The Bulletin is at: 01-29-2017 BULLETIN
The Service in PDF format is at: 01-29-2017 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
or the service is as follows:
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
January 29, 2017
PRE SERVICE MUSIC
AS WE GATHER…………….Although Jesus does not say “blessed are the patient” as He speaks that special list of attributes of God’s people that we know as the Beatitudes, the fruit of patience underlies the “blessed are” statements He does mention. It takes patience to be merciful and to act as peacemakers. Staying calm when being persecuted for righteousness’ sake takes patience. Enduring unfair criticism takes patience as well. There may even be a need for patience as we share with the saints in the worship life of the church. May it be fully evident among us at all times!
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
People: Amen.
Pastor: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
People: Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
TIME TO REFLECT ON OURSELVES……AND RECEIVE FORGIVENESS
Pastor: Let us go to our patient, loving Father, confident of His forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.
Silence for reflection
Pastor: Heavenly Father,
People: we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have failed to exhibit patience, the fruit of Your Holy Spirit, in our thinking, speaking, and acting. We have not loved You completely or our neighbors as ourselves. We have let our momentary hurts and anger displace the forbearance You have shown us. We have not walked humbly before our God. Our Lord Jesus revealed His person and ministry through His words and actions. In Your great mercy, forgive, renew, and lead us so that we may be revealed as His faith-filled followers to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Pastor: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” 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.
People: Amen.
Lord, let Your light, light of Your face shine on us.
Lord, let Your light, light of Your face shine on us.
That we may be saved, that we may have life,
To find our way in the darkest night, let Your light shine on us.
Lord, let Your grace, grace from Your hand fall on us.
Lord, let Your grace, grace from Your hand fall on us.
That we may be saved, that we may have life,
To find our way in the darkest night, let Your light shine on us.
Lord, let Your love, love with no end, come over us.
Lord, let Your love, love with no end, come over us.
That we may be saved, that we may have life,
To find our way in the darkest night, let Your light shine on us.
Pastor: “Love is patient and kind.” As Paul wrote these words, he was in no way limiting them to bridal couples or married people. He was affirming that patience is an important fruit of the Spirit for everyone. In Ephesians, he directs his readers “to walk………with patience” as they live out their unity in Christ.
People: Paul sees exhibiting true patience as finding its source in Jesus. He writes to his young co-worker Timothy, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience.” In bearing the fruit of patience, we show forth a Christ like virtue.
HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD
Old Testament Reading: Micah 6:1-8 God’s great deeds have not been reflected in His people’s lives
Hear what the Lord says:
Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the Lord has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel.
“O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
New Testament Reading: I Corinthians 1:18-31 Let him who boasts boast in the Lord
The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes
Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the purse in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
SERMON SONG You are My All in All
You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my All in All.
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
Rising again I bless you name,
You are My All in All.
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is your name,
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is your name.
You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek,
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.
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is your name,
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is your name.
SERMON “Checking the Thermometer”
People: 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.)
CHORAL ANTHEM Jesus, at Your Holy Table By Tom Allen
Pastor: https://peaceinphilomath.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/13-01-29-2017-PLC-The-Great-Thanksgiving.mp3The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
DISTRIBUTION
“Green Book” 507 How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God’s excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
Through out all their life time my people shall prove
My sovereign eternal , unchangeable love;
Amd then, when gray hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be home.
“Green Book” 327 Rock of Ages
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; Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labors 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 hand 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 mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown, See thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee.
“Green Book” 501 He Leadeth Me: Oh, Blessed Thought!
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Pastor: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ + and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN “Red Book” 233 This is My Commandment
This is my commandment that you love one another, that your joy may be full.
That your joy may be full, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you love one another, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you trust one another, that your joy may be full.
That your joy may be full, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you trust one another, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you serve one another that your joy may be full.
That your joy may be full, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you serve one another that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you lay down your lives, that your joy may be full.
That your joy may be full, that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment that you lay down your lives, that your joy may be full.
Pastor: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!