LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY November 24 & 25, 2018 5:00 pm & 8:15 am AS WE GATHER Today is the Last Sunday of the Church Year. Next week we will turn our attention to Advent and preparations for the celebration of Christ s incarnation. But as we prepare to celebrate Christ s first coming, we also anticipate His second coming. Christ s return in glory is the focus of this service. Jesus calls on His followers to stay awake and remain prepared for His coming. He warns that no one knows the day or the hour of His return. But He promises He is returning and returning soon. PRELUDE O God, Our Help in Ages Past Ascension Bell Choir RINGING OF THE BELLS - We Prepare our hearts and minds for worship WELCOME PREPARATION OPENING HYMN Church of God, Elect and Glorious LSB 646 Church of God, elect and glorious, Holy nation, chosen race; Called as God=s own special people, Royal priests and heirs of grace; Know the purpose of your calling, Show to all His mighty deeds; Tell of love that knows no limits, Grace that meets all human needs. God has called you out of darkness Into His most marv lous light; Brought His truth to life within you, Turned your blindness into sight. Let your light so shine around you That God=s name is glorified And all find fresh hope and purpose In Christ Jesus crucified. Once you were an alien people, Strangers to God s heart of love; But He brought you home in mercy, Citizens of heav n above. Let His love flow out to others, Let them feel a Father s care; That they too may know His welcome And His countless blessings share. Church of God, elect and holy, Be the people He intends; Strong in faith and swift to answer Each command your Master sends: Royal priests, fulfill your calling Through your sacrifice and prayer; Give your lives in joyful service Sing His praise, His love declare. INVOCATION In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 1
OPENING SENTENCES Based on Psalm 93:1 2, 5 The Lord reigns! He is robed in majesty! The world is established. It shall not be moved. God s throne is established from of old. Our God is from everlasting. His decrees are very trustworthy. Holiness befits the Lord s house forevermore. Christ is coming soon. Therefore stay awake and remain prepared. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION (If you would like private confession and absolution, please call the office at (314) 832-5600 to make an appointment with Pastor Clark) Christ is coming again and coming soon. Although we know this, although we have heard His words and warning, we have not always acted as though Christ were coming soon. At times we have grown complacent and lazy, focused on the things of this world rather than on Christ, His Word, and His salvation. As we gather together in the Lord s house, let us consider our failure to live according to His holiness. Heavenly Father, we have not always lived according to Your Word. We have fallen asleep in the comfort of our sins. We have not stayed awake and remained prepared for the return of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive us, renew us, and stir us up so that we might prepare ourselves and others for Christ s return. Because of Jesus Christ s death and resurrection, you are presented blameless before the presence of God. 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. To God be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, now and forever. [OR] Seminary Student: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:12, Philippians 1:6 2
WORD HYMN OF PRAISE We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God LSB 941, v.1 We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord, The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored. To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing, The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring: O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth; Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth! SALUTATION The Lord be with you. And also with You. PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Please Be Seated) OLD TESTAMENT READING Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 9 As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its heels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.... 13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. EPISTLE Revelation 1:4-8 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. 3
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. ALLELUIA and VERSE LSB 156 Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia, HOLY GOSPEL John 18:33-37 The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighteenth chapter. Glory to You, O Lord. 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. 37 Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. APOSTLES CREED LSB 207 I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. (Please Be Seated) CHILDREN S MESSAGE Seek Ye First LSB 712, v. 1 Seek ye first the kingdom of God, And His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you! Allelu, alleluia! 4
HYMN OF THE DAY All Hail the Power of Jesus Name LSB 549 All hail the pow r of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all. Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all. Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God, Who from His altar call; Extol the stem of Jesse s rod And crown Him Lord of all. Extol the stem of Jesse s rod And crown Him Lord of all. Ye seed of Israel s chosen race, Ye ransomed from the fall, Hail Him who saves you by His grace And crown Him Lord of all. Hail Him who saves you by His grace And crown Him Lord of all. Hail Him, ye heirs of David s line, Whom David Lord did call, The God incarnate, man divine, And crown Him Lord of all. The God incarnate, man divine, And crown Him Lord of all. Sinners, whose love can ne er forget The wormwood and the gall, Go, spread your trophies at His feet And crown Him Lord of all. Go, spread your trophies at His feet And crown Him Lord of all. Let ev ry kindred, ev ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all. To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all. Oh, that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall! We ll join the everlasting song And crown Him Lord of all. We ll join the everlasting song And crown Him Lord of all. SERMON PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Lord, You reign as King forever. Protect Your Church from false teaching and scandalous living. Set Your justice as a light to all people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Lord, in this fallen world, creation groans with many disasters. Restore the livelihood of those who have suffered such disasters as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires, for You, O Lord, are mightier than any storm or flood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Lord, send healing to all who are sick, injured, and recovering, [especially...]. If it be Your will, restore their heath with the overflowing abundance that comes only from Your hand. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. 5
Lord, death remains a curse until You come again. Though we know You are coming soon, we still mourn the death of loved ones. [Today we remember the families and friends of...] Comfort all who grieve with the hope of the promised resurrection and return of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. (Special Petitions) Into Your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. (Please Be Seated) GATHERING OF OFFERINGS O Worship the King Ascension Bell Choir SACRAMENT We believe Holy Communion is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christian to eat and to drink. If you are a communicant member of a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod congregation, please feel free to commune with us. If not, please speak with the pastor before receiving the Lord s Supper. PREFACE The Lord be with you. [2 Timothy 4:22] And also with you. Lift up your hearts. [Colossians 3:1] We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [Psalm 136] It is right to give Him thanks and praise. PROPER PREFACE It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who is risen from the dead, alive and reigning at the Father s right hand. We look for His glorious return and the promised restoration of all creation. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing: SANCTUS Holy, Holy, Holy Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9 LSB 195 Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabbaoth; heav n and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26 28; Mark 14:22 24; Luke 22:19 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23 25 6
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord s death until He comes. Come, Lord Jesus. 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. PAX DOMINI The peace of the Lord be with you always. AGNUS DEI Lamb of God LSB 198 O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us, O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. (Please Be Seated) DISTRIBUTION HYMNS Glorious Things of You Are Spoken LSB 648 Glorious things of you are spoken, Zion, city of our God; He whose word cannot be broken Formed you for His own abode. On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake your sure repose? With salvation s walls surrounded, You may smile at all your foes. See, the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love, Well supply your sons and daughters And all fear of want remove. Who can faint while such a river Ever will their thirst assuage? Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, Never fails from age to age. Round each habilitation hov ring, See the cloud and fire appear For a glory and a cov ring, Showing that the Lord is near. Thus deriving from their banner Light by night and shade by day, Safe they feed upon the manna Which God gives them on their way. Savior, since of Zion s city I through grace a member am, Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Your name. Fading are the world s vain pleasures, All their boasted pomp and show; Solid joys and lasting treasures None but Zion s children know. 7
Crown Him with Many Crowns LSB 525 Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne; Hark how the heav nly anthem drowns All music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless king Through all eternity. Crown Him the virgin s Son, The God incarnate born, Whose arm those crimson trophies won Which now His brow adorn: Fruit of the mystic rose, Yet of that rose the stem, The root whence mercy ever flows, The babe of Bethlehem. Crown Him the Lord of love. Behold His hands and side, Rich wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorified. No angels in the sky Can fully bear that sight, But downward bend their wond ring eyes At mysteries so bright. Crown Him the Lord of Life, Who triumphed o er the grave And rose victorious in the strife For those He came to save. His glories now we sing, Who died and rose on high, Who died eternal life to bring and lives that death may die. Crown Him the Lord of heav n, Enthroned in worlds above, Crown Him the king to whom is giv n The wondrous name of Love. Crown Him with many crowns As thrones before Him fall; O Worship the King LSB 804 O worship the King, all glorious above. O gratefully sing His pow r and His love; Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. O tell of His might, O sing of His grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is His path on the wings of the storm. This earth, with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, Thy pow r hath founded of old, Established it fast by a changeless decree, And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea. Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light, It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 8
Frail children of dust and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail. Thy mercies, how tender, how firm to the end, Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend! O measureless Might, ineffable Love, While angels delight to hymn thee above, Thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays, With true adoration shall sing to Thy praise. BENEDICTION 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. Numbers 6:24 26 CLOSING HYMN Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle LSB 454 Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; Sing the ending of the fray. Now above the cross, the trophy, Sound the loud triumphant lay; Tell how Christ, the world s redeemer, As a victim won the day. Tell how, when at length the fullness Of the appointed time was come, He, the Word, was born of woman, Left for us His Father s home, Blazed the path of true obedience, Shone as light amidst the gloom. Thus, with thirty years accomplished, He went forth from Nazareth, Destined, dedicated, willing, Did His work, and met His death; Like a lamb He humbly yielded On the cross His dying breath. Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, Be for all the noblest tree; None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thine equal be; Symbol of the world s redemption, For the weight that hung on thee! Unto God be praise and glory; To the Father and the Son, To the eternal Spirit honor Now and evermore be done; Praise and glory in the highest While the timeless ages run. POSTLUDE Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Quarter 4. Copyright 2018 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Used by permission LSBHymnLicense.net #100012046 9