7 LETTERS TO 7 CHURCHES IN REVELATION Lent 5: The Letter to Sardis March 9, :00

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1 7 LETTERS TO 7 CHURCHES IN REVELATION Lent 5: The Letter to Sardis March 9, :00 Sardis PRELUDE WELCOME OPENING Thou That Hast Given so Much to Me Carl Schalk Minstrel Choir & OPENING SENTENCES Now is the time of God s favor; now is the day of salvation. Turn us again, O God to our salvation, that the light of Your face may shine on us. May Your justice shine like the sun; and may the poor be lifted up. Magnificat Jaques Berthier Minstrel Choir Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Please Be Seated) OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 22:1-14 [1] After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." [2] He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." [3] So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. [5] Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." [6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. [7] And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" [8] Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. [9] When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and 1

2 bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. [11] But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." [12] He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided." Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL READING John 12:27-36 The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the Twelfth chapter. Glory to You, O Lord. [27] "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. [28] Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." [29] The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." [30] Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine. [31] Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. [32] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." [33] He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. [34] So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" [35] So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. [36] While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. RESPONSE In many and various ways God spoke to His people of old by the prophets. But now in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son. Give Me Jesus arr. Elenbaas Minstrel Choir, guitar, violin LITANY In peace let us pray to the Lord. For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord. 2

3 For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord. For names, our pastor/pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord. For our public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord. For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place let us pray to the Lord. For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy let us pray to the Lord. For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times let us pray to the Lord. For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need let us pray to the Lord. For the faithful who have gone before us and are with Christ let us give thanks to the Lord. Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Silence for meditation. Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord, To You, O Lord. O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever. 3

4 THE LORD S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9 13) Lord, remember us in Your kingdom, and teach us to pray: 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. (Please Be Seated) READING OF THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF SARDIS Revelation 3:1-6 [1] "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. " 'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. [2] Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. [3] Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. [4] Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. [5] The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. [6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' SERMON SERIES HYMN I Am Alpha and Omega: A Song to the Revelation Churches [TUNE LSB 338] I am Alpha and Omega, The beginning and the end. Grace I give you to be faithful; Peace to you I surely send. I, who hold the light of nations, Keep you firmly in My hand. I m the one who gives salvation And the strength for you to stand. (Sardis Stanza) Do you not know you are dying? Are you blind to your deep stain? In your pride, your hearts are lying As your lives begin to wane. Watch against such fatal danger I may come to you at night. Those who know I am no stranger I will wash their garments white. Holy, holy, God of glory! Praise the worthy Lamb of God! We will sing the ancient story; We will dance where angels trod. Come, Lord Jesus, as You promise. We are waiting for that day When You take all suff ring from us And You wipe our tears away! Text: Lisa M. Clark. Copyright 2013 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. SERMON Letter to the Church of Sardis Revelation 3:1-6 GATHERING OF OFFERINGS 4

5 LUTHER S MORNING PRAYER Let us pray. I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. BLESSING The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you. You Can Tell the World Simon, arr. Block Minstrel Choir POSTLUDE Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Part 3. Copyright 2015 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Text 2015 Ascension Lutheran Church. Used by permission. LSBHymnLicense.net #