The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity Sunday – November 17, 2024
also the Twenty-seventh Sunday of the Pentecost Season
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
“Seven Popular Heresies and False Teachings Taught in Churches Today”
Hell….No? Hell and Heaven….Yes!
God Says So In His Word
This morning, we’re going to be discussing, on the basis of God’s Word, the increasingly popular false belief of annihilationism. According to annihilationism, a literal hell does not exist. Instead, an unbeliever’s “hell” is that he/she misses out on everlasting life in heaven….either on the Last Day or when that person dies, the individual merely goes into oblivion, and simply ceases to exist anymore. However, if annihilationism were true – and on the basis of God’s Word we maintain that it is a gross lie – then every unbeliever will “get away” with his/her rebellion against and rejection of the true God. God does not allow that, and He never will.
So, in contrast to annihilationism, which the orthodox (true teaching) Christian Church has recognized as an heretical teaching for over two thousand years, we accept the teaching of Scripture that hell is a real place, and that those consigned to it, because of their unbelief, will experience suffering that never has an ending point.
While I wouldn’t wish for my worst enemy to be in hell for even five minutes, let alone forever, I have to recognize that hell is what God has planned for those who reject Him through unbelief and who unrepentantly rebel against Him, as Satan and his evil angels have done. And, to the objection that advocates of annihilation raise …..namely that a loving God (and God IS love) would never force people to suffer forever in hell, Scripture’s answer is, “Yes, God is righteous and loving, but it is because God is righteous and because He loves the truth, that He does not – and cannot – overlook persistent rebellion against Him and any rejection of Him. That’s why He has appointed the Day of Judgment for those who refuse to repent of their sins, and who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. By the way, as disturbing as it is to think about anyone going to hell, the truth is that God would be perfectly just in sending me there for all eternity….and you too. That’s why we need to cling to Christ’s perfection for us, as well as His death on the cross and His open grave for us. Faith in His redeeming work is our only hope to escape everlasting death and to enjoy eternal life in heaven.
Although He doesn’t have to, in our Children’s Lesson for today Jesus graciously warns us to avoid hell by believing in Him as our Savior when He essentially says, “It’s better to go into life maimed, but go to heaven through faith in Me, rather than to have two hands that lead you to impenitently sin so that you end up instead in hell.”
But back to annihilationism, if you google the topic of whether annihilationism is Biblical or not, you’re going to get a variety of answers. Some will support and attempt to justify annihilationism, while others are completely opposed to it as the heresy that it is.
To answer whether or not annihilationism is Biblical, we first need to understand what it is, and what God’s Word has to say about hell. So, what is annihilationism?
Annihilationism (sometimes called extinctionism or destructionism) is the teaching that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior will be physically destroyed after the Last Judgment occurs, so that they will not suffer eternal, conscious torment in a literal hell. Its most prominent proponents are the Jehovah’s Witness cult and Seventh Day Adventists. However, annihilationism is also taught in a growing number of Christian churches today – particularly liberal church bodies that have taken a “pick-and-choose” approach to God’s Word (accepting some parts, but rejecting others). Many of these mostly-mainline Protestant bodies either deny hell’s existence altogether or at least doubt that God would really send to hell any “run of the mill, average unbelievers” – maybe the worst humans (murders, rapists, etc.) should go there, but not the average “essentially good” person….so they say. The Church of England’s Doctrine Commission, for example, reported in 1995 that Hell may be considered as a state of “total non-being”, not eternal torment. Annihilationism is also gaining headway today as an acceptable viewpoint in the growing number of independent non- and intra-denominational churches.
Its proponents, in general agree that the Bible teaches that the wicked are to be punished eternally, but they believe that this “eternal punishment” is simply depriving unbelievers of the blessing of living eternally with God in heaven, and instead condemning them to the complete and immediate destruction of their souls, as opposed to them having to endure an existence of endless physical and emotional torment in hell.
How do these so-called Christians arrive at that conclusion? Well, those who support annihilationism incorrectly reinterpret every verse of Scripture that states the wicked (that is, the unbeliever) will suffer in hell forever. They maintain that these passages teach that the unbelievers, along with Satan and his evil angels, are going to suffer at the Final Judgement, but their “suffering” will be that they are condemned to nothingness….that they will just cease to exist. But where is any of that stated in the Bible? For many, what makes annihilationism emotionally attractive is that it eliminates the awfulness of people spending eternity suffering in hell. However, while there are some passages that can be distorted so that they seem to support annihilationism, a comprehensive look at what the Bible says about the destiny of the wicked reveals that punishment in hell is real and it is eternal. Nevertheless, annihilationists choose to ignore the many, clear Scriptural statements that declare hell is a real place, and that the suffering associated with it is eternal.
In relation to the reality of hell, annihilationists choose to misunderstand what today’s Epistle Lesson (Revelation 20) means by the term, “the lake of fire.” They regard “fire” as something destructive to the point where the burned item (or soul) ceases to feel anything because it is quickly consumed and ceases to exist. Obviously, if a human being were to be cast into a lake of burning lava, he/she would almost instantly be consumed. However, as we’ll see when reading this lesson, the Bible’s “lake of fire” is both a physical and spiritual entity at the same time….a place where the suffering is real, but it is also endless.
One of their more compelling arguments to annihilationism is their assertion that eternal punishment contradicts the very nature of a just and loving Deity. Advocates argue that a finite life of sin does not warrant infinite suffering, and that annihilation represents a more gracious and equitable manner of divine retribution. As we noted earlier, annihilationism advocates argue that eternal torment for unbelief, let alone the existence of hell, is inconsistent with the character of our loving and just God. They maintain that their “reasonable” view (note….NOT their Scriptural view…because they don’t have that) of annihilationism provides a more acceptable understanding of divine justice, where – they claim – the punishment fits the crime and that punishment is ultimately a finite one.
Passages that annihilationism advocates typically cite to “support” their heresy sometimes, on the surface, seem to advocate for the total destruction/elmination of the wicked. One such passage is today’s Sermon Text, Matthew 10:28, where Jesus warns, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One [God] Who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Annihilationists interpret this verse to indicate that the soul, along with the body, can be obliterated, rather than that it will endure any eternal torment. Another passage they like to rely on is 2 Thessalonians 1:9, which states, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” The term “everlasting destruction” is crucial here. While orthodox Christians maintain that this portionof Scripture teaches that unbelievers will suffer eternally, annihilationists (wrongly) contend that it teaches that the souls of unbelievers will experience a final, irreversible end to their existence. Our Epistle Lesson is also abused to support the annihilationist argument. Verses 14 and 15 describe the “second death” (eternal death) as “the lake of fire” into which death and Hades will be thrown on the Last Day. Annihilationists teach that the “second death” is simply a metaphor for total annihilation, rather than the eternal state of dying that is actually is.
As our Gospel Lesson (and many, many other passages in the Bible) indicate, hell is a very real place where Satan, his evil ally angels, and unbelievers will be condemned on the Last Day to suffer for their rebellion and rejection of Christ for all eternity. Consequently, the doctrine of hell serves God’s people as a warning and a reminder of the loathsome reality of sin and its consequences. No reasonable or godly person, of course, finds any joy in the reality of eternal damnation. Even God Himself says, “As surely as I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they turn from their evil ways and live.” (Ezek. 33:11).
Nevertheless, we don’t do anyone a favor by downplaying the truth of God’s wrath, by dismissing the reality of hell, or by neglecting to mention the severity of God’s eternal judgment against sin and unbelief. We also certainly don’t eliminate the threat of a very real hell by refusing to speak or think about it. For anyone who truly believes what the Bible teaches about the reality of hell and its torments because they are God’s eternal judgment against unbelievers, it will never be a loving thing for us to remain silent about hell and refuse to sound the appropriate alarm to everyone, including to people who don’t want to hear about hell.
It’s clear, when you look at all that Scripture teaches about hell and eternal punishment for unbelief and unrepentant rebellion against God, that the Bible just does not at all support the heretical lie of annihilationism. Among other things, the lie of annihilationism can deprive Christians of an important motivation to bring the Gospel to people who do not believe in Christ so that they might believe and be saved from hell for heaven….so it has to be rejected by us as the lie from Satan that it is. In the final analysis, hell is real and it is eternal….the Bible unequivocally says so, and those who go there will be there forever, where they will suffer endlessly, because they have chosen to reject the one true God…to their everlasting misery.
Pre-Service Prayer – O Lord God, Almighty Creator, my merciful Father in heaven, from Whom every good and perfect gift comes……You have bountifully blessed me throughout my life. You have preserved me in Your Word. You have provided for all my bodily needs. You have protected me from spiritual harm and have kept me in the one true faith. For your abundant goodness to me, I humbly praise and thank You. As I prepare for worship this morning – and every day You allow me to live on this earth – please bless me with Your continued presence, Your Fatherly protection, and Your divine 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 and offerings…..in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, my Savior. It is in His name that I offer this prayer. 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
We Praise Our God
The Introduction and Invitation to Worship
at the Pastor’s invitation the Congregation shall rise
The Invocation
Pastor – We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Psalm for Today Psalm 103
P: Bless the Lord , O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord , O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits –
C: Who pardons all your guilt, + Who heals all your diseases,
P: Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with mercy and compassion
- Who satisfies your life with goodness + so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
P: The Lord performs righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He has made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel:
C: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, + slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
P: He will not always accuse, nor will He keep His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve. He does not repay us according to our guilty deeds.
- Yes, as high as the heavens are above the earth, + so powerful is His mercy toward those who fear Him; + As distant as the east is from the west, + so far has He removed our rebellious acts from us.
- As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.
C: As for man, his days are like grass. + Like a wildflower He blossoms. + Then the wind blows over it and it is gone, + and its place recognizes it no more.
P: But Lord’s mercy is from eternity to eternity over those who fear Him, and His righteousness is with their children’s children, with those who keep His covenant, with those who remember His precepts in order to obey them.
C: The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, + and His royal power rules over all.
P: Bless the Lord , you His angels, you strong warriors who obey His word by listening to what He says.
C: Bless the Lord , all His armies, + you who minister to Him, + you who do whatever pleases Him. + Bless the Lord , everything He has made + in all places where He rules. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The Opening Hymn Hymn 379 “Amazing Grace”
1 Amazing grace — how sweet the sound–
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
2 The Lord has promised good to me;
His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
4 When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
after which the Congregation will rise
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor O LORD, open my lips.
Congregation – And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Pastor Hasten, O God, to deliver me.
Congregation – Hasten to help me, O Lord.
Pastor The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
Congregation – A broken and contrite heart, O God,
You will not despise.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and every shall be.
World without end. Amen.
Pastor – “I now ask you before God, who searches your heart, do you confess that you have sinned against God and deserve His wrath and punishment? Then declare so by saying, “I do confess.”
Congregation – “I do confess.”
Pastor – “Truly you should confess, for the Holy Scriptures say, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Second, do you, with all your heart, repent of all your sins, committed in thought, word, and deed? Then declare so by saying, “I do repent.”
Congregation – “I do repent.”
Pastor – “Truly, you should repent, as other penitent sinners have done: King David, who prayed for a contrite heart; Peter, who wept bitterly; the sinful woman, the prodigal son, and others.
Third, do you sincerely believe that God, by grace, for Jesus’ sake, will forgive you all your sins? Then declare so by saying, “I do believe.”
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – “Truly you should so believe, for the Holy Scriptures say, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Fourth, do you promise that with the help of the Holy Ghost, you will, from this time forward, reform your sinful life? Then declare it by saying, “I do promise.”
Congregation – “I do promise.”
Pastor – “Truly, you should so promise, for Christ, the Lord says: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Finally, do you believe that through me, a called servant of God, you will receive from God the forgiveness of all your sins? Then declare it by saying, “I do believe.
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – “Upon this, your confession, I, because of my office as a called and ordained servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place, and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be with you. Amen.”
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 66:22-24
22 For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making will remain standing before me, declares the Lord, in the same way your offspring and your name will stand. 23 As often as one new moon follows another and one Sabbath follows another, all flesh will come to worship before me, says the Lord.
24 They will go out, and they will see the corpses of the ones who were rebelling against me, for their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and all flesh will be horrified by them.
Today’s Epistle Lesson Revelation 20
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand years, 3 threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.
4 Then I saw thrones, and those who were sitting on them were given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years came to an end.) This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. Instead they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will reign with him for a thousand years.
7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be released from his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. They are as numerous as the sand of the sea.
9 They came up over the broad expanse of the earth, and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 And the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are. There they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. Another book was also opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged by the things written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged, each one according to what he had done.
14 Death and the Grave were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.
After which, out of respect for Jesus’ words, the Congregation will rise for
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 25:31-46
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 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. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was lacking clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or lacking clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “The King will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you did not give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, lacking clothes and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not take care of me.’
44 “Then they will also answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or lacking clothes or sick or in prison and did not serve you?’
45 “At that time he will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46 And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
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 at 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.
Following which the Congregation may be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Matthew 5:29-30
29 If your right eye causes you to fall into sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to fall into sin, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Hell is Real….and Jesus Doesn’t Want Us To Ever End Up There
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 207 The Day Is Surely Drawing Hear
1 The day is surely drawing near
When God’s Son, the Anointed,
Shall with great majesty appear
As judge of all appointed.
All mirth and laughter then shall cease
When flames on flames will still increase,
As Scripture truly teaches.
2 A trumpet loud shall then resound
And all the earth be shaken.
Then all who in their graves are found
Shall from their sleep awaken
And with the living in that hour
By the Almighty’s boundless pow’r
Be changed at his commanding.
3 A book is opened then to all,
A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small,
When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen,
And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions.
4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord
And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised his precious Word
And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand
And at the judge’s stern command
To Satan be delivered.
5 My Savior paid the debt I owe
And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know
My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free,
And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
6 O Jesus Christ, do not delay,
But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way
In fear and tribulation.
Your saints are waiting patiently;
Come soon, Redeemer; make us free
From ev’ry evil. Amen.
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Sermon Matthew 10:28-33
28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Everyone who confesses me before others, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Hell….No?
Hell AND Heaven…..Absolutely!
afterward, the Congregation will remain seated for the post-sermon blessing
Pastor 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 Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
In our prayers this morning we include:
A Prayer of Intercession for our brother, Tim Pfortmiller,
who continues to receive treatments for the cancer that afflicts him;
and for Liam Ashley, who went through open heart surgery Friday
at Arkansas Childrens’ Hospital in Little Rock. Liam remains there,
recovering well from a successful surgery.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of Tina and John Wambold
and Vicki and Vic Walker…..both couples celebrating their
wedding anniversaries today.
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
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We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation And also with you
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation We lift them up to the Lord
Pastor – Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Consecration of the Elements
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with
our Pastor about taking communion. Thank you.)
TO OUR GUESTS AND FRIENDS
We ask that only “Confirmed, Communicant” members of this congregation, or of one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations come forward to receive the Lord’s Supper at this time.
We believe, according to Scripture, that only those who are “one,” that is, in complete doctrinal agreement, united in a common public confession of faith, are to commune together at the same altar (see I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 1:10).
To be “in communion” means to share and to hold in common. By eating and drinking at our Lord’s Table, we are not only sharing in, with, and under the bread and wine, Jesus’ very body and blood…we are also publicly declaring that we hold in common a specific confession of faith. In other words, as a result of having comprehensively studied the Scriptures together all of our communicants have agreed to accept and proclaim the same Biblical doctrines and practices.
Through membership in a particular church body (for us, that church body is the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), each person makes a public statement that he/she is in full agreement with the teachings and practices of that body. Because not every church body or Lutheran Synod teaches and practices the same things, we in the WELS want to be honest in our recognition of the doctrinal differences that, here on earth, separate us from other church bodies. Please bear in mind that we are not, in any way, judging the legitimacy of your Christian faith. Still, we ask that if you have not (upon study of the Word with us) declared yourself to be in full doctrinal agreement with us, you would respectfully not join us in the Lord’s Supper this morning.
It is our prayer that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage anyone among us today who is not presently in full fellowship with us to seriously examine the teachings and practices of his/her church in order to determine if those teachings and practices are really in full agreement with God’s Word.
And if you are guest among us today, we want you to know that it is our earnest desire that you might become familiar with the Biblical doctrines our congregation confesses, in order that you might one day join with us at the Lord’s altar in this public expression of full unity of doctrine and practice. Until then, please know that we are most grateful for your participation as a fellow Christian in this worship service, and that we appreciate your understanding and respect of our Communion practice.
Distribution Hymns Hymn 309 Before You, God, the Judge of All
1 Draw near and take the body of the Lord,
And drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
Offered was he for greatest and for least,
Himself the victim and himself the priest.
2 He that his saints in this world rules and shields
To all believers life eternal yields,
With heav’nly bread makes them that hunger whole,
Gives living waters to the thirsty soul.
3 Come forward, then, with faithful hearts sincere,
And take the pledges of salvation here.
Before your altar, Lord, your servants bow;
In this your feast of love be with us now.
Hymn 315 Here, O My Lord, I See You Face to Face
1 Here, O my Lord, I see you face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon you lean.
2 This is the hour of banquet and of song;
Here is the heav’nly table spread anew.
Here let me feast and, feasting, still prolong
The brief bright hour of fellowship with you.
3 I have no help but yours nor do I need
Another arm but yours to lean upon.
It is enough, O Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in your might, your might alone.
4 Mine is the sin but yours the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt but yours the cleansing blood.
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace:
Your blood, your righteousness, O Lord, my God.
5 Too soon we rise; the vessels disappear.
The feast, though not the love, is past and gone.
The bread and wine remove, but you are here,
Nearer than ever, still my shield and sun.
6 Feast after feast thus comes and passes by,
Yet, passing, points to that glad feast above,
Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
The Lamb’s great marriage feast of bliss and love.
Following the distribution, the Pastor will invite the Congregation ro rise as
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
The Benediction
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD look upon you with favor upon, and grant you His peace. Amen.
Closing Hymn Hymn 330 “Now the Hour of Worship O’er”
1 Now, the hour of worship o’er,
Teaching, hearing, praying, singing,
Let us gladly God adore,
For his Word our praises bringing;
For the rich repast he gave us
Praise the Lord, who deigned to save us.
2 Now the blessing cheers our heart,
By his grace to us extended.
Let us joyfully depart;
Be our souls to God commended.
May his Spirit ever guide us
And with all good gifts provide us.
- Bless our going out we pray,
Bless our entrance in like measure
Bless our bread, O Lord, each day,
Bless our toil, our rest, our pleasure.
Bless us when we reach death’s portal.
Bless us, then, with life immortal.
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, in the back of our chapel. (Normally we meet for fellowship in our gymnasium/fellowship hall, but due to our Voters’ meeting today, we’ll meet in the rear of the chapel).
We also invite you to worship with us again in the future either in person, or online through our YouTube.com channel (Grace Lutheran Church, Lowell, AR). We also hope that you will participate in the future in one of our Bible studies (again, either in person, or online).
Finally, if you have any questions about membership at Grace, we would be honored to have you become a member of our church family. Please speak to our Pastor about that whenever it is convenient for you.
May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ be with you throughout this day and this week.
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