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SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

February 16, 2020

 AS WE GATHER…One of the stunning things about Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel is the distance Jesus is saying we might go for reconciliation. It is about 80 miles from the north side of the Sea of Galilee (where He spoke these words) to Jerusalem, which would be 160 miles roundtrip just to seek peace and reconciliation with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We remember today that there is no distance too great to seek reconciliation. Indeed, Jesus came to heaven to earth so that we might be reconciled with God. Jesus traveled to the cross to make peace by His blood. What an amazing gift to us.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

 OPENING BLESSING

L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: Amen.

 

A WORD ABOUT OUR WORSHIP TODAY

L: Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

C: who walk in the law of the Lord.

L: Blessed are the peacemakers,

C: for they shall be called sons of God.

L: The Lord has made known His salvation.

C: He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.

  

BEING REAL WITH GOD AND ONE ANOTHER AND GOD

L: God calls on us to be blameless, to live in peace with one another, to not hold grudges or be angry with anyone. But we have failed to live as God has instructed. We have created division and discord. We have refused to be reconciled with others. We come before our heavenly Father to ask for His forgiveness.

 

Silent Reflection

L: Heavenly Father,

C: we confess that we have not always walked in Your ways. We confess that we have ignored and avoided conflict rather than seek reconciliation. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive our sins. Bring Your reconciliation and peace that surpasses all understanding into our lives.

L: Even though we have held on to our anger and resentment of others, our heavenly Father sent Jesus to be our reconciliation and peace. By the blood of Jesus, we are reconciled to God and can approach Him in all confidence. By the blood of Jesus, we are reconciled with one another. May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C: Amen. We are reconciled and at peace with God. We are forgiven in Christ.

 

SONG OF RECONCILIATION: “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,

And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, only light,

And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console.

To be understood as to understand.

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

In giving of ourselves that we receive,

And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

L: Let us pray.

L: O Lord, You sent Your Son to bring us peace and reconciliation. Grant that we may forgive others as You have forgiven us by the blood of Jesus; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

 

HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD

 

Old Testament Reading:                                         Deuteronomy 30:15-20

The Lord makes a covenant with Moses and His people.

     “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

 

CHOIR ANTHEM: “How Blest We Are”                  By: David Lantz III

How blest we are to be given grace,

How blest we are to be given grace,

grace from God the Father, grace from God the Son,

grace from God the Spirit,

the Holy Three in One.

How blest we are to be given mercy, How blest we are,

how blest we are to be given mercy, how blest we are,

mercy from God the Father, mercy from God the Son,

mercy from God the Spirit, the Holy Three in One.

How blest we are. How blest we are.

How blest we are to be given peace, how blest we are to be given peace,

peace from God the Father, peace from God the Son,

peace from God the Spirit, the Holy Three in One.

Grace, mercy and peace from the Holy Three in One.

 

Gospel Reading:                                                               Matthew 5:21-37

Leave your gift and go be reconciled.

    “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

    “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

    “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

    “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

 

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

 

SERMON SONG: “Gather Your Children, Dear Savior, In Peace”

To the tune: Christ Be My Leader

Gather your children, dear Savior, in peace

And draw us to you with your passionate please;

Still seek us and call us to come and be blessed,

To find in your arms, Lord, safety, comfort and rest.

Love be our banner, forgiveness our theme,

Compassion our nature, your vision our dream;

Who knows what the Spirit of God yet can do,

What joy may be tasted, or what promise come true?

Host at our table in our house and yours,

Here bind us together with love that endures;

Like parents, like children, let this be our fame:

That, blest, we bless many, to the praise of your name.

 

SERMON 

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

C: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

             Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

             And born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

             Was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

             And is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

             The holy Christian Church,

             The communion of saints,

             The forgiveness of sins,

             The resurrection of the body,

             And the life everlasting.  Amen. 

 

OFFERING             We give our offerings as a sign of our lives offered to God.

  

PRAYER OF GOD’S PEOPLE

L: Dear heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to reconcile the world to Yourself and to make peace by the blood of the cross. Give us courage to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with one another, that Your peace that surpasses all understanding rule our hearts and minds. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

 

L: Lord, there are many divisions in Your Church. Too often we have identified ourselves as those who follow earthly leaders, rather than as those who follow Christ. Bring unity where there is division, peace where there is discord, and reconciliation where there is conflict. Today we pray for Pastor Clay Carlisle and the First Baptist Church of Philomath. Unite them together as they worship and reach out to share Jesus in the Philomath community. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

 

L: Lord, strengthen all marriages, encourage those who are single, and help us to recognize the value of each person, for all have been redeemed by Christ, the Crucified and the Risen One. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

 

L: Lord, bless all pastors, teachers, church planters, missionaries, musicians, and servants of Your Church. Today we uplift our ministry partner, the Northwest District, that You would guide all their decisions and ways that they build up the body of Christ. Embolden them as they plant and water the good seed in Your Kingdom. We humbly ask You to provide growth where and when You will. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

 

L: Lord, look with favor upon all who are sick, injured, and recovering, (especially…). Have mercy upon them and heal them according to Your good and gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

 

L: Lord, we commend all of these things to Your infinite mercies, which are new every morning. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer. Amen.

 

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

L: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

L: Lift up your hearts.

C: We lift them to the Lord.

L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C: It is right to give him thanks and praise. 

 

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

 

LORD’S PRAYER

 

AGNUS DEI                                                                            LBW pg. 92

 

DISTRIBUTION

DISTRIBUTION SONGS

Beautiful Savior                                                                         LBW 518

Beautiful Savior, King of creation,

Son of God and Son of Man!

Truly I’d love thee, Truly I’d serve thee,

Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.

Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands

Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,

He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.

Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,

Bright  the sparkling stars on high;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,

Than all the angels in the sky.

Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,

Now and forevermore be thine!

 

Let us Break Bread Together                                                   TOSB 126

Let us break bread together on our knees;

Let us break bread together on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees;

Let us drink wine together on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord have mercy on me.

Let us bow ‘round the altar on our knees;

Let us bow ‘round the altar on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees;

Let us praise God together on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord have mercy on me.

 

A CLOSING BLESSING

 

CLOSING SONG: “Let All Things Now Living”                       LBW 557

Let all things now living A song of thanksgiving

To God the creator triumphantly raise,

Who fashioned and made us, Protected and stayed us,

Who still guides us on to the end of our days.

God’s banners are o’er us, His light goes before us,

A pillar of fire shining forth in the night,

Till shadows have vanished And darkness is banished,

As forward we travel from light into light.

His law he enforces, The stars in their courses

And sun in its orbit obediently shine;

The hills and the mountains, The rivers and fountains,

The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.

We too should be voicing Our love and rejoicing;

With glad adoration a song lets us raise

Till all things now living Unite in thanksgiving:

 “To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!”

 

DISMISSAL

L:  Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!

C:  Thanks be to God!