The Bulletin is at: 11-26-2017 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 11-26-2017 – Service
or the service is as follows:
Last Sunday of the Church Year
November 26, 2017
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
AS WE GATHER: The theme of the Last Sunday of the Church Year is one of continuation. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, continues to guard and guide His flock. His sheep, who have traveled with Him through earthly pastures, now await the new heaven and new earth He has prepared. And how amazing it will be! We are especially thankful today to have Pastor Mark Hoelter, the Oregon Vice President of the Northwest District, leading us in worship. We look forward for what Jesus is preparing for us.
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen!
P: God is our refuge and strength,
C: A very present help in trouble.
P: Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way,
C: though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
P: though its waters roar and foam,
C: though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
P: The Lord of hosts is with us;
C: The God of Jacob is our fortress.
ADMITTING OUR FAULTS
P: Beloved in the Lord, sheep of the Good Shepherd, we know of His abiding goodness and mercy. With confidence, let us come before our Lord to confess our sins and to find the forgiveness we seek.
Moment of silence
P: We confess.
C: Almighty God, we admit our sinfulness, both that which is within us from the beginning and that which continues to occur in our lives. Forgive us, renew us, and create in us clean hearts so that we may serve You as Your redeemed people, now and forever.
YOU ARE FORGIVEN
P: God hears our cries for mercy; and because of the sacrifice of His beloved Son for the sins of all people, He grants forgiveness. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. May you live confidently in this life as you await the joy of life everlasting. Be at peace!
C: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE: “I Love You, Lord” (twice through) TOSB 225
I love You, Lord
and I lift my voice
to worship You
o my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, My King, in what You hear,
may it be a sweet, sweet sound
in Your ear.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray together:
C: Lord Jesus, even from the cross, You reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Forgive us our sins, and remember us as You come into Your kingdom that, like the repentant thief on the cross, we, too, may be with You in paradise;
P: for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS
The First Lesson: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
The Lord will search for His sheep.
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
“Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.
The Second Lesson: I Corinthians 15:20-28
All will be made alive in Christ.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
The Gospel Lesson: Matthew 25:31-46
When Christ comes again, he will welcome those who served Him by serving others.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
SERMON: “And all the angels with Him” Matthew 25:31 By Pastor Mark Hoelter
SERMON HYMN: “Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer” LBW 343
Guide me ever, great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but you are mighty;
Hold me with your pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me now and ever more,
Feed me now and ever more.
Open now the crystal fountain
Where the healing waters flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,
Shield me with your mighty arm,
Shield me with your mighty arm,
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs and praises, songs and praises,
I will raise forever more,
I will raise forever more,
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.
OFFERINGS
The offerings gathered are a sign of our whole lives offered to God in humble gratitude for his greatest of all offerings, His Son offered for our salvation.
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God and for all people according to their needs.
P: This Last Sunday of the Church Year, we come before our heavenly Father in the name of the One who is King of kings, His Son, Jesus. At His invitation we pray. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Almighty God, all in heaven and on earth will bow before Your Son and confess that He is Lord. With his assurance, grant courage to those who face opposition from hostilities to the Gospel. By Your Holy Spirit, strengthen all Christians to bear bold and loving witness to Your Son. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Almighty God, You are ruler over all the nations. Give a spirit of wisdom to those who govern our land that there may be justice and peace. Bless our nation with honesty, truth and an honorable way of life. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Almighty God, the strength of the weak and the consolation of those who put their trust in You, mercifully accept our prayers on behalf of Your people (especially…) that by Your power their illness and challenges may be turned around. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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 glory forever and ever. Amen.
THEME REMINDER
P: The New Testament is filled with amens, seventy-seven in the Gospels alone. Paul uses the word “amen” as part of his doxologies, as in Romans, which concludes: “To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen” (Romans 16:27). In our worship and in all of our lives, we add our amens as we praise God for what has been, what is this day, and what will be yet to come in His gracious kingdom. We close out the church year with the choir singing, “We say ‘Amen.’”
CHORAL ANTHEM “We Say Amen” By Pepper Choplin
P: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
C: Amen.
CLOSING SONG: “Soon and Very Soon” TOSB 191
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King!
No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King!
No more dying there, we are going to see the King!
No more dying there, we are going to see the King!
No more dying there, we are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King
P: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!
POST-SERVICE MUSIC