3461 Merle Ave Modesto, CA 95355 (209) 551-0563 www.stpetermodesto.org W Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Identity and Instruction: You are Blessed FEBRUARY 5, 2017 elcome to all both visitor and member alike! May our ever-giving and gracious God fill your heart with joy, peace, and hope through the message of forgiveness in our living Savior, Jesus Christ! 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. TODAY S FOCUS During Epiphany, the Church remembers how Jesus of Nazareth was revealed as the Son of God and the world's Savior. This year we focus on two ways in which that was done: through the testimony given by others about his identity, and through the instruction given by Jesus in what is often called the sermon on the mount. Today, we hear Jesus instruct us that, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, those who follow him are blessed. PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP Lord Jesus Christ, you have authority over everything in heaven and on earth. May we respect your power and trust in your ability to overcome the forces of evil all around us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Flowers adorning our altar this morning are given to the glory of God by David Stepanovich praising Jesus, worthy of all praise. Minister: Daniel Schroeder Pianist: Judith Winsor
OPENING HYMN Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower Christian Worship #476 stanzas 1 and 4 CALL TO WORSHIP Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen. CONFESSION OF SINS M: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord have mercy on me, a sinner. LORD, HAVE MERCY (KYRIE) ABSOLUTION M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called 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: Amen. Amen is a word of affirmation and faith. It means, Yes, it shall be so! 1
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord. HYMN RESPONSE Hail to the Lord s Anointed, Great David s greater Son! Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free, To take away transgression, And rule in equity. He comes with rescue speedy To those who suffer wrong, To help the poor and needy And bid the weak be strong, To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light Whose souls, condemned and dying, Are precious in his sight. Hail to the Lord s Anointed Christian Worship #93 stanzas 1 and 2 PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Let us pray. Lord God, you know that we are surrounded by many dangers and that we often stumble and fall. Strengthen us in body and mind, and bring us safely through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. 2
THE WORD OF GOD THE FIRST LESSON Daniel 3:13-27 Three men are blessed with protection from persecution Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, Weren t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, Certainly, Your Majesty. 25 He said, Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here! So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 3
PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 16 The church sings a psalm of confident joy that with the Lord there are numerous blessings. The Psalm will be sung responsively by the half verse pastor and then congregation. Keep me safe, O God for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Refrain My heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. 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 4
THE SECOND LESSON 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 God chooses to bless things normally considered weak and lowly Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. THE VERSE OF THE DAY Luke 4:18a Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is on me; he has anointed me to preach good news. Alleluia. After the reading of the verse of the day the congregation sings: 5
THE GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 5:1-12 Jesus promises blessings for things we would least expect. After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings: Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. After the Gospel, the congregation sings: 6
THE NICENE CREED We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. THE HYMN OF THE DAY Rise, Shine, You People Christian Worship #556 This 20 th -century hymn tells of Christ s saving work for sinners and encouragement to bring this message to the world. They hymn was recognized by The Hymn Society of America as the best new hymn in the hymnal Lutheran Book of Worship. Jesus said, Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32) When we speak the creed (usually the Apostle s or Nicene Creeds), we are joining together to publically confess our faith in Christ. This confession unites us with Christians around the world and those saints who have gone before us. 7
THE SERMON 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Let s Be Boastful... In The Lord! 1. He chose us, the most unlikely candidates 2. He unites us, by our most likely substitute THE RESPONSE 8
THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER THE 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. THE PRAYER OF THE CHURCH M: Heavenly Father, when you open your hand, you satisfy the desires of every living thing. May your name be praised and your grace glorified. C: Today we remember with joy the gifts you provide for us. M: Again and again you pour on us all that we need for daily living: health, strength, companionship, and all our material blessings. We thank you for the incomparable spiritual blessings you have given us through your Son. C: It is true that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights. M: Yet we are greedy and ungrateful. We complain and worry. Forgive us for these and all our sins in the name of Jesus. Prevent our many blessings from becoming Satan s trap to ensnare us. C: Keep our minds on things above, not on earthly things. Special prayers and intercession may follow. M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. M: Fill us today and every day with a humble and grateful faith that sincerely prays, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. C: Amen. THE LORD S PRAYER C: 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. 9
THE SACRAMENT St Peter Lutheran Church practices close 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 unto 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 lived among us as a human being and revealed his glory as your only Son, full of grace and truth. 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 (THE SANCTUS) This dialogue between the pastor and the congregation is called the Preface. It marks the beginning of the Sacrament portion of the service and lifts the worshipers hearts in praise. These sentences are among the oldest in the Christian liturgy. They have been spoken by Christians before receiving the Lord s Supper for almost 2000 years. 10
THE 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. M: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD (AGNUS DEI) The Latin title for this song simply means Lamb of God. Believers approach the altar of God by the sacrificial substitute who died in our place. We join with the cry of John the Baptizer (John 1:29) to the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world and grants us mercy and peace. The Christian church has sung this text before communion for more than thirteen centuries. 11
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 O God, My Faithful God Christian Worship #459 From Eternity, O God Christian Worship #461 SONG OF SIMEON 12
THANKSGIVING M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. C: And his mercy endures forever. M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this Holy Supper. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, 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. Cover artwork by Ian M. Welch. Copyright 2015 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. The following were reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-706579: Psalm 16. Richard Proulx. 1986 GIA Publications, Inc. Chicago, IL. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. 13