May 16, 2021 The Sixth Sunday after Easter
also known as “Exaudi” (Hear) Sunday
and as The Sunday of Anticipation
Are We REALLY Listening?
A lax church member had experienced a series of misfortunes. As he lay in his sickbed, seriously ill, he asked for a visit from his pastor. After an almost endless listing of all his woes, he finally said, “Pastor, I’ve reached the point where I’m convinced that the devil has singled me out. He’s frustrated every one of my plans, and now here I am, at the end of the road, a miserable failure, deprived of everything that could have made me happy!” The pastor looked at his despondent sheep sympathetically and said, “No, Paul, that wasn’t the devil stopping you. That was your Savior. He deprived you of your dreams and desires because He knew your heart well enough to recognize that the more you succeeded in this life, the less you would feel you needed Him in your life. But you haven’t seen His loving hand in your life, working to keep you close to Him and dependent on Him, because you haven’t been looking for Him or listening to Him the way you should as He speaks to You in His Word.”
What about you?…….Do you listen to the Lord as He speaks to you in His Word? Do you REALLY listen? Each Sunday we’re all given the opportunity to come gather with our fellow Christians for worship to listen to God’s Word read from the lectern, taught from the pulpit, and studied in Bible Class. In fact, He wants to speak to us every day through our personal reading of His Scriptures. He speaks to us through His written Word, rebuking us when necessary, comforting us when that’s called for, offering guidance for godly and truly satisfying living, and especially affirming His love, forgiveness and salvation for us through Christ. But do you and I really listen, to what He says? Have the words become so familiar, the assurances and promises so routine, that they reach and roll off our ears without sinking in…..sort of the same way that water slides off a duck’s back? Or, do we “hear” the words of the Lord well enough, at least at the moment, only to “forget” them a few minutes or hours later…….and then we conveniently go on living our lives the way we want to, instead of the godly way He calls us to live? So, how well do you listen to, believe and live God’s Word?
This morning we’ll be considering a few of the many potions of Scripture which encourage us to pay close attention to our Lord as He speaks to us through His Word. Setting the tone is our First Lesson Jesus rebukes His adversaries for falsely claiming to be God’s children all the while refusing to listen to His Word and recognize Himself as the Promised Savior.
In our Epistle Lesson, the writer to the Hebrews cites the sad story of the Israelites wandering for 40 years in the wilderness, disciplined because they refused to hear and heed God’s Word – particularly His command to seize the Promised Land. Referring to the words of Isaiah, He then goes on to warn his hearers not to harden their hearts to the Lord’s Word, but instead to trust in it and through it to find rest – in Christ – for their souls.
In today’s Gospel Lesson Jesus presents the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. After presenting it, He explains why He teaches in parables…..as a discipline against those whose hearts are self-hardened toward His Word; simply, they will not be allowed to understand. But, H e says, those believers who do hear and take to heart His Word will be blessed! Finally, He explains the parable of the sower. Jesus says that while the Word of God is brought to various people – all of which could listen to it and believe….and some do, but only for a time – only a few of them actually continue to listen to it and believe it. Yet within those who do, God – in His grace – always produces an abundant harvest of righteousness and faithfulness.
This morning’s Children’s Lesson will reinforce that point: that those people in life who are truly blessed are those who hear, believe and take to heart God’s Word.
Finally in today’s Sermon we’ll tie together these Scripture lessons under the theme “Are You Really Listening.” We’ll emphasize the critical importance and blessing of listening to God’s Word and applying it to our lives. After all, it serves as our guide and motivation for godly living. But especially it brings us the Good News of God’s forgiveness and salvation for us in heaven, through faith in Jesus Christ….something we can learn nowhere else but in His Word.
This Day on the Church’s “Calendar” As we welcome you to worship this morning, we want remind you that today on the Church’s “Calendar” is traditionally known by they ancient name Exaudi Sunday. (“Exaudi” is the Latin word for “hear,” and is taken from verse 7 [underlined] of our Psalm for day, Psalm 27). Across nearly 15 centuries this particular Psalm has been regularly read by Christian congregations on the Sunday after the Lord’s Ascension in order to remind us that our Lord, in His love, does “hear” our prayers and continues to bless in both earthy and everlasting ways all those persons He has called into faith and enabled us to hear and believe the truths of His precious Word, so that we can be His followers in this life and heirs of everlasting life in heaven.
With this morning’s service, we are also closing out what is known as “The Easter Season.” During the 7 Sundays of this part of the Church Year, you and I have been giving our attention to a variety of resurrection-oriented Scripture readings. The purpose has been to reinforce our faith in our risen Savior, as well as to reassure us of His providence, protection, receptiveness, and favor for us, His redeemed followers, and – finally – to motivate us to live lives of faithful service and devotion to Him. This Sixth Sunday After Easter, and Last, Sunday of the Easter Season is also known as “The Sunday of Anticipation,” since it serves as the transition Sunday between Christ’s Ascension Day (last Thursday) command to His disciples to be His witnesses to an unbelieving world, and their Pentecost (next Sunday) powerful reception of the Holy Spirit in order to assist them in the Gospel ministry which Christ gave to them….and now — nearly 20 centuries later — which Christ has given to us. In Acts 1:13-26 Luke records a brief account of the what the disciples did following Christ’s Ascension while they were waiting in Jerusalem, anticipating that Jesus would send them His Holy Spirit. In addition to praising their Savior, they took up the responsibility, with God’s guidance, to fulfill another of Scripture’s prophecies by selecting Judas’ replacement — the new twelfth Apostle, whose name was Matthias.
A Word Of Welcome To Our Guests . . . Good morning and welcome to Grace Lutheran Church. We’re pleased that you’ve chosen to be a part of our worshiping assembly this morning. Whether you are a guest today or a member of this Christian family, your presence at this service is sincerely appreciated. It is our wish that the time you spend here will be enjoyable and spiritually edifying, and so it is our desire to serve you in the best way we can. If there is anything that we might do to assist you in your worship today, please speak with one of our ushers or our Pastor. They will be pleased to serve you in any way they can. After the worship service concludes, we invite you to join those around you for some coffee, refreshments, and good conversation during our fellowship period. If you are able, we would also be honored to have you remain after today’s fellowship time as we further listen to and study the Scriptures in our Bible Classes or Sunday School. And, we hope that you will come back soon to again praise the Lord with us. May God bless you and your worship of Him today.
About Our Worship Service . . . . . The order for our worship service is printed in this service bulletin. You will find that our worship is made up of three essential ingredients: praise, instruction from God’s Word, and prayer. We sing our praises to God for all of His gracious blessings. We receive instruction from His Word in our various Scripture Lessons and through the Sermon. Our prayers consist of expressions of our repentance for our sins, plus requests for God’s forgiveness, guidance, and continued blessings.
A few additional brief explanations of how we worship might be helpful. The congregation in worship (we are not part of an audience, but participants in the action of worshiping) generally are seated to listen to God’s Word and sing the regular hymns. The pastor faces the congregation when he is serving as God’s spokesman. He faces the altar both when he is serving in the capacity of the congregation’s spokesman, and when he joins the congregation as a fellow worshiper. One final note: Because Jesus is our Lord and King as well as our Savior and Redeemer, we customarily stand out of respect for the words of Jesus during the reading of the Gospel Lesson.
About Our Congregation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace Lutheran Church is a fellowship of families and individuals who have found the Lord Jesus Christ to be the only safe and reliable answer to all of life’s problems and critical questions. We are members of the WELS, or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Wisconsin indicates the geographical origin of a group of Christians (organized in Milwaukee, WI in 1850) who believe, teach, and confess that the Bible is the inspired and error-free Word of God, and who are united in their efforts to proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. Evangelical declares that we believe and proclaim the great Gospel principles of the Bible that sinners are saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, on the basis of Scripture alone. Lutheran indicates that we hold to the historic Christian faith of Jesus Christ and the Apostles, almost lost to the Church at one time before God restored it through the Lutheran Reformation. Synod states that we are part of a gathering of 1200 Christian congregations throughout the United States plus congregations in 26 other nations, all of which “walk together” for the express purpose of serving and sharing the Good News about our gracious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
All Scripture Quotations 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
Pre-Service Prayer
Lord, open now, my heart to hear And through Your Word to me, draw near;
Let me Your Word e’er pure retain, Let me Your child and heir remain.
Your Word does deeply move the heart, Your Word does perfect health impart,
Your Word my soul with joy does bless, Your Word brings peace and happiness. Amen.
Silent Prayer in preparation for worship
Pre-service music
We Praise Our God
The Introduction and Welcome to Worship
after which the Congregation will rise
The Invocation We begin our worship service this morning, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Our Psalm Reading for Today Psalm 27
P: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
C: The LORD is the Stronghold of my life; + Of whom shall I be afraid?
P: When evildoers advance against me to eat up my flesh, when my foes and my enemies come against me, it is they who stumble and fall.
C: If an army lines up against me, + my heart will not fear; + If war rises against me, + even then I will keep trusting.
P: One thing I ask from the LORD. This is what I seek: That I may live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD, and to seek His in His temple.
C: Yes, He will hide me in His shelter on the day of trouble; + He will hide me in His tent. + He will set me high on a rock.
P: Then my head will be lifted up above the enemies who surround me. I will offer sacrifices of joy at His tent with a joyful shout. I will sing and make music to the LORD.
C: Hear, O LORD. With my voice I call. Be merciful to me and answer me.
P: When You say, “Seek My face,” My heart says to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
C: Do not hide Your face from me; + Do not turn Your servant away in anger; + You have been my Help; + Do not reject me or forsake me, + O God Who saves me.
P: If my father and my mother abandoned me, Then the LORD would take me in.
C: LORD, teach me Your way, + and lead me in a straight path, because of my oppressors.
P: Do not give me up to the desire of my foes, because false witnesses rise up against me, and so do those who breathe out violence.
C: Unless I was confident to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living, + I would have lost heart.
P: Wait for the LORD; Be strong and take heart
C: and wait for the LORD!
After which, the Congregation may be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 221 “Blessed Jesus, At Your Word”
1 Blessed Jesus, at Your Word We are gathered all to hear You.
Let our hearts and souls be stirred Now to seek and love and fear You,
By Your teachings, sweet and holy, Drawn from earth to love You solely.
2 All our knowledge, sense, and sight Lie in deepest darkness shrouded
Till Your Spirit breaks our night With the beams of truth unclouded.
You alone to God can win us; You must work all good within us.
3 Gracious Savior, good and kind, Light from Light, from God proceeding,
Open now our heart and mind; Help us by Your Spirit’s pleading.
Hear the cry Your people raises; Hear and bless our prayers and praises.
4 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Praise to You and adoration!
Grant that we Your Word may trust, Confident of our salvation,
While we here below must wander, Till we sing Your praises yonder. Amen
After which the Congregation will rise
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor 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.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; I have done what is evil in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.
(Sung) Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Pastor 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, having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, addressing you as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and under His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
(Sung) Glory be to God on high. And on earth peace good will toward me.
We praise You. We thank You. We worship You.
We glorify You. We give thanks to You for Your great glory.
O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
You take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world. Receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father, Have mercy on us.
For You only are holy. You only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit
Are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Our Prayer for This Morning
Almighty and Everlasting God, + Whose Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our way: + Grant us receptive minds, + and good and honest hearts, + free from selfishness and sin; + so that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, + we may become not hearers only, + but doers of the Word; + and, being enlightened and renewed, + enable us – through our lives of faith – to bring forth spiritual fruits in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, + doing what is acceptable to You, + and of service to our fellow men; + all this we ask in the name + and for the sake of Jesus Christ, + Your Only Son, our Lord. Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson John 8:42-47
42 Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and I am here. Indeed, I have not come on My own, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My message? It is because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You belong to your father, the Devil, and you want to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not remain standing in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks from what is his, because he is a liar and the father of lying. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Who of you can convict Me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 47 Whoever belongs to God listens to what God says. The reason you do not listen is that you do not belong to God.”
The Epistle Lesson Hebrews 3:7 to 4:13
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
Today, if you hear His voice,
8 do not harden your hearts
as in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness.
9 Your fathers tested and tried Me,
even though they saw My works 10 for forty years.
That is why I was angry with that generation
and said, “In their heart they are always going astray,
and they did not learn My ways.”
11 So I swore an oath in My wrath,
“They will never enter My rest.”
12 Watch out, brothers, so that there is not an evil, unbelieving heart in any of you that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become people who share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firmly until the end. 15 As it is said:
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
16 Who was it who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who left Egypt, led by Moses? 17 And with whom was God angry for forty years? Surely it was with the ones who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness, wasn’t it? 18 And about whom did He swear an oath that they would not enter His rest, if it wasn’t concerning those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be fearful that any one of you may be judged to have failed to reach it. 2 In fact, we have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united in faith with those who did listen. 3 Indeed, we who believe are going to enter His rest.
It happened just as He vowed when He said: So I swore an oath in My wrath, “They will never enter My rest.”
And yet His works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.
5 And again in this statement: They will never enter My rest.
6 Therefore, since it is still the case that some do enter this rest, and yet those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not enter because of disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, namely, “today,” when He later said through David, as quoted before: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.
8 For, if Joshua had given them rest, then God would not have spoken later about another day.
9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God rested from His work. 11 Therefore, let us make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even being able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from Him, but everything is uncovered and exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we will give an account.
after which the Congregation will rise out of respect for the words of our Savior
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 13:1-23
That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 A large crowd gathered around Him. So He stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown. 9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 The disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it has not been given to them. 12 For whoever has will be given even more, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because even though they see, they do not see; and even though they hear, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled which says,
You will hear clearly, but you will never understand. You will see clearly, but you will never perceive. 15 Because this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, turn, and I would heal them.
16 “But blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. 17 Amen I tell you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you are seeing, but they did not see it. They longed to hear what you are hearing, but they did not hear it.
18 “So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. 20 The seed that was sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed that was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it produces no fruit. 23 But the seed that was sown on the good ground is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.”
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Luke 11:28
But He said, “Even more blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
In one Ear and out the other???
Or…..In one Ear, and into your Heart?
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 283 “Speak O Savior, I Am Listening”
1 Speak, O Savior; I am list’ning, As a servant to his lord.
Let me show respect and honor To Your holy, precious Word,
That each day, my whole life through, I may serve and follow You.
Let Your Word e’er be my pleasure And my heart’s most precious treasure.
2 Oh, what blessing to be near You And to listen to Your voice!
Let me ever love and fear You; Let Your Word still be my choice.
Many hardened sinners, Lord, Flee in terror at Your Word,
But to all who feel sin’s burden You give peace and words of pardon.
3 Lord, Your words are waters living Where I quench my thirsty needs.
Lord, Your words are bread life-giving; On Your words my spirit feeds.
Lord, Your words will be my light Through death’s cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing And my cup of joy unfailing.
4 As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me; Let Your words in me take root.
May Your Spirit e’er be near me That I bear abundant fruit.
May I daily sing Your praise, From my heart glad anthems raise,
Till my highest praise is given In the endless joy of heaven. Amen
after which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God
and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! Amen.
The Sermon Text Luke 8:8b and 8:18
As He said these things, He called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
So listen carefully, because whoever has, will be given more;
and whoever does not have, even what things he has will be taken away from him.
Are You REALLY Listening to the Lord?
after the Sermon, the Congregation will rise for the post-sermon blessing
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, Who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
We Respond To God’s Word through our Offering and Prayers
The Offertory – based on Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your free Spirit.
After which the Congregation may be seated
We Offer Our Gifts and Prayers to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate today during today’s worship
service those in attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates
by the exit door at the close of our service today.
For those watching today’s service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745); OR
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)
and use the giving option there.
after which, the Congregation will rise for
The Prayers for this Day –
In our Prayers this morning we include:
A Prayer of Intercession for Tina Vasquez, a great-aunt of Ashley Huebner.
Tina has been hospitalized with Covid and recently suffered a heart attack;
and
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf Terry and Amy Bruns,
who will be celebrating their wedding anniversary this coming Friday.
The Lord’s Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come;
Prayer 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 Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
P: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you
P: Lift up your hearts
C: (Sung) We lift them up unto the Lord
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
C: (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
P: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give You thanks, O Lord, Holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who has promised that wherever two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is in the midst of them, until the day of His return in glory,
Therefore, with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
(Sung) Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of heav’nly hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He. Blessed is He. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest
The Words of Institution
The Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always
C: (Sung) Amen.
(Sung) O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Grant us Your peace. Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper (Pastor)
The Distribution Hymn Hymn 312 “Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared”
1 Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared This feast for our salvation;
It is Your body and your blood, And at your invitation
As weary souls, with sin oppressed, We come to You for needed rest,
For comfort, and for pardon.
2 Although You did to heav’n ascend, Where angel hosts are dwelling,
And in Your presence they behold Your glory, all excelling,
And though Your people shall not see Your glory and Your majesty
Till dawns the judgment morning,
3 Yet, Savior, You are not confined To any habitation,
But You are present ev’rywhere And with Your congregation.
Firm as a rock this truth shall stand, Unmoved by any daring hand
Or subtle craft and cunning.
4 We eat this bread and drink this cup, Your precious Word believing
That Your true body and Your blood Our lips are here receiving.
This Word remains forever true, And there is naught You cannot do,
For You, Lord, are almighty.
5 Though reason cannot understand, Yet faith this truth embraces:
Your body, Lord, is ev’rywhere At once in many places.
I leave to You how this can be; Your Word alone suffices me;
I trust its truth unfailing.
6 Lord, I believe what You have said; Help me when doubts assail me.
Remember that I am but dust, And let my faith not fail me.
Your supper in this vale of tears Refreshes me and stills my fears
And is my priceless treasure.
7 Grant that we worthily receive Your supper, Lord, our Savior,
And, truly grieving for our sins, May prove by our behavior
That we are thankful for Your grace And day by day may run our race,
In holiness increasing.
8 For Your consoling Supper, Lord, Be praised throughout all ages!
Preserve it, for in ev’ry place The world against it rages.
Grant that this Sacrament may be A blessed comfort unto me
When living and when dying. Amen
After which the Congregation will 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 with favor upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 323 “Almighty Father, Bless The Word”
1 Almighty Father, bless the Word
Which through Your grace we now have heard.
Oh, may the precious seed take root, Spring up, and bear abundant fruit!
2 We praise You for the means of grace As homeward now our steps we trace.
Grant, Lord, that we who worshiped here May all at last in heav’n appear.
3 Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service Music
Announcements
Last Week At Grace: Sunday in person Attendance: 60 Communed: 54
Sunday Bible Class: 15 Tuesday Morning Bible Study: 15
Budgetary Offerings: $4096 School Fund: $1 Capital Improvement: $1 Benevolence: $25
Wednesday Bible Classes: 6 women 5 men
Ascension Day Worship: 24 Communed: 21
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship Period, 10:40 a.m. Sunday School & Bible Class, 11 a.m. Youth Confirmation, 12 -1:15 p.m.
Monday Church Secretary in the Office
Tuesday Morning Bible Class, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Church Council Meeting, 6 p.m.
Wednesday Evening Bible Studies: 6 to 7 p.m.
Saturday Evangelism Calling/Visitation, meeting 10 a.m. at church
Sunday Morning Worship, with the Lord’s Supper 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:45 a.m.
Bible Class/Sunday School, 11 a.m. Youth Confirmation, 12-1:15 p.m.
Birthdays and Anniversary this week May 20 – Tim Pfortmiller;
May 20 – Jim Taylor; May 21 – Terry & Amy Bruns; May 21 – Landen Finch
Serving Us NEXT SUNDAY, May 23rd Elders: Vic Walker, Rick Tragasz
Ushers – Pat Quinlan Fred Cusanelli
Altar Guild – Karen Swogger; Mary Karloski
The Upcoming Edition (May/June to August) of “Meditations” is Available for all of you. This is our Synod’s very good, daily devotional booklet. Copies can be found on both tables in the front entryway, and on the table in the west entryway . Please take home yours today.
Women’s Fall Retreat Early Notice ….Our women’s group is making plans to hold a retreat this Fall over the October 1-2 weekend. Please mark that date on your calendars, so that you can make plans now to be a part of what always proves to be a very faith-uplifting, enjoyable event.
Church Council Meeting This Tuesday Night at 6 p.m. We’ll meet in the gym.
Bible Classes Today and Tuesday – In today’s Bible class we’ll begin a study of II John. Roughly 300 words long, it is one of the Bible’s shortest books. The key point of 2 John speaks has to do with the critical importance to our faith of distinguishing between faithful and false teachers. On Tuesday from 10:30-11:30 am we’ll study I Kings 15-16, covering the reigns of Judah’s Kings Rehoboam, Abijah and Asa, along with Israel’s Kings Nadab and Baasha. If you can’t attend in person, please consider participating over the phone. Call 1-701-802-5405, then dial 7519304#.
Whom can you bring to worship next Sunday? Yourself (and your spouse and children) of course. But could you invite and bring your adult children? Grandchildren? Your parents? An unchurched neighbor? Someone with whom you work? How about a stranger that you’ve yet to meet…but whom you might meet later this week Maybe even a member of Grace who hasn’t been in church for a very long time…..? Many people we know haven’t been in church to worship our Lord in a very long time, and not just because of Covid. Not attending church regularly can cause a person not only to “lose interest” in church, but worse, to lose interest in Christ. God placed us in the lives of others because He wants us to be examples of faith in Christ to them. He’s also called us to witness to them about how essential faith in the crucified and risen Christ is for us…and for them. Our calling includes being Christ’s “ambassadors” who present the Gospel to others so the Holy Spirit can either work or strengthen faith in their hearts. So, please witness for Jesus and invite (and bring) someone to worship next Sunday.
Wednesday Evening Bible Class – We’re holding women’s and men’s Bible classes from 6 to 7 p.m. Our men are studying various Psalms (this week Psalm 110) while our women are studying Philippians. You can participate in person, or over the phone by calling….women’s class: 1-605-313-5470, then dialing 334007#; Or the men’s class: 1-701-802-5405 and dial 7519304#.
Fellowship Volunteers Requested (and Needed) ….We’ve resumed our after worship fellowship on Sundays – offering food and drink, plus good conversation with each other. In the coming weeks and months we could use your help in preparing the coffee and other drinks, plus furnishing light snack items. A sign-up sheet that will cover the rest of May, plus the summer months is on the table in entryway. Please consider volunteering to serve one or more Sundays.
How To Become a Member of Our Congregation:
Should your contact with the life-enriching Word of God today and your desire for a church-home prompt you to desire membership in our Christian congregation, we want to help you take the first step. We would consider it an honor for you to join us in this family of faith! Communicant membership in our church is established by an informed declaration of fellowship upon transfer from a Lutheran congregation, or upon completion of our Pastor’s New Membership / Bible Information Course, whichever is appropriate for you. To make a personal appointment to discuss this further, please speak with Pastor Huebner today or at your convenience.