives us eternal life by putting us to death?
This is one of those marvelous paradoxes that God gives to us. In order to avoid death, we must die. It doesn’t sound right, does it? That is the reason that God must do the work of rescuing us from sin and death. It is God who must put us to death in such a way that we live forever.
The earlier words of Jesus give us a hint at how this might work. He said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42) While this is horrible, crushing law, there is also Gospel here if you know where to look.
Here is another hint. Consider the teaching of Martin Luther in the Small Catechism: What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Do you believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? Then you are one of those little ones who believes in Jesus. Do you also have a sinful nature that constantly leads you into scandal? Martin Luther often talked about that sinful nature and he called it the Old Adam. His words tell us to remember our baptism every day. Every day our baptism ties a stone around the neck of our old sinful nature and throws it into the deep waters of baptism.
Now, although people call us Lutherans, we don’t believe in something just because Martin Luther said so. Instead, we follow Martin Luther’s example and believe in things because we can find them in God’s Word … the Bible. So where did Luther get his teaching of drowning the Old Adam?
One of the places we find this teaching is in the words that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write to the Romans. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3–4)
The Apostle Paul then went on to say, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:5–11)
These words teach us that our old self … what Luther called the Old Adam … was crucified with Jesus. The sinful corruption that was already part of us at conception along with all the sins that we actually committed were crucified with Jesus. As Jesus hung on the cross, He took on all the guilt and the punishment of our sin. It all died with Him.
But Jesus did not stay dead. He rose from the dead and when He rose, He left our sin and its guilt in the grave. Since His body no longer carries our sin, it is immortal.
Our Baptism joins us to Christ so that we died with Jesus. But it also promises that we live with Him. We are now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) Yes, we must pass through death, but, on the Last day, Jesus shall raise us just as He rose. “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:52–53)
It is utterly impossible for us to cut off the true cause of scandal in our lives. Even if we killed ourselves, we would only accompany our scandal into the eternal punishment where the fire is never quenched and the worm never dies. Only God can deal with the scandal in our lives. He has done this by sending His Son into the world to take up our human flesh and suffer the punishment of our scandal in Himself. Only in this way can He put us to death in order to give us eternal life.
In the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are already dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) We already have eternal life in Jesus, but we cannot experience it to its fullest while we live in this world. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17) Amen
CREEDAL HYMN [tune – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise]
In God we believe: the creator whose pow’r
In mercy has brought us for worship this hour.
He graciously grants us our years and our days
And blesses with kindness our work and our ways.
In Jesus, the Savior, our hope is secured,
True God and true man once the cross He endured,
To grant our lives wholeness, forgiveness of sin.
With hearts freed from guilt, we know true peace within.
God’s Spirit at work in our lives we confess;
With power and truth the Church now He does bless.
As saints, God’s forgiven, one day we shall then,
Be living in glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH/PRAYERS FOR HEALING
P: In our prayers we pray for the whole Church and the world, we lift
before God specific needs especially in our own parish, and we
remember and give thanks for the faithful departed….. Great God our
Healer, by Your power, the Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave hope
to the hopeless. In His name and for His sake,
C: look upon us with mercy and bless us with your healing Spirit.
P: Bring us comfort in the midst of pain, strength to transform our
weakness,
C: and light to illuminate our darkness.
P: Grant Your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that
they may be made whole; Lord in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, the awareness of
Your presence; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to
soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering;
grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Lord, in Your
mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with Your grace
strengthen those who mourn; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation,
and in the world; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious God, in baptism You anointed us with the oil of salvation, and
joined us to the death and resurrection of Your Son. Bless all who seek
Your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more
deeply into the mystery of Your love, that following Christ in the way of
the cross they may know the power of His resurrection; who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
OFFERING PRESENTATION AND PRAYER
Stand
PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P: It is truly good, right, and salutary…..evermore praising You and
saying:
SANCTUS [tune – Holy, Holy, Holy]
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
Day and night we join to praise Your love and majesty.
You alone are holy, worthy and righteous.
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
We rejoice to join the hymn of earth and sky and sea.
Generations praise You, with saints and angels,
Holy and bless’d through all eternity.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
AGNUS DEI [tune – My Faith Looks Up to Thee]
O Lamb of God, we pray: Take all our sins away, Our faith increase. Have mercy on us all, Strengthen us when we fall,
Answer our fervent call And grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE OPTIONAL ANOINTING WITH OIL [See explanation on page 8]
[Note: If you wish to be anointed with oil, please remain kneeling after pastor dismisses the communion table. You may then return to your seat after being anointed.]
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS:
637, “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord”
521, “Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken”
Stand
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION
P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
CLOSING HYMN: 730, “What Is the World to Me”
+ spes mea Christus – My Hope is in Christ +
ANNOUNCEMENTS, POST-SERVICE MUSIC, REFRESHMENTS
BIBLE CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
Anointing with Oil
Oil was and is effective medicine. As Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan who bandaged wounds and poured oil on them in Luke 10:30-34, He also instructed His disciples to anoint and cure the ill (Mark 6:7,13). The extended Church and its elders [pastors] in James 5:14-16 were urged to pray for healing and anoint with oil. Oil, applied to the forehead in a service of healing, has no healing effect on its own. However, anointing with the sign of the cross using a forefinger or thumb, touches us with the fingerprint of the Great Physician. Anointing points to the presence of our healing Savior as the source of our restoration to wholeness.
For this reason, some may wish to receive this special anointing. If you do not wish to do so, it does not mean that you do not wish God’s healing presence in your life. It is simply an optional rite in the Church that some have found helpful/advantageous over the centuries, as Psalm 23:5 indicates—“you anoint my head with oil.”
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 29, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Coleen Tallman
Acolyte Sue Hullen
Organist Allison Yee
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
OCTOBER 10TH – 13TH is our Annual Camping Trip. This year it is at the Coloma Resort which includes spending half a day at the Gold Discovery Days event. Seventeen campers are signed up for overnight stays. Those wishing to come just for a day are welcome to join us on Friday for the special event. If doing so, please add your name to the list on the church bulletin board and indicate “Day Tripper.” Thanks.
ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH at 4 p.m., there will be a Reformation Celebration for all congregations of the greater Sacramento area at Town and Country Lutheran Church (corner of Watt and Norris Avenues in NE Sacramento). The special guest speaker is Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, professor of Theology at Concordia University, Irvine. All are invited to attend and bring along a friend (or two)!
“The Bible says little about ‘seeing’ God, but it says a great deal about
‘hearing’ him. To be sure, after death we shall see God (1 Corinthians 13:12). But for now, we must listen to him, and what we must listen to is the Bible.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
MORNING SERVICE WITH HOLY COMMUNION
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 29, 2024
PRESERVICE MUSIC AND RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN: 839, “O Christ, Our True and Only Light”
INVOCATION, CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
ALL: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all
things, Judge of all people, we admit and confess our sinful-
ness. We have turned away from you and from each other in
our thoughts, words, and actions. We do repent and are truly
sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father, because of
the obedience of our Brother, Jesus Christ, your Son. Forgive
us all that is past, renew us with the power of the Holy Spirit,
and move us to faithful service in the kingdom of Jesus Christ
our Lord.
P: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and turn to
Him. May He keep you in His grace by the Holy Spirit, lead you to
greater faith and obedience, and bring you to live with Him forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
KYRIE [sung to the tune of the hymn Amazing Grace]
Have mercy on Your people, Lord.
Have mercy, Christ our King.
Renew us by Your mercy, Lord;
Accept the prayers we bring.
HYMN OF PRAISE [tune – Hark the Herald Angels Sing]
“Glory be to God on high.” This is now our joyful cry.
Peace to all who live on earth, Grace and favor for new birth.
You we praise and glorify, Worship You, O Lord most high.
Gracious Father, heav’nly King, To Your name alone we sing:
Praise the glory of Your name, Now and evermore the same.[cont.]
Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Sole-begotten, Holy One,
Born on earth from realms on high, Born true man for us to die,
Lamb of God, You take away This world’s sin: Grant peace we pray.
With the Spirit, You alone Are most high, O God the Son,
And the Father, God above. Praise we now Your glorious love.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: O God, the Strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully
accept our prayer, and because through the weakness of our
mortal nature we can do no good thing without Your aid, grant
us the help of Your grace that, keeping Your commandments,
we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
4Now the rabble that was among [the children of Israel] had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at. . . .
10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”
16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. . . .”
24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”
EPISTLE LESSON James 5:13-20
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Stand
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 9:38-50
38John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40For the one who is not against us is for us. 41For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
42“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Sit
SERMON HYMN: 845, “Where Charity and Love Prevail”
SERMON “Removing the Scandal” Mark 9:38-50
Removing the Scandal – Mark 9:38-50
Hell is far worse than anything we can experience in this world. It is so terrifying that many people refuse to believe that it exists. Even more people believe that it so distressing that we should not talk about it. Today’s reading from Mark’s Gospel account forces us to talk about hell because Jesus talked about hell. He said, “It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:43, 45, 47-48) Jesus described hell with terms such as unquenchable fire and undying worms. He also said it was better to lose body parts than to enter hell with an intact body.
Jesus then spoke of one of the many reasons we deserve to go to hell. He spoke about causing someone or something to sin. Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. (Mark 9:42–46)
The Greek behind the phrase causing someone to sin is from the word that gives English the word “scandalize.” Whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believe in me … If your hand scandalizes you … If your foot scandalizes you … If your eye scandalizes you … throw it into the sea. Cut it off. Gouge it out. Do whatever it takes to get rid of the scandal.
Imagine your surgeon holding up a slide from the CT-scan of your left kidney. He points to the very obvious growth and simply says, “This needs to come out.” In other words, “It is better for you to live with one kidney than to have both kidneys and die of cancer.” Jesus said that the “cause” of scandal in our lives needs to come out just like a cancerous kidney.
Notice also that Jesus used the word “if.” Although that word is only two letters long, it is very important. Yes, the eyes see the scandal. Yes, the feet take us to the scandal. Yes, the hands participate in the scandal. Nevertheless, are any of these body parts the root cause of the scandal? Jesus said that if they are, we should get rid of them. But did any of these body parts participate in the actual decision process that led to the scandal?
Ultimately, none of these body parts had any choice. It is the mind that interprets the information from the eye and distributes orders to the feet and the hands. The eyes, the feet, and the hands have no choice. It is the mind that is the true source of the scandal. In the Gospel reading from a few weeks ago, we heard Jesus say, “From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:21–23) So it is our thoughts, feelings, desires, and so forth that are the true cause of scandal. And, if Jesus is right about removing the cause of scandal from our lives … and He is … then it is our inner being that has to go. That means that we must die.
It is at this point that I begin to wonder if Jesus hasn’t painted Himself into a corner. He has said that in order to enter eternal life, we must remove everything that scandalizes us, but at an earlier time in His ministry, He taught that main source of scandal is our inner being … our essence … the thing that makes me … me. Has Jesus really gotten us to the point that we must understand that God gives us eternal life by destroying the self? Has He really said that God gives us eternal life by putting us to death?
This is one of those marvelous paradoxes that God gives to us. In order to avoid death, we must die. It doesn’t sound right, does it? That is the reason that God must do the work of rescuing us from sin and death. It is God who must put us to death in such a way that we live forever.
The earlier words of Jesus give us a hint at how this might work. He said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42) While this is horrible, crushing law, there is also Gospel here if you know where to look.
Here is another hint. Consider the teaching of Martin Luther in the Small Catechism: What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Do you believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? Then you are one of those little ones who believes in Jesus. Do you also have a sinful nature that constantly leads you into scandal? Martin Luther often talked about that sinful nature and he called it the Old Adam. His words tell us to remember our baptism every day. Every day our baptism ties a stone around the neck of our old sinful nature and throws it into the deep waters of baptism.
Now, although people call us Lutherans, we don’t believe in something just because Martin Luther said so. Instead, we follow Martin Luther’s example and believe in things because we can find them in God’s Word … the Bible. So where did Luther get his teaching of drowning the Old Adam?
One of the places we find this teaching is in the words that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write to the Romans. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3–4)
The Apostle Paul then went on to say, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:5–11)
These words teach us that our old self … what Luther called the Old Adam … was crucified with Jesus. The sinful corruption that was already part of us at conception along with all the sins that we actually committed were crucified with Jesus. As Jesus hung on the cross, He took on all the guilt and the punishment of our sin. It all died with Him.
But Jesus did not stay dead. He rose from the dead and when He rose, He left our sin and its guilt in the grave. Since His body no longer carries our sin, it is immortal.
Our Baptism joins us to Christ so that we died with Jesus. But it also promises that we live with Him. We are now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) Yes, we must pass through death, but, on the Last day, Jesus shall raise us just as He rose. “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:52–53)
It is utterly impossible for us to cut off the true cause of scandal in our lives. Even if we killed ourselves, we would only accompany our scandal into the eternal punishment where the fire is never quenched and the worm never dies. Only God can deal with the scandal in our lives. He has done this by sending His Son into the world to take up our human flesh and suffer the punishment of our scandal in Himself. Only in this way can He put us to death in order to give us eternal life.
In the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are already dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) We already have eternal life in Jesus, but we cannot experience it to its fullest while we live in this world. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17) Amen
CREEDAL HYMN [tune – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise]
In God we believe: the creator whose pow’r
In mercy has brought us for worship this hour.
He graciously grants us our years and our days
And blesses with kindness our work and our ways.
In Jesus, the Savior, our hope is secured,
True God and true man once the cross He endured,
To grant our lives wholeness, forgiveness of sin.
With hearts freed from guilt, we know true peace within.
God’s Spirit at work in our lives we confess;
With power and truth the Church now He does bless.
As saints, God’s forgiven, one day we shall then,
Be living in glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH/PRAYERS FOR HEALING
P: In our prayers we pray for the whole Church and the world, we lift
before God specific needs especially in our own parish, and we
remember and give thanks for the faithful departed….. Great God our
Healer, by Your power, the Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave hope
to the hopeless. In His name and for His sake,
C: look upon us with mercy and bless us with your healing Spirit.
P: Bring us comfort in the midst of pain, strength to transform our
weakness,
C: and light to illuminate our darkness.
P: Grant Your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that
they may be made whole; Lord in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, the awareness of
Your presence; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to
soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering;
grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Lord, in Your
mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with Your grace
strengthen those who mourn; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation,
and in the world; Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious God, in baptism You anointed us with the oil of salvation, and
joined us to the death and resurrection of Your Son. Bless all who seek
Your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more
deeply into the mystery of Your love, that following Christ in the way of
the cross they may know the power of His resurrection; who lives and
reigns forever and ever. Amen.
OFFERING PRESENTATION AND PRAYER
Stand
PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P: It is truly good, right, and salutary…..evermore praising You and
saying:
SANCTUS [tune – Holy, Holy, Holy]
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
Day and night we join to praise Your love and majesty.
You alone are holy, worthy and righteous.
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!
We rejoice to join the hymn of earth and sky and sea.
Generations praise You, with saints and angels,
Holy and bless’d through all eternity.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
AGNUS DEI [tune – My Faith Looks Up to Thee]
O Lamb of God, we pray: Take all our sins away, Our faith increase. Have mercy on us all, Strengthen us when we fall,
Answer our fervent call And grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE OPTIONAL ANOINTING WITH OIL [See explanation on page 8]
[Note: If you wish to be anointed with oil, please remain kneeling after pastor dismisses the communion table. You may then return to your seat after being anointed.]
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS:
637, “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord”
521, “Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken”
Stand
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
BENEDICTION
P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
CLOSING HYMN: 730, “What Is the World to Me”
+ spes mea Christus – My Hope is in Christ +
ANNOUNCEMENTS, POST-SERVICE MUSIC, REFRESHMENTS
BIBLE CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
Anointing with Oil
Oil was and is effective medicine. As Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan who bandaged wounds and poured oil on them in Luke 10:30-34, He also instructed His disciples to anoint and cure the ill (Mark 6:7,13). The extended Church and its elders [pastors] in James 5:14-16 were urged to pray for healing and anoint with oil. Oil, applied to the forehead in a service of healing, has no healing effect on its own. However, anointing with the sign of the cross using a forefinger or thumb, touches us with the fingerprint of the Great Physician. Anointing points to the presence of our healing Savior as the source of our restoration to wholeness.
For this reason, some may wish to receive this special anointing. If you do not wish to do so, it does not mean that you do not wish God’s healing presence in your life. It is simply an optional rite in the Church that some have found helpful/advantageous over the centuries, as Psalm 23:5 indicates—“you anoint my head with oil.”
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 22, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Carla Lanz
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
T-O-D-A-Y: THERE IS A VOTERS’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs!
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 22, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 901 “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty”
1 Open now thy gates of beauty;
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits for Him who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessèd is this place,
Filled with solace, light, and grace!
2 Gracious God, I come before Thee;
Come Thou also unto me.
Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
There a heav’n on earth must be.
To my heart, O enter Thou;
Let it be Thy temple now!
3 Here Thy praise is gladly chanted;
Here Thy seed is duly sown.
Let my soul, where it is planted,
Bring forth precious sheaves alone,
So that all I hear may be
Fruitful unto life in me.
4 Thou my faith increase and quicken;
Let me keep Thy gift divine,
Howsoe’er temptations thicken;
May Thy Word still o’er me shine
As my guiding star through life,
As my comfort in all strife.
5 Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee;
Let Thy will be done indeed.
May I undisturbed draw near Thee
While Thou dost Thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows;
Here is balm for all our woes.
Text: Benjamin Schmolck, 1672–1737; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 37:4–7
P Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 11:18–20
18The Lord made it known to me and I knew;
then you showed me their deeds.
19But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
I did not know it was against me
they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name be remembered no more.”
20But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 54
1O God, save me, | by your name,*
and vindicate me | by your might.
2O God, | hear my prayer;*
give ear to the words | of my mouth.
3For strangers have risen against me;
ruthless men | seek my life;*
they do not set God be- | fore themselves.
4Behold, God is my | helper;*
the Lord is the upholder | of my life.
5He will return the evil to my | enemies;*
in your faithfulness put an | end to them.
6With a freewill offering I will sacri- | fice to you;*
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for | it is good.
7For he has delivered me from every | trouble,*
and my eye has looked in triumph on my | enemies.
Epistle James 3:13—4:10
13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Mark 9:30–37
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the ninth chapter.
30[The disciples] went on from there and passed through Galilee. And [Jesus] did not want anyone to know, 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 851 “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us”
1 Lord of glory, You have bought us
With Your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice;
And with that have freely given
Blessings countless as the sand
To the_unthankful and the evil
With Your own unsparing hand.
2 Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give You
Gladly, freely of Your own.
With the sunshine of Your goodness
Melt our thankless hearts of stone
Till our cold and selfish natures,
Warmed by You, at length believe
That more happy and more blessèd
’Tis to give than to receive.
3 Wondrous honor You have given
To our humblest charity
In Your own mysterious sentence,
“You have done it all to Me.”
Can it be, O gracious Master,
That You deign for alms to sue,
Saying by Your poor and needy,
“Give as I have giv’n to you”?
4 Lord of glory, You have bought us
With Your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice.
Give us faith to trust You boldly,
Hope, to stay our souls on You;
But, oh, best of all Your graces,
With Your love our love renew.
Text: Eliza S. Alderson, 1818–89, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “The Savior Who Serves” Mark 9:30-37
The Savior Who Serves – Mark 9:30-37
As we now make our way through the Gospel according to Mark, there is a change in focus. In fact, all four Gospel accounts have this change of focus. The beginning of the Gospel accounts focus on the teachings and signs that point to Jesus as the promised Messiah. These signs and teachings all fulfill the promises that He made through His prophets in the Old Testament. They certify that Jesus really is the Messiah sent from God. They make Him known to the multitudes.
There comes a point, however, when there is a change in focus as Jesus began to prepare His disciples for Good Friday. Over the past few Sundays, we have heard that Jesus began to seek solitude so that He could teach His disciples in a more private setting. He spent more time in Gentile territory in order to get away from the crowds. He still performed the signs, and He still proclaimed the Gospel, but His main focus was on preparing the disciples for His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. That is the reason He went to the areas of Tyre and Sidon, Caesarea Philippi, and the Decapolis. That is the reason today’s reading from Mark’s account of the Gospel begins with the words: “They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples.” (Mark 9:30–31)
All four Gospel accounts make it very clear that Jesus prepared His disciples for Good Friday by regularly teaching them about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. Today’s reading makes that very clear. He was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31) This is the focus of His teaching during those times when He had them off by themselves.
Now, although Jesus was being very clear, the disciples were not catching on. Today’s reading informs us that they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:32) This must have been very frustrating for Jesus, but before we get too hard on the disciples, remember that no one had ever done this before. There are accounts in the Old Testament of prophets raising OTHER people from the dead. Jesus Himself had raised people from the dead, but no one had come back from the dead under his own power. This was totally outside the disciples’ experience. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to understand Jesus, but they simply did not have the mental, emotional, or spiritual tools they needed to understand what Jesus said. So, let’s not be so arrogant that we think that we would have been any different if we had been there.
After the Holy Spirit inspired Mark to record Jesus’ teaching, He then inspired Mark to give an example of how clueless the disciples really were. We not only hear that the disciples did not understand, but we also have a record of an incident that demonstrated how much they did not understand. The disciples were debating among themselves about who was the greatest in the kingdom.
Think about it. When Jesus prayed to the Father in Gethsemane, He sweat drops of blood. Nevertheless, when He shared this intense fate with His disciples, their response was to discuss who was the greatest. Jesus was telling them about the single greatest event in the entire history of the world … salvation earned on the cross for all people. And they were debating who would be the leader of their little band when Jesus was gone. How embarrassing it must have been when Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” (Mark 9:33)
Jesus used this moment of embarrassment as an opportunity to teach them and us what it means to be a leader in His church. He sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) In God’s family, the leader serves. The one who is the highest makes himself the lowest. The leader in God’s family sacrifices not to get power, but to serve others.
Then to emphasize His point, He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (Mark 9:36–37) Jesus connected the child to Himself and then connected both Himself and the child to our Father in Heaven. To receive a child is to receive God the Father Almighty.
The Greek word that is translated as child indicates a child whose age would be somewhere between pre-school and second grade. At that age most children can feed themselves, get dressed, understand simple sentences, and so forth, but we are still talking about an age when children still need a lot of help just to survive. This child can do a few things for himself, but for the most part, this child is pretty much helpless. The greatest serves the most helpless.
This is pretty much the opposite of the way the world thinks. From the time that Adam and Eve sinned until now, people have wanted power and control. People have thought that the greatest people controlled other people and forced them to serve. If we look at the other readings for today, we see that each of them talks about the problems we have because we always want people to serve us. In the Old Testament Lesson, people want to kill Jeremiah. In our epistle, James considers the reasons people fight. Through the entire Bible, people have had trouble with greed, power, and control.
We aren’t different today. Our culture praises people who are the best. Who is beautiful? Who is strong? Who is wealthy? Who has the most power? Sooner or later, we all fall to this temptation. We all want people to serve us and think that we are important.
The desire to be important doesn’t change with time. It is the reason Cain killed Abel. It is a deep part of our sinful nature. It attacks us from the day we enter the world until the day we die. So the things Jesus teaches His disciples are good for us also.
Sadly, today’s gospel is not the only time the disciples argued about who was the greatest in God’s kingdom. There was a time that Jesus told the disciples to go to a friend’s house and prepare for the Passover. When everyone arrived, the disciples began discussing who should wash the feet. You see they had been walking in the hot sun all day. Their feet were hot, sweaty, and dirty. It was the tradition for the host to have a servant wash the feet of His guests. None of the disciples wanted to do a servant’s work so no one was washing any feet. Then Jesus arrived and He washed their feet. It was one more way that He showed service to them.
Jesus continued to show service to the disciples and us beginning that very evening. He served you and me by allowing a band of soldiers to arrest Him so that He could endure a day of torture and shame as He took your sin to Himself and carried it to a cross and to death. He served you and me by enduring God’s holy wrath against our sin while He hung on that cross. He served you and me after His friends laid Him in a tomb by rising from the dead and proclaiming His victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Jesus said that the greatest is the servant of all. Jesus is the greatest because He served the entire world by offering Himself up as the atonement for all our sins. Jesus still serves us as the Holy Spirit gives us forgiveness by the Gospel … the Gospel we hear in the Absolution and in preaching … the Gospel combined with the water of Holy Baptism … the Gospel combined with bread and wine as Jesus Himself enters us with His forgiveness, one mouth at a time.
Jesus, the greatest, serves us who are the most helpless … helpless in sin and facing death. We who would be great in our greed receive the generosity of a Savior who serves. Now that Jesus has served us with the ultimate service, He is able to work through us to serve others. He gives us the power to share His service with the people in our lives.
Ultimately, it is the desire of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to serve us with new, holy bodies that will rise from the dead just as He rose. On that day of resurrection, we will serve one another in perfect harmony and joy. Our service will be so perfect that it won’t even cross our minds to ask who is the greatest. Amen
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church—Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 22 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, You have taken us from all nations and united us in the Body of Your Son. Send Your Holy Spirit to rid Your children of all bitter jealousy, boasting and selfish ambition. Fill the baptized with Your wisdom, that we may lead peaceable lives with sincerity and love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of hosts, give our Synod’s leaders and all pastors the wisdom that comes down from above, that they may be peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. Let them sow among us in peace, and grant a harvest of righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Uphold this world in Your order. Preserve the Church and the preaching of Your Word against all enemies. Bless our homes, that parents and children may serve one another faithfully and grow in instruction and faith until life’s end. Give health and wisdom to all who serve in public office, that their authority may be exercised for the benefit of our people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, in Your lovingkindness You do not abandon Your children to suffer alone but promise to care for all who call upon Your name. Bless the homebound, the lonely, the depressed and anxious, those preparing for surgery, the ill and the dying [and especially those who desire our prayers: _____________]. Comfort them in their distress, heal all their ills of body and soul, and grant them Your peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of hosts, Your Son was cut off from the land of the living on the tree of the cross, that we might eat and drink the fruit of His body and blood and live forever. Grant that we may worthily receive His Supper in remembrance of Him. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father, grant that what we ask from You may not be squandered after our passions but sought rightly in faith, that we may receive them and put them into service for You and our neighbors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
725 “Children of the Heavenly Father”
1 Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.
2 God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.
3 Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.
4 Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832–1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870–1958
Text: Public domain
629 “What Is This Bread”
1 What is this bread?
Christ’s body risen from the dead:
This bread we break,
This life we take,
Was crushed to pay for our release.
O taste and see—the Lord is peace.
2 What is this wine?
The blood of Jesus shed for mine;
The cup of grace
Brings His embrace
Of life and love until I sing!
O taste and see—the Lord is King.
3 So who am I,
That I should live and He should die
Under the rod?
My God, my God,
Why have You not forsaken me?
O taste and see—the Lord is free.
4 Yet is God here?
Oh, yes! By Word and promise clear,
In mouth and soul
He makes us whole--
Christ, truly present in this meal.
O taste and see—the Lord is real.
5 Is this for me?
I am forgiven and set free!
I do believe
That I receive
His very body and His blood.
O taste and see—the Lord is good.
Text: Frederic W. Baue, 1946
Text: © 1991 Fred and Jean Baue. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 825 “Rise, Shine, You People”
1 Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered
Our human story; God in Him is centered.
He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,
With grace unbounded.
2 See how He sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;
He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.
All men and women, who by guilt are driven,
Now are forgiven.
3 Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,
Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.
To all the world go out and tell the story
Of Jesus’ glory.
4 Tell how the Father sent His Son to save us.
Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.
Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation
His new creation.
Text: Ronald A. Klug, 1939, alt.
Text: © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Voters’ Meeting and Children Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 22, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Carla Lanz
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
T-O-D-A-Y: THERE IS A VOTERS’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs!
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 22, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 901 “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty”
1 Open now thy gates of beauty;
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits for Him who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessèd is this place,
Filled with solace, light, and grace!
2 Gracious God, I come before Thee;
Come Thou also unto me.
Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
There a heav’n on earth must be.
To my heart, O enter Thou;
Let it be Thy temple now!
3 Here Thy praise is gladly chanted;
Here Thy seed is duly sown.
Let my soul, where it is planted,
Bring forth precious sheaves alone,
So that all I hear may be
Fruitful unto life in me.
4 Thou my faith increase and quicken;
Let me keep Thy gift divine,
Howsoe’er temptations thicken;
May Thy Word still o’er me shine
As my guiding star through life,
As my comfort in all strife.
5 Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee;
Let Thy will be done indeed.
May I undisturbed draw near Thee
While Thou dost Thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows;
Here is balm for all our woes.
Text: Benjamin Schmolck, 1672–1737; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 37:4–7
P Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 11:18–20
18The Lord made it known to me and I knew;
then you showed me their deeds.
19But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
I did not know it was against me
they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name be remembered no more.”
20But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 54
1O God, save me, | by your name,*
and vindicate me | by your might.
2O God, | hear my prayer;*
give ear to the words | of my mouth.
3For strangers have risen against me;
ruthless men | seek my life;*
they do not set God be- | fore themselves.
4Behold, God is my | helper;*
the Lord is the upholder | of my life.
5He will return the evil to my | enemies;*
in your faithfulness put an | end to them.
6With a freewill offering I will sacri- | fice to you;*
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for | it is good.
7For he has delivered me from every | trouble,*
and my eye has looked in triumph on my | enemies.
Epistle James 3:13—4:10
13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
Holy Gospel Mark 9:30–37
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the ninth chapter.
30[The disciples] went on from there and passed through Galilee. And [Jesus] did not want anyone to know, 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 851 “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us”
1 Lord of glory, You have bought us
With Your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice;
And with that have freely given
Blessings countless as the sand
To the_unthankful and the evil
With Your own unsparing hand.
2 Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give You
Gladly, freely of Your own.
With the sunshine of Your goodness
Melt our thankless hearts of stone
Till our cold and selfish natures,
Warmed by You, at length believe
That more happy and more blessèd
’Tis to give than to receive.
3 Wondrous honor You have given
To our humblest charity
In Your own mysterious sentence,
“You have done it all to Me.”
Can it be, O gracious Master,
That You deign for alms to sue,
Saying by Your poor and needy,
“Give as I have giv’n to you”?
4 Lord of glory, You have bought us
With Your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice.
Give us faith to trust You boldly,
Hope, to stay our souls on You;
But, oh, best of all Your graces,
With Your love our love renew.
Text: Eliza S. Alderson, 1818–89, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “The Savior Who Serves” Mark 9:30-37
The Savior Who Serves – Mark 9:30-37
As we now make our way through the Gospel according to Mark, there is a change in focus. In fact, all four Gospel accounts have this change of focus. The beginning of the Gospel accounts focus on the teachings and signs that point to Jesus as the promised Messiah. These signs and teachings all fulfill the promises that He made through His prophets in the Old Testament. They certify that Jesus really is the Messiah sent from God. They make Him known to the multitudes.
There comes a point, however, when there is a change in focus as Jesus began to prepare His disciples for Good Friday. Over the past few Sundays, we have heard that Jesus began to seek solitude so that He could teach His disciples in a more private setting. He spent more time in Gentile territory in order to get away from the crowds. He still performed the signs, and He still proclaimed the Gospel, but His main focus was on preparing the disciples for His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. That is the reason He went to the areas of Tyre and Sidon, Caesarea Philippi, and the Decapolis. That is the reason today’s reading from Mark’s account of the Gospel begins with the words: “They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples.” (Mark 9:30–31)
All four Gospel accounts make it very clear that Jesus prepared His disciples for Good Friday by regularly teaching them about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. Today’s reading makes that very clear. He was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31) This is the focus of His teaching during those times when He had them off by themselves.
Now, although Jesus was being very clear, the disciples were not catching on. Today’s reading informs us that they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:32) This must have been very frustrating for Jesus, but before we get too hard on the disciples, remember that no one had ever done this before. There are accounts in the Old Testament of prophets raising OTHER people from the dead. Jesus Himself had raised people from the dead, but no one had come back from the dead under his own power. This was totally outside the disciples’ experience. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to understand Jesus, but they simply did not have the mental, emotional, or spiritual tools they needed to understand what Jesus said. So, let’s not be so arrogant that we think that we would have been any different if we had been there.
After the Holy Spirit inspired Mark to record Jesus’ teaching, He then inspired Mark to give an example of how clueless the disciples really were. We not only hear that the disciples did not understand, but we also have a record of an incident that demonstrated how much they did not understand. The disciples were debating among themselves about who was the greatest in the kingdom.
Think about it. When Jesus prayed to the Father in Gethsemane, He sweat drops of blood. Nevertheless, when He shared this intense fate with His disciples, their response was to discuss who was the greatest. Jesus was telling them about the single greatest event in the entire history of the world … salvation earned on the cross for all people. And they were debating who would be the leader of their little band when Jesus was gone. How embarrassing it must have been when Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” (Mark 9:33)
Jesus used this moment of embarrassment as an opportunity to teach them and us what it means to be a leader in His church. He sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) In God’s family, the leader serves. The one who is the highest makes himself the lowest. The leader in God’s family sacrifices not to get power, but to serve others.
Then to emphasize His point, He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (Mark 9:36–37) Jesus connected the child to Himself and then connected both Himself and the child to our Father in Heaven. To receive a child is to receive God the Father Almighty.
The Greek word that is translated as child indicates a child whose age would be somewhere between pre-school and second grade. At that age most children can feed themselves, get dressed, understand simple sentences, and so forth, but we are still talking about an age when children still need a lot of help just to survive. This child can do a few things for himself, but for the most part, this child is pretty much helpless. The greatest serves the most helpless.
This is pretty much the opposite of the way the world thinks. From the time that Adam and Eve sinned until now, people have wanted power and control. People have thought that the greatest people controlled other people and forced them to serve. If we look at the other readings for today, we see that each of them talks about the problems we have because we always want people to serve us. In the Old Testament Lesson, people want to kill Jeremiah. In our epistle, James considers the reasons people fight. Through the entire Bible, people have had trouble with greed, power, and control.
We aren’t different today. Our culture praises people who are the best. Who is beautiful? Who is strong? Who is wealthy? Who has the most power? Sooner or later, we all fall to this temptation. We all want people to serve us and think that we are important.
The desire to be important doesn’t change with time. It is the reason Cain killed Abel. It is a deep part of our sinful nature. It attacks us from the day we enter the world until the day we die. So the things Jesus teaches His disciples are good for us also.
Sadly, today’s gospel is not the only time the disciples argued about who was the greatest in God’s kingdom. There was a time that Jesus told the disciples to go to a friend’s house and prepare for the Passover. When everyone arrived, the disciples began discussing who should wash the feet. You see they had been walking in the hot sun all day. Their feet were hot, sweaty, and dirty. It was the tradition for the host to have a servant wash the feet of His guests. None of the disciples wanted to do a servant’s work so no one was washing any feet. Then Jesus arrived and He washed their feet. It was one more way that He showed service to them.
Jesus continued to show service to the disciples and us beginning that very evening. He served you and me by allowing a band of soldiers to arrest Him so that He could endure a day of torture and shame as He took your sin to Himself and carried it to a cross and to death. He served you and me by enduring God’s holy wrath against our sin while He hung on that cross. He served you and me after His friends laid Him in a tomb by rising from the dead and proclaiming His victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Jesus said that the greatest is the servant of all. Jesus is the greatest because He served the entire world by offering Himself up as the atonement for all our sins. Jesus still serves us as the Holy Spirit gives us forgiveness by the Gospel … the Gospel we hear in the Absolution and in preaching … the Gospel combined with the water of Holy Baptism … the Gospel combined with bread and wine as Jesus Himself enters us with His forgiveness, one mouth at a time.
Jesus, the greatest, serves us who are the most helpless … helpless in sin and facing death. We who would be great in our greed receive the generosity of a Savior who serves. Now that Jesus has served us with the ultimate service, He is able to work through us to serve others. He gives us the power to share His service with the people in our lives.
Ultimately, it is the desire of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to serve us with new, holy bodies that will rise from the dead just as He rose. On that day of resurrection, we will serve one another in perfect harmony and joy. Our service will be so perfect that it won’t even cross our minds to ask who is the greatest. Amen
Offertory
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church [P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.]
Prayer of the Church—Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 22 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, You have taken us from all nations and united us in the Body of Your Son. Send Your Holy Spirit to rid Your children of all bitter jealousy, boasting and selfish ambition. Fill the baptized with Your wisdom, that we may lead peaceable lives with sincerity and love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of hosts, give our Synod’s leaders and all pastors the wisdom that comes down from above, that they may be peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. Let them sow among us in peace, and grant a harvest of righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Uphold this world in Your order. Preserve the Church and the preaching of Your Word against all enemies. Bless our homes, that parents and children may serve one another faithfully and grow in instruction and faith until life’s end. Give health and wisdom to all who serve in public office, that their authority may be exercised for the benefit of our people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, in Your lovingkindness You do not abandon Your children to suffer alone but promise to care for all who call upon Your name. Bless the homebound, the lonely, the depressed and anxious, those preparing for surgery, the ill and the dying [and especially those who desire our prayers: _____________]. Comfort them in their distress, heal all their ills of body and soul, and grant them Your peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of hosts, Your Son was cut off from the land of the living on the tree of the cross, that we might eat and drink the fruit of His body and blood and live forever. Grant that we may worthily receive His Supper in remembrance of Him. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father, grant that what we ask from You may not be squandered after our passions but sought rightly in faith, that we may receive them and put them into service for You and our neighbors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Stand
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
725 “Children of the Heavenly Father”
1 Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.
2 God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.
3 Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.
4 Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832–1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870–1958
Text: Public domain
629 “What Is This Bread”
1 What is this bread?
Christ’s body risen from the dead:
This bread we break,
This life we take,
Was crushed to pay for our release.
O taste and see—the Lord is peace.
2 What is this wine?
The blood of Jesus shed for mine;
The cup of grace
Brings His embrace
Of life and love until I sing!
O taste and see—the Lord is King.
3 So who am I,
That I should live and He should die
Under the rod?
My God, my God,
Why have You not forsaken me?
O taste and see—the Lord is free.
4 Yet is God here?
Oh, yes! By Word and promise clear,
In mouth and soul
He makes us whole--
Christ, truly present in this meal.
O taste and see—the Lord is real.
5 Is this for me?
I am forgiven and set free!
I do believe
That I receive
His very body and His blood.
O taste and see—the Lord is good.
Text: Frederic W. Baue, 1946
Text: © 1991 Fred and Jean Baue. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Thanksgiving
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Benedicamus
Benediction
Closing Hymn: 825 “Rise, Shine, You People”
1 Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered
Our human story; God in Him is centered.
He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,
With grace unbounded.
2 See how He sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;
He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.
All men and women, who by guilt are driven,
Now are forgiven.
3 Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,
Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.
To all the world go out and tell the story
Of Jesus’ glory.
4 Tell how the Father sent His Son to save us.
Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.
Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation
His new creation.
Text: Ronald A. Klug, 1939, alt.
Text: © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Voters’ Meeting and Children Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 15, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Steve Broach
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd, there will be a voters’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs! There are flyers about the event on the table in the Fellowship Room.
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 15, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 819, “Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good”
1 Sing praise to God, the highest good,
The author of creation,
The God of love who understood
Our need for His salvation.
With healing balm our souls He fills
And ev’ry faithless murmur stills:
To God all praise and glory!
2 What God’s almighty pow’r has made,
In mercy He is keeping.
By morning glow or evening shade
His eye is never sleeping.
Within the kingdom of His might
All things are just and good and right:
To God all praise and glory!
3 We sought the Lord in our distress;
O God, in mercy hear us.
Our Savior saw our helplessness
And came with peace to cheer us.
For this we thank and praise the Lord,
Who is by one and all adored:
To God all praise and glory!
4 He never shall forsake His flock,
His chosen generation;
He is their refuge and their rock,
Their peace and their salvation.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
He leads His own, His chosen band:
To God all praise and glory!
5 All who confess Christ’s holy name,
Give God the praise and glory.
Let all who know His pow’r proclaim
Aloud the wondrous story.
Cast ev’ry idol from its throne,
For God is God, and He alone:
To God all praise and glory!
Text: Johann Jacob Schütz, 1640–90; (sts. 1–3, 5): tr. Frances E. Cox, 1812–97, adapt.; (st. 4): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, adapt.
Text: Public domain
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Reading Isaiah 50:4–10
L A reading from Isaiah, chapter 50.
4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
6I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
10Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading James 3:1–12
L A reading from James, chapter 3.
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Reading Mark 9:14–29
L A reading from St. Mark, chapter 9.
14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to [Jesus] and greeted him. 16And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory [spoken] LSB 221
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn: 849, “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”
1 Praise the One who breaks the darkness
With a liberating light;
Praise the One who frees the pris’ners,
Turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel,
Healing ev’ry dread disease,
Calming storms, and feeding thousands
With the very Bread of peace.
2 Praise the One who blessed the children
With a strong, yet gentle, word;
Praise the One who drove out demons
With the piercing, two-edged sword.
Praise the One who brings cool water
To the desert’s burning sand;
From this Well comes living water,
Quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
3 Let us praise the Word Incarnate,
Christ, who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose victorious
That we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness,
Seeing what our God has done;
Let us praise the true Redeemer,
Praise the One who makes us one.
Text: Rusty Edwards, 1955
Text: © 1987 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Help Our Unbelief” Mark 9:14-29
Help Our Unbelief – Mark 9:14-29
The paragraph before today’s reading from the Gospel according to Mark begins with these words: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.” (Mark 9:2–3) This is the beginning of the account of the Transfiguration that we heard at the end of the Epiphany season last February. This means that Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, were on their way back from the Transfiguration at the beginning of today’s reading. The other nine disciples were at the foot of the mountain waiting for their return. While they were waiting a father brought his son to see Jesus. An evil spirit tormented the son, and the father wanted Jesus to remove it.
If a father came to you with this request, you would have every right to be more than a little bit bewildered. On the other hand, the disciples should have been able to help this father and his son. The difference is that earlier in His ministry, Jesus had appointed the twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14–15) Jesus has not given this authority to you in the same way that He gave it to His disciples. The disciples had received this authority and so they should have been able to drive the evil spirit out of the boy. Nevertheless, they were unable to help this boy.
There were also critics waiting for Jesus to come down from the mountain. By this time in His ministry, the scribes and Pharisees always sent a few of their people to keep an eye on Jesus. So when the disciples failed to drive the demon out of the boy, a few of those critics began to debate the disciples about the best way to drive out demons. When Jesus came with Peter, James, and John and returned to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. (Mark 9:14)
Jesus asked what the problem was and the father came forward and answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” (Mark 9:17–18)
Jesus expressed His disappointment with the disciples in rather strong terms. He said, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19) Jesus had given the disciples authority over demons and they did not trust His promise. His primary frustration was the disciples’ lack of faith.
When they brought the boy to Jesus, the demon’s response reminds us that every demon knows who Jesus is. “When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.” (Mark 9:20) It is just as the Apostle James wrote; “The demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19) The evil spirit in the boy was terrified of Jesus. Although the demon believed in Jesus, it was the faith that knew an eternal future of punishment.
The father also had a kind of faith. It was the faith of desperation. It was as if he was thinking, “I’ve tried everything else and I’ve got nothing to lose by trying Jesus.” He said, “… But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22) The father had enough faith to bring his boy to Jesus, but it was the faith of desperation.
Jesus’ rebuke of the boy’s father is gentler than His rebuke of the disciples, but it is still a rebuke. Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23) The father trusted in his past experiences. Everything he had tried before had failed. He expected disappointment once again.
The lack of faith in the disciples and the father represent the two possibilities for the faith that comes by human power. The disciples began to have faith in past success. The father began to have faith in past failures.
The disciples had at one time been able to drive out demons, but now they could not. Like many people who have success, they began to believe that the success was the result of their own skill and ability. They had begun to rely on their own power instead of the true source of power, God. Like many people who experience God’s blessing, they began to forget about God.
The father had faith in a different kind of experience. No one had been able to heal his son. He had placed his faith in many earthly cures and been disappointed. When he asked for help, the disappointments of the past came through. He said, “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” The world had disappointed him so many times that his request had no confidence. He expected disappointment once again.
The struggles that the disciples and the father had with faith demonstrate the war that the devil, the world, and even our own sinful flesh constantly wage against us. One of their strategies is to convince us that we are responsible for our own faith … that our relationship with Jesus depends on our decision to accept Christ.
The possibility that any part of salvation, including our faith, depends on us usually produces one of two possible reactions … self-deception and despair. Despair asks: “Is my faith strong enough;” “Am I really sincere;” “What happens to my faith when I fall asleep;” “What happens to faith during surgery;” and so forth. If you really are responsible for your own faith then you must be ready for every possibility. On the other hand, self-deception simply refuses to think about all these problems and proceeds in ignorance.
The truth is that if our faith truly did depend on us, we would never have it. The Apostle Paul reminds us that “you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) Dead people can do nothing much less work up any kind of faith. He also wrote, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” (Romans 8:7) From this we learn that not only is it impossible for anyone to produce faith within themselves, but the person without faith is hostile to God.
The only way out of this is for the Holy Spirit to put our old sinful nature to death. When Jesus drove the unclean spirit out of the boy He said, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again. And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” (Mark 9:25–27) The corpse-like appearance of the boy reminds us that the Old Adam in us must die with all sins and evil desires. Then, just as Jesus took the boy by the hand and raised him, the Holy Spirit must bring forth a new man in us.
The faith that the Holy Spirit brings to life in us is a faith in Jesus … the same Jesus who drove the demon from the boy in today’s Gospel. Just as Jesus was the only solution for the demon-possessed son, so also Jesus is the only solution for us. Just as Jesus dealt with the demon in today’s Gospel, He also deals with the sin in us. He does not ask us to work off our own sin. Instead, He worked off our sins for us. He took our sins onto Himself and then carried them to the cross. He took the punishment of our sins on Himself so that we do not have to suffer for them. He conquered sin with His suffering and death and then conquered death by rising from the grave. Now He offers the cure for sin to all mankind. This Jesus is the object of the faith that the Holy Spirit gives to us as He drowns the Old Adam and brings the new man to life in us.
This brings us back again to the father’s prayer: “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) When we Christians pray this prayer, we acknowledge that our faith is weak and we can do nothing to maintain it let alone strengthen it. We are crying out to God from our utter helplessness and begging Him to keep us in the one, true faith until He comes to take us home to Himself in heaven.
The Holy Spirit works to give us a faith that believes in God’s grace, not in our own works. He calls us to believe in the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He calls us to believe in the one who drives out demons and gives us true life instead. He calls us to believe in Jesus Christ. The faith that comes from within us will fail. The faith that comes from the world will fail. Only the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith in Jesus Christ will last forever. And only through that faith will Jesus give us forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
1 We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord,
The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored.
To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing,
The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring:
“O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”
2 The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise;
The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise.
The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng,
Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song:
“O all-majestic Father, Your true and only Son,
And Holy Spirit, Comforter—forever Three in One!”
3 You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son,
Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ryone:
You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb,
Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb;
Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve--
You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
4 You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand,
Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command.
We know that You will come as our Judge that final day,
So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray;
May we with saints be numbered where praises never end,
In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church—Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - 15 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord God, we believe; help our unbelief! Sustain us through the many troubles and trials of this world. When unclean spirits afflict us and those that we love, revive our trust in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You have given Your beloved Son the tongue of one who is taught, that He may know how to sustain with a word those who are weary. Prosper in every place the preaching of Your Gospel. By Your Spirit, enable Your pastors to proclaim the Word with clarity and joy, and by the same Spirit open the ears of Your children to believe it with gladness and action. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, guard the tongues of our governing authorities, [especially _____________,] that they may not stumble in what they say, but speak wisely, leading in accord with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You have promised that “all things are possible for one who believes.” In such faith, we bring before You _____________ and all others in need, asking You to grant them health and healing. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, we know that Your Son is near in His Holy Supper, giving in His body and blood His saving righteousness for the forgiveness of sins. Grant repentance and faith to all who come to His table, that they may welcome Him with joy, praying, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie [spoken] LSB 227
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
554, “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful”
1 O Jesus, King most wonderful!
O Conqueror renowned!
O Source of peace ineffable,
In whom all joys are found:
2 When once You visit darkened hearts,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanity departs,
Then kindles love divine.
3 O Jesus, light of all below,
The fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
All that we can desire:
4 May ev’ry heart confess Your name,
Forever You adore,
And, seeking You, itself inflame
To seek You more and more!
5 Oh, may our tongues forever bless,
May we love You alone
And ever in our lives express
The image of Your own!
Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
784, “Take My Life and Let It Be”
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need, continue to preserve Your Church in safety, govern her by Your goodness, and bless her with Your peace; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 846 “Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old”
1 Your hand, O Lord, in days of old
Was strong to heal and save;
It triumphed over ills and death,
O’er darkness and the grave.
To You they came, the blind, the mute,
The palsied and the lame,
The lepers in their misery,
The sick with fevered frame.
2 Your touch then, Lord, brought life and health,
Gave speech and strength and sight;
And youth renewed and frenzy calmed
Revealed You, Lord of light.
And now, O Lord, be near to bless,
Almighty as before,
In crowded street, by beds of pain,
As by Gennes’ret’s shore.
3 O be our great deliv’rer still,
The Lord of life and death;
Restore and quicken, soothe and bless,
With Your life-giving breath.
To hands that work and eyes that see
Give wisdom’s healing pow’r
That whole and sick and weak and strong
May praise You evermore.
Text: Edward H. Plumptre, 1821–91, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 15, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Steve Broach
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay at 10 a.m., with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd, there will be a voters’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs! There are flyers about the event on the table in the Fellowship Room.
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 15, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 819, “Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good”
1 Sing praise to God, the highest good,
The author of creation,
The God of love who understood
Our need for His salvation.
With healing balm our souls He fills
And ev’ry faithless murmur stills:
To God all praise and glory!
2 What God’s almighty pow’r has made,
In mercy He is keeping.
By morning glow or evening shade
His eye is never sleeping.
Within the kingdom of His might
All things are just and good and right:
To God all praise and glory!
3 We sought the Lord in our distress;
O God, in mercy hear us.
Our Savior saw our helplessness
And came with peace to cheer us.
For this we thank and praise the Lord,
Who is by one and all adored:
To God all praise and glory!
4 He never shall forsake His flock,
His chosen generation;
He is their refuge and their rock,
Their peace and their salvation.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
He leads His own, His chosen band:
To God all praise and glory!
5 All who confess Christ’s holy name,
Give God the praise and glory.
Let all who know His pow’r proclaim
Aloud the wondrous story.
Cast ev’ry idol from its throne,
For God is God, and He alone:
To God all praise and glory!
Text: Johann Jacob Schütz, 1640–90; (sts. 1–3, 5): tr. Frances E. Cox, 1812–97, adapt.; (st. 4): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, adapt.
Text: Public domain
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Reading Isaiah 50:4–10
L A reading from Isaiah, chapter 50.
4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
6I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
10Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Reading James 3:1–12
L A reading from James, chapter 3.
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Reading Mark 9:14–29
L A reading from St. Mark, chapter 9.
14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to [Jesus] and greeted him. 16And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory [spoken] LSB 221
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn: 849, “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”
1 Praise the One who breaks the darkness
With a liberating light;
Praise the One who frees the pris’ners,
Turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel,
Healing ev’ry dread disease,
Calming storms, and feeding thousands
With the very Bread of peace.
2 Praise the One who blessed the children
With a strong, yet gentle, word;
Praise the One who drove out demons
With the piercing, two-edged sword.
Praise the One who brings cool water
To the desert’s burning sand;
From this Well comes living water,
Quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
3 Let us praise the Word Incarnate,
Christ, who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose victorious
That we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness,
Seeing what our God has done;
Let us praise the true Redeemer,
Praise the One who makes us one.
Text: Rusty Edwards, 1955
Text: © 1987 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “Help Our Unbelief” Mark 9:14-29
Help Our Unbelief – Mark 9:14-29
The paragraph before today’s reading from the Gospel according to Mark begins with these words: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.” (Mark 9:2–3) This is the beginning of the account of the Transfiguration that we heard at the end of the Epiphany season last February. This means that Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, were on their way back from the Transfiguration at the beginning of today’s reading. The other nine disciples were at the foot of the mountain waiting for their return. While they were waiting a father brought his son to see Jesus. An evil spirit tormented the son, and the father wanted Jesus to remove it.
If a father came to you with this request, you would have every right to be more than a little bit bewildered. On the other hand, the disciples should have been able to help this father and his son. The difference is that earlier in His ministry, Jesus had appointed the twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14–15) Jesus has not given this authority to you in the same way that He gave it to His disciples. The disciples had received this authority and so they should have been able to drive the evil spirit out of the boy. Nevertheless, they were unable to help this boy.
There were also critics waiting for Jesus to come down from the mountain. By this time in His ministry, the scribes and Pharisees always sent a few of their people to keep an eye on Jesus. So when the disciples failed to drive the demon out of the boy, a few of those critics began to debate the disciples about the best way to drive out demons. When Jesus came with Peter, James, and John and returned to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. (Mark 9:14)
Jesus asked what the problem was and the father came forward and answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” (Mark 9:17–18)
Jesus expressed His disappointment with the disciples in rather strong terms. He said, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19) Jesus had given the disciples authority over demons and they did not trust His promise. His primary frustration was the disciples’ lack of faith.
When they brought the boy to Jesus, the demon’s response reminds us that every demon knows who Jesus is. “When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.” (Mark 9:20) It is just as the Apostle James wrote; “The demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19) The evil spirit in the boy was terrified of Jesus. Although the demon believed in Jesus, it was the faith that knew an eternal future of punishment.
The father also had a kind of faith. It was the faith of desperation. It was as if he was thinking, “I’ve tried everything else and I’ve got nothing to lose by trying Jesus.” He said, “… But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22) The father had enough faith to bring his boy to Jesus, but it was the faith of desperation.
Jesus’ rebuke of the boy’s father is gentler than His rebuke of the disciples, but it is still a rebuke. Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23) The father trusted in his past experiences. Everything he had tried before had failed. He expected disappointment once again.
The lack of faith in the disciples and the father represent the two possibilities for the faith that comes by human power. The disciples began to have faith in past success. The father began to have faith in past failures.
The disciples had at one time been able to drive out demons, but now they could not. Like many people who have success, they began to believe that the success was the result of their own skill and ability. They had begun to rely on their own power instead of the true source of power, God. Like many people who experience God’s blessing, they began to forget about God.
The father had faith in a different kind of experience. No one had been able to heal his son. He had placed his faith in many earthly cures and been disappointed. When he asked for help, the disappointments of the past came through. He said, “But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” The world had disappointed him so many times that his request had no confidence. He expected disappointment once again.
The struggles that the disciples and the father had with faith demonstrate the war that the devil, the world, and even our own sinful flesh constantly wage against us. One of their strategies is to convince us that we are responsible for our own faith … that our relationship with Jesus depends on our decision to accept Christ.
The possibility that any part of salvation, including our faith, depends on us usually produces one of two possible reactions … self-deception and despair. Despair asks: “Is my faith strong enough;” “Am I really sincere;” “What happens to my faith when I fall asleep;” “What happens to faith during surgery;” and so forth. If you really are responsible for your own faith then you must be ready for every possibility. On the other hand, self-deception simply refuses to think about all these problems and proceeds in ignorance.
The truth is that if our faith truly did depend on us, we would never have it. The Apostle Paul reminds us that “you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) Dead people can do nothing much less work up any kind of faith. He also wrote, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” (Romans 8:7) From this we learn that not only is it impossible for anyone to produce faith within themselves, but the person without faith is hostile to God.
The only way out of this is for the Holy Spirit to put our old sinful nature to death. When Jesus drove the unclean spirit out of the boy He said, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again. And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” (Mark 9:25–27) The corpse-like appearance of the boy reminds us that the Old Adam in us must die with all sins and evil desires. Then, just as Jesus took the boy by the hand and raised him, the Holy Spirit must bring forth a new man in us.
The faith that the Holy Spirit brings to life in us is a faith in Jesus … the same Jesus who drove the demon from the boy in today’s Gospel. Just as Jesus was the only solution for the demon-possessed son, so also Jesus is the only solution for us. Just as Jesus dealt with the demon in today’s Gospel, He also deals with the sin in us. He does not ask us to work off our own sin. Instead, He worked off our sins for us. He took our sins onto Himself and then carried them to the cross. He took the punishment of our sins on Himself so that we do not have to suffer for them. He conquered sin with His suffering and death and then conquered death by rising from the grave. Now He offers the cure for sin to all mankind. This Jesus is the object of the faith that the Holy Spirit gives to us as He drowns the Old Adam and brings the new man to life in us.
This brings us back again to the father’s prayer: “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) When we Christians pray this prayer, we acknowledge that our faith is weak and we can do nothing to maintain it let alone strengthen it. We are crying out to God from our utter helplessness and begging Him to keep us in the one, true faith until He comes to take us home to Himself in heaven.
The Holy Spirit works to give us a faith that believes in God’s grace, not in our own works. He calls us to believe in the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He calls us to believe in the one who drives out demons and gives us true life instead. He calls us to believe in Jesus Christ. The faith that comes from within us will fail. The faith that comes from the world will fail. Only the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith in Jesus Christ will last forever. And only through that faith will Jesus give us forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
1 We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord,
The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored.
To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing,
The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring:
“O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”
2 The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise;
The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise.
The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng,
Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song:
“O all-majestic Father, Your true and only Son,
And Holy Spirit, Comforter—forever Three in One!”
3 You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son,
Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ryone:
You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb,
Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb;
Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve--
You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
4 You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand,
Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command.
We know that You will come as our Judge that final day,
So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray;
May we with saints be numbered where praises never end,
In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church—Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - 15 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord God, we believe; help our unbelief! Sustain us through the many troubles and trials of this world. When unclean spirits afflict us and those that we love, revive our trust in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You have given Your beloved Son the tongue of one who is taught, that He may know how to sustain with a word those who are weary. Prosper in every place the preaching of Your Gospel. By Your Spirit, enable Your pastors to proclaim the Word with clarity and joy, and by the same Spirit open the ears of Your children to believe it with gladness and action. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, guard the tongues of our governing authorities, [especially _____________,] that they may not stumble in what they say, but speak wisely, leading in accord with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You have promised that “all things are possible for one who believes.” In such faith, we bring before You _____________ and all others in need, asking You to grant them health and healing. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, we know that Your Son is near in His Holy Supper, giving in His body and blood His saving righteousness for the forgiveness of sins. Grant repentance and faith to all who come to His table, that they may welcome Him with joy, praying, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie [spoken] LSB 227
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymns:
554, “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful”
1 O Jesus, King most wonderful!
O Conqueror renowned!
O Source of peace ineffable,
In whom all joys are found:
2 When once You visit darkened hearts,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanity departs,
Then kindles love divine.
3 O Jesus, light of all below,
The fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
All that we can desire:
4 May ev’ry heart confess Your name,
Forever You adore,
And, seeking You, itself inflame
To seek You more and more!
5 Oh, may our tongues forever bless,
May we love You alone
And ever in our lives express
The image of Your own!
Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
784, “Take My Life and Let It Be”
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need, continue to preserve Your Church in safety, govern her by Your goodness, and bless her with Your peace; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 846 “Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old”
1 Your hand, O Lord, in days of old
Was strong to heal and save;
It triumphed over ills and death,
O’er darkness and the grave.
To You they came, the blind, the mute,
The palsied and the lame,
The lepers in their misery,
The sick with fevered frame.
2 Your touch then, Lord, brought life and health,
Gave speech and strength and sight;
And youth renewed and frenzy calmed
Revealed You, Lord of light.
And now, O Lord, be near to bless,
Almighty as before,
In crowded street, by beds of pain,
As by Gennes’ret’s shore.
3 O be our great deliv’rer still,
The Lord of life and death;
Restore and quicken, soothe and bless,
With Your life-giving breath.
To hands that work and eyes that see
Give wisdom’s healing pow’r
That whole and sick and weak and strong
May praise You evermore.
Text: Edward H. Plumptre, 1821–91, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 8, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay, with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd, there will be a voters’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs! There are flyers about the event on the table in the Fellowship Room.
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 8, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 528, “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 35:4-7a
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON James 2:1-10, 14-18
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 7:31-37
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 797, “Praise the Almighty”
SERMON “Hearing Jesus” Mark 7:31-37
Hearing Jesus – Mark 7:31-37
Every so often, the chemistry and physics classes I took when in college cause me to marvel at the wonders of Almighty God. This starts right off in Genesis 1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1–3) There is just all kinds of amazing stuff happening in these few short verses.
When I consider that simple phrase, God said, “Let there be light,” I have to wonder how that happened. Talking normally travels as sound from mouth to ear. Sound can travel in solids, liquids, and gasses, but it cannot travel in a vacuum. Nevertheless, when God said, “Let there be light,” God had not yet created any solids, liquids, or gasses to carry His voice. Furthermore, there were no ears to hear His voice. Even the light that He called forth did not yet exist.
Think about it. God spoke when there was nothing to carry His voice. He spoke to something that did not exist. Nevertheless, when He spoke, the thing He commanded happened. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. This shows that God’s Word has power and authority that far exceeds our understanding.
Most of the time we take the power of the Word of God for granted. How often do we think that light, air, water, the earth beneath our feet, gravity, and everything else that we have in our existence is there because God said it should be there. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired the writer to the Hebrews to say, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1–3) and “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3) The Bible makes it very clear that the universe exists because of the power of the Word of God.
The Gospel according to John begins by telling us that this very Word of God entered our world and took on human flesh in order to make us Sons of God. The Holy Spirit inspired John to write, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) and “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13) These words teach us that Jesus is the very Word of God in human flesh who has come to make us His adopted brothers and sisters and children of God.
The event we recently heard about in this morning’s Gospel tells us even more about the power of this Word of God in human flesh. Today’s reading tells us that He gave hearing and speech to a deaf man. The Holy Spirit inspired Mark to inform us that this sign happened in Gentile territory … the region of Tyre and Sidon, and the region of the Decapolis. This account shows us that Jesus did not just come to save the Jews, but He also came to save Gentiles.
Jesus, who is the Word of God, once again demonstrated that His word is still able to command something that does not exist. The man’s hearing did not exist. Nevertheless, Jesus spoke to him. He said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.” (Mark 7:34–35) In the beginning, God spoke to the light that did not exist and the light came into being. In the Gospel we recently heard, God spoke to hearing that did not exist and it also came into being.
Note that Jesus did not simply give the sense of hearing to the man. If that was all He did, then the man would have had to listen to people for a long time before he could interpret the sounds as words. It would take even more time for this man to learn to reproduce those words with clear speech. When Jesus gave hearing to the man, He did not just give the sense of hearing, but He also gave him the understanding to hear and speak intelligent words. Jesus made it as though this man had had a sense of hearing for his entire life.
It is by the Word of His power that Jesus creates, and His creation is very good. It is by the Word of His power that Jesus heals, and His healing is complete. It is by the word of His power that Jesus saves, and His salvation is eternal.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to explain the connection between salvation and the word of God as he wrote to the church in Rome. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:13–15, 17) The Word of Christ speaks to a faith that does not exist and brings it into being. It is this faith that receives the eternal salvation that Jesus earned for us on the cross.
There is yet another way that we see the power of God’s Word in today’s Gospel. This time, it is the power of God’s Word in the mouth of people. How did the friends know that Jesus was able to give hearing to the deaf man? Jesus did not spend a lot of time in these Gentile areas. Someone, somewhere, somehow had shared the Word of God with these people. Somehow the story of Jesus had reached clear up to the area of Tyre and Sidon. Somehow the story of Jesus had traveled clear over to the area of the Decapolis. Even if it was only neighborhood gossip, the Holy Spirit had used the Holy Spirit used the Word of God to cause these friends to bring the deaf man to Jesus.
You are also here in this building by the power of the Word of God. Faithful brothers and sisters shared the Word of God with their friends and their sons and their daughters. From mouth to ear, across the lands, down through the generations, the Word of God spread and the Holy Spirit used that Word to work faith in those who heard it. Eventually the power of that word came to your ear. That is the reason you are here … in this place … to receive the gifts that Jesus purchased for you with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.
The Holy Spirit eliminates barriers with the Word and tells us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. As the Holy Spirit works through the Word we learn that our sin separates us from God, but that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross takes away our sins. We learn that His resurrection from the dead opens up the way to everlasting life. Through the Word, Christ reveals Himself to us. In that revelation, He also reveals the Father and the Holy Spirit and shows us God’s salvation. The Holy Spirit uses this knowledge to make that salvation personal through His gift of faith.
When the Holy Spirit joins the Word to the water of Holy Baptism, He joins us to Christ in that crucifixion so that the price He paid for sin is credited to us. By joining us to the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit also joins us to His resurrection. We become brothers of Christ and sons of God. We have the right and privilege to come before God, confess our sins, and receive the enduring comfort of the forgiveness of our sins. We become heirs to eternal life in heaven.
When the Holy Spirit joins the Word to bread and wine, Jesus Himself comes to us in the body He gave for us and in the blood He shed for us. As we take Him into our mouths, He feeds our souls. He strengthens our faith in Him. He has promised us that this sacrament is ours for the forgiveness of sins and with the forgiveness of sins comes life and salvation.
God’s process for sustaining Christ’s church in this world is amazing. Just as friends brought the deaf man to Jesus, so also God works through His people to bring His Word into our lives. He brings this word to our ears. He uses the wet Word of Holy Baptism to join us to Christ. Then the Word made flesh comes to us in the Bread and Wine of the Lord’s Table. The Holy Spirit works through this Word to work faith in us and bring us into the Church.
Now that we have the Word of God, we also have the authority to ask people to do the impossible. We can tell people about Jesus and the work He did to earn salvation for them. Then we can invite people and say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Even though no one can believe in Jesus Christ by their own reason or strength, we trust the promise of Christ that the Holy Spirit will work wherever the Word of God is present. The Augsburg Confession expresses this very well: “Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given. He works faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake. This happens not through our own merits, but for Christ’s sake.” (AC: I, art. v)
As the Holy Spirit sustains us in the one, true faith, He sends us into the world to confess the faith he has given to us and so in this way to spread His Word throughout the World. As we confess our faith to family, friends, associates, and all the other people in our lives, He has promised to use our confession to bring others before Christ for healing – the healing that produces faith and delivers forgiveness. In this amazingly crazy way, the Word of Christ still speaks to a faith that does not exist and brings it into being. Amen
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church—Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 8 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, by Your Spirit open our deaf ears to hear Your Word, that our tongues would be released to proclaim with zeal how Your Son has done all things well. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, You have commanded Your Church to take the Word of life to the ends of the earth. Strengthen and support all who travel to foreign lands on behalf of the Church’s mission. Give them wisdom and courage as they tell others about Christ. Bless their hearers with hearts that are receptive to Your gifts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, help parents to raise up their children to know You as their help and hope, that they may not put their trust in princes in whom there is no salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we place our hope in You and ask Your blessing on _____________ and all rulers, that their plans would be ordered for the welfare of those they govern and that You would execute Your justice for the oppressed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, graciously behold the sick and those in any need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, give us a humble and urgent faith that would beg even for crumbs from Your Son’s table, that as Your children we may receive the fullness of the feast He gives in His body and blood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, create and sustain in us a lively faith in Christ Jesus, and lead us by Your Spirit to be active in all good works. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Source of all life and the life that never ends, receive our prayers this day in the name of Your beloved Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMNS
Hymn-- no. 545, “Word of God, Come Down on Earth”
no. 852, “O God of Mercy, God of Might”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 924, “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 8, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
THE WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY group meets the first and third Thursdays at Depoe Bay, with an activity on the fourth Thursday. For more information, please speak with Barb Whitley.
ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd, there will be a voters’ meeting following the worship service and refreshment time. AND after the meeting a BBQ with ribs, hamburgers, and other food, will be offered. All are welcome to attend the meeting (even if you aren’t a voting member) and the BBQ following the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. You won’t want to miss the ribs! There are flyers about the event on the table in the Fellowship Room.
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 8, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 528, “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 35:4-7a
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON James 2:1-10, 14-18
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 7:31-37
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 797, “Praise the Almighty”
SERMON “Hearing Jesus” Mark 7:31-37
Hearing Jesus – Mark 7:31-37
Every so often, the chemistry and physics classes I took when in college cause me to marvel at the wonders of Almighty God. This starts right off in Genesis 1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1–3) There is just all kinds of amazing stuff happening in these few short verses.
When I consider that simple phrase, God said, “Let there be light,” I have to wonder how that happened. Talking normally travels as sound from mouth to ear. Sound can travel in solids, liquids, and gasses, but it cannot travel in a vacuum. Nevertheless, when God said, “Let there be light,” God had not yet created any solids, liquids, or gasses to carry His voice. Furthermore, there were no ears to hear His voice. Even the light that He called forth did not yet exist.
Think about it. God spoke when there was nothing to carry His voice. He spoke to something that did not exist. Nevertheless, when He spoke, the thing He commanded happened. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. This shows that God’s Word has power and authority that far exceeds our understanding.
Most of the time we take the power of the Word of God for granted. How often do we think that light, air, water, the earth beneath our feet, gravity, and everything else that we have in our existence is there because God said it should be there. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired the writer to the Hebrews to say, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1–3) and “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3) The Bible makes it very clear that the universe exists because of the power of the Word of God.
The Gospel according to John begins by telling us that this very Word of God entered our world and took on human flesh in order to make us Sons of God. The Holy Spirit inspired John to write, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) and “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13) These words teach us that Jesus is the very Word of God in human flesh who has come to make us His adopted brothers and sisters and children of God.
The event we recently heard about in this morning’s Gospel tells us even more about the power of this Word of God in human flesh. Today’s reading tells us that He gave hearing and speech to a deaf man. The Holy Spirit inspired Mark to inform us that this sign happened in Gentile territory … the region of Tyre and Sidon, and the region of the Decapolis. This account shows us that Jesus did not just come to save the Jews, but He also came to save Gentiles.
Jesus, who is the Word of God, once again demonstrated that His word is still able to command something that does not exist. The man’s hearing did not exist. Nevertheless, Jesus spoke to him. He said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.” (Mark 7:34–35) In the beginning, God spoke to the light that did not exist and the light came into being. In the Gospel we recently heard, God spoke to hearing that did not exist and it also came into being.
Note that Jesus did not simply give the sense of hearing to the man. If that was all He did, then the man would have had to listen to people for a long time before he could interpret the sounds as words. It would take even more time for this man to learn to reproduce those words with clear speech. When Jesus gave hearing to the man, He did not just give the sense of hearing, but He also gave him the understanding to hear and speak intelligent words. Jesus made it as though this man had had a sense of hearing for his entire life.
It is by the Word of His power that Jesus creates, and His creation is very good. It is by the Word of His power that Jesus heals, and His healing is complete. It is by the word of His power that Jesus saves, and His salvation is eternal.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to explain the connection between salvation and the word of God as he wrote to the church in Rome. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:13–15, 17) The Word of Christ speaks to a faith that does not exist and brings it into being. It is this faith that receives the eternal salvation that Jesus earned for us on the cross.
There is yet another way that we see the power of God’s Word in today’s Gospel. This time, it is the power of God’s Word in the mouth of people. How did the friends know that Jesus was able to give hearing to the deaf man? Jesus did not spend a lot of time in these Gentile areas. Someone, somewhere, somehow had shared the Word of God with these people. Somehow the story of Jesus had reached clear up to the area of Tyre and Sidon. Somehow the story of Jesus had traveled clear over to the area of the Decapolis. Even if it was only neighborhood gossip, the Holy Spirit had used the Holy Spirit used the Word of God to cause these friends to bring the deaf man to Jesus.
You are also here in this building by the power of the Word of God. Faithful brothers and sisters shared the Word of God with their friends and their sons and their daughters. From mouth to ear, across the lands, down through the generations, the Word of God spread and the Holy Spirit used that Word to work faith in those who heard it. Eventually the power of that word came to your ear. That is the reason you are here … in this place … to receive the gifts that Jesus purchased for you with His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.
The Holy Spirit eliminates barriers with the Word and tells us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. As the Holy Spirit works through the Word we learn that our sin separates us from God, but that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross takes away our sins. We learn that His resurrection from the dead opens up the way to everlasting life. Through the Word, Christ reveals Himself to us. In that revelation, He also reveals the Father and the Holy Spirit and shows us God’s salvation. The Holy Spirit uses this knowledge to make that salvation personal through His gift of faith.
When the Holy Spirit joins the Word to the water of Holy Baptism, He joins us to Christ in that crucifixion so that the price He paid for sin is credited to us. By joining us to the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit also joins us to His resurrection. We become brothers of Christ and sons of God. We have the right and privilege to come before God, confess our sins, and receive the enduring comfort of the forgiveness of our sins. We become heirs to eternal life in heaven.
When the Holy Spirit joins the Word to bread and wine, Jesus Himself comes to us in the body He gave for us and in the blood He shed for us. As we take Him into our mouths, He feeds our souls. He strengthens our faith in Him. He has promised us that this sacrament is ours for the forgiveness of sins and with the forgiveness of sins comes life and salvation.
God’s process for sustaining Christ’s church in this world is amazing. Just as friends brought the deaf man to Jesus, so also God works through His people to bring His Word into our lives. He brings this word to our ears. He uses the wet Word of Holy Baptism to join us to Christ. Then the Word made flesh comes to us in the Bread and Wine of the Lord’s Table. The Holy Spirit works through this Word to work faith in us and bring us into the Church.
Now that we have the Word of God, we also have the authority to ask people to do the impossible. We can tell people about Jesus and the work He did to earn salvation for them. Then we can invite people and say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Even though no one can believe in Jesus Christ by their own reason or strength, we trust the promise of Christ that the Holy Spirit will work wherever the Word of God is present. The Augsburg Confession expresses this very well: “Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given. He works faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake. This happens not through our own merits, but for Christ’s sake.” (AC: I, art. v)
As the Holy Spirit sustains us in the one, true faith, He sends us into the world to confess the faith he has given to us and so in this way to spread His Word throughout the World. As we confess our faith to family, friends, associates, and all the other people in our lives, He has promised to use our confession to bring others before Christ for healing – the healing that produces faith and delivers forgiveness. In this amazingly crazy way, the Word of Christ still speaks to a faith that does not exist and brings it into being. Amen
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church—Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 8 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, by Your Spirit open our deaf ears to hear Your Word, that our tongues would be released to proclaim with zeal how Your Son has done all things well. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, You have commanded Your Church to take the Word of life to the ends of the earth. Strengthen and support all who travel to foreign lands on behalf of the Church’s mission. Give them wisdom and courage as they tell others about Christ. Bless their hearers with hearts that are receptive to Your gifts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, help parents to raise up their children to know You as their help and hope, that they may not put their trust in princes in whom there is no salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we place our hope in You and ask Your blessing on _____________ and all rulers, that their plans would be ordered for the welfare of those they govern and that You would execute Your justice for the oppressed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, graciously behold the sick and those in any need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, give us a humble and urgent faith that would beg even for crumbs from Your Son’s table, that as Your children we may receive the fullness of the feast He gives in His body and blood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, create and sustain in us a lively faith in Christ Jesus, and lead us by Your Spirit to be active in all good works. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, Source of all life and the life that never ends, receive our prayers this day in the name of Your beloved Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMNS
Hymn-- no. 545, “Word of God, Come Down on Earth”
no. 852, “O God of Mercy, God of Might”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 924, “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 1, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
A WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay in downtown Auburn. The ladies’ study meets on the first and third Thursdays and has an activity on the fourth Thursday.
Can You Imagine?
Imagine that you are trapped in a large burning building in your community. Both your legs are broken, all your ribs are cracked (we're going to make this really bad), you can hardly breathe, you are pinned to the floor, fire is everywhere, you are ready to give up and die and someone rescues you. Could you imagine later on one of your friends saying too you, "Hey, how did you get rescued?" And you reply, "I'm not going to tell you. It's a secret. Don't embarrass me by having to tell." Would you do that? Then why are you embarrassed to tell about your biggest Rescuer who saved you from the biggest fire, the fire of hell, who is your very, very best Friend and Savior, to whom you owe your life now and forever in heaven, Jesus Christ? My friend, it's time for you to stop being embarrassed about Jesus! You have a great story to tell, and you know some people who are "dying" to hear it! Someone told you. Now you tell it.
“The Bible is about Christ from cover to cover. The Incarnate Word [Jesus Christ] makes Himself known in the written Word.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 1, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 869 “With the Lord Begin Your Task”
1 With the Lord begin your task;
Jesus will direct it.
For His aid and counsel ask;
Jesus will perfect it.
Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise,
And when day is ended,
In His name then close your eyes;
Be to Him commended.
2 Let each day begin with prayer,
Praise, and adoration.
On the Lord cast ev’ry care;
He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night
Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter’s might,
With His presence cheer you.
3 With your Savior at your side,
Foes need not alarm you;
In His promises confide,
And no ill can harm you.
All your trust and hope repose
In the mighty Master,
Who in wisdom truly knows
How to stem disaster.
4 If your task be thus begun
With the Savior’s blessing,
Safely then your course will run,
Toward the promise pressing.
Good will follow ev’rywhere
While you here must wander;
You at last the joy will share
In the mansions yonder.
5 Thus, Lord Jesus, ev’ry task
Be to You commended;
May Your will be done, I ask,
Until life is ended.
Jesus, in Your name begun
Be the day’s endeavor;
Grant that it may well be done
To Your praise forever.
Text: Morgen- und Abend-segen, 1734, Waldenburg; tr. W. Gustave Polack, 1890–1950, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 51:2, 7, 10–12
P Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Kyrie [sung] LSB 204
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Gloria in Excelsis [sung] LSB 204
C 1 To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill from God in heaven
Proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father;
Your holy name, we sing--
Our thanks for Your great glory,
Lord God, our heav’nly King.
2 To You, O sole-begotten,
The Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior,
You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus;
Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated
At God’s right hand on high--
3 For You alone are holy;
You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever,
Be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit
Alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory.
“Amen!” our glad reply.
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
O God, the source of all that is just and good, nourish in us every virtue and bring to completion every good intent that we may grow in grace and bring forth the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
1“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the just decrees that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. . . .
6Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and just decrees so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
9“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 119:129–136
Pe
129Your testimonies are | wonderful;*
therefore my soul | keeps them.
130The unfolding of your | words gives light;*
it imparts understanding to the | simple.
131I open my | mouth and pant,*
because I long for your com- | mandments.
132Turn to me and be gra- | cious to me,*
as is your way with those who | love your name.
133Keep steady my steps according to your | promise,*
and let no iniquity get dominion | over me.
134Redeem me from man’s op- | pression,*
that I may keep your | precepts.
135Make your face shine upon your | servant,*
and teach me your | statutes.
136My eyes shed | streams of tears,*
because people do not | keep your law.
Epistle Ephesians 6:10–20
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse [sung] LSB 205
C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
C These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Holy Gospel Mark 7:14–23
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the seventh chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
14[Jesus] called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 566 “By Grace I’m Saved”
1 By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No! Then this word must true remain:
By grace you too will life obtain.
2 By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
Our works and conduct have no worth.
God in His love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
His death did for our sins atone,
And we are saved by grace alone.
3 By grace God’s Son, our only Savior,
Came down to earth to bear our sin.
Was it because of your own merit
That Jesus died your soul to win?
No, it was grace, and grace alone,
That brought Him from His heav’nly throne.
4 By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
As long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in His Word our God commands,
Our faith in what our God has done
Depends on grace—grace through His Son.
5 By grace to timid hearts that tremble,
In tribulation’s furnace tried,
By grace, in spite of fear and trouble,
The Father’s heart is open wide.
Where could I help and strength secure
If grace were not my anchor sure?
6 By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying;
In Jesus’ promise I rejoice;
For though I know my heart’s condition,
I also know my Savior’s voice.
My heart is glad, all grief has flown
Since I am saved by grace alone.
Text: Christian Ludwig Scheidt, 1709–61; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “What Defiles Us? Who Alone Can Save Us?” Mk 7:14-23
What Defiles Us? Who Alone Can Save Us? – Mark 7:14-23
We first heard the phrase, “The Force” many years ago. But you can still hear people using it, as in “May the Force be with you.” The phrase actually goes back to 1977 when George Lucas released the first of the Star Wars series of movies. At the time, he simply called it Star Wars, but most fans may now know it now by the title of the latest installment, Star Wars: The Acolyte. The movies have been an incredible success and made a lot of money for a lot of people.
One of the early plot devices was something called “The Force.” People who were strong in “The Force” were basically wizards. They could anticipate other people’s actions, move objects with their minds, control other people’s thoughts, and so forth. Using “The Force” required a great deal of training and skill.
Proper control of “The Force” depended a lot on feelings. The trainers were constantly telling the learners to search their feelings … trust their feelings … feel, don’t think … trust your instincts … and so forth. Eventually, the main character learned to trust his feelings … control “The Force” … win the day … and become a hero.
All of this trusting in instincts and feelings makes for a fun movie. It is great fiction, and the movies are very popular. Unfortunately, there are people who believe that trusting your feelings and instincts works in real life. This is especially sad when it comes to making choices between right and wrong. People think that if they follow their heart, it will always lead them in the right way.
Jesus taught the exact opposite. He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20–23) According to Jesus, following your heart is a very dangerous thing to do.
The book of Judges in the Old Testament gives an account of some of the deepest, darkest, most immoral days of Israel. Cruelty, obscenity, and hardness of heart all reach their deepest depths in this book. The book of Judges ends with these words of judgment, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) Some of the most horrible things described in the Bible were considered right at that time because people judged by what was right in their own eyes. This is just another way of saying that they were following their heart.
If we take a few moments to think about it, it makes sense that it is dangerous to trust our feelings as a guide to the ultimate truth. Think about it. Do you feel the same every day? If your feelings change from day to day, does that mean that the truth changes from day to day? What about other peoples’ feelings? If you interview a hundred people on any given topic, the odds are pretty good that you will get three or four different feelings on that topic. If you interview those exact same hundred people a year later, their feelings will change. Many of them won’t agree with the answer they gave the previous year. Think about it … honestly … do you really want to stake your eternity on a feeling that you have … a feeling that might change tomorrow … a feeling that varies from person to person?
This is probably one of the biggest problems in the world today. People base their ideas of right and wrong on philosophies that come from within. They don’t ask, “Is this the right thing to do?” Instead, they ask, “Does this seem right … to me?” “Does this make me happy?” “Does this give me pleasure?” It is all about what makes me feel good … today. Our society thinks this is good, healthy, wholesome, and so forth.
On the other hand, Jesus says, “… evil things come from within …” The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Jeremiah to say, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) After the flood, the Lord Himself said, “… For the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth …” (Genesis 8:21) Our culture wants you to believe that what comes from inside of you is basically good. The Bible tells us that man is actually evil to the core.
I don’t know about you, but this teaching frightens me. It means that while I live in this sin-filled world, I carry a traitor around inside of me. Jesus says that deep down in my heart is a source of evil, not good. Jesus says that I can’t trust my heart for good. I can’t trust my heart for truth. Jesus basically says that I can’t trust my heart – that my heart is a traitor within me. I carry within me a deep core of rotten filth that is my sin. It is terrifying for Jesus to tell me that my own heart betrays me.
The most frightening aspect of this rotten sin within me is that I can do nothing about it. Every righteous deed I try to do … every pure thought I try to have is polluted by the evil that is within me. I cannot help myself because my own heart betrays me and works tirelessly to drag me down to hell. What hope do I have against such a severe traitor? I would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation by a salvation that is beyond me – outside of me – greater than me.
The introit for this morning was part of the cry of David as he called out for rescue from this sinful condition. King David had followed his traitorous heart. He committed adultery with the wife of one of his finest and most loyal army officers. Then he murdered that army officer in an empty attempt to cover up his adultery.
What was his prayer when his pastor, Nathan the prophet, uncovered his horrible sin? We have his words in Psalm 51. In this psalm, David finally did the only honest thing a sinner can do before Almighty God. He pled guilty to all the charges leveled against him and threw himself on the mercy of the court. He begged Almighty God to kill his old sinful heart and create a new clean heart within him. This psalm is a psalm we all need to pray.
God has already answered this prayer that we pray with David. He sent His Son Christ Jesus into the world to take up our human flesh. Since Jesus is the Son of God and was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, He was born with a clean heart. He experienced all the temptations we experience, but He never sinned. Instead He took the sin of our hearts onto Himself and carried it to the cross. As He hung on that cross, He paid the price that God’s justice demands of our sin. He suffered the punishment of hell in our place for us. We know that the price He paid was more than enough because the grave could not hold Him. His resurrection from the dead shows us that God is now ready to create a clean heart in each of us.
In order to create a clean heart in us, God first puts the old, filthy, toxic, sinful heart to death. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3) and “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6) and “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24) God works … not from the inside … but from the external Word to drown our old sinful nature.
He then works in us to create that new, clean heart for which we prayed. Again, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5) and “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8) When the Holy Spirit plants faith in us, He does a heart transplant. He removes our filthy hearts of sin and replaces them with new, clean hearts.
Now, although we have new, clean hearts, we still live in a sinful world. Temptations still attack us from all directions, and we often suffer defeat. That is when our new hearts convict us of sin and drive us back to the cross. There we once again confess our sins and receive forgiveness for all our sins. In this way, God keeps our new heart clean until He takes us away from this world of sin. On that day, the angels will carry us to His side in Heaven. There we shall wait for the Last Day when He will raise the dead and take all who believe in Him into eternal life. In that new earth, we shall never be sinful again.
Each and every one of us was born with a toxic heart. It was a heart that loved sin and hated God. Over time our continuous sinning only made our hearts blacker and more toxic. There was no way that we can trust such hearts to guide us in the truth. Instead, God took our filthy, sinful hearts and destroyed them at the cross. Now through Holy Baptism, He gives us newly created hearts – hearts that fear, love and trust in Him above all things – hearts that turn to Him in time of trouble – and when temptations overwhelm us, hearts that confess our sin in the sure and certain knowledge that God loves us for Christ’s sake and will forgive us. These are new hearts that will live with Him in heaven and rejoice before His throne forever. These are the new hearts that God has created in us. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church—Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost -- 1 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, be near us with Your Word and Spirit. Guide and lead us, that we may not stray from the way of Your commandments nor forget the wonderful blessings that You have given to us. Direct us always with Your Word of truth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remember, kind Father, the preachers of Your Word. Keep them from adding to it or taking from it. Give them grace to proclaim Your whole counsel in Christ Jesus. Raise up new laborers for Your harvest fields, and prosper Your Law and promises throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of all knowledge and wisdom, grant us to know You and Your love. Bless pastors and teachers, parents and grandparents, and all teachers of the faith, that we may grow up into You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, look with compassion on our nation and all who bear public office. Give them wisdom, courage and integrity. Destroy and hinder in our common life whatever is not pleasing to You, and bless and prosper whatever accords with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of life, bring health and healing to Your people. We pray for everyone in need of Your mercy today [including _____________]. Strengthen them with Your Word of grace, that they would look to You for comfort in the midst of suffering and pain. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Father, we thank You that Christ has given His body and blood into death for our forgiveness. Bless us as we receive this same body and blood in His Holy Sacrament, remembering and proclaiming with joy the salvation He accomplished for us in His death and resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer You our thanks and praise for Your servants who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labors. Bring us with them to the unspeakable joys of Your new heavens and new earth at the day of our Savior’s glorious appearing. Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus [sung] LSB 208
C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei [sung] LSB 210
C 1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
569 “In Adam We Have All Been One”
1 In Adam we have all been one,
One huge rebellious man;
We all have fled that evening voice
That sought us as we ran.
2 We fled Thee, and in losing Thee
We lost our brother too;
Each singly sought and claimed his own;
Each man his brother slew.
3 But Thy strong love, it sought us still
And sent Thine only Son
That we might hear His Shepherd’s voice
And, hearing Him, be one.
4 O Thou who, when we loved Thee not,
Didst love and save us all,
Thou great Good Shepherd of mankind,
O hear us when we call.
5 Send us Thy Spirit, teach us truth;
Thou Son, O set us free
From fancied wisdom, self-sought ways,
To make us one in Thee.
D 6 Then shall our song united rise
To Thine eternal throne,
Where with the Father evermore
And Spirit Thou art one.
Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
567 “Not What These Hands Have Done”
1 Not what these hands have done
Can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
2 Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.
3 Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
4 Thy love to me, O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest
And set my spirit free.
5 Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy pow’r alone, O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
6 I bless the Christ of God,
I rest on love divine,
And with unfalt’ring lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808–89
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis [sung] LSB 211
C 1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding
Through all eternity.
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 662 “Onward, Christian Soldiers”
1 Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle
See His banners go! Refrain
ref Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
2 Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity. Refrain
3 Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the Church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
’Gainst that Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
And that cannot fail. Refrain
4 Onward, then, ye faithful,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song:
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ, the king;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing. Refrain
Text: Sabine Baring-Gould, 1834–1924, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, followed by Adult Bible Class & Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost – September 1, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Jeri Bliss
Ushers Randy Peeters, Allan Bliss, Robert Potts
(captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. The men’s study is held weekly except on holidays.
A WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay in downtown Auburn. The ladies’ study meets on the first and third Thursdays and has an activity on the fourth Thursday.
Can You Imagine?
Imagine that you are trapped in a large burning building in your community. Both your legs are broken, all your ribs are cracked (we're going to make this really bad), you can hardly breathe, you are pinned to the floor, fire is everywhere, you are ready to give up and die and someone rescues you. Could you imagine later on one of your friends saying too you, "Hey, how did you get rescued?" And you reply, "I'm not going to tell you. It's a secret. Don't embarrass me by having to tell." Would you do that? Then why are you embarrassed to tell about your biggest Rescuer who saved you from the biggest fire, the fire of hell, who is your very, very best Friend and Savior, to whom you owe your life now and forever in heaven, Jesus Christ? My friend, it's time for you to stop being embarrassed about Jesus! You have a great story to tell, and you know some people who are "dying" to hear it! Someone told you. Now you tell it.
“The Bible is about Christ from cover to cover. The Incarnate Word [Jesus Christ] makes Himself known in the written Word.” Gene Edward Veith in “Why God’s Word Is All We Need”
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 1, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 869 “With the Lord Begin Your Task”
1 With the Lord begin your task;
Jesus will direct it.
For His aid and counsel ask;
Jesus will perfect it.
Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise,
And when day is ended,
In His name then close your eyes;
Be to Him commended.
2 Let each day begin with prayer,
Praise, and adoration.
On the Lord cast ev’ry care;
He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night
Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter’s might,
With His presence cheer you.
3 With your Savior at your side,
Foes need not alarm you;
In His promises confide,
And no ill can harm you.
All your trust and hope repose
In the mighty Master,
Who in wisdom truly knows
How to stem disaster.
4 If your task be thus begun
With the Savior’s blessing,
Safely then your course will run,
Toward the promise pressing.
Good will follow ev’rywhere
While you here must wander;
You at last the joy will share
In the mansions yonder.
5 Thus, Lord Jesus, ev’ry task
Be to You commended;
May Your will be done, I ask,
Until life is ended.
Jesus, in Your name begun
Be the day’s endeavor;
Grant that it may well be done
To Your praise forever.
Text: Morgen- und Abend-segen, 1734, Waldenburg; tr. W. Gustave Polack, 1890–1950, alt.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 51:2, 7, 10–12
P Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Kyrie [sung] LSB 204
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Gloria in Excelsis [sung] LSB 204
C 1 To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill from God in heaven
Proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father;
Your holy name, we sing--
Our thanks for Your great glory,
Lord God, our heav’nly King.
2 To You, O sole-begotten,
The Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior,
You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus;
Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated
At God’s right hand on high--
3 For You alone are holy;
You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever,
Be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit
Alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory.
“Amen!” our glad reply.
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
O God, the source of all that is just and good, nourish in us every virtue and bring to completion every good intent that we may grow in grace and bring forth the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
1“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the just decrees that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. . . .
6Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and just decrees so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
9“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 119:129–136
Pe
129Your testimonies are | wonderful;*
therefore my soul | keeps them.
130The unfolding of your | words gives light;*
it imparts understanding to the | simple.
131I open my | mouth and pant,*
because I long for your com- | mandments.
132Turn to me and be gra- | cious to me,*
as is your way with those who | love your name.
133Keep steady my steps according to your | promise,*
and let no iniquity get dominion | over me.
134Redeem me from man’s op- | pression,*
that I may keep your | precepts.
135Make your face shine upon your | servant,*
and teach me your | statutes.
136My eyes shed | streams of tears,*
because people do not | keep your law.
Epistle Ephesians 6:10–20
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse [sung] LSB 205
C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
C These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Holy Gospel Mark 7:14–23
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the seventh chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
14[Jesus] called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 566 “By Grace I’m Saved”
1 By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No! Then this word must true remain:
By grace you too will life obtain.
2 By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
Our works and conduct have no worth.
God in His love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
His death did for our sins atone,
And we are saved by grace alone.
3 By grace God’s Son, our only Savior,
Came down to earth to bear our sin.
Was it because of your own merit
That Jesus died your soul to win?
No, it was grace, and grace alone,
That brought Him from His heav’nly throne.
4 By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
As long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
What in His Word our God commands,
Our faith in what our God has done
Depends on grace—grace through His Son.
5 By grace to timid hearts that tremble,
In tribulation’s furnace tried,
By grace, in spite of fear and trouble,
The Father’s heart is open wide.
Where could I help and strength secure
If grace were not my anchor sure?
6 By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying;
In Jesus’ promise I rejoice;
For though I know my heart’s condition,
I also know my Savior’s voice.
My heart is glad, all grief has flown
Since I am saved by grace alone.
Text: Christian Ludwig Scheidt, 1709–61; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain
Sermon “What Defiles Us? Who Alone Can Save Us?” Mk 7:14-23
What Defiles Us? Who Alone Can Save Us? – Mark 7:14-23
We first heard the phrase, “The Force” many years ago. But you can still hear people using it, as in “May the Force be with you.” The phrase actually goes back to 1977 when George Lucas released the first of the Star Wars series of movies. At the time, he simply called it Star Wars, but most fans may now know it now by the title of the latest installment, Star Wars: The Acolyte. The movies have been an incredible success and made a lot of money for a lot of people.
One of the early plot devices was something called “The Force.” People who were strong in “The Force” were basically wizards. They could anticipate other people’s actions, move objects with their minds, control other people’s thoughts, and so forth. Using “The Force” required a great deal of training and skill.
Proper control of “The Force” depended a lot on feelings. The trainers were constantly telling the learners to search their feelings … trust their feelings … feel, don’t think … trust your instincts … and so forth. Eventually, the main character learned to trust his feelings … control “The Force” … win the day … and become a hero.
All of this trusting in instincts and feelings makes for a fun movie. It is great fiction, and the movies are very popular. Unfortunately, there are people who believe that trusting your feelings and instincts works in real life. This is especially sad when it comes to making choices between right and wrong. People think that if they follow their heart, it will always lead them in the right way.
Jesus taught the exact opposite. He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20–23) According to Jesus, following your heart is a very dangerous thing to do.
The book of Judges in the Old Testament gives an account of some of the deepest, darkest, most immoral days of Israel. Cruelty, obscenity, and hardness of heart all reach their deepest depths in this book. The book of Judges ends with these words of judgment, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) Some of the most horrible things described in the Bible were considered right at that time because people judged by what was right in their own eyes. This is just another way of saying that they were following their heart.
If we take a few moments to think about it, it makes sense that it is dangerous to trust our feelings as a guide to the ultimate truth. Think about it. Do you feel the same every day? If your feelings change from day to day, does that mean that the truth changes from day to day? What about other peoples’ feelings? If you interview a hundred people on any given topic, the odds are pretty good that you will get three or four different feelings on that topic. If you interview those exact same hundred people a year later, their feelings will change. Many of them won’t agree with the answer they gave the previous year. Think about it … honestly … do you really want to stake your eternity on a feeling that you have … a feeling that might change tomorrow … a feeling that varies from person to person?
This is probably one of the biggest problems in the world today. People base their ideas of right and wrong on philosophies that come from within. They don’t ask, “Is this the right thing to do?” Instead, they ask, “Does this seem right … to me?” “Does this make me happy?” “Does this give me pleasure?” It is all about what makes me feel good … today. Our society thinks this is good, healthy, wholesome, and so forth.
On the other hand, Jesus says, “… evil things come from within …” The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Jeremiah to say, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) After the flood, the Lord Himself said, “… For the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth …” (Genesis 8:21) Our culture wants you to believe that what comes from inside of you is basically good. The Bible tells us that man is actually evil to the core.
I don’t know about you, but this teaching frightens me. It means that while I live in this sin-filled world, I carry a traitor around inside of me. Jesus says that deep down in my heart is a source of evil, not good. Jesus says that I can’t trust my heart for good. I can’t trust my heart for truth. Jesus basically says that I can’t trust my heart – that my heart is a traitor within me. I carry within me a deep core of rotten filth that is my sin. It is terrifying for Jesus to tell me that my own heart betrays me.
The most frightening aspect of this rotten sin within me is that I can do nothing about it. Every righteous deed I try to do … every pure thought I try to have is polluted by the evil that is within me. I cannot help myself because my own heart betrays me and works tirelessly to drag me down to hell. What hope do I have against such a severe traitor? I would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation by a salvation that is beyond me – outside of me – greater than me.
The introit for this morning was part of the cry of David as he called out for rescue from this sinful condition. King David had followed his traitorous heart. He committed adultery with the wife of one of his finest and most loyal army officers. Then he murdered that army officer in an empty attempt to cover up his adultery.
What was his prayer when his pastor, Nathan the prophet, uncovered his horrible sin? We have his words in Psalm 51. In this psalm, David finally did the only honest thing a sinner can do before Almighty God. He pled guilty to all the charges leveled against him and threw himself on the mercy of the court. He begged Almighty God to kill his old sinful heart and create a new clean heart within him. This psalm is a psalm we all need to pray.
God has already answered this prayer that we pray with David. He sent His Son Christ Jesus into the world to take up our human flesh. Since Jesus is the Son of God and was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, He was born with a clean heart. He experienced all the temptations we experience, but He never sinned. Instead He took the sin of our hearts onto Himself and carried it to the cross. As He hung on that cross, He paid the price that God’s justice demands of our sin. He suffered the punishment of hell in our place for us. We know that the price He paid was more than enough because the grave could not hold Him. His resurrection from the dead shows us that God is now ready to create a clean heart in each of us.
In order to create a clean heart in us, God first puts the old, filthy, toxic, sinful heart to death. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3) and “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6) and “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24) God works … not from the inside … but from the external Word to drown our old sinful nature.
He then works in us to create that new, clean heart for which we prayed. Again, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5) and “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8) When the Holy Spirit plants faith in us, He does a heart transplant. He removes our filthy hearts of sin and replaces them with new, clean hearts.
Now, although we have new, clean hearts, we still live in a sinful world. Temptations still attack us from all directions, and we often suffer defeat. That is when our new hearts convict us of sin and drive us back to the cross. There we once again confess our sins and receive forgiveness for all our sins. In this way, God keeps our new heart clean until He takes us away from this world of sin. On that day, the angels will carry us to His side in Heaven. There we shall wait for the Last Day when He will raise the dead and take all who believe in Him into eternal life. In that new earth, we shall never be sinful again.
Each and every one of us was born with a toxic heart. It was a heart that loved sin and hated God. Over time our continuous sinning only made our hearts blacker and more toxic. There was no way that we can trust such hearts to guide us in the truth. Instead, God took our filthy, sinful hearts and destroyed them at the cross. Now through Holy Baptism, He gives us newly created hearts – hearts that fear, love and trust in Him above all things – hearts that turn to Him in time of trouble – and when temptations overwhelm us, hearts that confess our sin in the sure and certain knowledge that God loves us for Christ’s sake and will forgive us. These are new hearts that will live with Him in heaven and rejoice before His throne forever. These are the new hearts that God has created in us. Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Prayer of the Church—Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost -- 1 September 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, be near us with Your Word and Spirit. Guide and lead us, that we may not stray from the way of Your commandments nor forget the wonderful blessings that You have given to us. Direct us always with Your Word of truth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remember, kind Father, the preachers of Your Word. Keep them from adding to it or taking from it. Give them grace to proclaim Your whole counsel in Christ Jesus. Raise up new laborers for Your harvest fields, and prosper Your Law and promises throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of all knowledge and wisdom, grant us to know You and Your love. Bless pastors and teachers, parents and grandparents, and all teachers of the faith, that we may grow up into You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, look with compassion on our nation and all who bear public office. Give them wisdom, courage and integrity. Destroy and hinder in our common life whatever is not pleasing to You, and bless and prosper whatever accords with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of life, bring health and healing to Your people. We pray for everyone in need of Your mercy today [including _____________]. Strengthen them with Your Word of grace, that they would look to You for comfort in the midst of suffering and pain. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Father, we thank You that Christ has given His body and blood into death for our forgiveness. Bless us as we receive this same body and blood in His Holy Sacrament, remembering and proclaiming with joy the salvation He accomplished for us in His death and resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer You our thanks and praise for Your servants who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labors. Bring us with them to the unspeakable joys of Your new heavens and new earth at the day of our Savior’s glorious appearing. Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus [sung] LSB 208
C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei [sung] LSB 210
C 1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymns:
569 “In Adam We Have All Been One”
1 In Adam we have all been one,
One huge rebellious man;
We all have fled that evening voice
That sought us as we ran.
2 We fled Thee, and in losing Thee
We lost our brother too;
Each singly sought and claimed his own;
Each man his brother slew.
3 But Thy strong love, it sought us still
And sent Thine only Son
That we might hear His Shepherd’s voice
And, hearing Him, be one.
4 O Thou who, when we loved Thee not,
Didst love and save us all,
Thou great Good Shepherd of mankind,
O hear us when we call.
5 Send us Thy Spirit, teach us truth;
Thou Son, O set us free
From fancied wisdom, self-sought ways,
To make us one in Thee.
D 6 Then shall our song united rise
To Thine eternal throne,
Where with the Father evermore
And Spirit Thou art one.
Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
567 “Not What These Hands Have Done”
1 Not what these hands have done
Can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
2 Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.
3 Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
4 Thy love to me, O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest
And set my spirit free.
5 Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy pow’r alone, O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
6 I bless the Christ of God,
I rest on love divine,
And with unfalt’ring lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.
Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808–89
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis [sung] LSB 211
C 1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding
Through all eternity.
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 662 “Onward, Christian Soldiers”
1 Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle
See His banners go! Refrain
ref Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
2 Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity. Refrain
3 Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the Church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
’Gainst that Church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise,
And that cannot fail. Refrain
4 Onward, then, ye faithful,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song:
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ, the king;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing. Refrain
Text: Sabine Baring-Gould, 1834–1924, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, followed by Adult Bible Class & Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 25, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
WHEN EXPERIENCING LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES, PRAY--
Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that Your hand is leading us, Your love supporting us; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: As a citizen of this present age you have certain rights: You have the right to become a child of God. However, everything you have done or will do can and will be held against you. Because you cannot pay the penalty for your misdeeds, God has provided a Substitute, Jesus Christ, who took your sentence and punishment for you on the cross. However, you have the right to refuse God's free gift of forgiveness for your sins and receive instead eternal condemnation. Now, with these rights in mind, is there any good reason why you should not believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, as your personal Savior?
And when I am oppressed, beat down, By devil, world, and flesh,
His Supper does with grace abound, His blood shall e’er refresh.
[sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace”]
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 25, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 616, “Baptismal Waters Cover Me”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 29:11-19
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 5:22-33
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 7:1-13
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 865, “Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain”
SERMON “Obeying the Word of God” Mark 7:1-13
Obeying the Word of God – Mark 7:1-13
Something very strange has happened to our culture over the past few years. People can gain power by portraying themselves as victims. True enough, sometimes a person really is a victim. And yet, some “portray” themselves as victims by taking offense at something. For example, if someone offends you, then you can claim that you are a victim and acquire the power of the victim. As a result, people are finding new and more creative ways to take offense to the point that we wonder if we can say anything about anything.
Jesus encountered a similar problem in the reading we just heard. “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’” (Mark 7:1–5)
Notice that the problem isn’t that the disciples didn’t wash their hands. The problem is that they didn’t wash their hands according to the tradition of the elders, a special kind of ceremonial washing. The scribes and Pharisees take offense because the disciples don’t wash their hands the right way.
Now the phrase “tradition of the Elders” has a certain ring to it. It sounds very official and very noble. It sounds like a good thing. The problem is that the hypocrites among the scribes and Pharisees studied Holy Scripture and the “tradition of the Elders” in order to determine what they could get away with and still consider themselves righteous according to the law. They were interpreting the law in the way they wanted to interpret it and condemning everyone who did not agree with them. Does that sound familiar? It should because our culture still does that today.
Jesus had very little patience with hypocrites. He very quickly showed that these scribes and Pharisees valued their tradition above the Word of God. He even showed how their traditions allowed them to violate the Word of God as given to Moses. The scribes and Pharisees were teaching and practicing a man-made religion instead of the faith given by God. He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:6–8)
Notice that it is Jesus who quotes the Old Testament. It is Jesus who calls for faithfulness to God and not just an outward hypocrisy. We often ignore the fact that Jesus is the “old-fashioned” ultra-conservative doctrinal purist who was always taking His hearers back to the Word of God.
Jesus pointed out that while the scribes and Pharisees were offended that the disciples didn’t wash their hands the right way, they also broke the actual commandments of God. For example, they used their tradition to avoid caring for their parents. [Jesus] said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Mark 7:9–13)
These words from Jesus invite us to ask some very uncomfortable questions. “Do I worship God with my lips, but reject Him in my heart?” Do I express my own ideas as true doctrine?” “Do I have any traditions that reject the commandment of God?” How often do I behave exactly like the scribes and Pharisees … offended by every little thing while I myself ignore the Word of God?
Ultimately, acquiring power by taking offense does no good and makes life miserable. It is just another way to be a bully. It is as King Solomon said, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (Proverbs 10:12) He also said, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11) By the power of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Peter also wrote, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Instead of taking offense, we ought to seek ways to build one another up.
Although the scribes and Pharisees were indeed foolish with their washing rituals, there is a kind of washing that God did give for all people. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20) This Baptism is not a “tradition of the Elders.” Instead, it is the Word of the Christ who is both God and Lord.
By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:3–6) These words teach us that the washing of Holy Baptism joins us to the cross of Christ. Therefore, the washing of Holy Baptism delivers the forgiveness of sins that He earned with His suffering and death on the cross. This Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.
The Greek word for wash in the reading we just heard is βαπτίζω (baptidzo). This is the root of the word for baptize. If we used this word in the reading we just heard, we would hear, “For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they baptize their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they baptize. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the baptizing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.”
The scribes and Pharisees were right in thinking that washing was important. They were wrong in thinking that it was the washing of the “tradition of the Elders.” The important washing is the washing away of sin for the sake of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit delivers that forgiveness of sins through the washing of Holy Baptism. This washing even delivers forgiveness for the sin of taking offense on our own terms rather than obeying the Word of God. Amen
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 25 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are known, grant us a true faith, that we would honor You not only with our lips, but serve You faithfully with all our heart, mind and strength. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You call men into the Office of the Ministry to be shepherds to Your sheep. Grant Your wisdom to those who guide Your Church: our Synod president, our district president, our circuit visitor, our pastor; and all servants of the Church. Keep them steadfast in the faith, so that they do not set forth as divine truth those things that are only human tradition, but rather teach Your Word with honesty and clarity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, preserve us from rejecting Your commandments for the doctrines of men. By Your Spirit’s aid, lead all Christians to keep Your commandments in thought, word and deed, honoring You in all that we do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, preserve Your estate of marriage. Grant that wives would submit to their husbands as to the Lord, and that husbands would love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, hear our prayers for our nation and its leaders, for all civil servants, and for those whose work imperils them for the sake of their neighbor. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, in His earthly ministry Your Son healed the sick and comforted the hurting. Grant healing and peace to those taking treatments, to the ill or injured, to the lonely and the imprisoned, and to all in need of our prayers, [including _____________,] that in meekness each hurting heart would obtain fresh joy in Your Son and exult in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, strengthen the faith and sustain to life everlasting all who partake in the fellowship of this altar and receive Christ’s body and blood this day in the Holy Communion. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMN
Hymn-- no. 556, “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 582, “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
sung to a different melody
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 25, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Sonja Helley
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
WHEN EXPERIENCING LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES, PRAY--
Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that Your hand is leading us, Your love supporting us; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: As a citizen of this present age you have certain rights: You have the right to become a child of God. However, everything you have done or will do can and will be held against you. Because you cannot pay the penalty for your misdeeds, God has provided a Substitute, Jesus Christ, who took your sentence and punishment for you on the cross. However, you have the right to refuse God's free gift of forgiveness for your sins and receive instead eternal condemnation. Now, with these rights in mind, is there any good reason why you should not believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, as your personal Savior?
And when I am oppressed, beat down, By devil, world, and flesh,
His Supper does with grace abound, His blood shall e’er refresh.
[sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace”]
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 25, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 616, “Baptismal Waters Cover Me”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 29:11-19
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 5:22-33
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 7:1-13
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 865, “Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain”
SERMON “Obeying the Word of God” Mark 7:1-13
Obeying the Word of God – Mark 7:1-13
Something very strange has happened to our culture over the past few years. People can gain power by portraying themselves as victims. True enough, sometimes a person really is a victim. And yet, some “portray” themselves as victims by taking offense at something. For example, if someone offends you, then you can claim that you are a victim and acquire the power of the victim. As a result, people are finding new and more creative ways to take offense to the point that we wonder if we can say anything about anything.
Jesus encountered a similar problem in the reading we just heard. “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’” (Mark 7:1–5)
Notice that the problem isn’t that the disciples didn’t wash their hands. The problem is that they didn’t wash their hands according to the tradition of the elders, a special kind of ceremonial washing. The scribes and Pharisees take offense because the disciples don’t wash their hands the right way.
Now the phrase “tradition of the Elders” has a certain ring to it. It sounds very official and very noble. It sounds like a good thing. The problem is that the hypocrites among the scribes and Pharisees studied Holy Scripture and the “tradition of the Elders” in order to determine what they could get away with and still consider themselves righteous according to the law. They were interpreting the law in the way they wanted to interpret it and condemning everyone who did not agree with them. Does that sound familiar? It should because our culture still does that today.
Jesus had very little patience with hypocrites. He very quickly showed that these scribes and Pharisees valued their tradition above the Word of God. He even showed how their traditions allowed them to violate the Word of God as given to Moses. The scribes and Pharisees were teaching and practicing a man-made religion instead of the faith given by God. He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:6–8)
Notice that it is Jesus who quotes the Old Testament. It is Jesus who calls for faithfulness to God and not just an outward hypocrisy. We often ignore the fact that Jesus is the “old-fashioned” ultra-conservative doctrinal purist who was always taking His hearers back to the Word of God.
Jesus pointed out that while the scribes and Pharisees were offended that the disciples didn’t wash their hands the right way, they also broke the actual commandments of God. For example, they used their tradition to avoid caring for their parents. [Jesus] said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Mark 7:9–13)
These words from Jesus invite us to ask some very uncomfortable questions. “Do I worship God with my lips, but reject Him in my heart?” Do I express my own ideas as true doctrine?” “Do I have any traditions that reject the commandment of God?” How often do I behave exactly like the scribes and Pharisees … offended by every little thing while I myself ignore the Word of God?
Ultimately, acquiring power by taking offense does no good and makes life miserable. It is just another way to be a bully. It is as King Solomon said, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (Proverbs 10:12) He also said, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11) By the power of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Peter also wrote, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Instead of taking offense, we ought to seek ways to build one another up.
Although the scribes and Pharisees were indeed foolish with their washing rituals, there is a kind of washing that God did give for all people. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20) This Baptism is not a “tradition of the Elders.” Instead, it is the Word of the Christ who is both God and Lord.
By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:3–6) These words teach us that the washing of Holy Baptism joins us to the cross of Christ. Therefore, the washing of Holy Baptism delivers the forgiveness of sins that He earned with His suffering and death on the cross. This Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.
The Greek word for wash in the reading we just heard is βαπτίζω (baptidzo). This is the root of the word for baptize. If we used this word in the reading we just heard, we would hear, “For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they baptize their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they baptize. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the baptizing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.”
The scribes and Pharisees were right in thinking that washing was important. They were wrong in thinking that it was the washing of the “tradition of the Elders.” The important washing is the washing away of sin for the sake of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit delivers that forgiveness of sins through the washing of Holy Baptism. This washing even delivers forgiveness for the sin of taking offense on our own terms rather than obeying the Word of God. Amen
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 25 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are known, grant us a true faith, that we would honor You not only with our lips, but serve You faithfully with all our heart, mind and strength. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You call men into the Office of the Ministry to be shepherds to Your sheep. Grant Your wisdom to those who guide Your Church: our Synod president, our district president, our circuit visitor, our pastor; and all servants of the Church. Keep them steadfast in the faith, so that they do not set forth as divine truth those things that are only human tradition, but rather teach Your Word with honesty and clarity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, preserve us from rejecting Your commandments for the doctrines of men. By Your Spirit’s aid, lead all Christians to keep Your commandments in thought, word and deed, honoring You in all that we do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, preserve Your estate of marriage. Grant that wives would submit to their husbands as to the Lord, and that husbands would love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, hear our prayers for our nation and its leaders, for all civil servants, and for those whose work imperils them for the sake of their neighbor. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, in His earthly ministry Your Son healed the sick and comforted the hurting. Grant healing and peace to those taking treatments, to the ill or injured, to the lonely and the imprisoned, and to all in need of our prayers, [including _____________,] that in meekness each hurting heart would obtain fresh joy in Your Son and exult in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, strengthen the faith and sustain to life everlasting all who partake in the fellowship of this altar and receive Christ’s body and blood this day in the Holy Communion. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMN
Hymn-- no. 556, “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 582, “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
sung to a different melody
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 18, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class and a Children's Study at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Barb Whitley
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THE CHURCH COUNCIL meets on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
Danger Inside!
Could it be that we should put a sign over the doors of our churches: Danger Inside!? Then the worship folder might have a heading that says, “This is a warning. In this service you may actually encounter the holy God who has awesome power, and an intense interest in a relationship with you. You may be totally changed here. You may have to leave your worries and anxieties here. (Then what will occupy your time?) You may be emboldened to live a courageous, victorious life, fearful of nothing, able for anything.”
You may also find the most loyal of friends who wear you out with their concern and love, who seem to want to have a steadfast relationship with you to the point where you may say ‘Enough already!’
Finally, in this place you may receive so much joy you simply won’t know what to do with it except to share it with others wherever you go. What a dangerous bore you may become! This is indeed a hazardous place and we have warned you.”
The LORD is the everlasting God. Isaiah 40:28
The 13th Sunday after Pentecost
August 18, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 802 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
1 Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible
hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious,
the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious,
Thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting,
and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting,
Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains
high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains
of goodness and love.
3 To all life Thou givest--
to both great and small--
In all life Thou livest,
the true Life of all;
We blossom and flourish
as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish--
but naught changes Thee.
4 Great Father of glory,
pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee,
all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render:
O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor
of light that hides Thee.
Text: W. Chalmers Smith, 1824–1908, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Proverbs 9:1–10
L A reading from Proverbs, chapter 9.
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
5“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
7Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Ephesians 5:6–21
L A reading from Ephesians, chapter 5.
6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not associate with them; 8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Gospel Reading John 6:51–69
L A reading from St. John’s Gospel, chapter 6.
51[Jesus said:] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory [spoken]
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 729 “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus”
1 I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation,
Great and free.
2 I am trusting Thee for pardon;
At Thy feet I bow,
For Thy grace and tender mercy
Trusting now.
3 I am trusting Thee for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting Thee to make me holy
By Thy blood.
4 I am trusting Thee to guide me;
Thou alone shalt lead,
Ev’ry day and hour supplying
All my need.
5 I am trusting Thee for power;
Thine can never fail.
Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me
Must prevail.
6 I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus;
Never let me fall.
I am trusting Thee forever
And for all.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
Sermon “You Have the Words of Eternal Life” John 6:51-69
You Have the Words of Eternal Life – John 6:51-69
We just heard the ending words of John 6. John 6 is also known as the “Bread of Life” chapter. In order to properly understand the words at the end of the chapter, we need to take a few moments to review the rest of the chapter.
The events at the beginning of the chapter show us that Jesus is, in fact, the Lord of Creation. The chapter begins with the account of Jesus using a boy’s lunch to feed 5,000 men and their families. This happened in an empty area on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus fed the 5,000, He put the disciples in a boat and sent them back to Capernaum while He went up on the mountain to pray. The disciples encountered a headwind and were not able to cross the sea. When Jesus finished praying, He walked to the boat on the water. Immediately the headwind stopped and Jesus and the disciples landed on the other side. These two events demonstrate that Jesus is well able to supply us with all our needs and protect us from every danger.
Jesus and His disciples arrived on the other side of the Sea of Galilee around dawn of the day after He fed the 5,000. The word immediately went out, and people from the surrounding area began bringing friends and family to Jesus for healing. Jesus healed and taught as He made His way to the synagogue in Capernaum.
Some of the 5,000 that Jesus fed the previous day also found Jesus as He was on His way to the synagogue. Although they never came right out and asked Jesus for more food, Jesus could see into their hearts and knew that they were only interested in Him in order to get more free food. Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach that although He supplies all our earthly needs, that is not the main reason He came down from heaven and took on human flesh. His main reason for coming was to provide us with all our eternal needs.
The crowd wanted to compare Jesus and Moses. They claimed that Moses was better because he fed the entire nation of Israel for decades. Jesus only fed a few thousand for one meal. Jesus first of all pointed out that it was God who gave the manna in the wilderness. Moses was the servant of God at the time. Jesus also pointed out that all the people who ate the manna in the wilderness are dead. The people who participate in the eternal food that Jesus gives will rise from the dead on the last day and never die again.
Jesus taught that just as a person needs food to live here on this earth, so also a person needs eternal food for eternal life. He taught that He is that eternal food. As He taught that He is the eternal food, He explained that eating the eternal food meant believing in Him. He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:29) He also said, “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40) With these words and others, Jesus taught that eating eternal food meant believing in Him.
It is important that we understand all this context from the preceding verses of John 6. It is especially important that we understand that when Jesus is talking about eternal eating, He is speaking of faith that believes. Otherwise, these last few verses of John 6 will sound a lot like cannibalism.
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51) Now that we know the context of these words, we know that Jesus is talking about believing in Him for eternal life.
The people in the synagogue struggled to understand what Jesus meant. They had not made the connection between eating and believing. The Jews … disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52) They know that Jesus is not talking about the kind of eating that they did the day before when they ate the bread and fish that Jesus gave them. Nevertheless, they know no other kind of eating and they are confused.
Jesus kept right on teaching. If you understand that eternal eating means believing, then Jesus’ words make perfect sense. On the other hand, if you are like most of the hearers in the synagogue and do not understand … if you are still thinking about eating bread and fish, then Jesus’ words are disgusting.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53–58)
The signs that Jesus performed in this chapter and others demonstrate that He is from God. It is as the blind man told the Jewish authorities, “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:32–33) As a man from God, His word is true. He has told the crowd that He is the bread of life from heaven. He claimed God the Father as His Father and that He is the Son of God. He taught that He came to give eternal life to those who believe in Him. He explained that those who put their trust in His body and blood will have eternal life.
The rest of the chapter shows that there are two ways to react to Jesus’ message: belief and unbelief. Some who heard Jesus’ words said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60) The text then tells us that many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (John 6:66) This is the response of the unbeliever.
As Jesus watched His congregation shrink in size, He turned to His disciples and said, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67) This gave Peter one of those rare opportunities to say exactly the right thing. In fact, Peter’s reply is so excellent that part of it is in the Alleluia verse for Divine Service Setting One. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68–69) This is the response of the believer.
The reaction of these people shows the truth of the words written by the writer to the Hebrews: The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Whenever anyone proclaims the Gospel, some will believe and some will reject.
The full meaning of Jesus’ words on this day became clear to the disciples when He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Feeding on Christ’s flesh and drinking Christ’s blood means believing in His body broken and His blood shed on the cross. Christ’s shed blood and broken body earned the forgiveness of sins. That forgiveness is the source of eternal life for us. This is the central teaching of Christianity.
The “Bread of Life” chapter, John 6 is an excellent summary of the signs and teachings of Jesus as He began to prepare His disciples for His suffering, death, and resurrection. He taught them and He teaches us that He is the source of eternal life. It is by faith in His body broken and His blood shed that we receive the forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. For those of us who live after His death and resurrection, these words point us to the cross that saves us.
Another thing we learn from this chapter is that some people will reject eternal life. In spite of the fact that Jesus is the only perfect teacher who ever walked this earth, some who heard Him rejected Him. We often forget that the Gospel divides people. The Holy Spirit uses the Gospel to draw people into the family of God. At the same time, the very same Gospel will drive away those who refuse to believe.
Jesus made it very clear that we are to proclaim the Gospel as we live our lives in this world. At the same time, we are not called to convert an unbeliever. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. When we proclaim the Gospel and say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” (Acts 16:31) we are asking our hearers to do something that they cannot do. We are relying on the Holy Spirit to bring them into the family of God. We are asking the Holy Spirit to work in them so that they also believe in the broken body and shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins that leads to eternal life. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer
Prayer of the Church - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15B) - 18 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Father, we thank You that You have sent the great Good Shepherd who has compassion on His flock. In His name, we lift up our prayers for the family of God; for every nation, tribe, people and language; and for all those who hunger for the true bread of life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant us always, O God, to work for the food that endures to eternal life. Bless the ministry of this congregation in our community, that many may embrace Jesus as the Christ and believe that He is the true bread of God who has come from heaven. Grant that we would never hunger or thirst for anything but Christ and His righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for Your blessing upon all homes and schools, especially the schools, universities and seminaries of our church. Bless all places where Your people gather to teach and learn Your Word, and help us to remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You place men in positions of authority for the sake of order. Grant wisdom to our president, our governor, our judge, those in law enforcement; and all who hold offices of public trust in our land, that they might not act for selfish gain but serve according to Your will for the benefit of all people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bestow Your power of healing upon the sick, [especially _____________,] that in accordance with Your will, they may give thanks to Your name. Give Your Spirit of hope to the depressed, the lonely and those who mourn the death of loved ones [especially _____________]. Strengthen their faith and assure them of Your presence in all circumstances. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Father, Your Son assures us that His flesh is true food and His blood true drink, and that those who feed on Him will live forever because of Him. By Your Spirit, prepare our hearts to welcome Him as He comes to us in this Holy Supper, that we may rejoice in His promises and depart in His peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymn:
696 “O God, My Faithful God”
1 O God, my faithful God,
True fountain ever flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing:
Give me a healthy frame,
And may I have within
A conscience free from blame,
A soul unstained by sin.
2 Grant me the strength to do
With ready heart and willing
Whatever You command,
My calling here fulfilling;
That I do what I should
While trusting You to bless
The outcome for my good,
For You must give success.
3 Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
May from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace
Lest I offend the weak.
4 Lord, let me win my foes
With kindly words and actions,
And let me find good friends
For counsel and correction.
Help me, as You have taught,
To love both great and small
And by Your Spirit’s might
To live in peace with all.
5 Let me depart this life
Confiding in my Savior;
By grace receive my soul
That it may live forever;
And let my body have
A quiet resting place
Within a Christian grave;
And let it sleep in peace.
6 And on that final day
When all the dead are waking,
Stretch out Your mighty hand,
My deathly slumber breaking.
Then let me hear Your voice,
Redeem this earthly frame,
And bid me to rejoice
With those who love Your name.
Text: Johann Heermann, 1585–1647; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 526 “You Are the Way”
1 You are the way; through You alone
Can we the Father find;
In You, O Christ, has God revealed
His heart and will and mind.
2 You are the truth; Your Word alone
True wisdom can impart;
You only can inform the mind
And purify the heart.
3 You are the life; the empty tomb
Proclaims Your conqu’ring arm,
And those who put their trust in You
Not death nor hell shall harm.
4 You are the way, the truth, the life;
Grant us that way to know,
That truth to keep, that life to win
Whose joys eternal flow.
Text: George W. Doane, 1799–1859, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 18, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class and a Children's Study at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Barb Whitley
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Pam Trocha
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THE CHURCH COUNCIL meets on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
Danger Inside!
Could it be that we should put a sign over the doors of our churches: Danger Inside!? Then the worship folder might have a heading that says, “This is a warning. In this service you may actually encounter the holy God who has awesome power, and an intense interest in a relationship with you. You may be totally changed here. You may have to leave your worries and anxieties here. (Then what will occupy your time?) You may be emboldened to live a courageous, victorious life, fearful of nothing, able for anything.”
You may also find the most loyal of friends who wear you out with their concern and love, who seem to want to have a steadfast relationship with you to the point where you may say ‘Enough already!’
Finally, in this place you may receive so much joy you simply won’t know what to do with it except to share it with others wherever you go. What a dangerous bore you may become! This is indeed a hazardous place and we have warned you.”
The LORD is the everlasting God. Isaiah 40:28
The 13th Sunday after Pentecost
August 18, 2024
Prelude and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 802 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
1 Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible
hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious,
the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious,
Thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting,
and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting,
Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains
high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains
of goodness and love.
3 To all life Thou givest--
to both great and small--
In all life Thou livest,
the true Life of all;
We blossom and flourish
as leaves on the tree
And wither and perish--
but naught changes Thee.
4 Great Father of glory,
pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee,
all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render:
O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor
of light that hides Thee.
Text: W. Chalmers Smith, 1824–1908, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
L O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare Your praise.
L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
C [spoken] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ. Alleluia.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Venite [sung] LSB 220
C O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hand;
the strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
C O come, let us worship Him.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Proverbs 9:1–10
L A reading from Proverbs, chapter 9.
1Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
5“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
7Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading Ephesians 5:6–21
L A reading from Ephesians, chapter 5.
6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not associate with them; 8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Gospel Reading John 6:51–69
L A reading from St. John’s Gospel, chapter 6.
51[Jesus said:] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
L O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
Responsory [spoken]
L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 729 “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus”
1 I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation,
Great and free.
2 I am trusting Thee for pardon;
At Thy feet I bow,
For Thy grace and tender mercy
Trusting now.
3 I am trusting Thee for cleansing
In the crimson flood;
Trusting Thee to make me holy
By Thy blood.
4 I am trusting Thee to guide me;
Thou alone shalt lead,
Ev’ry day and hour supplying
All my need.
5 I am trusting Thee for power;
Thine can never fail.
Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me
Must prevail.
6 I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus;
Never let me fall.
I am trusting Thee forever
And for all.
Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79
Text: Public domain
Sermon “You Have the Words of Eternal Life” John 6:51-69
You Have the Words of Eternal Life – John 6:51-69
We just heard the ending words of John 6. John 6 is also known as the “Bread of Life” chapter. In order to properly understand the words at the end of the chapter, we need to take a few moments to review the rest of the chapter.
The events at the beginning of the chapter show us that Jesus is, in fact, the Lord of Creation. The chapter begins with the account of Jesus using a boy’s lunch to feed 5,000 men and their families. This happened in an empty area on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus fed the 5,000, He put the disciples in a boat and sent them back to Capernaum while He went up on the mountain to pray. The disciples encountered a headwind and were not able to cross the sea. When Jesus finished praying, He walked to the boat on the water. Immediately the headwind stopped and Jesus and the disciples landed on the other side. These two events demonstrate that Jesus is well able to supply us with all our needs and protect us from every danger.
Jesus and His disciples arrived on the other side of the Sea of Galilee around dawn of the day after He fed the 5,000. The word immediately went out, and people from the surrounding area began bringing friends and family to Jesus for healing. Jesus healed and taught as He made His way to the synagogue in Capernaum.
Some of the 5,000 that Jesus fed the previous day also found Jesus as He was on His way to the synagogue. Although they never came right out and asked Jesus for more food, Jesus could see into their hearts and knew that they were only interested in Him in order to get more free food. Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach that although He supplies all our earthly needs, that is not the main reason He came down from heaven and took on human flesh. His main reason for coming was to provide us with all our eternal needs.
The crowd wanted to compare Jesus and Moses. They claimed that Moses was better because he fed the entire nation of Israel for decades. Jesus only fed a few thousand for one meal. Jesus first of all pointed out that it was God who gave the manna in the wilderness. Moses was the servant of God at the time. Jesus also pointed out that all the people who ate the manna in the wilderness are dead. The people who participate in the eternal food that Jesus gives will rise from the dead on the last day and never die again.
Jesus taught that just as a person needs food to live here on this earth, so also a person needs eternal food for eternal life. He taught that He is that eternal food. As He taught that He is the eternal food, He explained that eating the eternal food meant believing in Him. He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:29) He also said, “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40) With these words and others, Jesus taught that eating eternal food meant believing in Him.
It is important that we understand all this context from the preceding verses of John 6. It is especially important that we understand that when Jesus is talking about eternal eating, He is speaking of faith that believes. Otherwise, these last few verses of John 6 will sound a lot like cannibalism.
Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51) Now that we know the context of these words, we know that Jesus is talking about believing in Him for eternal life.
The people in the synagogue struggled to understand what Jesus meant. They had not made the connection between eating and believing. The Jews … disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52) They know that Jesus is not talking about the kind of eating that they did the day before when they ate the bread and fish that Jesus gave them. Nevertheless, they know no other kind of eating and they are confused.
Jesus kept right on teaching. If you understand that eternal eating means believing, then Jesus’ words make perfect sense. On the other hand, if you are like most of the hearers in the synagogue and do not understand … if you are still thinking about eating bread and fish, then Jesus’ words are disgusting.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53–58)
The signs that Jesus performed in this chapter and others demonstrate that He is from God. It is as the blind man told the Jewish authorities, “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:32–33) As a man from God, His word is true. He has told the crowd that He is the bread of life from heaven. He claimed God the Father as His Father and that He is the Son of God. He taught that He came to give eternal life to those who believe in Him. He explained that those who put their trust in His body and blood will have eternal life.
The rest of the chapter shows that there are two ways to react to Jesus’ message: belief and unbelief. Some who heard Jesus’ words said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60) The text then tells us that many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (John 6:66) This is the response of the unbeliever.
As Jesus watched His congregation shrink in size, He turned to His disciples and said, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67) This gave Peter one of those rare opportunities to say exactly the right thing. In fact, Peter’s reply is so excellent that part of it is in the Alleluia verse for Divine Service Setting One. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68–69) This is the response of the believer.
The reaction of these people shows the truth of the words written by the writer to the Hebrews: The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Whenever anyone proclaims the Gospel, some will believe and some will reject.
The full meaning of Jesus’ words on this day became clear to the disciples when He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Feeding on Christ’s flesh and drinking Christ’s blood means believing in His body broken and His blood shed on the cross. Christ’s shed blood and broken body earned the forgiveness of sins. That forgiveness is the source of eternal life for us. This is the central teaching of Christianity.
The “Bread of Life” chapter, John 6 is an excellent summary of the signs and teachings of Jesus as He began to prepare His disciples for His suffering, death, and resurrection. He taught them and He teaches us that He is the source of eternal life. It is by faith in His body broken and His blood shed that we receive the forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. For those of us who live after His death and resurrection, these words point us to the cross that saves us.
Another thing we learn from this chapter is that some people will reject eternal life. In spite of the fact that Jesus is the only perfect teacher who ever walked this earth, some who heard Him rejected Him. We often forget that the Gospel divides people. The Holy Spirit uses the Gospel to draw people into the family of God. At the same time, the very same Gospel will drive away those who refuse to believe.
Jesus made it very clear that we are to proclaim the Gospel as we live our lives in this world. At the same time, we are not called to convert an unbeliever. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. When we proclaim the Gospel and say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” (Acts 16:31) we are asking our hearers to do something that they cannot do. We are relying on the Holy Spirit to bring them into the family of God. We are asking the Holy Spirit to work in them so that they also believe in the broken body and shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins that leads to eternal life. Amen
Canticle: 941 “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”
Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Gustav Holst, 1874–1934, alt.
Text: © 1999 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Tune: Public domain
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer
Prayer of the Church - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15B) - 18 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Father, we thank You that You have sent the great Good Shepherd who has compassion on His flock. In His name, we lift up our prayers for the family of God; for every nation, tribe, people and language; and for all those who hunger for the true bread of life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant us always, O God, to work for the food that endures to eternal life. Bless the ministry of this congregation in our community, that many may embrace Jesus as the Christ and believe that He is the true bread of God who has come from heaven. Grant that we would never hunger or thirst for anything but Christ and His righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for Your blessing upon all homes and schools, especially the schools, universities and seminaries of our church. Bless all places where Your people gather to teach and learn Your Word, and help us to remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You place men in positions of authority for the sake of order. Grant wisdom to our president, our governor, our judge, those in law enforcement; and all who hold offices of public trust in our land, that they might not act for selfish gain but serve according to Your will for the benefit of all people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bestow Your power of healing upon the sick, [especially _____________,] that in accordance with Your will, they may give thanks to Your name. Give Your Spirit of hope to the depressed, the lonely and those who mourn the death of loved ones [especially _____________]. Strengthen their faith and assure them of Your presence in all circumstances. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Father, Your Son assures us that His flesh is true food and His blood true drink, and that those who feed on Him will live forever because of Him. By Your Spirit, prepare our hearts to welcome Him as He comes to us in this Holy Supper, that we may rejoice in His promises and depart in His peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
Stand
Celebration of Holy Communion
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Communion Liturgy
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C For His mercy endures forever.
Words of Institution
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.
Sit
Communion Distribution and Hymn:
696 “O God, My Faithful God”
1 O God, my faithful God,
True fountain ever flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing:
Give me a healthy frame,
And may I have within
A conscience free from blame,
A soul unstained by sin.
2 Grant me the strength to do
With ready heart and willing
Whatever You command,
My calling here fulfilling;
That I do what I should
While trusting You to bless
The outcome for my good,
For You must give success.
3 Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
May from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace
Lest I offend the weak.
4 Lord, let me win my foes
With kindly words and actions,
And let me find good friends
For counsel and correction.
Help me, as You have taught,
To love both great and small
And by Your Spirit’s might
To live in peace with all.
5 Let me depart this life
Confiding in my Savior;
By grace receive my soul
That it may live forever;
And let my body have
A quiet resting place
Within a Christian grave;
And let it sleep in peace.
6 And on that final day
When all the dead are waking,
Stretch out Your mighty hand,
My deathly slumber breaking.
Then let me hear Your voice,
Redeem this earthly frame,
And bid me to rejoice
With those who love Your name.
Text: Johann Heermann, 1585–1647; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Collects
L O Lord, hear my prayer.
C And let my cry come to You.
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Collect for Grace
L O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 526 “You Are the Way”
1 You are the way; through You alone
Can we the Father find;
In You, O Christ, has God revealed
His heart and will and mind.
2 You are the truth; Your Word alone
True wisdom can impart;
You only can inform the mind
And purify the heart.
3 You are the life; the empty tomb
Proclaims Your conqu’ring arm,
And those who put their trust in You
Not death nor hell shall harm.
4 You are the way, the truth, the life;
Grant us that way to know,
That truth to keep, that life to win
Whose joys eternal flow.
Text: George W. Doane, 1799–1859, alt.
Text: Public domain
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Matins from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost – August 11, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class and Children's Study at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Karen Broach
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
THERE WILL BE a Women’s Bible Study on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay
A MEMORIAL SERVICE for Irma Sprung will be held on Saturday, August 17th at 11 a.m.
CHECK IT OUT!—On the inside front cover of the hymnal, there are seven prayers that may be prayed while in God’s House. There are more prayers on pages 305-318 under seven different categories: 1) The Church and Her Mission; 2) At Worship; 3) Baptismal Life; 4) Civil Realm; 5) Home and Family; 6) In Times of Need; and 7) In Times of Joy.
WHAT IS FAITH?
“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures. And this is the work which the Holy Spirit performs in faith. Because of it, without compulsion, a person is ready and glad to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, out of love and praise to God who has shown him this grace.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 35)
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 11, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 803, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Kings 19:1-8
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 4:17-5:2
GOSPEL LESSON John 6:35-51
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 774, “Feed Thy Children”
SERMON “The Bread of Life” John 6:35-51
The Bread of Life – John 6:35-51
Today is the second of three straight Sundays in which the Holy Gospel is a portion of Jesus’ “Bread of Life” discourse from John chapter 6. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus declares, several times in John 6, and that is the motif running through this chapter. Last week we heard Jesus say, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” And then he said, in the verse that concluded last week’s reading and also begins today’s, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And so our theme this morning, as we continue on in this discourse, is an obvious one, namely, “The Bread of Life.”
Now why does Jesus use this phrase, “the bread of life”? Well, keep in mind, Jesus had just miraculously fed a multitude of thousands of hungry people from just five loaves of bread and two fish. So bread was on everybody’s mind. And Jesus wants to direct those minds from not just the bread that fills the belly for a day, but more than that, to the bread that gives life to both body and soul for eternity. Because that is the gift Jesus comes to give. He comes here, to us, to give this bread of life to you today. We need it, and Jesus gives it, so let’s listen now.
“I am the bread of life,” says Jesus. Why bread? Because bread, across all cultures–bread is universally seen as the staple of life. It is that which gives life and sustains life. Without bread, which is kind of a shorthand for food in general–without bread, without food, without sustenance, we die. It’s true in the physical realm. And when Jesus applies this term to himself, it’s true in the spiritual realm as well. Without the bread of life, that is, without Jesus, we die. And it would be death forever, apart from Christ.
So we need the life that Jesus gives. We need this more than anything else in the world. Jesus is the only one who can give us this life. Jesus is the only one who can sustain this life. That is why he says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
This is why Jesus comes. He says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Note that, and mark it well. Jesus Christ came down from heaven to do the will of his heavenly Father. This tells us that Jesus is the very Son of God, the eternal Son of God from before the foundation of the world, who at a certain point in human history came down from heaven and became incarnate, became one of us, in the flesh, for us men and for our salvation. This is why he came.
The crowd back then didn’t get it. They could only think of this man Jesus as the person growing up in the home of Joseph and Mary. How can he say, “I have come down from heaven”? But that is the mystery of the incarnation. And only God can reveal Jesus to us as the divine Savior sent from heaven. Jesus says as much: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” This happens as God’s Word works repentance and faith in your heart, so that you know you need a Savior and you discover that Jesus is the very one who meets that need. God’s Word is at work in your heart, so that you know and feel your sins, you recognize your need for forgiveness, and you hear that Jesus gives you just that.
“I am the bread of life,” Jesus tells the crowd. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” You know, you can eat the best and healthiest diet in the world. You can try the Paleo Diet, Mediterranean Diet or whatever the latest fad is, and go all-natural. You can eat high-fiber, whole-grain, and heart-healthy. You may need to go gluten-free, it doesn’t matter. Regardless, you’re still going to die one day. What then? Who will rescue you from this body of death?
Who will do this? Jesus. He’s the one. “I am the bread of life,” he says. That’s why he came. And how does he give us this life? How does he meet our greatest need? Jesus tells us: “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus gives life to the world by giving his life for the world. Let me repeat that: Jesus gives life to the world by giving his life for the world. This is the heart of the gospel. Jesus gives his life, so that you and I and the rest of the world might have life.
Jesus did this on the cross, of course. There he offered the perfect sacrifice that covers the sins of the whole world. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is God’s supreme solution to our deepest and most pressing problem: our sin, which results in death and eternal damnation, under God’s judgment. Jesus takes all that from us. He gives his flesh into death, taking our place under that judgment. He lifts that load off our shoulders and takes it on his own. In his flesh, in his body on the cross, he bore our sins. And by his blood, the holy precious blood he shed on our behalf, our sins are forgiven. Cleansed. No longer held against us. Jesus atones for them all. For you. You are free, at peace with God, for Christ’s sake. Believe it. It’s true. It’s the truest and most freeing thing you’ll ever hear.
And what is the result? Now you have life. New life. Eternal life. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And again: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” And again: “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
Everlasting life. How good does that sound? Well, if it were just an endless continuation of the heartaches and sorrows we suffer now in this vale of tears, that would not be so great. But the life that Jesus gives is much better than that. It will be life with no more tears, no more sorrow, no more sin or death. This is the eternal life that Jesus gives, and we have the sure hope of it even now.
We even get a tantalizing taste of it now, in the blessings Jesus showers upon us: That we know God now. That we have the joy of the Lord now. That now we have the peace that passes all understanding, standing guard over our hearts and minds. We have a new ability to love and forgive others now, to put off the old self and to put on the new self, and to walk in love, as we heard about in the Epistle reading from Ephesians. Sealed with the Holy Spirit. Beloved children of our heavenly Father. New persons in Christ. All this belongs to the new life we have now, the life Christ freely gives us.
And this is life that will overcome the grave. The body we lay in the grave will rise one day, on the day when Christ returns, that is, on the last day. Notice how Jesus repeats this promise in today’s reading. He says: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” And again Jesus says: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
Did you catch that? It was repeated several times: “And I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus here is talking about the bodily resurrection on the day when he returns. Our physical bodies will be raised up glorious, perfect, no longer subject to disease or death. When? On the last day. This is our great hope, the return of Christ and the resurrection of the body. We confess it in the Creed, don’t we? I believe in “the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.”
The Bible teaches, throughout, the physical, bodily resurrection of the dead on the last day. And these repeated promises of Jesus in our text today are the prime examples. Jesus will raise and give life to our dead bodies on the last day, which in turn will be the first day of our new life everlasting in a restored creation, a renewed heaven and earth where righteousness will be at home. And we will dwell with God, and see God, along with all the saints from ages past, all the believers of all time, in perfect fellowship and harmony and superabundant joy! What a hope! What a thing to look forward to! This is the life that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ won for us and gives to us, purely out of his grace and mercy. Trust in Jesus. The gift is yours.
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Here is Jesus’ promise for you today. So come trusting his promise now and receive life-giving bread, yes, Christ’s own body and blood in his Sacrament. Here Jesus gives you the living bread from heaven. Here he gives you “The Bread of Life.”
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14B) - 11 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, You sent Your Son to be the bread of life, giving eternal life to all who come to Him. By Your Holy Spirit, lead the whole Church on earth to imitate You and walk in Your love as beloved children. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give strength and courage to all pastors and those who assist them, especially those suffering from conflict, burnout or depression. Hearten them by the example of Elijah and the prophets and apostles before them. Comfort them through the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father in heaven, through Holy Baptism You have joined the faithful together as Your children, making us brothers in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Give us grace to believe that, through Christ, we belong to one another. Lead us to put away all falsehood and malice and instead to speak Christ’s truth to one another in love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless all families and homes, that one generation may tell to the next the wonderful works of God in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear our prayers for our nation. Cause us to live in harmony with one another, and free our citizens from want, suffering, danger and fear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show kindness to the sick [including _____________]. Never let them be in doubt that You hear their prayers. Relieve all pain and provide for those who suffer from any kind of hardship. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless those who commune this day, that reconciled to each other in Christ’s body and blood, they may rejoice to receive Your forgiveness through this precious gift, be strengthened in times of doubt, and be nourished in body and soul. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to be the bread of life. Together with all the faithful who have gone before us, we give You thanks and praise. Keep us steadfast in the faith, so that when our last hour comes, we may rejoice with them at the marriage feast in His kingdom, which has no end. Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMN
Hymns-- no. 680, “Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 850, “God of Grace and God of Glory”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost – August 11, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class and Children's Study at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Lynn Tallman
Lay Reader Karen Broach
Acolyte Gena Dillon
Organist Karen Broach
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
THERE WILL BE a Women’s Bible Study on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Depoe Bay
A MEMORIAL SERVICE for Irma Sprung will be held on Saturday, August 17th at 11 a.m.
CHECK IT OUT!—On the inside front cover of the hymnal, there are seven prayers that may be prayed while in God’s House. There are more prayers on pages 305-318 under seven different categories: 1) The Church and Her Mission; 2) At Worship; 3) Baptismal Life; 4) Civil Realm; 5) Home and Family; 6) In Times of Need; and 7) In Times of Joy.
WHAT IS FAITH?
“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures. And this is the work which the Holy Spirit performs in faith. Because of it, without compulsion, a person is ready and glad to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, out of love and praise to God who has shown him this grace.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 35)
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 11, 2024
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC AND THE RINGING OF THE CHURCH BELL
OPENING HYMN no. 803, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”
INVOCATION [We acknowledge that we are in God’s presence.]
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION [We have sinned, but God forgives us.]
ALL: MOST MERCIFUL GOD, WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE BY NATURE
SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND
OUR NEIGHBORS IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. WE
DESERVE YOUR PRESENT AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. FOR
JESUS’ SAKE, HAVE MERCY ON US—FORGIVE US, RENEW US,
AND LEAD US, SO THAT WE MAY DELIGHT IN YOUR WILL AND
WALK IN YOUR WAYS TO THE GLORY OF YOUR HOLY NAME.
AMEN.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you
and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and
ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your
sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
HYMN OF PRAISE “Oh, Come and Sing Unto the Lord”
Oh, come and sing unto the Lord, Salvation’s Rock we praise.
With thanks we come before Him now, With singing all our days.
The Lord is great above all gods, And Yahweh is our King.
The deeps He holds inside His hands, The peaks their tribute bring.
The sea is His, He made its waves; His hands the land congealed.
Oh, come bow down before the Lord, In worship let us kneel. [cont.]
He is our God and we His flock, We live under His love.
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest, All praise we lift above.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 1 Kings 19:1-8
see back of bulletin or Bible under pew seat
A VERSE FROM THE PSALMS
P: Your Word, O LORD, is eternal;
C: IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.
P: Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
C: YOU ESTABLISHED THE EARTH, AND IT ENDURES.
P: Your Word is a lamp to my feet
C: AND A LIGHT FOR MY PATH.
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 4:17-5:2
GOSPEL LESSON John 6:35-51
THE APOSTLES’ CREED [We state what we believe in a short statement.]
ALL: I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD,
WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED.
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.
THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN,
AND SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY.
FROM THENCE HE WILL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND
THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS,
THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, AND THE LIFE (+)
EVERLASTING. AMEN.
SERMON HYMN no. 774, “Feed Thy Children”
SERMON “The Bread of Life” John 6:35-51
The Bread of Life – John 6:35-51
Today is the second of three straight Sundays in which the Holy Gospel is a portion of Jesus’ “Bread of Life” discourse from John chapter 6. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus declares, several times in John 6, and that is the motif running through this chapter. Last week we heard Jesus say, “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” And then he said, in the verse that concluded last week’s reading and also begins today’s, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And so our theme this morning, as we continue on in this discourse, is an obvious one, namely, “The Bread of Life.”
Now why does Jesus use this phrase, “the bread of life”? Well, keep in mind, Jesus had just miraculously fed a multitude of thousands of hungry people from just five loaves of bread and two fish. So bread was on everybody’s mind. And Jesus wants to direct those minds from not just the bread that fills the belly for a day, but more than that, to the bread that gives life to both body and soul for eternity. Because that is the gift Jesus comes to give. He comes here, to us, to give this bread of life to you today. We need it, and Jesus gives it, so let’s listen now.
“I am the bread of life,” says Jesus. Why bread? Because bread, across all cultures–bread is universally seen as the staple of life. It is that which gives life and sustains life. Without bread, which is kind of a shorthand for food in general–without bread, without food, without sustenance, we die. It’s true in the physical realm. And when Jesus applies this term to himself, it’s true in the spiritual realm as well. Without the bread of life, that is, without Jesus, we die. And it would be death forever, apart from Christ.
So we need the life that Jesus gives. We need this more than anything else in the world. Jesus is the only one who can give us this life. Jesus is the only one who can sustain this life. That is why he says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
This is why Jesus comes. He says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Note that, and mark it well. Jesus Christ came down from heaven to do the will of his heavenly Father. This tells us that Jesus is the very Son of God, the eternal Son of God from before the foundation of the world, who at a certain point in human history came down from heaven and became incarnate, became one of us, in the flesh, for us men and for our salvation. This is why he came.
The crowd back then didn’t get it. They could only think of this man Jesus as the person growing up in the home of Joseph and Mary. How can he say, “I have come down from heaven”? But that is the mystery of the incarnation. And only God can reveal Jesus to us as the divine Savior sent from heaven. Jesus says as much: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” This happens as God’s Word works repentance and faith in your heart, so that you know you need a Savior and you discover that Jesus is the very one who meets that need. God’s Word is at work in your heart, so that you know and feel your sins, you recognize your need for forgiveness, and you hear that Jesus gives you just that.
“I am the bread of life,” Jesus tells the crowd. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” You know, you can eat the best and healthiest diet in the world. You can try the Paleo Diet, Mediterranean Diet or whatever the latest fad is, and go all-natural. You can eat high-fiber, whole-grain, and heart-healthy. You may need to go gluten-free, it doesn’t matter. Regardless, you’re still going to die one day. What then? Who will rescue you from this body of death?
Who will do this? Jesus. He’s the one. “I am the bread of life,” he says. That’s why he came. And how does he give us this life? How does he meet our greatest need? Jesus tells us: “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus gives life to the world by giving his life for the world. Let me repeat that: Jesus gives life to the world by giving his life for the world. This is the heart of the gospel. Jesus gives his life, so that you and I and the rest of the world might have life.
Jesus did this on the cross, of course. There he offered the perfect sacrifice that covers the sins of the whole world. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is God’s supreme solution to our deepest and most pressing problem: our sin, which results in death and eternal damnation, under God’s judgment. Jesus takes all that from us. He gives his flesh into death, taking our place under that judgment. He lifts that load off our shoulders and takes it on his own. In his flesh, in his body on the cross, he bore our sins. And by his blood, the holy precious blood he shed on our behalf, our sins are forgiven. Cleansed. No longer held against us. Jesus atones for them all. For you. You are free, at peace with God, for Christ’s sake. Believe it. It’s true. It’s the truest and most freeing thing you’ll ever hear.
And what is the result? Now you have life. New life. Eternal life. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” And again: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” And again: “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
Everlasting life. How good does that sound? Well, if it were just an endless continuation of the heartaches and sorrows we suffer now in this vale of tears, that would not be so great. But the life that Jesus gives is much better than that. It will be life with no more tears, no more sorrow, no more sin or death. This is the eternal life that Jesus gives, and we have the sure hope of it even now.
We even get a tantalizing taste of it now, in the blessings Jesus showers upon us: That we know God now. That we have the joy of the Lord now. That now we have the peace that passes all understanding, standing guard over our hearts and minds. We have a new ability to love and forgive others now, to put off the old self and to put on the new self, and to walk in love, as we heard about in the Epistle reading from Ephesians. Sealed with the Holy Spirit. Beloved children of our heavenly Father. New persons in Christ. All this belongs to the new life we have now, the life Christ freely gives us.
And this is life that will overcome the grave. The body we lay in the grave will rise one day, on the day when Christ returns, that is, on the last day. Notice how Jesus repeats this promise in today’s reading. He says: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” And again Jesus says: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
Did you catch that? It was repeated several times: “And I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus here is talking about the bodily resurrection on the day when he returns. Our physical bodies will be raised up glorious, perfect, no longer subject to disease or death. When? On the last day. This is our great hope, the return of Christ and the resurrection of the body. We confess it in the Creed, don’t we? I believe in “the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.”
The Bible teaches, throughout, the physical, bodily resurrection of the dead on the last day. And these repeated promises of Jesus in our text today are the prime examples. Jesus will raise and give life to our dead bodies on the last day, which in turn will be the first day of our new life everlasting in a restored creation, a renewed heaven and earth where righteousness will be at home. And we will dwell with God, and see God, along with all the saints from ages past, all the believers of all time, in perfect fellowship and harmony and superabundant joy! What a hope! What a thing to look forward to! This is the life that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ won for us and gives to us, purely out of his grace and mercy. Trust in Jesus. The gift is yours.
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Here is Jesus’ promise for you today. So come trusting his promise now and receive life-giving bread, yes, Christ’s own body and blood in his Sacrament. Here Jesus gives you the living bread from heaven. Here he gives you “The Bread of Life.”
OFFERING [One way to thank God is with a monetary gift.]
PRAYERS [We pray for all people according to their needs.]
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14B) - 11 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, You sent Your Son to be the bread of life, giving eternal life to all who come to Him. By Your Holy Spirit, lead the whole Church on earth to imitate You and walk in Your love as beloved children. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give strength and courage to all pastors and those who assist them, especially those suffering from conflict, burnout or depression. Hearten them by the example of Elijah and the prophets and apostles before them. Comfort them through the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father in heaven, through Holy Baptism You have joined the faithful together as Your children, making us brothers in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Give us grace to believe that, through Christ, we belong to one another. Lead us to put away all falsehood and malice and instead to speak Christ’s truth to one another in love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless all families and homes, that one generation may tell to the next the wonderful works of God in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear our prayers for our nation. Cause us to live in harmony with one another, and free our citizens from want, suffering, danger and fear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show kindness to the sick [including _____________]. Never let them be in doubt that You hear their prayers. Relieve all pain and provide for those who suffer from any kind of hardship. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless those who commune this day, that reconciled to each other in Christ’s body and blood, they may rejoice to receive Your forgiveness through this precious gift, be strengthened in times of doubt, and be nourished in body and soul. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to be the bread of life. Together with all the faithful who have gone before us, we give You thanks and praise. Keep us steadfast in the faith, so that when our last hour comes, we may rejoice with them at the marriage feast in His kingdom, which has no end. Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY [We prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.]
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
C: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION [Jesus established/instituted this special meal.]
LORD’S PRAYER
ALL: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE
GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION HYMN
Hymns-- no. 680, “Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise”
POST-COMMUNION HYMN “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee”
[tune: Old Hundreth]
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
My heartfelt thanks forever be,
Who hast so lovingly bestowed
On me Thy body and Thy blood.
Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:
What wealth is come to me this day!
My Savior dwells within my heart:
How blessed am I! How good Thou Art!
BENEDICTION [We receive God’s blessing as we go our homeward way.]
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to
you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
C: AMEN. (spoken)
CLOSING HYMN no. 850, “God of Grace and God of Glory”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POST-SERVICE MUSIC
REFRESHMENTS SERVED IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM
ADULT BIBLE CLASS AND CHILDREN’S STUDY
+ And God’s people said: AMEN! +
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost – August 4, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Allan Bliss
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE for Irma Sprung will be held on Saturday, August 17th at 11 a.m.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT--
A mountain climber is caught in an avalanche. An eight-foot jump over a crevasse will save his life. Taking a mighty run, he soars seven and a half feet. Almost! A doctor performs surgery on a young man with a cancerous tumor. He succeeds in removing 99.5 percent of it. Almost! A hotel is on fire. A woman jumps 400 feet and misses the net below by only 4 feet. Almost! A fast jetliner climbs to clear a 12,000-foot mountain. By the time it comes to the mountain it has already reached the altitude of 11,950 feet. Almost! But almost doesn't count.
May we urge people not to put off their day of grace. Simply agreeing with us or just thinking about it isn't going to do any good whatever. Coming close does no good, but repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as Savior does. We need to share the entire verse. In Mark 16:16 Jesus promises, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." And then add, "Please, believe Jesus. He is God. He is truthful. And He loves you." This is very important: for more information carefully read Romans 3.
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
August 4, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 554 “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful”
1 O Jesus, King most wonderful!
O Conqueror renowned!
O Source of peace ineffable,
In whom all joys are found:
2 When once You visit darkened hearts,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanity departs,
Then kindles love divine.
3 O Jesus, light of all below,
The fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
All that we can desire:
4 May ev’ry heart confess Your name,
Forever You adore,
And, seeking You, itself inflame
To seek You more and more!
5 Oh, may our tongues forever bless,
May we love You alone
And ever in our lives express
The image of Your own!
Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 78:72, 23–25
P With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Merciful Father, You gave Your Son Jesus as the heavenly bread of life. Grant us faith to feast on Him in Your Word and Sacraments that we may be nourished unto life everlasting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Exodus 16:2–15
2The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11And the Lord said to Moses, 12“I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 145:10–16
10All your works shall give thanks to you, | O Lord,*
and all your saints shall | bless you!
11They shall speak of the glory of your | kingdom*
and tell | of your power,
12to make known to the children of man your | mighty deeds,*
and the glorious splendor of your | kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting | kingdom,*
and your dominion endures throughout all gener- | ations.
The Lord is faithful in | all his words*
and kind in | all his works.
14The Lord upholds all who are | falling*
and raises up all who are | bowed down.
15The eyes of all | look to you,*
and you give them their food in due | season.
16You open | your hand;*
you satisfy the desire of every | living thing.
Epistle Ephesians 4:1–16
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel John 6:22–35
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the sixth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
22On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 652 “Father, We Thank Thee”
1 Father, we thank Thee who hast planted
Thy holy name within our hearts.
Knowledge and faith and life immortal
Jesus, Thy Son, to us imparts.
Thou, Lord, didst make all for Thy pleasure,
Didst give us food for all our days,
Giving in Christ the Bread eternal;
Thine is the pow’r, be Thine the praise.
2 Watch o’er Thy Church, O Lord, in mercy,
Save it from evil, guard it still,
Perfect it in Thy love, unite it,
Cleansed and conformed unto Thy will.
As grain, once scattered on the hillsides,
Was in this broken bread made one,
So from all lands Thy Church be gathered
Into Thy kingdom by Thy Son.
Text: Didache, 2nd cent.; tr. F. Bland Tucker, 1895–1984
Text: © The Church Pension Fund. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “The Food That Endures” John 6:22-35
The Food That Endures – John 6:22-35
It has been a long time without any rest for Jesus and His disciples. Jesus spent the previous day ministering to people in the wilderness. He even multiplied a boy’s lunch of bread and fish and used it to feed 5,000 men and their families. Then the disciples spent all night trying to get across the sea against a strong wind and weren’t able to cross until Jesus walked to them on the sea. As the day dawned they arrived at the other side of the sea and the people ran all over the countryside to bring the sick and injured to Jesus for healing. There was no stop … no letup.
The crowd that Jesus left on the far side of the sea showed up for breakfast, but quickly figured out that Jesus was no longer there. When some more boats came along, they also came across the water and found Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (John 6:25) They were trying to figure out how Jesus got across the water and back to Capernaum. This seems like a fairly innocent question.
Nevertheless, Jesus can look at the heart. He understood that the motive of the crowd was not as innocent as it might seem. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (John 6:26–27) Jesus understood that they were just interested in another free meal. They did not understand that Jesus came to give eternal life, not just a free breakfast or lunch.
The question and answer session they have with Jesus demonstrates that they don’t understand. Eventually the crowd asked a question that clearly demonstrated their unbelief. “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” (John 6:30–31) Jesus has been healing the sick, curing the lame, causing the deaf to hear and the blind to see. He has been casting out demons and raising people from the dead. This very crowd had eaten bread and fish multiplied from His hand and they asked for a sign. The stubborn, unbelieving heart is never satisfied. It will always ask for more signs.
Not much has changed down through the centuries. We might not believe in Jesus for free food, but how many T.V. preachers do you hear that will promise you monetary wealth if you will simply send a seed offering their way? How many preachers will tell you that a life with Jesus means prosperity, success, victory, and so forth? Some preachers will tell you that if you get your life right, you will get a better job with more pay and fewer responsibilities … your children will start to get better grades in school … your spouse will find you more attractive … and on and on and on.
Here are just a few of the quotes I found on the Internet: “God can cause opportunity to find you. He has unexpected blessings where you suddenly meet the right person, or suddenly your health improves, or suddenly you're able to pay off your house. That's God shifting things in your favor.” (Joel Osteen) “Obedience to God is the pathway to the life you really want to live.” (Joyce Meyer) “Poverty is from the devil and that God wants all Christians prosperous.” (Benny Hinn) “Poverty is caused by sin and disobeying the word of God.” (John Hagee) These are just a few of the popular T.V. preachers who teach that worldly wealth and success is the reward for those who obey God.
These very popular people teach about a god who is like a great big vending machine in the sky. You do your part and then God will give you what you want. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that we can do nothing, but God, in His grace, freely gives us, not what we want, but what we need. These teachers make promises for life here and now, and, when their promises fail, they teach that you just haven’t done it right. God, on the other hand, makes eternal promises, and His promises never fail.
If these teachers are such liars, and their promises fail so often, why are they all so wealthy? Why do they fly in their own private planes and ride in limousines? Why do they live in mansions?
These scam artists are wealthy because the sinful nature is never satisfied with the simplicity of God’s perfect gifts. Adam and Eve were not satisfied in Eden. The Israelites in today’s Old Testament reading were not satisfied even though God fed them every day. The crowds in today’s Gospel wanted just one more sign. The Bible is full of people who were not satisfied by God’s promise to them. Our sinful human nature has not changed and many scam artists make their fortune from those who are not satisfied with the gifts God gives in His promises.
What about you? God has promised to care for you and provide all you need. He has promised eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He has opened up rivers of forgiveness in word, water, bread and wine. Is God’s forgiveness not enough for you?
Think about it. Each and every one of us deserves to suffer in eternal hell. Nevertheless, God sent His Son to take up your humanity and take that eternal hell into Himself as He hung on a cross. He has poured out His righteousness upon you. You have eternal life for the sake of the perfect life, suffering, and death of the Son of God! Furthermore, you have the assurance of all of this by virtue of the immortal, bodily resurrection of that very same Son!
Yet what do faithful pastors hear? “Could you do something to make your message a little more exciting?” “Could you make things a little peppier?” “Could you make things a little more self-affirming?” … The eternal Father sent the eternal Son to suffer eternal punishment on the cross so that you could have eternal life, and you aren’t satisfied! You want what you want instead of what God wants to give you! It is like God is a chef who wants to serve you a seven-course feast, but you sit down and tell Him that you don’t want it because you are used to rancid bologna on moldy bread and prefer that.
The devil is more than happy to provide a wide variety of con-artists to give you exactly what you want. He is happy to do this because when he gives you what you want, it will draw you away from what you need. It will draw you away from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and poison your soul instead. So it is that those who preach lies rake in billions, while those who preach the truth find themselves gathering shopping carts, re-stocking shelves, and doing “cleanup in aisle 9” in order to feed their families. We are willing to pay big bucks to people who tell us the lies even though those lies lead to eternal destruction because those lies make us feel good about ourselves. At the same time, we drive out those who tell us the truth we need for our salvation. It is exactly as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write to Timothy. The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4)
In spite of the fact that the crowds resisted His message Jesus continued teaching them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (John 6:32) Here Jesus corrected them. The manna from heaven came from God. Moses was merely God’s servant at the time. In fact, all of the signs that Moses did began with God. Moses was a great prophet of God, not because he was anything great, but because God chose him and called him.
Jesus continued, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) Here Jesus taught that He Himself is the bread who comes down from heaven. Just as God sent manna to give temporary life to the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness, so also He sent His Son to give eternal life to all people by His perfect life and sacrificial death on a cross. This is how Jesus is the bread of God who gives life to the world.
The poor crowds are still thinking of their stomachs when they respond, “Sir, give us this bread always.” (John 6:34) Martin Luther preached about these people and said, “This announcement that the Gospel would fill their bellies, that it would provide plentifully for this life and afford a good living, pleases them. They say, as it were: “This would be the man for us. Who would not like him?” We, too, would like such a preacher. They pay no attention to Christ’s words to learn where He wants to lead them, but they are happy over the prospect that He will fill their bellies and give them only earthly goods and money. But that is not the point. The Gospel does not fill the belly; it has something different to do. Times have not changed. When the Gospel is preached, everyone is eager to reap a sufficient store of earthly goods from it.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 23: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John)
But then Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35) With these words Jesus made it clear that He is speaking of a different kind of bread for a different kind of life. When it comes to the things of this world Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) Never the less, when it comes to the things of eternity, He said, “whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
These are words that we can never truly understand, but, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can believe in them. Through the gift of faith given by the Holy Spirit, we can believe in them and in the Christ who said them. By that gift of faith, we can believe that Jesus is eternal food and drink who will keep us alive with Him in eternity. For just as Jesus rose from the dead, so also will the Holy Spirit raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
God, in His infinite knowledge and perfect wisdom, will give us, not what we want, but exactly what He knows we need … both here in time and forever in eternity. If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31–32) Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13B) - 4 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Gracious heavenly Father, as You provided for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness to the land You had promised, give us confidence to trust in You and to look to Your hand to provide all we need for this life and for the life to come. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy One, Your Son gives us the Office of the Ministry, that Your people might be equipped to serve and be built up into His one Body. Remember in Your compassion all who speak Your Word. Give them faithfulness and honesty in their teaching, that Your children would be freed from all deceit to speak Your truth to one another in love, growing up in every way into Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, grant us true unity in the faith. Preserve us in pure doctrine; grant harmony in our congregation, district and Synod; and bestow on us charitable hearts that put the best construction on what we see and hear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God and Father of all, enable us to walk in humility, gentleness and patience, that we would bear with one another in love and be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty One, You establish civil government to be a blessing. To Your mercy, then, we commend our president, our Congress, our justices and magistrates, and all who serve the public in any way. Keep them honest, fill them with wisdom and uphold them in every good deed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show Your mercy to the sick and hospitalized [including _____________]. Provide doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to care for those who need health and healing. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving Father, You provided manna for Your ancient people to sustain them in the wilderness. By Your grace, You provide the living bread from heaven: the very body of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, that endures to eternal life. Help us to approach Your table with thankful and contrite hearts, that we might receive Your Son’s precious body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, we come as a people tossed to and fro by the manifold changes of this mortal life. Help us to know, in You, that which is eternal. Give us confidence in the suffering and death of Christ, that we may rejoice that You are with us always and await His joyous appearing with all the saints; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei LSB 210
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymn:
821 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
1 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
His the scepter, His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation
Has redeemed us by His blood.”
2 Alleluia! Not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us;
Faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received Him
When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget His promise:
“I am with you evermore”?
3 Alleluia! Bread of heaven,
Here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! Here the sinful
Flee to You from day to day.
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
Earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea
Where the songs of all the sinless
Sweep across the crystal sea.
4 Alleluia! King eternal,
Lord omnipotent we own;
Alleluia! Born of Mary,
Earth Your footstool, heav’n Your throne.
As within the veil You entered,
Robed in flesh, our great High Priest,
Here on earth both priest and victim
In the eucharistic feast.
5 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
His the scepter, His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation
Has redeemed us by His blood.”
Text: William C. Dix, 1837–98, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 918 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”
1 Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
2 Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield;
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Text: William Williams, 1717–91, abr.; (st. 1): tr. Peter Williams, 1722–96, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. William Williams, 1717–91
Text: Public domain
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost – August 4, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Gil McMillan
Lay Reader Allan Bliss
Acolyte Becca Potts
Organist Coleen Tallman
Communion Preparation Becca Potts
Ushers Wayne Helley, Lynn Tallman, Steve
Broach (captain)
REFRESHMENTS, Adult Bible Class and a Children’s study will be offered following today’s worship service.
THERE WILL BE a Men’s Bible Study on Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE for Irma Sprung will be held on Saturday, August 17th at 11 a.m.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT--
A mountain climber is caught in an avalanche. An eight-foot jump over a crevasse will save his life. Taking a mighty run, he soars seven and a half feet. Almost! A doctor performs surgery on a young man with a cancerous tumor. He succeeds in removing 99.5 percent of it. Almost! A hotel is on fire. A woman jumps 400 feet and misses the net below by only 4 feet. Almost! A fast jetliner climbs to clear a 12,000-foot mountain. By the time it comes to the mountain it has already reached the altitude of 11,950 feet. Almost! But almost doesn't count.
May we urge people not to put off their day of grace. Simply agreeing with us or just thinking about it isn't going to do any good whatever. Coming close does no good, but repenting of sin and believing in Jesus as Savior does. We need to share the entire verse. In Mark 16:16 Jesus promises, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." And then add, "Please, believe Jesus. He is God. He is truthful. And He loves you." This is very important: for more information carefully read Romans 3.
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
August 4, 2024
Pre-Service Music and the Ringing of the Outside Church Bell
Opening Hymn: 554 “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful”
1 O Jesus, King most wonderful!
O Conqueror renowned!
O Source of peace ineffable,
In whom all joys are found:
2 When once You visit darkened hearts,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanity departs,
Then kindles love divine.
3 O Jesus, light of all below,
The fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
All that we can desire:
4 May ev’ry heart confess Your name,
Forever You adore,
And, seeking You, itself inflame
To seek You more and more!
5 Oh, may our tongues forever bless,
May we love You alone
And ever in our lives express
The image of Your own!
Text: attr. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Text: Public domain
Please stand if able
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying:
C God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 78:72, 23–25
P With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Merciful Father, You gave Your Son Jesus as the heavenly bread of life. Grant us faith to feast on Him in Your Word and Sacraments that we may be nourished unto life everlasting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Exodus 16:2–15
2The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11And the Lord said to Moses, 12“I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalm [sung by all] Psalm 145:10–16
10All your works shall give thanks to you, | O Lord,*
and all your saints shall | bless you!
11They shall speak of the glory of your | kingdom*
and tell | of your power,
12to make known to the children of man your | mighty deeds,*
and the glorious splendor of your | kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting | kingdom,*
and your dominion endures throughout all gener- | ations.
The Lord is faithful in | all his words*
and kind in | all his works.
14The Lord upholds all who are | falling*
and raises up all who are | bowed down.
15The eyes of all | look to you,*
and you give them their food in due | season.
16You open | your hand;*
you satisfy the desire of every | living thing.
Epistle Ephesians 4:1–16
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel John 6:22–35
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the sixth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
22On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life T everlasting. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day: 652 “Father, We Thank Thee”
1 Father, we thank Thee who hast planted
Thy holy name within our hearts.
Knowledge and faith and life immortal
Jesus, Thy Son, to us imparts.
Thou, Lord, didst make all for Thy pleasure,
Didst give us food for all our days,
Giving in Christ the Bread eternal;
Thine is the pow’r, be Thine the praise.
2 Watch o’er Thy Church, O Lord, in mercy,
Save it from evil, guard it still,
Perfect it in Thy love, unite it,
Cleansed and conformed unto Thy will.
As grain, once scattered on the hillsides,
Was in this broken bread made one,
So from all lands Thy Church be gathered
Into Thy kingdom by Thy Son.
Text: Didache, 2nd cent.; tr. F. Bland Tucker, 1895–1984
Text: © The Church Pension Fund. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000283
Sermon “The Food That Endures” John 6:22-35
The Food That Endures – John 6:22-35
It has been a long time without any rest for Jesus and His disciples. Jesus spent the previous day ministering to people in the wilderness. He even multiplied a boy’s lunch of bread and fish and used it to feed 5,000 men and their families. Then the disciples spent all night trying to get across the sea against a strong wind and weren’t able to cross until Jesus walked to them on the sea. As the day dawned they arrived at the other side of the sea and the people ran all over the countryside to bring the sick and injured to Jesus for healing. There was no stop … no letup.
The crowd that Jesus left on the far side of the sea showed up for breakfast, but quickly figured out that Jesus was no longer there. When some more boats came along, they also came across the water and found Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” (John 6:25) They were trying to figure out how Jesus got across the water and back to Capernaum. This seems like a fairly innocent question.
Nevertheless, Jesus can look at the heart. He understood that the motive of the crowd was not as innocent as it might seem. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (John 6:26–27) Jesus understood that they were just interested in another free meal. They did not understand that Jesus came to give eternal life, not just a free breakfast or lunch.
The question and answer session they have with Jesus demonstrates that they don’t understand. Eventually the crowd asked a question that clearly demonstrated their unbelief. “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” (John 6:30–31) Jesus has been healing the sick, curing the lame, causing the deaf to hear and the blind to see. He has been casting out demons and raising people from the dead. This very crowd had eaten bread and fish multiplied from His hand and they asked for a sign. The stubborn, unbelieving heart is never satisfied. It will always ask for more signs.
Not much has changed down through the centuries. We might not believe in Jesus for free food, but how many T.V. preachers do you hear that will promise you monetary wealth if you will simply send a seed offering their way? How many preachers will tell you that a life with Jesus means prosperity, success, victory, and so forth? Some preachers will tell you that if you get your life right, you will get a better job with more pay and fewer responsibilities … your children will start to get better grades in school … your spouse will find you more attractive … and on and on and on.
Here are just a few of the quotes I found on the Internet: “God can cause opportunity to find you. He has unexpected blessings where you suddenly meet the right person, or suddenly your health improves, or suddenly you're able to pay off your house. That's God shifting things in your favor.” (Joel Osteen) “Obedience to God is the pathway to the life you really want to live.” (Joyce Meyer) “Poverty is from the devil and that God wants all Christians prosperous.” (Benny Hinn) “Poverty is caused by sin and disobeying the word of God.” (John Hagee) These are just a few of the popular T.V. preachers who teach that worldly wealth and success is the reward for those who obey God.
These very popular people teach about a god who is like a great big vending machine in the sky. You do your part and then God will give you what you want. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that we can do nothing, but God, in His grace, freely gives us, not what we want, but what we need. These teachers make promises for life here and now, and, when their promises fail, they teach that you just haven’t done it right. God, on the other hand, makes eternal promises, and His promises never fail.
If these teachers are such liars, and their promises fail so often, why are they all so wealthy? Why do they fly in their own private planes and ride in limousines? Why do they live in mansions?
These scam artists are wealthy because the sinful nature is never satisfied with the simplicity of God’s perfect gifts. Adam and Eve were not satisfied in Eden. The Israelites in today’s Old Testament reading were not satisfied even though God fed them every day. The crowds in today’s Gospel wanted just one more sign. The Bible is full of people who were not satisfied by God’s promise to them. Our sinful human nature has not changed and many scam artists make their fortune from those who are not satisfied with the gifts God gives in His promises.
What about you? God has promised to care for you and provide all you need. He has promised eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He has opened up rivers of forgiveness in word, water, bread and wine. Is God’s forgiveness not enough for you?
Think about it. Each and every one of us deserves to suffer in eternal hell. Nevertheless, God sent His Son to take up your humanity and take that eternal hell into Himself as He hung on a cross. He has poured out His righteousness upon you. You have eternal life for the sake of the perfect life, suffering, and death of the Son of God! Furthermore, you have the assurance of all of this by virtue of the immortal, bodily resurrection of that very same Son!
Yet what do faithful pastors hear? “Could you do something to make your message a little more exciting?” “Could you make things a little peppier?” “Could you make things a little more self-affirming?” … The eternal Father sent the eternal Son to suffer eternal punishment on the cross so that you could have eternal life, and you aren’t satisfied! You want what you want instead of what God wants to give you! It is like God is a chef who wants to serve you a seven-course feast, but you sit down and tell Him that you don’t want it because you are used to rancid bologna on moldy bread and prefer that.
The devil is more than happy to provide a wide variety of con-artists to give you exactly what you want. He is happy to do this because when he gives you what you want, it will draw you away from what you need. It will draw you away from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and poison your soul instead. So it is that those who preach lies rake in billions, while those who preach the truth find themselves gathering shopping carts, re-stocking shelves, and doing “cleanup in aisle 9” in order to feed their families. We are willing to pay big bucks to people who tell us the lies even though those lies lead to eternal destruction because those lies make us feel good about ourselves. At the same time, we drive out those who tell us the truth we need for our salvation. It is exactly as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write to Timothy. The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4)
In spite of the fact that the crowds resisted His message Jesus continued teaching them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (John 6:32) Here Jesus corrected them. The manna from heaven came from God. Moses was merely God’s servant at the time. In fact, all of the signs that Moses did began with God. Moses was a great prophet of God, not because he was anything great, but because God chose him and called him.
Jesus continued, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) Here Jesus taught that He Himself is the bread who comes down from heaven. Just as God sent manna to give temporary life to the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness, so also He sent His Son to give eternal life to all people by His perfect life and sacrificial death on a cross. This is how Jesus is the bread of God who gives life to the world.
The poor crowds are still thinking of their stomachs when they respond, “Sir, give us this bread always.” (John 6:34) Martin Luther preached about these people and said, “This announcement that the Gospel would fill their bellies, that it would provide plentifully for this life and afford a good living, pleases them. They say, as it were: “This would be the man for us. Who would not like him?” We, too, would like such a preacher. They pay no attention to Christ’s words to learn where He wants to lead them, but they are happy over the prospect that He will fill their bellies and give them only earthly goods and money. But that is not the point. The Gospel does not fill the belly; it has something different to do. Times have not changed. When the Gospel is preached, everyone is eager to reap a sufficient store of earthly goods from it.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 23: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John)
But then Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35) With these words Jesus made it clear that He is speaking of a different kind of bread for a different kind of life. When it comes to the things of this world Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) Never the less, when it comes to the things of eternity, He said, “whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
These are words that we can never truly understand, but, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can believe in them. Through the gift of faith given by the Holy Spirit, we can believe in them and in the Christ who said them. By that gift of faith, we can believe that Jesus is eternal food and drink who will keep us alive with Him in eternity. For just as Jesus rose from the dead, so also will the Holy Spirit raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
God, in His infinite knowledge and perfect wisdom, will give us, not what we want, but exactly what He knows we need … both here in time and forever in eternity. If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31–32) Amen
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer.
Prayer of the Church - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13B) - 4 August 2024
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Gracious heavenly Father, as You provided for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness to the land You had promised, give us confidence to trust in You and to look to Your hand to provide all we need for this life and for the life to come. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy One, Your Son gives us the Office of the Ministry, that Your people might be equipped to serve and be built up into His one Body. Remember in Your compassion all who speak Your Word. Give them faithfulness and honesty in their teaching, that Your children would be freed from all deceit to speak Your truth to one another in love, growing up in every way into Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, grant us true unity in the faith. Preserve us in pure doctrine; grant harmony in our congregation, district and Synod; and bestow on us charitable hearts that put the best construction on what we see and hear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God and Father of all, enable us to walk in humility, gentleness and patience, that we would bear with one another in love and be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty One, You establish civil government to be a blessing. To Your mercy, then, we commend our president, our Congress, our justices and magistrates, and all who serve the public in any way. Keep them honest, fill them with wisdom and uphold them in every good deed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show Your mercy to the sick and hospitalized [including _____________]. Provide doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to care for those who need health and healing. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving Father, You provided manna for Your ancient people to sustain them in the wilderness. By Your grace, You provide the living bread from heaven: the very body of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, that endures to eternal life. Help us to approach Your table with thankful and contrite hearts, that we might receive Your Son’s precious body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, we come as a people tossed to and fro by the manifold changes of this mortal life. Help us to know, in You, that which is eternal. Give us confidence in the suffering and death of Christ, that we may rejoice that You are with us always and await His joyous appearing with all the saints; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Offering Presentation and Prayer
Service of the Sacrament
Stand
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei LSB 210
Text: Stephen P. Starke
Sit
Distribution and Hymn:
821 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
1 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
His the scepter, His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation
Has redeemed us by His blood.”
2 Alleluia! Not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us;
Faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received Him
When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget His promise:
“I am with you evermore”?
3 Alleluia! Bread of heaven,
Here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! Here the sinful
Flee to You from day to day.
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
Earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea
Where the songs of all the sinless
Sweep across the crystal sea.
4 Alleluia! King eternal,
Lord omnipotent we own;
Alleluia! Born of Mary,
Earth Your footstool, heav’n Your throne.
As within the veil You entered,
Robed in flesh, our great High Priest,
Here on earth both priest and victim
In the eucharistic feast.
5 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
His the scepter, His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation
Has redeemed us by His blood.”
Text: William C. Dix, 1837–98, alt.
Text: Public domain
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
Post-Communion Collect
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn: 918 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”
1 Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
2 Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield;
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Text: William Williams, 1717–91, abr.; (st. 1): tr. Peter Williams, 1722–96, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. William Williams, 1717–91
Text: Public domain
Announcements
Postlude
Refreshments, Adult Bible Class and Children’s Study
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – July 28, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Doak Whitley
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak Whitley
(captain)
REFRESHMEN
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
275 Nation Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – July 28, 2024
Worship at 9 a.m. Adult Bible Class at 10:30 a.m.
Watch us on Facebook live or archived on our website!
Church Office Phone: (530) 885-5378 Website: stpaulauburn.org
Pastor’s cell phone: (916) 591-3816 Email: [email protected]
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
In grateful response to God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to share the Good News of how Jesus lived, died, and rose again for all people.
Welcome to our service this morning! We especially welcome you, our visitors, in the name of Jesus Christ. If you would like the pastor to contact you regarding membership or any questions you may have, please speak to him today, or get in touch with him using the phone numbers or email above. Thanks!
Our service today will be a Communion Service. We practice what is called “Close Communion,” meaning that our communion is ordinarily only for those who are members of a congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod or one of the churches we are in altar and pulpit fellowship with around the world. We believe that in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion, the very Body and Blood of Jesus are present in a supernatural way. If you are a visitor and wish to commune, please speak with the pastor prior to the start of the service. Thanks!
*****For our distribution today*****the elder will distribute the host in your hand, the pastor will follow with the individual cups and the cups can be placed in the receptacle upon leaving the communion rail.
Trust in the Lord; don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Those Serving Us in Worship Today
Pastor The Rev. Dr. David F. Poganski
Elder Mark Klein
Lay Reader Doak Whitley
Acolyte Gabe Dixon
Organist Fred Weber
Communion Preparation Coleen Tallman
Ushers Kermitt Dickey, Ted Smith, Doak Whitley
(captain)
REFRESHMEN