Together With Faith We Can: Connect, Grow and Serve

Transcription

1 Together With Faith We Can: Connect, Grow and Serve Festival service of Reformation October 27 & 28, 2018 St. Mark Lutheran Church 4475 Henry Street, Muskegon, MI * * sml.muskegon@yahoo.com

2 Order of Matins October 27 & 28, 2018 Welcome and Greetings to Our Guests! If you re new here, we welcome you in the name of Jesus. We also sincerely hope that you will come and worship with us again! Following the 9:30 am worship service, members and guests are invited to come down to the Upper Room for a cup of coffee, juice, snacks, and a time of fellowship with one another. Please join us for Bible Study on the Gospel of John in the fellowship hall. As a reminder, please turn off or silence your cell phones during the service. As We Gather While 2017 was the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, our celebrations continue into the 501st year since Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses on the practice of indulgences. The Reformation is a celebration of freedom in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This can particularly be found in today s Epistle from Romans 3. In a marvelous, great exchange, Christ takes our unrighteousness and gives us His righteousness. Even though we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, we are justified by God s grace, as a gift. We celebrate God s love and activity on our behalf to save us. Prelude Welcome Opening Hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God LSB 657 Choir sings stanza 2 Invocation P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. Opening Sentences Psalm 46:1, 8-11 P God is our refuge and strength, C a very present help in trouble. P Come, behold the works of the Lord. C He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. P Be still, and know that I am God. He will be exalted among the nations. C He will be exalted in the earth. P The Lord of hosts is with us; C the God of Jacob is our fortress. Confession and Absolution P God indeed is our refuge and strength, our help and our fortress. Yet we often choose to flee from the refuge of the Lord. We abandon the strength and safety of God, trusting in our own strength and power. The apostle Paul writes that all have sinned and fall short of the - Page 2 -

3 glory of God. And Jesus says that everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. As we enter the house of the Lord and call upon Him for His good and gracious gifts, let us consider our enslavement to sin and our continued shortcomings as God s people. Silence for reflection P Heavenly Father, C we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. We have sinned as individuals and as a community. We have ignored neighbors in need. We have caused divisions among Your people. We have sought refuge in the things of this world and not in You. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us back to You, our refuge and strength. P While we have indeed all fallen short of the glory of God, we are all also justified by God s grace as a gift. Though we have been slaves to sin, God has set us free in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. As a called and ordained servant of the risen 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. The Son has set us free, and we are free indeed. Amen. Introit for Reformation Day P I will speak of your testimonies before kings, O Lord, and shall not be put to shame. C I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. P My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. C Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. P The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 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. P I will speak of your testimonies before kings, O Lord, and shall not be put to shame. Hymn of The Word Lord, Keep us Steadfast in Your Word LSB 655 (Choir Sings Stanza 2) Salutation - Page 3 -

4 P C The Lord be with you. And also with you. Prayer of the Day P Let us pray. Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to free us from our enslavement to sin. Help us to abide in Your Word and bring others by Your Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, so that every nation, tribe, language, and people will know the saving power of Christ and His resurrection. 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. First Reading Revelation 14:6-7 6 R Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water. R O Lord, have mercy on us. C Thanks be to God. Epistle Reading Romans 3: R Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. R O Lord, have mercy on us. C Thanks be to God. - Page 4 -

5 Psalm Psalm 46 A So teach us to number our days C that we may get a heart of wisdom. A Return, O LORD! How long? C Have pity on Your servants! A Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, C that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. A Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, C and for as many years as we have seen evil. A Let Your work be shown to Your servants, C and Your glorious power to their children. A Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; C yes, establish the work of our hands! Stand Holy Gospel John 8:31-36 A The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighth chapter. C Glory to You, O Lord. 31 A To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 33 They answered him, We are Abraham s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free? 34 Jesus replied, Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. A This is the Gospel of the Lord. C Praise to You, O Christ. Creedal Hymn We All Believe in One True God LSB 953 Choir sings stanza 2 Sermon Be Still Psalm 46:10 Sermon Notes - (For reflection now or later) Know What? - What is this section of God s Word saying? - Page 5 -

6 So What? - Why do you think God included this in His word? What is he teaching us? Now What? - Now what am I going to do with what I read/heard? How can I put it into practice? Stand Gloria in Excelsis All Glory Be to God on High LSB 947 Sit Offering Stand Kyrie LSB 227 Lord s Prayer and Luther s Morning 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. C 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. Amen. Prayers of St. Mark P Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Lord, in Your mercy, C Hear our prayer. - Page 6 -

7 P C Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Amen. Benediction P C 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 give you peace. Amen. Closing Hymn Salvation Unto Us Has Come LSB 555 Stanzas 1, 7, 9, 10 Closing Prayer Postlude Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Quarter 4. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. - Page 7 -

8 Prayer Requests and Suggestions - If you have a prayer request, please fill out one of the forms found in the workroom or your pew and place in the offering tray. Those continuing medical care and/or undergoing treatment: Jack Adkins, Jackie Balkema, Mary Benninger, Betty Deater, Beth Erickson, Betty Havermans, Brenda Hoisington, Jody Hoppus, Pat Hoppus, Jan Larabee, Cindy Meister, Red Meister, Larry Miller, Sally Mitchell, Sue Neuman, Renee Schaab, Norbert Scholle, Mary Sheldon, Lu Suchovsky, Carol Warren, Mike Wittkopp. Please pray for family and friends of the congregation: Pat Jaeger, mother of Pastor Gilson; Dale Johnson, friends of Jack and Colleen Adkins; Greg Punches, brother of Linda Mills; Joy Chalko, sister of Renee Schaab; Scott Verhoven, son of Sandy and Frank Verhoven; Mike Johnston, nephew-in-law of Ron and Bonnie Micka; Joanie Davis, sister-in-law of Sharon Johnson; Kevin Kolberg, brother of Kirk Kolberg and Kathleen Schottke; Jennifer Snowden Bossi, granddaughter of Ardy Bulthouse; Jeff Jasicki, friend of Leo Deuster; Ron Burmeister, father of Steve Burmeister; Yvonne (Jacoby) Ochmanski, friend of Judy Yonker; Charles Joe Barton, friend of the congregation; Amy Loper, cousin of Dick and Lynne Guerne; Shelly Schaub friend of Sharon Johnson; Lesli Lehner, friend of Larry and Gloria Miller; Tim and Allison DeVreindt, friend of Duane and Cherie Wentzloff and Sheila Bluhm, daughter of Lois Bluhm. Pray for St. Mark members who reside in assisted living facilities: Gerry Bastian at Hermitage; Valerie Larson at Seminole Shores, and Marguerite Maxwell at Sanctuary on the Shore Nursing Home in Grand Haven. - Page 8 -