The Service in PDF format is at: March 13, 2022 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook
Video of service is at: YouTube
Peace Lutheran Church
THEME: “And lead us not into temptation.” We pray this petition every time we pray the prayer our Lord taught us. Temptation around us is real, constant, and a continual danger to our lives on earth and our lives of faith. Joseph, already treated unfairly and residing in a distant land among the Egyptians, was not exempt to facing temptation. His reward for standing faithful and firm? More unfair treatment. Yet even amid imprisonment, he would remain faithful to the Lord, as his hope was kept in Him. As we face temptation each day, we also pray for the same steadfastness, knowing that Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of faithfulness taking on, and perfectly resisting, every temptation for us.
RINGING OF THE BELL
After the ringing of the bell, we take a few moments in silence to prepare our hearts and minds for today’s worship.
Pastor: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.
A WORD ABOUT OUR WORSHIP TODAY Psalm 84:10; 25:4; John 17:17
Pastor: Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
People: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Pastor: Make me to know Your ways, O Lord.
People: Teach me Your paths.
Pastor: Sanctify us in Your truth.
People: Your Word is truth.
Pastor: We are gathered here today to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and sing His praises. Let us first begin by thinking about our unworthiness and how we have fallen short in thought, word, and deed. During this moment of silence, we reflect upon our need for God’s forgiveness and help.
Silent Reflection
Pastor: We confess…
People: Lord, we have not placed our relationship with You as the main priority in our life. We have been distracted with the busyness of life. And then when times have gotten difficult, we have failed to remember how You will care for us. We confess that we have not loved You above all things. But we seek a change and that is why we are here today. Forgive us, renew us, so that we might delight in You.
Pastor: Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This was a challenge by Jesus to us. Yet, this is also good news. Jesus did deny himself setting aside his desires. Jesus did take up his cross and die for us. Because of Jesus’ work, I announce God grace to you today. Your sins are forgiven, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
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In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
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There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
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No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
Pastor: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, as we journey with Joseph together in this Lenten season, help us to recognize the temptations around us, the snares of the evil one, and the strength You have come to bring. Point us in repentant faith to Your carrying of our sins upon Yourself to the cross, that we may rejoice in Your forgiveness and by faith remain steadfast all our days, for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD
Old Testament: Genesis 39:1-21
Joseph overcomes temptation, but is still mistreated.
1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” 19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Epistle Lesson: Philippians 3:17-4:1
Our citizenship is in heaven.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Jesus longs to gather the Lord’s children together.
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'”
SERMON HYMN “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain”
1 Come to Calvary’s holy mountain,
Sinners, ruined by the fall;
Here a pure and healing fountain
Flows to you, to me, to all,
In a full perpetual tide,
Opened when our Savior died.
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2 Come in sorrow and contrition,
Wounded, impotent, and blind;
Here the guilty, free remission,
Here the troubled peace may find.
Health this fountain will restore;
Those who drink shall thirst no more.
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3 Those who drink shall live forever;
‘Tis a soul-renewing flood.
God is faithful; God will never
Break his covenant of blood,
Signed when our redeemer died,
Sealed when he was glorified.
SERMON
Pastor Paul Doellinger
People: We believe in God—the Creator of all things—the source of all goodness and love. He is our God and we are His people.
We believe in Jesus Christ—the Son of God—true God yet true man. He was crucified, died, and was buried for our sin—that we might be free and know the joy of life. He was raised on the third day and ascended to heaven. He will come again in power and glory to judge both the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit—the power of God at work inside of us. We believe in the church of God—His people of faith throughout the world.
We believe that our sin is forgiven and that we will live together with God for now and throughout eternity. Amen.
Pastor: In peace let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For those who are ailing (names…) and those who grieve, that they may be strengthened in body and spirit, confident of the love of Christ, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the peoples here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: We pray this through Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “Let All Things Now Living”
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.
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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!”