The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday
August 11, 2024
also the Thirteenth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
Our Calling To Be Witnesses For Christ
Many years ago some men were panning for gold in Montana, and one of them found an unusual stone. Breaking it open, he was excited to see that it contained gold. Working eagerly, the men soon discovered an abundance of the precious metal. Happily, they began shouting with delight, “We’ve found it! We’ve found gold! We’re rich!” They had to interrupt their celebrating, though, to go into a nearby town and stock up on supplies. Before they left camp, the men agreed not to tell a soul about their find. Indeed, no one breathed a word about it to anyone while they were in town. Much to their dismay, however, when they were about to return, hundreds of men were prepared to follow them. When they asked the crowd to tell who “squealed,” the reply came, “No one had to. Your faces showed it!”
As Christians, what do our faces show, and what do our lips and lives tell others? Do we consistently — as Jesus exhorts us in Matthew 5:16 – “let [our] light shine before others so that they may see [our] good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven”? Do we consistently – as one of today’s hymns will express – “Talk about our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord and King, with our lives and whole behavior”? Those questions challenge us and can even make us uncomfortable, from the Pastor who’s writing this to the fellow Christians who are reading this — you included. We’re challenged and uncomfortable because, as sinners, we know that the answers to all three questions are a consistent, “No.”
By now, you’ve probably figured out that the focus of our worship service today is “Evangelism,” or “Outreach” – our calling as Christians to let Christ’s Light shine from our lips and lives by showing and sharing the Gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus with others. That’s what we’ll see the Apostles Andrew and Philip do in today’s Gospel Reading. Andrew and Philip couldn’t wait to share with a brother and friend, respectively, that they had found the Messiah. Each had been brought to Christ – and each was convicted and committed to bringing Christ to others. And did they ever! So did the Apostle Paul, who declares in our Epistle Lesson for today that what we, as Christians must preach – simply yet faithfully – is none other than Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of sinners! Nothing else we can say, from talking about our families to current events, from the latest weather to yesterday’s sports news, can come close to this Greatest of all News. In our First Lesson for today, Jesus shows us how to witness to others – in a very casual, clear, yet caring conversation, as He brings the woman at the well to faith in Him as her Savior. In our Children’s Lesson, from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we’ll use a salt shaker as an example of what our Savior expects us to be…..people who “get the salt out” for Him. Finally, we’ll give our ears and hearts to God’s Word in connection with our Sermon Text, that shows God’s power to heal a skin disease that ancient people dreaded: leprosy. Even more, we’ll see the power of God the Holy Spirit working to establish faith in the heart of a Syrian general with leprosy, named Naaman. Naaman’s journey to physical and Spiritual healing began because of the simple witness of an unnamed Hebrew girl working in his household. Originally a non-believer from a pagan country, Naaman was becoming physically untouchable due to his disease. Soon he might have to leave family and friends and live in isolation. But due to that witness of the Hebrew servant girl (who had been taken captive and forced to work as a slave in his home), Naaman learned about the power of God that worked through Israel’s prophet, Elisha, and that might miraculously heal him of his leprosy. She urged him to visit Israel and meet Elisha. Without her witness, not only would Naaman’s physical affliction not have been healed, he would never have received the spiritual “healing” through Elisha – that was, by far, more important – for he was brought to saving faith in the one, true Savior-God. Just as she witnessed to Naaman, in what must have been something of a casual conversation around the home, so you and I can have conversations in all sorts of settings with others about our LORD.
Now, please bear in mind that it isn’t our intent to make you feel “guilty” today (though you might appropriately feel guilty in any area of your Spiritual life, particularly where God’s Word and your conscience speak about your having been negligent in His work of witnessing….). But here’s what our goals today are: 1) to strengthen your faith and love for Jesus as you are reminded of how much God loves you….enough to guarantee your salvation through Christ’s atoning work for you; 2) to better instruct and encourage you to be what God has called you to be – one of His Witnesses, a Christian light in this sin-darkened world; and 3) to glory God in all we do.
Admittedly, a large part of why this subject of Christian witnessing (or, evangelism) makes many of us uncomfortable is because we struggle with our individual failures in telling people about Jesus – people at work, at school, at the gym, in our neighborhood, and in our families. Many of us would just as soon avoid thinking about our evangelism efforts and responsibilities, because when we do, a rock of guilt lands in our stomachs with a thud. And it’s not that different when it comes to the collective evangelism obligations and activities of our congregation. We feel the weight of the rock of guilt because we know how much more we could and should be doing, but we aren’t. We have to confess that it’s so easy to think just about ourselves, our families, this congregation……with the result that we give less and less attention to efforts of reaching those who need to know Jesus for their salvation. Thankfully, our Lord lived, died and rose to forgive all our sins – including those sins of being “weak witnesses” and “less than eager evangelists.”
With that grace of God in mind today, let’s open our ears and hearts to His Word this morning. Through it the Lord seeks to equip and encourage us to bring the Good News to others that Jesus, the Lamb of God, has taken away the sin of the world and gives us the free gift of eternal salvation through faith in Him. Finally, may each of us be led by the Holy Spirit to recommit ourselves to being what our Lord has called us all to be: His willing witnesses, proclaiming with our lips and through our lives His saving Word to all in our world.
Pre-Service Prayer – O Lord God, Almighty Creator, from Whom every good and perfect gift comes, You bountifully bless me every day of my life. You have brought me to saving faith in you. You have preserved me in Your Word. You have provided for my bodily needs. You have protected me from spiritual harm and have kept me in the true faith. For your abundant goodness to me, I humbly praise and thank You. Today, as every day, I implore You to bless me with Your continued presence, Your Fatherly protection, and Your guidance in all areas of my life. I submit myself to Your gracious will, with the confidence that You will use me, as Your humble servant, in whatever ways will serve to further Your glory and Your kingdom. Bless and enrich my faith as I hear Your Word today, and receive my heart-felt praises in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, my Savior. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary
Pre-service Music
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
We Praise Our God
Opening Hymn Hymn 573 “Hark the Voice of Jesus Crying”
1 Hark! the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting; Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth; Rich reward he offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I– send me, send me?”
2 If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked With the Judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms.
3 If you cannot be a watchman, Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven, Off’ring life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your off’rings You can do what God demands;
You can be like faithful Aaron, Holding up the prophet’s hands.
4 Let none hear you idly saying, “There is nothing I can do,”
While the multitudes are dying, And the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he calleth, “Here am I– send me, send me!”
after which the Congregation will rise
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
The Confession of Our Sins
P: God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, + I am altogether sinful from birth. + In countless ways I have sinned against You + and do not deserve to be called Your child. + I have allowed my affection for the treasures of this
world + to hinder my support of the proclamation of Your Gospel to every treasured soul. + I have been silent when I should have spoken to others about You. + I have left undone so many things that You have directed me to do. + And I have sinned against You + by doing those things in my thoughts, words, and actions + which You tell me not to do. + So often my behaviors have limited my ability + to let the light of Your love shine from me + and to be a faithful Christian witness to others. + I need your grace – + not your condemnation. + And so, thankfully + at Your gracious command + I, a sinner, come to You, + and for the sake of Your Son, + my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: + Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
P: Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, carrying out my office as a called and ordained servant of Christ, and according to His command
and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen. Now, in the peace of His forgiveness, let us praise our gracious God and Lord.
To the tune “Almighty Father, Strong to Save” (CW 517)
All glory to our God and Lord, Who by the power of His Word
Created and sustains each thing, and all that live. His praises sing….
Our Father, Who in mercy still, Guides everything by His sure will.
We worship Jesus Christ, God’s Son, by Whom salvation has been won.
For us He lived, and for us died, that we might all be justified,
Raised from the dead, on high to reign.
We know that He will come again.
We praise the Holy Spirit sent – active in Word and Sacrament,
He binds the Church, below, above, in faith in Christ’s redeeming love.
And ne’er forget this promise true:
with Christ we shall arise anew! Amen.
Our Prayer of Today
P: Almighty God, You gave Your one and only Son,
C: To be the Light of a world lost in spiritual darkness.
P: We pray that You would so empower us, Your people, that we will shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory,
- So that through us, and other Christians, + He might be known, worshiped and believed, + as our Lord and only Savior, + in our community and throughout the world
P: We humbly ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,
C: Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one true God, + now and forever. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated as
We Listen to the Word of our God
The First Lesson John 4:1-42
Jesus found out that the Pharisees had heard He was making and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 though it was not Jesus Himself Who was baptizing but His disciples. 3 So He left Judea and went back again to Galilee. 4 He had to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Then Jesus, being tired from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” she said, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do You get this living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his animals.” 13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty ever again. Rather, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, bubbling up to eternal life.” 15 “Sir, give me this water,” the woman said to Him, “so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband, and come back here.” 17 “I have no husband,” the woman answered. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say, ‘I have no husband.’ 18 In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that You are a Prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews insist that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, a time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming and now is here when the real worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for those are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (the One called Christ). “When He comes, He will explain everything to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I, the One speaking to you, am He.”
27 Just then His disciples returned and were surprised that He was talking to a woman. Yet no one asked, “What do You want?” or “Why are You talking to her?”
28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back into town. She said to the people, 29 “Come, see the Man Who told me everything I ever did. Could This be the Christ?” 30 They left the town and came to Him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples kept urging Him, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But Jesus said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 Then the disciples said to each other, “Did anyone bring Him something to eat?” 34 Jesus told them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Four more months and the harvest will be here’? Pay attention to what I am telling you. Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are already ripe for harvest. 36 The reaper is getting paid and is gathering grain for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. 37 Indeed in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap a harvest for which you did no hard work. Others have done the hard work, and you have benefitted from their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them. And He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His message. 42 They told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves. And we know that This really is the Savior of the world.”
The Epistle Lesson I Corinthians 1:18-25
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 19 In fact, it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing. 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Jewish law? Where is the probing thinker of the present age? Has God not shown that the wisdom of this world is foolish? 21 Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in His wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message. 22 Yes, Jews ask for signs, Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified—which is offensive to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. 25 We preach Christ crucified, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 557 “On Galilee’s High Mountain”
On Galilee’s high mountain Christ gave the great command
In words of strength and promise Which all can understand
“All power to Me is given To do what I shall chose
Therefore I send my children, Their witness I will use.
The Lord, Who, born of Mary Came down as man and died,
Who preached to all who listened For us was crucified.
This Lord, our living Brother, In pow’r at God’s right hand
Has chosen us to carry His truth to ev’ry land.
His strength within my weakness Will make me bold to say
How His redeeming power Transforms my stubborn clay.
His touch of fire ignites me; With courage I am sent,
My tongue-tied silence broken, With grace made eloquent.
And not alone to nations In far-away retreats,
But ev’rywhere I broadcast His love through crowded streets.
The lives that my life touches, However great or small –
Let them, through me, see Jesus Who served and saved us all.
Lord, gather all Your children, Wherever they may be,
And lead them on to heaven To live eternally
With You, our loving Father, And Christ, our Brother, dear,
Whose Spirit guards and gives us The joy to persevere.
Afterward the Congregation will rise out of respect for our Savior’s words
The Gospel Lesson John 1:35-51
35 The next day, John was standing there again with two of his disciples. 36 When John saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned around and saw them following Him, He asked, “What are you looking for?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?” 39 He told them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying. They stayed with Him that day. It was about the tenth hour.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his own brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated “the Christ”). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Looking at him, Jesus said, “You are Simon, son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
43 The next day, Jesus wanted to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, and about Whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” “Come and see!” Philip told him.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Truly, here is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that!” 51 Then He added, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
The Apostles’ Creed
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 Ghost; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.
Let’s Get the Salt Out of Our Shakers
The Sermon Hymn “Let Us Talk About The Savior”
sung to the tune “What A Friend We Have in Jesus” (CW 411)
Let us talk about the Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.
With our tongues and whole behavior Let us each His praises sing.
With our unchurched friends and neighbors,
With the strangers that we meet.
Let our share our Priceless Treasure – Jesus, Savior, oh so sweet!
Let us tell them how He suffered, Died and rose to set us free
From the power of sin and Satan, Life to give to you and me.
When we see them lost and stumbling In the wilderness of sin –
Let us tell how God gave Jesus Everlasting life to win.
Let us talk about the Savior, Let us speak of sin and grace –
For there’s nothing but the Gospel That can save our fallen race.
Go and tell to all who’ll listen: “Jesus is the only Way.”
He alone has died to save us – This is what the Scriptures say.
Let us talk about the Savior, Christian members, go and tell!
For this spot where God has placed us
Needs this message just as well.
Every single congregation Faithful witnesses must be –
When it comes to Gospel preaching, Now and ‘til eternity. Amen!
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text I Kings 5:1-19
Na’aman, the commander of the king of Aram’s army, was a great man in the opinion of his master. He was highly honored because the Lord had provided victory for Aram through him. Although he was a powerful warrior, he had leprosy. 2 Raiding parties had once gone out from Aram and brought back a young girl. She served Na’aman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “I wish my master stood before the prophet who is in Samaria, because he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Na’aman went and told his master what the servant girl from the land of Israel had said.
5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go there. I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Na’aman went, and he took ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 Then he took the letter to the king of Israel. The letter said, “Now, when you receive this letter, you will know that I am sending my officer Na’aman to you so that you can cure him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothing and said, “Am I God that I can kill and make alive? Why is he sending a man to me for me to heal him from his leprosy? See how he is looking for a pretext to fight against me.” 8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Na’aman went with his horses and chariots and stopped in front of the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him to say, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan. Then your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.” 11 But Na’aman was angry and he left, saying, “Look, I said to myself, ‘He will certainly come out and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and wave his hand over the place, and I will be cured of the leprosy!’ 12 Aren’t the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a burning rage.
13 But his servants approached and spoke to him. They said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not do it? How much more when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, just as the man of God had said. Then his flesh was restored like the flesh of a small child, and he was clean. 15 Then he and his whole escort went back to the man of God. He stood in front of Elisha and said, “To be sure, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now accept a gift from your servant.” 16 But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives, in Whose presence I stand, I will not take anything.” Even though Na’aman urged him to accept something, he refused.
17 Then Na’aman said, “If you do not want anything, please give me, your servant, as much dirt as two donkeys can carry, for your servant will never again burn incense or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down there and he supports himself on my arm, then I too have to bow down in the house of Rimmon. When I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant this one thing.”
19 Then Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”
God Used A Girl’s Witness To Work Faith
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority now and forever. Amen.
We Present our Offerings to the Lord
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship. However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash, please) to our church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745); or
2) You can donate through our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
after the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation will rise as
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We Offer Our Prayers to the Lord
Included in our prayers this morning are Prayers of Intercession for
Tim Pfortmiller, who is contending with the affliction of cancer;
and
Ruth Strackbein (Cynthia Tragasz’s mother) who is in hospice care.
Plus
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for
Laura and George Layton, who will celebrate their anniversary this Wednesday
Today’s Responsive Prayer
P: Lord God, on account of Your rich mercy poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, hear our prayers. Continue to look in mercy on us and the whole Christian Church on earth.
C: We rejoice in the freedom from condemnation and rejoice in the redemption of Christ. On account of Jesus’ saving work we are Your treasured possession. We thank You for those who proclaimed the gospel of the crucified and risen Savior which caused faith to arise in our hearts.
P: As the gospel continues to be proclaimed throughout the world, we pray that leaders of the nations make decisions that reflect God’s care for the whole human family. Guide and protect citizens and cause governments to work for the well-being of all. Especially let there be peace so the gospel may have free course and find fertile ground in the hearts of people.
C: We also pray for our congregation, that in our life together we walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, caring for one another, and showing generosity toward those whose needs are great. Then let us look outside these walls to the treasured souls won through the cross and lead us to proclaim Jesus’ love to them.
P: Through Holy Baptism we became members of Your family. Let this joy lift our hearts to serve. Keep us from neglecting others but move us to bear witness to Christ’s love in acts of mercy.
C: Bless those who serve in this House of God. + Let Your Word touch the lives of everyone + as we meditate on the mysteries of your great love for us. + Help us to remember our walk together with other congregations within our Synod + to carry the Gospel throughout the world. + Watch over our missionaries and lay workers + who go out into the world on our behalf with the Gospel of Jesus.
P: The devil will do his best to ruin our lives on this earth and our hope for going to heaven. When some are torn by the struggles of this life—the poor, the hungry and the homeless, those struck down, and the unemployed—let them be strengthened and sustained with the knowledge of being Your treasured possession. Be with those who are hospitalized, the sick, the homebound, and the dying. Comfort and sustain them with the gracious promises of Christ. Hear us as we also bring our private requests, petitions and praises.
Silent Prayer
P: Now heavenly Father, answer our prayers according to Your will, not because we earned or deserve any of Your blessings, but because of Jesus our Savior Who has taught us to pray….
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 the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Benediction
Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. And serve the Lord by bearing witness to our Savior.
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord look upon you with favor, and grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “The Time Has Come, O Lord”
The time has come O Lord, for us to leave this place.
Tend Your sheep, Good Shepherd, and lead us in Your grace.
Wherever life may take us as we go our separate ways,
Help us share with others the things we’ve shared today.
May the peace of God the Father, and the Love of Christ, His Son,
Guide us in the days ahead, and strengthen us, each one.
May the blessings of the Spirit fill us from within.
God bless us and return us. to this fellowship…..Once again.
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
+ + + Thank You and God Bless You + + +
Thank you for being a part of our worshiping assembly this morning.
We invite you to join those around you for some good conversation and fellowship at the conclusion of today’s announcements. We also invite you to join us for some good conversation, coffee, juice, and other refreshments in our gymnasium/fellowship hall. Finally, we encourage you to remain afterwards with us for further study in the Word of our Lord through our Bible Classes and Sunday School.
May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
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