The Epiphany of Our Lord January 6, Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 The Epiphany of Our Lord January 6, 2019 Trinity LUTHERAN CHURCH

2 Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church Minocqua, Wisconsin The Epiphany of Our Lord January 6, 2019 New Year Essentials First Things First What are your plans for this year? Your hopes? Your dreams? Your priorities? None of these will matter if we fail to make one item a priority above all others. Can you guess what it is by reading the following encouragement addressed to pastors by Martin Luther? I implore...pastors and preachers not to try to be doctors too soon Let them continue to...learn and meditate and ponder. Let them never stop until they have proved by experience that they have taught the devil to death and have become wiser than God himself. (Large Catechism, Preface:19) First things first: let s make the Word of God the top priority in our lives. May God drive us to his precious, powerful Word. In Jesus, Pastor Stephen Luchterhand Welcome to all both guest and member alike! May our gracious God fill your heart with joy, peace, and hope through the message of forgiveness in our living Savior, Jesus Christ! If you are in need of restrooms, they are located on the left as you leave church. Parents please use the welcome center or church fellowship hall to quiet an upset child. Please silence all cell phones and devices before worship. Please limit your conversations in the sanctuary and narthex. Please do use the welcome center to greet one another. The Order of Worship: Service of Word & Sacrament OPENING HYMN: 735 Speak, O Lord 2

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4 Please stand M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. C: And also with you. Confession of Sins, Prayer and Praise M: God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us. C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. 4

5 LORD, HAVE MERCY Kyrie M: For all that we need in life and for the wisdom to use all your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord. M: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ. M: For the well-being of your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord. M: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care: M: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; his name is worthy of praise. 5

6 O LORD, OUR LORD 6

7 PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Let us pray. Lord God, by the leading of a star you once made known to the nations your one and only Son. Guide us, also, who know him now by faith, to come at last to the perfect joy of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Please be seated. 7

8 FIRST LESSON The Word 2 Kings 22:1-11, 23:1-3 (NIV) Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the Lord. He said: 4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5 Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings. 8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord. He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple. 10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book. And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 8

9 PSALM OF THE DAY: 72 Endow the King with your justice, O God,* the royal Son with your righteousness. He will defend the afflicted among the people* and save the children of the needy. He will endure as long as the sun,* as long as the moon, through all generations. He will be like rain falling on a mown field,* like showers watering the earth. Refrain All kings will bow down to him,* and all nations will serve him. All nations will be blessed through him,* and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the LORD God, who alone does marvelous deeds.* May the whole earth be filled with his glory. 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. Refrain Refrain Tune: Dale Wood. From Seasonal Psalms Augsburg Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress. 9

10 SECOND LESSON Ephesians 3:2-12 (EHV) 2 Surely you have heard of the administration of God s grace given to me for you, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation (as I have already written briefly). 4 When you read this, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 5 This mystery was not made known to people in past generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that in Christ Jesus the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and people who also share in the promise through the gospel. 7 I became a servant of this gospel, in keeping with the gift of God s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. 8 To me even though I am the very least of all the saints was given this grace: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about the administration of this mystery. In past ages this mystery remained hidden in God, who created all things. 10 He did this so that, through the church, the multifaceted wisdom of God in the heavenly places might now be made known to the rulers and authorities. 11 This was done according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we can freely approach God with confidence through faith in him. VERSE OF THE DAY Alleluia. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. Alleluia. (Matthew 2:2b) Please stand GOSPEL Matthew 2:1-12 (EHV) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, when Herod was king, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, 2 Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. 3 When King Herod heard this, he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 He gathered together all the people s chief priests and experts in the law. He asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, because this was written through the prophet: 6 You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are certainly not least among the rulers of Judah: because out of you will come a ruler, who will shepherd my people, Israel. 7 Then Herod secretly summoned the Wise Men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report to me, so that I may also go and worship him. 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. Then the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them, until it stood still over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with overwhelming joy. 11 After they went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Since they had been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. M: This is the gospel of the Lord. Please be seated. 10

11 CHILDREN'S MESSAGE Young children are invited to the front for a brief message. HYMN: 82 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise 11

12 SERMON 2 Kings 22:1-11, 23:1-3 Please stand NICENE CREED First Things First The Primary Priority We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Please be seated. OFFERING & FRIENDSHIP REGISTERS Please stand PRAYER OF THE CHURCH FOR EPIPHANY M: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Mary s son, in the fullness of time you came into our world to save us from sin and death. C: You ushered in the day of grace so long foretold. M: Beloved Son of the Father, revered by the Magi, baptized by John, you came preaching and teaching, healing and comforting, forgiving and encouraging: C: You brought the light of life to those walking in darkness, and the joy of salvation to those doomed to death. M: Prince of peace, shine like a beacon for us and the people of our world. Let the good news of salvation be heard in the remotest corners of the earth. Open our own lips to speak your name to those around us who still live without faith or hope: C: Arouse us and our missionaries to flood the world with the light of your gospel. 12

13 M: Lord of the Church, let your peace rule our hearts that we may use our gifts to serve you and each other in willing gratitude and joy. Watch over our loved ones near and far, that they may remember your love and rejoice in your salvation. Strengthen the faith of the sick and the disheartened. Give hope to those in despair and comfort those who mourn: C: Be gracious to all and lead us to reflect your love in everything we say and do. Special prayers and intercessions may follow. M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. M: Finally, bring us and all your believers to the heavenly home where we will stand in the full light of your glory and with all your saints and angels sing the everlasting song of triumph. C: Amen Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted by permission. THE LORD S PRAYER 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. 13

14 The Sacrament We believe that God comes to us with forgiveness in very tangible means as we participate in Holy Communion. Because the Bible has convinced us that Jesus body and blood are present in the Lord s Supper, and that receiving this sacrament together is a public statement of complete oneness in our beliefs and commitment, we invite to the Lord s Supper members of Trinity and guests from sister congregations of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) and the ELS (Evangelical Lutheran Synod). If you are a member of another Lutheran denomination or another Christian church and would like to commune with us in the future, please speak with our pastor after the service and he would be delighted to explain what that entails. We don t want to be presumptuous and put you in the position of stating your agreement with our convictions before we have had an opportunity to explain them. We do look forward to any opportunity to discuss the Christian faith with you. M: The Lord be with you. M: Lift up your hearts. M: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. M: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. In the past he spoke to us through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who is the radiance of his glory. Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever: 14

15 HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Sanctus WORDS OF INSTITUTION M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. M: The peace of the Lord be with you always. 15

16 O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD Agnus Dei Please be seated DISTRIBUTION 16

17 DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 309 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord 17

18 DISTRIBUTION HYMN: 79 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star 18

19 Please stand Thanksgiving, Prayer and Praise M: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace. 19

20 Serving God and Us Today Presiding Minister: Pastor Stephen Luchterhand Organist: Mrs. Elaine Helwig Usher Teams: Sunday Farr / Monday Schepp Greeters: Arnold & Pauline Sawatske Last Weekend s Worship Attendance 234 (Sunday 153; Monday 81) Stewardship Encouragement from Scripture "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine" (Proverbs 3:9, 10). Lessons for Next Sunday (First Sunday after Epiphany The Baptism of Our Lord) New Year Essentials: The Search for Identity 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 2 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 3:15-17,21,22 Upcoming Usher Teams & Greeters January 13-14: Sunday Farr / Monday Smith / Greeters Rathke January 20-21: Sunday Farr / Monday Biller / Greeters Zeinert Prayers: If you would like your name on the prayer list, or you have a friend you would like to add, please call or the church office. Bible Class & Sunday School: Sunday Bible Class and Sunday school will resume this morning around 10:30 am. Please join us! Wild Game Feed: On Friday, January 25 Trinity will be hosting it's fourth Wild Game Feed from 5:00-8:00 pm in the church fellowship hall. Hunters and gatherers are encouraged to prepare a favorite dish to share featuring the bounties of this year's harvest. The evening will also include outdoors oriented presentations, trivia, and a photo board to hang pictures of this past year s successes. Sign up on the sheet in the fellowship hall All are invited to attend. Flower Chart: The flower chart for 2019 is available. If you would like to sponsor a bouquet during the year, please sign up in the flower chart binder to the right of the picture window in the welcome center. There are spots available for two per week. Bouquets are $28. You can sponsor a bouquet to celebrate an anniversary, remember a loved one, or something special in your life. Please put payments in the payment box found next to the binder. Evening Bible Class: Pastor will be starting an Evening Bible Class on Wednesday at 6:30 pm. This class will be same as the Lunch Break Bible Class. All are welcome to attend. 20

21 Online Giving: We now have a new feature on our website which gives you the opportunity to give donations online. On the header or footer of the page you will see a spot to the right which says, Online Giving. You will also find a line announcing it about half way down the home page. Once you click the link, you will be directed to a page where you can choose which fund you d like to donate to (General Operating or Building By God s Grace), enter the amount, and once you hit next you will be able to enter information for a credit/debit card or checking/savings account. You do not have to set up a password or sign in for a one time donation. If you plan to have a recurring donation, you will have to make a password and sign in. In addition, a mobile option is available. You can download the GIVE+ app from your phones app store and search for Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and School. Grief Support Group: The Grief Support Group will meet this Wednesday (the 2nd Wednesday of each month) at 11:00 a.m. in Trinity's Welcome Center Expect devotional time in God's Word and opportunities for sharing (or not, if you prefer) during our hour-long time together. All are welcome. Classroom Visit: Trinity will be holding a Kindergarten Round-up and 3rd grader/6th grader for a morning on Friday, January 18 (note the date change from the church calendar). Children who will be in grades K, 3 or 6 next year are invited to see what it s like in those classroom from 8:15-10:30 am on the 18th. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Wieting. Opportunities to Grow & Serve at Trinity This Week Sunday 9:00 am Worship w/holy Communion 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School Monday 1:30 pm Worship at One Penny Place 6:30 pm Worship w/holy Communion Tuesday 9:00 am Elders Meeting Wednesday 8:15 am Midweek Chapel 9:30 am Quilters 11:00 am Grief Support Group 12:15 pm Lunch Break Bible Class 4:00-5:30 pm Public School Confirmation & Bible History 6:30 pm Evening Bible Class Thursday 10:00 am Worship at Avanti Health & Rehab 1:00 pm Worship at Milestone Senior Living Sunday 9:00 am Worship 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School Monday 1:30 pm Worship at One Penny Place 6:30 pm Worship Hymns and liturgy: Reprinted with permission under OneLicense.net #A and CCLI # The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV ) copyright 2018 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved. 21

22 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Bible Study & Sunday School resume today (Sun.). Topic for adults: Confronting Culture. We ll work on apologetics/defending the faith in our everyday interactions with others. How can we reach a culture that is tolerant of everything except, it seems, the Christian faith? Explore concepts such as tolerance, postmodernism, situation ethics, and relativism (among others) even as we explore the Scriptures for truth. Let s deal with these challenges with Spirit-led confidence. This is can t miss Bible study! January worship Get your New Year off to a great spiritual start! During the month of January, we continue to focus on New Year Essentials: First Things First January 13/14 Titus 3:4-7 Who Am I Really? The Search for Identity January 20/21 1 Peter 1:3-9 Finding Hope to Cope January 27/28 Acts 4:23-31 Go. Boldly. Wednesday Bible study will resume this week (January 9 th ) with a new topic Galatians: Freedom in Christ. We ll offer this study at two different times on Wednesdays (12:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.). Please make note of the extra evening opportunity for study! Grief Support Group meets the 2 nd Wednesday of each month at 11 a.m. Our next meeting is set for this Wednesday, January 9 th. Printed copies of today s sermon are available on the table next to the left entrance into the church (in the fellowship hall). Use these as a guide during the sermon, as a take-home refresher, or to share with someone else. Y ou ll find expanded Next Steps and Resources attached to those sermon copies. A few resources: Meditations booklet (always available here) People s Bible Commentary Individual books of Bible; check our church library! The One Year Bible; daily readings take you through the Bible in a year; just 12 minutes per day A Study Bible with excellent notes for additional study such as - The Lutheran Study Bible (ESV translation), best notes available currently - Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV84 translation, if you can find one) 21 day challenge - a chapter a day of the Gospel of John. Time of Grace booklets in Welcome Center & phone/tablet apps Consider purchasing a devotional book to assist. Here are options from Northwestern Publishing House: Together with Jesus; 364 Days of Thanksgiving; On Giving Advice to God (Current read for me) Devotional Thoughts for Christians in Conflict; Quick to Listen (Good for current cultural issues) To God alone be the glory! Pastor Stephen Luchterhand 22

23 First Things First: The Primary Priority Sermon Notes on 2 Kings 22:1-11, 23:1-3 Series New Year Essentials 1) Josiah early in life - King of Judah at age! (640 BC) a. Spiritual heritage: b. But, increasing (See also 2 Chronicles 34) 2) Josiah God s Word a. How does one lose God s Word? b. Are we in danger of losing God s Word? Amos 8:11,12 3) Josiah himself (and his people) to God a. First things first: b. First things first: Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly. 23

24 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) Pastor Principal Rev. Stephen Luchterhand Mr. Michael Wieting Cell: (602) Cell: (715) Worship Schedule Sundays at 9:00 am Mondays at 6:30 pm Welcome to Trinity In the name of Jesus Christ, we welcome you to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. We especially welcome our guests who have joined us today. If you have any questions during your time with us today, please ask an usher for assistance. If you would like to know more about our church, our teachings, our Christian school (grades K-8), our preschool (3-4 year old) or the studies and programs offered at Trinity, please introduce yourself to our pastor. He would be delighted to speak with you and serve you in whatever way he can. Our mission at Trinity Lutheran Church is to teach the Word of God, to train believers for lives of Christian service, and to tell the good news of Jesus Christ to the Northwoods community and to the world. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church & School 8781 Brunswick Road Minocqua, WI (715) Website: 24