The Bulletin is at: 02-10-2019 – Bulletin
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FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
February 10, 2019
AS WE GATHER…Every week when we gather together in church, at some point a pastor stands up and speaks. He preaches. He delivers a sermon. In popular culture the words “sermon” and “preach” have negative connotations. “Don’t preach at me,” we hear. “Sermon” is almost shorthand for “long, dry, boring talk.” Yet, here in church, week after week, a pastor speaks. Why? Because one of the Means by which what God has done for us in Jesus is delivered by spoken words—and not just any words, but the Gospel, the Good News of what God has done for us in and through Jesus. Today we are encouraged to hear that Jesus’ words alone can heal us.
CHOIR ANTHEM: “I Shall Not Be Afraid”
By Patricia Mock, Faye Lopez, Janice Kaye
The Lord is my light and my savior, my strength, my protector, and guide.
I run to His arms when in danger, and safe in His shadow I hide.
Whom shall I fear when God is with me? Whom shall I fear?
He shields me in love! His presence surrounds me completely,
I shall not be afraid.
When all of earth’s comforts are lacking, my Lord in His mercy sustains.
When all those I’ve trusted forsake me, my God in compassion remains.
Whom shall I fear when God stands with me? Whom shall I fear?
He shields me with love. His presence surrounds me completely,
I shall not be afraid.
Now only one thing I am seeking, to look on His beautiful face;
to live evermore in His presences, and bask in His wonderful grace.
Whom shall I fear when God is with me? Whom shall I fear?
He shields me with love.
His presence surrounds me completely, I shall not be afraid.
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Mighty and merciful Lord, with heavy hearts we confess our sin to You.
~~~~~~A time of silence is observed.~~~~~~
P: Almighty God,
C: captive to sin, we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.
P: Our fear has kept us from hearing and responding to Your call.
C: We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.
P: Our speaking of the Gospel has sometimes lacked clarity or passion.
C: We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.
P: Our fears have revealed the lesser gods we pursue.
C: Bring us to repentance, Lord. Forgive our sins, those of which we are aware and those we do unwittingly. Have mercy on us. Seek us, for You alone can find us and restore us.
P: Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE: “Blessed Assurance” TOSB 16
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
- Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
- Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
P: Let us pray.
P: From Isaiah to Peter to us, Lord God, You call people to speak Your Word.
C: Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to hear Your call anew,
P: and to overcome our fears,
C: so that we let our light so shine before others that they see our good works and glorify You;
P: 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
Epistle: I Corinthians 14:12b-20
Excel in gifts that build up the Church
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
The miraculous catch of fish
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
SERMON SONG: “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling” LBW 381
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, “Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the master calls you; Rich reward he offers free.
Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I. Send me, send me?”
If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms.
If you cannot be a watchman Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven, Off’ring life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your bounties You can do what God demands;
You can be like faithful Aaron, Holding up the prophet’s hands.
Let none hear you idly saying “There is nothing I can do,”
While the multitudes are dying And the master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he calls you, “Here am I. Send me, send me?”
“What About Those Tongues?” 1 Cor. 14:19
“Speaking in tongues was a striking gift of the Holy Spirit for Paul and the early Christians – but it was much less important to Paul speaking in plain language in a way that builds up God’s people.”
C: I believe in God, who has created all things and continues to create new life within us.
I believe in Jesus, son of God, son of man, the Savior of the world. By His life, His death and resurrection, I can know the true depth of human possibility, and experience the true joy of an abundant life.
I believe that the Holy Spirit is present, now and always, calling us to faith, giving us gifts and empowering us for service.
I believe that the community of believers called the church can experience the fullness of life through the word, the sacraments, and all that we do.
OFFERING
We give our offerings as a sign of our lives offered to God.
P: Having heard God’s call to follow Jesus, let us bring before Him the needs and concerns of the world and ourselves.
P: For nations throughout the world, that governments and leaders strive for peace among nations, that care for the poor and justice for the oppressed never be neglected or forgotten, that those who serve in our armed forces fulfill their responsibilities well, that those victimized by warfare and terrorism find comfort and hope in Christ, that we and our enemies become reconciled. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: For the needs of our local community, that businesses flourish for the good of all, that workers do their work with a sense of vocation, giving glory to God, that those with difficult jobs be assured that their labor is not in vain and that God is with them, that corruption and injustice decrease, and integrity, honesty, and responsibility increase. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: For the needs of our church community, that those who are sick, [especially . . .], experience healing according to God’s will, that those with chronic or terminal diseases find comfort and hope in God’s promise never to leave them nor forsake them, that our elders and council lead us not only to consider our own needs, but also the needs of others, that the households of our congregation be places of forgiveness, peace, and genuine love, that we who are gathered here today for worship hear our Lord’s call and welcome newcomers in our midst. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: These, and all of our prayers that remain unspoken or are too deep for words, we commend to You, Holy God, in trust that You hear us, You love us, and You desire our well-being; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Pastor Congregation
Our Father Our father
Who art in heaven who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come thy kingdom come
Thy will be done Thy will be done
On earth On earth
As it is in heaven As it is in heaven
Please give us Please give us
All that we need All that we need
And forgive us And forgive us
All our sins All our sins
And lead us not And lead us not
Into temptation Into temptation
But deliver us But deliver us
From the evil one From the evil one.
Our Father Our Father
Who art in heaven Who art in heaven
Hallowed by thy name. Hallowed be thy name.
Hallowed be thy name. Hallowed be thy name.
Hallowed be thy name. Hallowed be thy name.
A CLOSING BLESSING
CLOSING HYMN: “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 let us raise
Till all things now living Unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, hosanna and praise!”
P: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!