The Bulletin is at: 03-17-2019 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 03-17-2019 – Service
or the service is as follows:
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
March 17, 2019
THEME: During Jesus’ earthly ministry, countless people saw Him. But not everyone came to see Him by faith for who He truly is: the blessed One who comes and saves them in the name of the Lord. People today often “see” Jesus from a safe distance, but they refuse to see Him for the Savior He truly is, and they reject the work He has done to make the world right with God. Today we seek to be different than the majority around us. We long to see Jesus up close and personal, receiving Him in faith, acknowledging with heart and voice the redeeming work of His death and resurrection. Seeing Him now through His Word and Supper, and believing in Him by grace, we look forward to the day when we shall see Him face-to-face in the glories of heaven, singing forever with all of God’s gathered children: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
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.
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
A WORD ABOUT OUR WORSHIP TODAY Psalm 84:10; 25:4; John 17:17
P: Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
C: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
P: Make me to know Your ways, O Lord.
C: Teach me Your paths.
P: Sanctify us in Your truth.
C: Your Word is truth.
CONFESSING TO GOD
P: 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
P: We confess…
C: 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.
P: 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.
C: Amen.
In Christ alone my hope is found,
His 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 still, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
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 the cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
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.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me’
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
P: I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church, the faith in which we baptize.
P: Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and his empty promises?
C: I do.
P: Do you believe in God the Father?
C: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
P: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
C: 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.
P: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
C: 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.
HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD
Epistle Lesson: Philippians 3:17-4:1
Our citizenship is in heaven.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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.
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.
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 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. 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.’ 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 were not willing! 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 Thou Fount” TOSB 33
Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of endless glory fills my heart with joy and love,
Teach me ever to adore Thee, may I still thy goodness prove.
Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heartk, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
SERMON “Gather the Children Together”
OFFERING: We give our offerings as a sign of our lives offered to God.
P: In peace let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: 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:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: 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:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: 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:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord:
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: We pray this through Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
LORD’S PRAYER
DISTRIBUTION
“Children of the Heavenly Father” TOSB 23
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in his bosom gather,
Nestling bird or star in heaven
Such a refuge ne’er was given.
God his own doth tend and nourish,
In his holy courts they flourish,
From all evil things he spares them,
In his mighty arms he bears them.
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord his children sever;
From all evil things he spares them,
In his mighty arms he bears them.
Though he giveth or he taketh,
God his children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
“Jesus Loves Me” TOSB 114
- Jesus loves me –
this I know, For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong –
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
- Jesus loves me –
loves me still, Though I’m very weak and ill;
That I might from sin be free,
Bled and died upon the tree.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
- Jesus loves me –
He who died, Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in!
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
- Jesus loves me –
He will stay Close beside me all the way,
Though hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for the.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
“Behold What Manner of Love” TOSB 10
Behold what manner of love the Father has
Given unto us! Behold what manner of
Love the Father has given unto us! That
We should be called the children of God.
That We should be called the children of God.
Behold what manner of love the Father has
Given unto us! Behold what manner of
Love the Father has given unto us! That
We should be called the children of God.
That We should be called the children of God.
CLOSING HYMN: “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” LBW 551
Joyful, joyful we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before thee, Praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee, Earth and heav’n reflect thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around thee, Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird, and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother, All who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine!
P: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!