The giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. For the law was given through moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ - John 1:17

Transcription

1 The giving of the law on Mt. Sinai For the law was given through moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ - John 1:17

2 3461 Merle Ave Modesto, CA (209) W Pentecost 6 JULY 5, 2015 elcome! Thank you for joining us for worship this morning. We gather for worship in order to receive from God the gift of forgiveness and to be strengthened by his Word. We also gather to offer him our praise and thanksgiving for what he has done for us in Christ. The Lord s Supper (Holy Communion) The Bible tells us that those who take Communion together are to: Recognize that Christ s true body and blood are present in the Sacrament (1 Cor. 11:29), Examine themselves as Scripture instructs (1 Cor. 11:28), and Be one in faith and belief with the congregation with which they commune (1 Cor. 10:17). For these reasons, it is our practice that only those who are members of our congregation or a congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) join us for Holy Communion. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of our body of believers or want to find out more about our Communion practice please speak to Pastor Cortright after the service. PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP Holy Father, through your Word you put our sinful flesh to death and through your Word you raise up in us a new person in Christ Jesus. We pray that you would send us your Spirit that we may know you better and understand and apply your Word to our lives. Amen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Flowers adorning our altar this morning are given to the glory of God by Jack Butler. Minister: Pastor Ryan Cortright Pianist: Karen Adams Cover artwork by Ian M. Welch. Copyright 2015 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

3 Today s Focus: Law and Gospel WORSHIP EXPLAINED: THE KYRIE AND GLORIA The Kyrie The Kyrie gets its name from the Greek phrase Kyrie eleison which means Lord, have mercy. With these words we echo those who came to Jesus looking for his mercy. (Matthew 15:22; Luke 17:13) The words of the Kyrie are not only acknowledgment of our deep need for God s mercy but also a confession that Jesus alone can provide us and this world with true peace. The words of the Kyrie have been used by Christians for close to 2000 years. The Gloria The Gloria is a song of praise that follows immediately after the absolution has been announced by the pastor to the congregation. The full name of the song is the Gloria in Excelsis which means Glory in the Highest. The song is based on the words of the angel choir which sang to the shepherds and announced the Savior s birth. The song also proclaims all that the triune God has done to accomplish salvation for us. 1

4 OPENING HYMN Sing a New Song to the Lord Christian Worship #245 CALL TO WORSHIP M(inister): In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C(ongregation): Amen. CONFESSION OF SINS M: Dear friends, let us approach God with a true heart and confess our sins, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us. C: Lord of life, I confess that I am by nature dead in sin. For faithless worrying and selfish pride, For sins of habit and sins of choice, For the evil I have done and the good I have failed to do, You should cast me away from your presence forever. O Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Forgive me, for Jesus sake. LORD, HAVE MERCY (KYRIE) 2

5 ABSOLUTION M: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. In his great mercy, God made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our sins. Hear the word of Christ through his called servant: I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord. THE GLORIA 3

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7 PRAYER OF THE DAY M: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. M: Let us pray. O God, you have prepared joys beyond understanding for those who love you. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. THE WORD OF GOD THE FIRST LESSON Exodus 20:5b-6 The LORD proclaimed both a warning and a promise to the people in order that they would remain steadfast in their faith. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 5

8 PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 119a Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Refrain Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 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 6

9 THE SECOND LESSON Galatians 3:8-14 We are not justified by observing the law. It is only through faith in Jesus that sinners are reconciled to God. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you. 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, The righteous will live by faith. 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, The man who does these things will live by them. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. THE VERSE OF THE DAY Mark 8:34b Alleluia. The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Alleluia. 7

10 THE GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 9:9-13 After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings: Jesus came to rescue sinners. While it is true that everyone is sinful, only those who acknowledge and confess their sins will look to Jesus and be saved. A s Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector s booth. Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. After the Gospel, the congregation sings: 8

11 THE NICENE CREED 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. THE HYMN OF THE DAY The Law Commands and Makes Us Know Christian Worship #286 At this time children ages 3-5 th grade are welcome to attend a Sunday School lesson which will be taught during the sermon. As the hymn is introduced, the children may go to the entryway where their teachers will be waiting. They will return to sit with their families during the collection of the offering. A creed is a confession of faith. The origins of the Nicene Creed date back almost 1700 years to 325 A.D. Christians around the world continue to use the Nicene Creed as a summary of our faith. 9

12 THE SERMON Matthew 9:9-13 What Does This Mean? Law and Gospel: Tools for Faith Notes/Thoughts THE RESPONSE 10

13 THE OFFERING The members of St. Peter Congregation have joined together to do the Lord s work in this community and around the world. Guests at St. Peter are welcome to participate in the offering but need not feel obligated to do so. THE PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Spoken by the Minister 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. THE SACRAMENT St Peter Lutheran Church practices member communion. We invite confirmed members to come forward to partake of the Sacrament. Thank you for your consideration. M: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. M: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them up unto the Lord. M: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is good and right so to do. M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who promised that wherever two or three come together in his name, there he is with them to shepherd his flock till he comes again in glory. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join in their glorious song: 11

14 HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (THE SANCTUS) THE 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. C: Amen 12

15 O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD (AGNUS DEI) DISTRIBUTION OF THE LORD S SUPPER During the distribution you are invited to join in singing the indicated hymns or to use the time for private prayer and meditation. Appropriate prayers are found on page 11 in the front of the hymnal. A personal preparation for the Lord s Supper is found on page 156. DISTRIBUTION HYMNS How Great Thou Art Christian Worship #256 Go, My Children, with My Blessing Christian Worship #332 13

16 SONG OF SIMEON THANKSGIVING M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. C: And his mercy endures forever. M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this Holy Supper. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen M: 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. 14