The Bulletin is at: 03-01-2020 – Bulletin
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or the service is as follows:
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
March 1, 2020
AS WE GATHER… Today is the First Sunday in Lent as we make our annual journey with Christ to the cross. Lent is extra special this year at Peace as we are going through the Red Letter Challenge. “This challenge is for you, whether you have been firm in your faith for decades, you’ve just come to faith in Jesus, or you’re wrestling with this whole God thing for the first time (RLC 16).” Jesus challenges us today to think about the targets we are aiming for in the life we live. Are we hitting the mark? Are we even hitting the right target? One thing is for certain. Jesus hit the right target by showing his love for us in his death on the cross.
L: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
L: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
L: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection
L: Most merciful God,
C: we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
L: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in Jesus he gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. 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.
OPENING HYMN: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” LBW 229 (v. 1 & 4)
A mighty fortress is our God, A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe Has sworn to work us woe!
With craft and dreadful might He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
God’s Word forever shall abide, No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house, Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away, They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom’s ours forever!
L: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
L: Almighty God, Your Son was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan. Come quickly to help us who, because of our weaknesses, are assaulted by many temptations. Give each one of us strength and victory through Jesus Christ the Conqueror, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
The disastrous fall of mankind into sin
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Parable of the Good Samaritan
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
CHOIR ANTHEM: “Waitin’ for the Mornin’” By: Pepper Choplin
Waitin’ for the Mornin’ (x3) when the sun is gonna rise.
Waitin’ for the Mornin’ (x6) When the sun is gonna rise (x2)
O when I’m prayin’ on my knees, and my heart is gripped with agony,
I’m waitin’ for the mornin’ when the sun is gonna rise, gonna rise up!
I’m waitin’ and though the shadows of pain and death,
try to shroud my soul with hopelessness,
I’m waitin’ for the mornin’ when the sun is gonna rise.
Waitin’ for the mornin’ (x5) when the sun is gonna rise, (x2).
I’m waitin’ for the mornin’(x5) when the sun is gonna rise.
When my joy and strength are almos’ gone,
I’m gonna keep the faith and just hold on, ‘cause I’m waitin’ for the mornin’
when the sun is gonna rise, gonna rise up!
And when the darkness tries to overcome, it won’t last forever and will soon be done,
so I’m waitin’ for the mornin’ when the sun is gonna rise.
Waitin’ for the Mornin’, (many repeats) when the sun is gonna rise.
Waitin’ for the Mornin’, (repeats) when the sun is gonna rise.
Waitin’ for the Mornin’ (x4) when the sun is surely gonna rise.
The sun, mornin’ sun gonna rise, gonna rise.
SERMON: “Overcoming Temptation”
You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek.
You are my all in all.
Seeking you as a precious jewel,
Lord, to give up, I’d be a fool,
You are my all in all.
Chorus: Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame.
Rising again, I bless Your name.
You are my all in all.
When I fall down, You pick me up.
When I am dry, You fill my cup.
You are my all in all. Chorus
Chorus: Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name.
L: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come 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 offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us—ourselves, our time, our possessions.
OFFERTORY
L: Hear Your people, O Lord, who cry to You on behalf of all people in need and through the blessed name of Jesus.
That in the face of temptation and trial, we stand firm in the strength of the Lord, who was tempted like us, yet did not sin, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: That the Lord grant wisdom and obedience to our nation’s leaders and to the leaders of the whole world, that peace reign between the nations and that the culture of violence end and our hearts no longer fear, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: That all who suffer be relieved, those who are sick be healed, the dying be comforted, and the grieving endure in hope through the resurrection of our Lord, [especially . . .], let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: That we be slow to judge others and quick to forgive in Christ’s name, that we bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the call to love one another, and that we regularly offer prayers, supplications, and intercessions for all as they have need, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
L: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend ourselves, those on whose behalf we have prayed, and for all those in any need, trusting that Your mercy will supply us all things needful and keep from us all things harmful, through Jesus Christ.
C: Lord, have mercy. 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
DISTRIBUTION
“Great is the Lord” TOSB 66
Great is the Lord, He is holy and just, By His power we trust In His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true, By His mercy He proves He is love.
Chorus:
Great is the Lord, And worthy of glory, Great is the Lord, And worthy of praise.
Great is the Lord, Now lift up your voice, Now lift up your voice:Great is the Lord Great is the Lord
Great is the Lord, He is holy and just, By His power we trust In His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true, By His mercy He proves He is love
Chorus
Great are you Lord, And worthy of glory Great are you Lord, and worthy of praise.
Great are you Lord, I lift up my voice, I lift up my voice: Great are you Lord! Great are you Lord!
“Rock of Ages” TOSB 181
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me
Hide myself in Thee; Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed, be of
Sin the double cure, save me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labor of my hands, can fulfill
Thy law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow, all for
Sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hands I bring, simply
To Thy cross I cling; naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless look to Thee for grace; foul, I
To the fountain fly, wash me. Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath, when my
Eyes shall close in death, which I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne, Rock of
Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
“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.
L: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.
C: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “This Is My Father’s World” LBW 554
This is my Father’s world, And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world; the birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white, Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world; He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear him pass; He speaks to me ev’ry where.
This is my Father’s world; Oh, let me not forget
That, though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world, why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring; God reigns, let the earth be glad!
DISMISSAL
L: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.