The Feast of the Holy Trinity May 22, 2016 Saint James Evangelical Lutheran Church 460 West Annapolis Street - West Saint Paul, MN 55118 Church Office: (651) 457-9232 Fax: (651) 457-1893 E-mail: stjlc@saintjameslutheran.com Visit our web site: www.saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Michael Albrecht 651-457-6796 malbrecht@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Dale Critchley 651-689-3253 dcritchley@saintjameslutheran.com Terese Thune Youth Director 651-336-2117 tthune@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Ralph Rokke 651-457-3955 rrokke@saintjameslutheran.com Pastor Richard Stadler 651-338-8621 rstadler@saintjameslutheran.com Shirley Hess Parish Nurse 651-210-3380 pnstjlc@saintjameslutheran.com
WELCOME TO WORSHIP! THE TITLE OF TODAY S SERMON IS: What Difference Does the Trinity Make? Christians teach that God is Triune, three persons in one God. The Church has struggled to confess this truth down through the centuries against great opposition. Athanasius (296-373 A.D.), a hero of the Christian Church, defended the doctrines of the Trinity and of Christ being both God and man so vigorously that the Athanasian Creed is named after him. We ll recite it today. The Creed and the Scriptures both teach that salvation comes only by knowing and believing in the one true God, the Holy Trinity. Trinity Sunday May 22, 2016 Cover Photo by Gene and Pat Schwope: the symbol of the Holy Trinity on the front of the Saint James lectern. GUESTS AND VISITORS, we are delighted that you are worshiping with us today! Please take a moment to fill out a Welcome, Guest card which is available in the pew racks and place it in the offering. For every guest who completes this form, Saint James will donate $5 to the Neighbor s Food Shelf. Also, stop by the Visitor Welcome Center as you leave and pick up a small gift. Thank you for coming, and please come back and visit again soon. You are always welcome here at Saint James. LARGE PRINT COPIES OF THE SERVICE ARE AVAILABLE IN THE NARTHEX. SPECIAL POCKET HEARING SYSTEMS are available from the ushers for anyone desiring an amplified broadcast of the service. TODAY, ON TRINITY SUNDAY, PREPARING FOR WORSHIP You are invited to meditate on Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, found on page 763 of the pew Bibles. In this passage, Jesus commands us to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In baptism, the name of the Triune God is placed upon us for salvation and blessing. THE NURSERY is not staffed but is available for parents who have young children who become noisy or restless during the service. We are thankful for families who teach their children to worship by bringing them to church. When your little ones become noisy, feel free to take them to the narthex or the nursery to settle them down. The service can be seen and heard on TV in both locations. PRE-SERVICE PRAYER HOLY TRIUNE GOD, we worship and adore you, our Maker, Redeemer, and Comforter. Thank you for placing your holy name on us in our baptisms. Receive our worship today, and feed our souls with your Word, the bread of life. We pray it in Jesus name. Amen. 2
THE ORDER OF SERVICE (8:00) ORGAN PRELUDE: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Robert Lau (10:30) PRE-SERVICE MUSIC BY THE HANDBELL CHOIR: Morning Song of Praise Hakes Crown Him with Many Crowns Tucker (10:30) OPENING SENTENCE: No Eye Hath Seen Carl Bolle Saint James Choir OPENING HYMN: Christian Worship, #195 stanzas 1-2 Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity! Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be. Please stand for stanza 2 SALUTATION: P: The grace of our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. C: And also with you. PASTORAL WELCOME AND INVOCATION: Congregation responds by singing: A-men. Pastor Rokke CONFESSION OF SINS: P: Let us confess our sins to God our Father, and receive His forgiveness. C: Most merciful God, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your holy name. Amen. ABSOLUTION: P: God our heavenly Father has had mercy upon you, and He has given His only begotten Son to die for you. Jesus paid the penalty for all your sin. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of 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 sings: A-men. Please be seated (8:00) HYMN OF THANKS AND PRAISE: Christian Worship # 369, stanzas 1 and 4 Beautiful Savior 3
(10:30) THE SAINT JAMES CHOIR: Come Thou Almighty King Howorth PRAYER OF THE DAY In this passage, God s wisdom is personified and given voice to speak. Wisdom then tells us that she has been possessed by God since before the creation of the heavens and the earth. God used wisdom to create all things, and he especially delights in the crown of his creation, mankind. In Peter s Pentecost sermon, he makes reference to all three persons of the Holy Trinity. This is the first sermon of the Church age, and it shows that the doctrine of the Trinity was already known and preached by the apostles. The Father sent the Son and confirmed the identity of Jesus with signs. The Son, Jesus, died for sinners according to the Father s plan. Then he ascended back to the Father in heaven and from there the Holy Spirit has been poured forth by the Father and the Son. FIRST READING: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: 4 To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 22 The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established 4 the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. READING RESPONSE P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. HYMN: Christian Worship, #195, stanzas 3 Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see, Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, Perfect in pow r, in love, and purity. SECOND READING: Acts: 2:14a, 22-36 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, d a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. 29 Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would 4
set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool. 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. READING RESPONSE P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. HYMN: Christian Worship #195, stanza 4 Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea. Holy, Holy, Holy, merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity! GOSPEL READING: John 8:48-59 48 The Jews answered him, Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? 49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 52 The Jews said to him, Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be? 54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, He is our God. 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. GOSPEL RESPONSE P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ! THE ATHANASIAN CREED: Whoever will be saved shall, above all else, hold the catholic faith. Which faith, except everyone keeps whole and undefiled, without doubt he will perish eternally. And the catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in three persons and three persons in one Please rise for the Gospel Jesus speaks to his enemies, telling them clearly and strongly that God is his Father, and that he has come to give eternal life to all who believe in him. The opponents reject these claims, and suggest that Jesus is inferior to Abraham, the founder of the nation of Israel. Jesus replies by taking the name of God for himself. Jesus says, Before Abraham was I AM. His enemies understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. God is three persons in one. That s the foundation for what Jesus says in this reading. 5
This is the longest of the three great ecumenical creeds of the Christian Church. The other two are the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. This creed confesses the catholic faith, because the doctrine confessed here was so widely accepted in Western Christianity when the Creed was written in the 6 th century. Catholic means the whole church, not only the Roman Catholic Church. This creed strongly and clearly sets forth the teachings that God is Three Persons in One God, and Jesus is fully God and fully man. It s the tradition of many Lutheran churches to recite this creed on Trinity Sunday. God, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet there are not three eternals but one eternal. As there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensibles, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. And yet they are not three almighties but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. For as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge every person by himself to be both God and Lord, So we cannot by the catholic faith say that there are three Gods or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another; But the whole three persons are coeternal together and coequal, so that in all things, as has been said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped. He, therefore, that will be saved is compelled thus to think of the Trinity. Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man; God of the substance of the Father, begotten before all worlds; and man of the substance of his mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead and inferior to the Father as touching his manhood; Who, although he is God and man, yet he is not two but one Christ: One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the 6
manhood into God: One altogether, not by confusion of substance but by unity of person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sits at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and will give an account of their own works. And they that have done good will go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith which, except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved. SERMON HYMN: Christian Worship # 191 Father, Most Holy, Merciful and Tender (We ll use the melody Christe Sanctorum, as found in hymn # 343) SERMON: Text: Matthew 28:16-20 Theme: What Difference Does the Trinity Make? GLORIA PATRI: Christian Worship #273 Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. A-men OFFERTORY: (8:00) The God of Abraham Praise (10:30) THE HANDBELL CHOIR: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty...McChesney Proulx OFFERING: Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your income. Proverbs 3:9 HYMN OF REDEDICATION: Christian Worship #203, Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word PRAYER FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS Please be seated Children are invited to the front of the church during stanza 4 of this hymn for the introduction of the sermon. Please rise after the sermon to sing the Gloria Patri Be seated as we present our offerings Give online at give.4gvn.us You can find step by step directions in the I Give Online card available in the pew racks. Please stand Please be seated THE LORD S PRAYER THE BENEDICTION Congregation sings: A-men, A-men, A-men Please stand THE CLOSING HYMN: Christian Worship #326 May the Grace of Christ Our Savior POSTLUDE: Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Fred Bock 7
SAINT JAMES FOUNDATION Remember the Foundation in your will your gift can make a difference for generations to come. Suggested Wording: In thanks to God for the gift of His Son Jesus, and for all His blessings to me in my lifetime, I gift and bequeath to Saint James Lutheran Church Foundation at 460 West Annapolis Street, West Saint Paul, MN 55118 the amount of $ or (specify the asset.). Stewardship Thought Do you spend more than you make on things you don t need to impress people you may not like? (Contributed by a Saint James member) SERVING IN OUR WORSHIP TODAY Pastor Ralph Rokke (preaching) Pastor Dale Critchley The Saint James Handbell Choir, Winnie Farley, Director Doug Grimm, Trumpet The Saint James Choir Organist and Music Director: Tom Rowland The Saint James Brass, Roger Grimm, Director Ushers: (8:00) Len Bohrer and Team #3 (10:30) Dave Miller and Team #4 Audio Video Team: Dani Critchley, Hannah Critchley, Sharon Ferrara, Glenn & Wendy Gatzke, Jerry Hinz, Len & Diane Munson, Jerry Peterson, Lorna Redding, Michael Schroeder, Leif Thune and Gil Ude Screen Slide Production: Ami Heesch PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR Let us remember to pray for some of our veteran members: Bill Rahn, Laverne Smith, Don Stephan, Irene Steenberg, Gil Ude MISSIONS TO PRAY FOR This week please pray for Bishop Shalem and the pastors and people of the Bible Faith Lutheran Church of India, and for the Moriah Children s Home and School, and for Dr. Raj Kumar and the seminary in Guntur in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. FLOWERS The flowers in the chancel vases are provided by the Saint James Altar Guild. If you would like to order FLOWERS to be placed in the chancel, please contact Altar Guild Flower Chairwoman Kathy Stadler at 651-450-6452 or stadlerek@comcast.net. Living as a Local Missionary After trash day, bring your neighbors cans in before they get a chance. Do the whole neighborhood if you can. 8