THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

Transcription

1 THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY Peace Lutheran Church + Saginaw, Michigan January 25-26, 2015 Divine Service Setting One AS WE GATHER The Lonely Planet travel guides are very popular and offer advice on travel to any corner of the globe. It s good to know enough to blend in a little bit when you are in a strange place. On the other hand, one very common piece of advice is to enjoy lots of things, but watch what you swallow. Believers need the same kind of guidance. How can we travel through this pagan world all our life and still hold on to our faith in Jesus Christ? Daniel and his friends have some good advice. PRESERVICE MUSIC (9:30) Awake, My Soul, and Sing (Psalms 71, 108) Pote (Peace Lutheran Choir) Awake, my soul, and sing. Arise and sing a psalm. For great are You, Lord, and great Your love; Your kindness is forever. You have been my hope, my confidence since my youth. I will proclaim Your marvelous deeds. I will ever sing praises. Even when I am growing old, do not forsake me, O God. I will declare Your strength and power to the next generation, to all who are to come. Awake, my soul, and sing. Arise and sing a psalm. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, Your glory over all the earth. You have been my rock, my fortress, and my shield. I will ever praise Your name, for You are my God. Awake, my soul, and sing. Arise and sing a psalm. For great are You, Lord, and great your love. You are my God! Awake, my soul, and sing! WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS Scripture of the Week: Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women. (NRSV) Ephesians 6:7 1

2 HYMN 793 Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven INVOCATION In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. WE TURN TO GOD, MINDFUL OF OUR SINFULNESS Confession of Sins In His Word, God gives us examples of great faithfulness and obedience. Daniel and his friends honored God in their lives while surrounded by the ungodly in a pagan land. Let us consider where we may have fallen short in our lives, and confess our sins to God. Almighty God, like Daniel, we as Your children are living in a land that does not always honor You. We have failed to look to You for guidance. Idols to other gods of convenience, selfishness, worry, and greed have crept in and distracted us from trusting in You. We have not been a faithful witness of godliness to each other, nor to the people who live around us and do not know You. Forgive us again and again, that we may always seek You and be strengthened in faithfulness. GOD TURNS TO US, EAGER TO FORGIVE (A time of silent reflection is kept) Absolution The story of Daniel shows us the continuance of God s love. Even when His people abandoned Him, God did not abandon them. God was faithful to protect them in and through times of discipline. He preserved them as a people through generations of turmoil. God s faithful love for us is impossible to comprehend, and in no greater example of that love, He gave His only Son to die for us that we would be heirs of heaven His children ransomed from exile to the Promised Land forever. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce the grace of God to all of you. And in the place of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and by His command, I forgive you for all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 2

3 KYRIE 152 HYMN OF PRAISE 154 Gloria in Excelsis SALUTATION and COLLECT OF THE DAY 156 The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. Almighty God, our heavenly Father, because of Your tender love toward us sinners You have given us Your Son that, believing in Him, we might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may remain steadfast in this faith to the end and finally come to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Please be seated HYMN (9:30) We Are Singing, for the Lord Is Our Light arr. Hopson (Choir) We are singing, for the Lord is our light. (4X) The Lord is the strength of our lives; of whom shall we be afraid? Though foes may be near to destroy; the Lord will be our light. (Choir) One thing we have asked of the Lord, yes, this is the thing we seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord, to live with God forever. (Choir) When burdens are heavy to bear, our shelter is God alone. Our feet are lifted high, yes, high upon a rock. 3

4 (Choir) We walk in the strength of the Lord; God s love is ever sure. We shout that the world may hear; we sing a joyful song. OLD TESTAMENT Jeremiah 31: This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: The LORD bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain. 24 People will live together in Judah and all its towns farmers and those who move about with their flocks. 25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. 26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me. 27 The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the LORD. 29 In those days people will no longer say, The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children s teeth are set on edge. 30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes their own teeth will be set on edge. 31 The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Stand ALLELUIA and VERSE 156 Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia. 4

5 HOLY GOSPEL John 15:18-25 The World Hates the Disciples The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter. Glory to You, O Lord. 18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: They hated me without reason. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. CHILDREN S MESSAGE READING from THE STORY Daniel in Exile HYMN 587 I Know My Faith Is Founded SERMON Daniel and Friends THE STORY, Chapter 18 and Ephesians 6:5-9 (Rev. C. William Weis) NICENE CREED 158 [inside back cover of hymnal] PRAYER OF THE CHURCH OFFERING 5

6 OFFERTORY 159 What Shall I Render to the Lord SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT About Holy Communion We celebrate the Lord s Supper at Peace Lutheran in the confidence that in this feast, our Lord gives us not only bread and wine, but His very body and blood. In Communion, we receive forgiveness for our sins, a deeper relationship with Christ and with one another, and power to live a life that truly glorifies God. Our Lord invites to His feast those who believe this, repent of their sins, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love others as He forgives and loves us. Because the Bible tells us of the serious consequences of misusing the Lord s Supper (1 Cor. 11:17-34), we commune those who have been instructed in God s Word and who declare their faith in these truths. We welcome our guests and ask that you direct any questions in this regard to a pastor. (Gluten-free wafers are available upon request. If the consumption of alcohol would negatively affect your health and/or recovery, we offer grape juice instead of wine. It is located in the center of the trays and is light in color.) DISTRIBUTION HYMNS 623 Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray 663 Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray DISMISSAL POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE 164 Thank the Lord POST-COMMUNION COLLECT and BENEDICTION 166 HYMN 722 Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me GUESTS: Make sure you drop by our Welcome Center in the church entrance to pick up your gift. 6