3461 Merle Ave Modesto, CA 95355 (209) 551-0563 www.stpetermodesto.org W The Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord January 6, 2019 Epiphany Epidemic: The Secret s Out elcome and thank you for joining us for worship this morning! Today we are observing the Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord. Epiphany (which means revealing ) is the day we remember the visit of the Magi (wise men). Epiphany is a day and season of light. May God s light shine brightly in our lives today as he comes bearing gifts for us and as we respond with our worship and praise! 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 Schroeder after the service. PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP O God of Epiphany s blessings, open my ears this holy season that I may hear Epiphany s blessed proclamation - that you are the Savior of all. Then, basking in the brightness of your everpresent glory, I will reflect your light to all those living in darkness, in the shadow of death. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Flowers adorning our altar this morning are given to the glory of God by David Stepanovich praising Jesus the King of Glory. Minister: Pastor Daniel Schroeder Pianist: Karen Adams 1
PREPARING FOR WORSHIP By its very nature, an epidemic is something you can t stop. You either quarantine yourself from it or inevitably catch it. The same is true of the child born at Christmas. The truth about his identity is undeniable and its effect on human lives is unstoppable. This week, we see where the epidemic started. By bringing the wise men from the east to visit the newborn King, God was sending an important message. Jesus was not the Savior of just one nation or race. He is the Savior of all people. No one is excluded from God s gracious plan of salvation. OPENING HYMN Angels from the Realms of Glory Christian Worship #80 stanzas 1-3 CALL TO WORSHIP CONFESSION OF SINS AND ABSOLUTION Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen. M: In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12 C: Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Psalm 72:19 M: In repentant faith, we come before our Lord in confession. Silence for reflection M: Almighty God, King of all, C: we confess to you that we are sinful by nature. We have lived in darkness rather than light. Our selfish thoughts, harmful words, and faithless actions reveal our sinfulness. But for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, who became flesh for us, we pray, forgive us our sins. Amen. M: God s grace is revealed in the birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has brought light to this world darkened by sin. In the place of and by the command of Jesus, I announce to you the full forgiveness of all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. Thanks be to God! M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord. 2
SONG RESPONSE Joy Has Dawned Getty and Townend (to refrain) 3
PRAYER OF THE DAY M: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. 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. C: Amen. THE WORD OF GOD CHILDREN S MESSAGE Children are invited to come forward for a message directed at them FIRST LESSON Isaiah 60:1-6 The Lord tells Israel: Nations will come to your light. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD is dawning upon you. 2 Look, darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness covers the peoples, but the LORD will dawn upon you, and his glory will be seen over you. 3 Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Look up. Look all around and see! All of them have been gathered. They are coming to you. Your sons will come from far away, and people will carry your daughters on their side. 5 Then you will look and be radiant. Your heart will race with excitement and burst with joy. For great riches from the sea will be delivered to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you. 6 Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba will come. They will carry gold and incense, and they will announce the good news of the praise of the LORD. (EHV) 4
PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 72 Jesus' reign as king is not bounded by time or space. We will read the verses and sing the refrain in unison. 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 5
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 3:2-12 A mystery once hidden but now revealed: All nations share in the promises of God in Christ Jesus. 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. (EHV) VERSE OF THE DAY Matthew 2:2b Alleluia. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. Alleluia. 6
GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 2:1-12 M: The Gospel according to Matthew chapter 2. C: Glory be to you, O Lord. The wise men visit and worship the Savior. 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. (EHV) M: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise be to you, O Christ. HYMN OF THE DAY 7 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star Christian Worship #79 stanzas 1-3 The words in the hymn s seven stanzas [our hymnal, Christian Worship, uses only five of the stanzas] are based on Psalm 45, a mystical wedding song. Jesus is identified with the morning star, according to Revelation 22:11, and with the bridegroom of the psalm. Philipp Nicolai wrote the words of this hymn in response to a plague in 1597. This hymn is often referred to as The Queen of Chorales.
SERMON Matthew 2:1-12 God Wants the World to Worship in Bethlehem EXCERPTS FROM THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION Our churches teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, assumed the human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So there are two natures the divine and the human inseparably joined in one person. There is one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He did this to reconcile the Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of mankind. He also descended into hell, and truly rose again on the third day. Afterward, he ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. There he forever reigns and has dominion over all creatures. He sanctifies those who believe in him, by sending the Holy Spirit into their hearts to rule, comfort, and make them alive. He defends them against the devil and the power of sin. The same Christ will openly come again to judge the living and the dead, and so forth, according to the Apostles Creed. 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. 8
LITANY OF THE MAGI M: As the Wise Men of old followed the star: C: Help us, O Lord, to follow the leading of your Spirit as he comes to us through Word and Sacrament. M: As they were led to the Savior: C: Lead us, O Lord, to him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. M: As they brought treasures to the King: C: Empower us, O Lord, to bring gifts of faith and hope and love to the world. M: As they fell down and worshipped the Child: C: Inspire us, O Lord, to serve him every moment of our lives. M: As Herod was kept from doing him harm: C: Keep us, O Lord, from doing violence to his Name by thought or word or deed. M: As Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart: C: Enable us, O Lord, to remember your Word and promises. M: As your Son shines forever as the Light of the world: C: Shine forth in us, O Lord, that we may be lights of the world in our generation. Special prayers and intercessions may follow. M: Holy Jesus, come from God: C: Fill us now and always with your light. Amen. 9
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 to 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 came as the Light of the world so that the world may have light and life through him. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join in their glorious song: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (SANCTUS) Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9 10
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING M: Blessed are you, O Lord of heaven and earth. We praise and thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, and we remember the great acts of love through which he has ransomed us from sin, death, and the devil s power. By his incarnation, he became one with us. By his perfect life, he fulfilled your holy will. By his innocent death, he overcame hell. By his rising from the grave, he opened heaven. Invited by your grace and instructed by your Word, we approach your table with repentant and joyful hearts. Strengthen us through Christ s body and blood, and preserve us in the true faith until we feast with him and all his ransomed people in glory everlasting. C: Amen. 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. 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. The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen. 11
LAMB OF GOD (AGNUS DEI) John 1:29 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 Hail, O Source of Every Blessing Christian Worship #87 As with Gladness Men of Old Christian Worship #83 Gentle Mary Laid Her Child Christian Worship #56 12
PRAYER AND BLESSING M: We give thanks to you, almighty God, that as you came to us in the mystery of the incarnation of your Son, so also in the mystery of holy communion, your forgiveness and peace have come into our lives this day; through Jesus Christ, your Son, 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. C: Amen. The following were reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-706579: Divine Service II 2008 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Joy Has Dawned 2004 Thankyou Music/Adm. by worshiptogether.com songs excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Kingsway Music. tym@kingsway.co.uk Cover artwork by Ian M. Welch. Copyright 2015 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version TM (EHV TM ) copyright 2016 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved. www.wartburgproject.org 13