Jesus Was Sent for Sinners Peace Lutheran Church 2090 Commerce Drive North Mankato, MN 56003
Peace Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Synod Proclaim the wonders God has done! Pastor Timothy Hartwig Church Office: 507-385-1386 Cell Phone: 507-382-6826 Email: pastorhartwig@gmail.com Website: peacemankato.com Jesus Lambs at Peace Preschool Teacher/Director: Joslyn Moldstad Phone: 507-385-7752 Email: joslynmoldstad@gmail.com Divine Service 6:30 PM December 31, 2016 New Year s Eve Welcome to Peace! The purpose of our congregation is to worship God, who gives life through Word and Sacrament; to serve one another in love and fellowship; and to proclaim forgiveness and salvation to all through Jesus Christ alone. Before Worship As you prepare to worship your Lord today, spend a few quiet minutes in prayer before the service. Review the lessons, the service notes, and pray this prayer: Prayer of the Day Eternal Father, before whom all generations rise and fall, teach us to think earnestly on the brevity of our lives and on the immensity of Your goodness. Help us to enter the new year trusting in the name of Your Son and walking in the way of His peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. For the Children A Cry-Room is available if your little ones need a moment. It is the first room on the left as you walk into the church building. Sound and video are piped into the room to enable you to hear and see the service. Facilities Restrooms are located down the hall and on the right side. 2
The Divine Service Adaptation of The Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution, p. 130 Opening Hymn: #160:1-4, O God, Our Help in Ages Past The Invocation and Responses P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me. C: Make haste to help me, O Lord. P: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. C: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. All: 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, forevermore. Amen. Psalm 51 P: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. C: Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. P: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. C: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. P: Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. C: Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. P: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. C: Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. P: Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. C: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. P: Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. C: Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. P: Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. C: Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. P: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 3
C: You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. P: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. C: In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. P: Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar. All: 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, forevermore. Amen. The Lesson 1 John 1:1 2:3 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. Hymn: #426:1-4, Jesus Sinners Doth Receive Sermon John 20:21 23 Jesus Was Sent for Sinners. 21 Again Jesus said, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. 4
The Confessions of Sin P: And now I ask you, in the presence of God, who searches the heart: Do you sincerely confess that you have sinned against God and deserved His wrath and punishment? C: I do so confess. P: Truly you should confess, for Holy Scripture declares: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Do you heartily repent of all your sins committed in thought, word and deed? C: I do repent. P: Truly you should repent, as did the penitent sinners: King David, who prayed for a contrite heart; Peter, who wept bitterly; the sinful woman; the prodigal son; and others. Do you sincerely believe that God, by grace, for Jesus sake, will forgive you all you sins? C: I do so believe. P: Truly you should believe, for the Holy Scripture declares: God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Do you promise that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will amend your sinful life? C: I do so promise. P: Truly you should promise, for Christ the Lord says: Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Finally, do you believe that through me, a called servant of God, you will receive the forgiveness of all your sins? C: I do so believe. P: Truly you should believe, for Christ the Lord says: Whoever hears you, hears Me and If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. Upon this your confession, come forward to the altar of the Lord and receive the declaration of the forgiveness of all your sins. (The communicants come forward to the altar.) By the authority of God and my holy office I declare to you the gracious forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dismissal May He who has begun the good work in you perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Peace be with you. Amen. 5
General Absolution P: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His onlybegotten Son to die for us, and for His sake forgives us all our sins. To all who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God, and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. The Collect P: Let us pray. C: Lord Jesus Christ, You have given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to Your Church, for the perfecting of the saints and the edification of Your faithful people: We thank You for Your great mercy, and we bless Your holy name, that You have not dealt with us as we have deserved by our sins or faithlessness, but that You have preserved for us even to this day Your holy Word and Your precious Sacraments. We pray that You will continue to have mercy upon us. May Your Holy Spirit enlighten and direct us, comfort and strengthen us to the joy of the angels and the increase of Your kingdom. May Your blessing abide on our pastors, whom You have appointed to be the shepherds of our souls, and may we all be built up in the true faith upon the Rock of our salvation, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit is worthy of all praise and glory, now and forever. Amen. The Offering The members of Peace Lutheran Congregation have joined together to do the Lord s work in this community and around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (II Corinthians 9:8) Please fill out the Friendship Register. The Service of Holy Communion Peace Lutheran Church practices close communion. We ask that only members of the ELS and WELS partake of the Sacrament today. Visitors, please speak to the Pastor about receiving the Sacrament in the future. The Lord s Prayer 6
The Words of Institution P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me. In the same way also He took the cup after supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying: Drink of 7
it all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. Distribution Hymns #493, Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All #495, I Come to Thee, O Blessed Lord The Collect of Thanksgiving P: Let us give thanks and pray: We thank You, Lord God Almighty, that You have refreshed us with these Your salutary gifts; and we beseech You of Your mercy, to strengthen us through the same in faith toward You, and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. The Benediction P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. The Closing Hymn #160:6-8, O God, Our Help in Ages Past Thank you to those who served in our service today: Communion Assistant: Paul Fries; Organist: John Baumann; The ushers; Cover artwork: Don Moldstad. To God be the Glory! 8