The Gift of Humility EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST PROPER 20 September 23, 2018 ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 700 Main St. P.O. Box 220 Clyman, WI 53016 www.zionclyman.org Rev. Matthew Martin Cell 920-821-3368 felsenherr@yahoo.com. Mrs. Dee Dee W, Organ Scott N Elder Sunday Service Ralph K Acting Elder Mid-Week Service Ushers Team 2 - Dick B. Nancy B. Steve L. Bill S. Bulletin Announcement email: Zionclyman@gmail.com 1
Guests. Welcome to Zion. We are glad to have you with us. Please sign our guestbook located in the Narthex. About Holy Communion: We celebrate this Sacrament every Sunday at Zion. We welcome to the Lord's Table all who have repented of their sins and seek to amend their sinful life; all who believe that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the bread and the wine; and all who believe that through the words "given and shed for you" forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given. If this is your confession and a member of a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, then come with a thankful heart and join us. See p.329, 330 in the front part of the hymnal for guidance in preparing to receive Holy Communion. We also offer gluten free wafers please notify Elder ahead of time that you would appreciate the gluten free. AS WE GATHER All three Readings today ring out with the gift of humility. Jeremiah, deeply hurt by those who sought to destroy him, still humbly leaves vengeance to the Lord. James exhorts believers not to think of themselves as wiser than anyone else, especially when the evidence of their lives was full of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. James urges the wise to repent and to exhibit the humility Christ demonstrated by being peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. When Jesus makes clear that He is on a path that leads to humiliation on the cross, the disciples haughtily argue about who among them is the greatest. By this they demonstrate that they did not understand what Jesus was saying. Jesus then teaches that the greatest thing in life is to be the servant of all. And to show them the simplicity of it, He picks up a child and exhorts them to receive him in humility. We live in a world still ruled much of the time by brashness, boasting, and exulting in lording over others. At times we are tempted to treat others who are not Christians in these sinful ways. Yet these Readings work together to show us another way to live humbly trusting God. Altar Guild for September: Judy S 727-858-1163 2
Order of Worship Divine Service 3 Divine Service Lutheran Service Book - Page 184 Opening Hymn: The Lord, My God, Be Praised LSB 794 Confession and Absolution Page 184 Introit for Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 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. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Collect for Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. OLD TESTAMENT Jeremiah 11:18 20 (Jeremiah entrusts his life to the Lord as enemies plot to kill him.) 3
18 The LORD made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more. 20 But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. EPISTLE James 3:13 4:10 (Christians are called to humbly submit to God and seek peace with one another.) has loved us.) 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but 4
is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubleminded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. GOSPEL Mark 9:30 37 (Who is the greatest?) 5
30 [The disciples] went on from there and passed through Galilee. And [Jesus] did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise. 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, What were you discussing on the way? 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all. 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me. Nicene Creed or Apostle s Creed Page 191 or 192 Sermon Hymn: Lord of Glory, You Have Brought Us LSB 851 Sermon The Offering Prayer of the Church Agnus Dei Page 198 Word s of Institution Page 199 Distribution of the Lord s Supper 6
Communion Hymns: Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior LSB 627 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord LSB 637 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteourness LSB 563 Nunc Dimittis Page 199 Prayer and Benediction Page 201 Closing Hymn: Christ Be My Leader LSB 861 Announcements From the Board of Stewardship and Evangelism: Mark 9:32 But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him. The disciples really do hold up a mirror to our faces and force us to see ourselves: misunderstanding, afraid, confused. But the Word of God is clear if only we will listen with open ears. What was blocking the disciples ears? The Gospels tell us time and again: they did not expect a suffering Christ, and so when Jesus spoke of suffering they plugged their ears and didn t listen, and so they ended up confused and scared. What about us? What s in the Word of God that we find hard to hear and contrary to our desires and expectations? That might just be exactly what we need to hear. 7
The Pewpoint THEME OF THE DAY Our Father Cares for His Children with the Gospel of His Son The sinful heart is filled with bitter jealousy and selfish ambition (James 3:14), which causes hostility, quarrels and conflicts, even among those who are fellow members of the Body of Christ. This should not be so! Rather, God opposes the proud with His Law, in order to humble them unto repentance; He gives grace to the humble, in order to exalt them by His Gospel of forgiveness (James 4:6 10). This true wisdom from above is found in the gentleness, mercy and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself and sacrificed Himself for the salvation of sinners (James 3:17). He was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter, committing Himself to God, His Father, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind (Jer. 11:19 20). Therefore, after three days, His Father exalted Him by raising Him from the dead (Mark 9:31). In Holy Baptism, He takes disciples of all ages into His arms like little children. In receiving Him through repentance and faith in His forgiveness of sins, they receive from His Father a share in the glory of His cross and resurrection (Mark 9:36 37). Attendance: Sunday Service: 66 Communed: 54 Mid-Week Service: 12 Communed: 8 8
YES IN CHRIST -- Saying Yes With Our Treasures Needed per week to make budget: $3,462 Envelopes: $2,811 Plate: $292 Automatic Deposit: $50 THIS WEEK AT ZION Sunday After Church Sunday School Monday 7pm Mid-Week Service Wednesday 5:30 to 7pm Confirmation Class at Trinity, Reeseville Reeseville 7pm Voice Choir Grapevine Articles are due Thursday 6:30pm Elder s Meeting 7:00pm Council Meeting Come join the fun! Voice Choir has started and we want you - Wednesday evenings be there.. Give praise to the Lord. 9
I am Darold Reiner, retired LCMS pastor - served for over 50 years in our Synod throughout the Midwest. Since retiring I have led BIBLICAL TOURS and have contacted individual LCMS churches, that I am familiar with, to encourage them to put a paragraph in their newsletter/bulletin so that those interested could know about the tours. I want to encourage you in your ministry in the South Wisconsin District. God has called you to this place and He will provide His blessings upon your labors! He is faithful! Christ s Peace! THE LORD IS RISEN! Darold Reiner, Pastor JOURNEYS OF PAUL TOUR - Athens, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Ephesus, Patmos, with 3 day cruise included (April 27 - May 7, 2019) LUTHERLAND TOUR Visiting all the Luther sites + The Passion Play at Oberammergau (June 28 July 8, 2020) Contact Pastor Darold Reiner, retired LCMS Pastor & former International LWML Counselor, for a brochure: 406-890-1149 or imhis38@gmail.com 10
Does anyone wish to take the November Altar Guild position if you are interested please contact Jane Dornfeld. September 2018 Servin Serving the Lord in Uganda News from the Schempfs Pastor Michael Schempf and Karen started sending out their monthly newsletter. If you didn t receive one and would like to be on their email list please contact them or Nancy Kohlhoff and she will get that information to them to add. Will need Name and email address. Also if you don t have email and would like a copy there are some on the table in the narthex. 11