The Fifteenth Sunday after the Festival of the Holy Trinity
also known as the Seventeenth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
September 20, 2020
Can One Person (Can I…) Make A Difference?
If you possessed the unlimited power of God Himself, what would you do with your power? Would you end all warfare and fighting? Would you eliminate every disease in the world? Would you eradicate poverty? Think of the difference you could make in the world if you had that kind of power! I suppose the question is an interesting one to contemplate, but not for very long…..because the fact of the matter is you’re not God any more than I am. Only He has unlimited power, among His many other attributes/qualities. You and I….well, we’re just weak and limited, sinful human beings. In fact, figuratively-speaking we’re just a couple of small fish in an ocean filled with billions of fish – many of them bigger and better than we are. And, not meaning to be “mean” or to burst anyone’s “bubble”……..but chances are very good that our names, reputations, or accomplishments won’t find their way into the world’s history books, nor will we make a “huge” difference in the lives of most people whose paths we cross. For some, that truth about our relative insignificance is hard to accept, because most of us want to make a difference in the world and in the lives of those persons whose lives touch our own. Moses was no different. He wanted to make a difference – for his people – the enslaved nation of Israel. Day after day for forty years, while living a life of privilege in Pharaoh’s household, Moses had witnessed his people being beaten and abused under the tyranny of Egypt’s king. He wanted to make a difference for them; he wanted to free them from their slavery. But when he tried – at least initially – he failed so miserably (read the story in Exodus 2….today’s pre-service Scripture reading) that he had to run for his life, hiding for 40 years in the desert land of Midian. As we’ll see this morning, in our Old Testament Lesson/Sermon Text, this was all part of God’s plan for Moses….even though Moses didn’t understand that for quite some time. God’s timing and the circumstances under which He would allow Moses to make a difference, were very different from the timing and circumstances that Moses initially chose. But the LORD would and did use Moses…..and with abundant and abiding success, for Moses’ satisfaction and – more importantly – for God’s glory. Likewise, as our New Testament Lesson (also our Children’s Lesson) will remind us, He used a man named Saul to make a tremendous difference in the Church. Saul, who would eventually have his name changed to Paul (which means “little one”) had been a committed Jew and an aggressive persecutor of the early Christian Church. However, on a road outside Damascus, Syria, Jesus miraculously confronted him face to face and ordered Saul to stop persecuting Him and His church. What’s more, Christ would call Saul/Paul into the office of “Apostle,” through which he would become an instrument to start churches throughout the Mediterranean world as well as to be the inspired author of nearly half the New Testament. Today’s Gospel Lesson is Matthew’s account of Jesus sending forth those Twelve select disciples, which we call “the Apostles,” to carry out His work of proclaiming the Gospel to the “lost sheep of Israel.” Later, Christ would send them out into all the world to proclaim the Good News of salvation through faith in Him alone as Savior and Lord. What’s amazing about the Twelve is that they were – by and large – “ordinary” people like you and me. They were not highly educated or highly esteemed by the society in which they lived. They were not “well bred” or wealthy. They were poor, humble, “regular” people……as we also are. But God used them to be “difference makers” 20 centuries ago, just as He can (and wants to) accomplish much through us – His 21st century church – today. It’s my prayer that You and I also want to make a difference in this “world” in which we daily live. Our LORD wants us to be difference-makers too……not, in all probability, to the extent that Moses did, but difference-makers nonetheless in the varied ways in which we serve (in His name, of course) our families and our church, the circle of friends and acquaintances that He’s given us as well as the communities in which we live and work. The “scale” of service might be smaller than that of Moses, Paul, or the other Apostles. More often than not, as was the case for Moses and Paul, the “timing” and “circumstances” will surprise us because we’d choose differently than the Lord does, but whenever, wherever and however……each one of us has been placed here on earth and called to faith by God in order to make a difference for Him and for His Kingdom. So, can one person make a difference? You bet. And with God’s guidance every one of us can and we will….for our satisfaction and especially for His sake! That, afer all, is why He’s put us here at this time and place – to make a difference by being His faithful children.
A “Background Scripture Reading” for Today’s Service and Sermon: Exodus 2
Now a man from the house of Levi went and took a Levite woman as a wife. 2 The woman became pregnant and bore a son. When she saw that he was a special child, she hid him for three months. 3 When she was no longer able to hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. She put the child into it and placed it in the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the Nile, and her attendants were walking along the bank of the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant girl to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the child. It was a boy, and he was crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.”7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a wet nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes, go.” So the young woman went and called the child’s mother to come. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay you for doing it.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, with the explanation, “Because I drew him up out of the water.”
11 After some time, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 After he looked this way and that, and he saw that no one was there, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day when he went out, he came upon two Hebrew men who were fighting. He said to the one in the wrong, “Why were you striking your fellow Hebrew?” 14 The man said, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me just as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid and thought, “What I have done has definitely become known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he sought to kill Moses. Moses, however, fled from Pharaoh’s presence and went to live in the land of Midian. There he sat down by a well.
16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and started drawing water. They filled the troughs to water their father’s flock, 17 but some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses, however, stood up and helped them. He then watered their flock. 18 When the daughters came to Reuel, their father, he said, “Why have you returned so early today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 Reuel said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why have you left the man there? Invite him to have something to eat.” 21 Moses agreed to stay with the man. The man gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as a wife. 22 She gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become an alien living in a foreign land.”
23 After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their slavery. They cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel, and God watched over them.
Pre-Service Prayer – Dear Father in heaven, You have brought me safely to the beginning of a new week in my life. Enable me, through Your Holy Spirit, to dedicate my worship, my work, my leisure time, my very life to serving You with all that I am and possess. Responding to the love which You have shown me in Christ Jesus, my Savior, help me to seize every opportunity this morning and every day of this week to grow in Your Word, to spiritually encourage and enjoy the fellowship of those around me today, and to live a life of Christian faithfulness and gratitude to You as the God Who enriches me in so countless ways, and Who – for Jesus’ sake – has granted me the undeserved gift of everlasting life in heaven, by your grace, through faith. In the name of Your Son, my Lord and Redeemer, I humbly offer this prayer. Amen.
Scripture quotations in this worship flyer, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the EVANGELICAL HERITAGE VERSION of the Bible. Copyright 2019
by the Warburg Project. All rights reserved.
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary
Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
Welcoming and Invitation to Worship
after which, at the pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
Today’s Opening Hymn “Oh, For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”
sung antiphonally
(ALL) 1 Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace!
(MEN) 2 My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of Thy name.
(WOMEN) 3 Jesus! The name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life and health and peace.
(ALL) 4 He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin; He sets the pris’ner free.
His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood avails for me.
(WEST SIDE) 5 Look unto Him, ye nations; own Your God, ye fallen race.
Look and be saved through faith alone, Be justified by grace.
(EAST SIDE) 6 See all your sins on Jesus laid; The Lamb of God was slain.
His soul was once an off’ring made For ev’ry soul of man.
(ALL) 7 To God all glory, praise, and love Be now and ever giv’n
By saints below and saints above, The Church in earth and heav’n.
Following this hymn, the Congregation will rise – at the Pastor’s invitation – for
The Invocation
P: We make our beginning this morning, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
C: And also with you.
The Confession of Sins
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.
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, carrying out my office as a called 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.
Congregation Amen.
Lord Have Mercy
P: For all that we need in life, and for the wisdom to use all Your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.
C: (sung) Lord, have mercy.
P: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from Your love and for the
courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ:
C: (Sung) Christ, have mercy.
P: For the well-being of Your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord
C: (Sung) Lord, have mercy
P: Merciful God, Maker and Preserver of life, uphold us by Your power, and keep us in Your tender care:
C: (Sung) Amen.
P: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; His name is worthy of praise.
(Sung…..) O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
Almighty God, merciful Father, Your crown our life with Your love.
You take away our sin; You comfort our spirit;
You make us pure and holy in Your sight.
You did not spare Your only Son, but gave Him up for us all.
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
O Son of God, eternal Word of the Father,
You came to live with us; You made Your Father known;
You washed us from our sins in Your own blood.
You are the King of glory; You are the Lord!
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
After which the Congregation will be seated as
We Hear God’s Word
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 10
Jesus called his twelve disciples to himself and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 Do not take gold, silver, or bronze in your money belts. 10 Do not take a bag for the journey, or two coats, sandals, or a staff, because the worker deserves his support. 11 Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the household, give it your greeting. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace rest on it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town. 15 Amen I tell you: It will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on guard against people. They will hand you over to councils, and they will whip you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought into the presence of governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 Whenever they hand you over, do not be worried about how you will respond or what you will say, because what you say will be given to you in that hour. 20 In fact you will not be the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.
21 “Brother will hand over his brother to death, and a father will do the same with his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by all people because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. 23 And when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Amen I tell you: You will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If the master of the house was called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, because there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 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.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.
37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple—Amen I tell you—he will never lose his reward.”
After which, the Congregation will rise as
We Confess our Christian Faith To the tune of “Almighty Father, Strong to Save”
We all believe in one true God, 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 honor, too, the 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.
Following which the Congregation may be seated for
Today’s New Testament Lesson and Children’s Lesson Acts 9:1-19
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them to Jerusalem as prisoners.
3 As he went on his way and was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?”
He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you need to do.”
7 The men traveling with him stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
8 They raised Saul up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could not see anything. They took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.
10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 The Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. In fact, at this very moment he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he can regain his sight.”
13 Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and how much harm he did to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. 16 Indeed, I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Ananias left and entered the house. Laying his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, whom you saw on your way here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. 19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Paul Was Chosen to Make A Difference
….And So were You!
The Sermon Hymn “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying”
1 Hark, the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today?
Fields are white 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 bounties
You can do what God commands;
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!”
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! Amen.
The Sermon Text Exodus 3
Now Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, a priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The Angel of the Lord appeared to him in blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but the bush was not burning up. 3 So he said, “I will go over and look at this amazing sight—to find out why the bush is not burning up.”
4 When the Lord saw that Moses had gone over to take a look, God called to him from the middle of the bush and said, “Moses! Moses!”
Moses said, “I am here.”
5 The Lord said, “Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He then said, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The Lord said, “I have certainly seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry for help because of their slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now indeed, the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me. Yes, I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Come now, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 So he said, “I will certainly be with you. This will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.”
13 But Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I say to them?”
14 So God replied to Moses, “I am who I am.” He also said, “You will say this to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you.”
15 God also told Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.’
16 “Go, gather the elders of Israel together and tell them: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have certainly been paying attention to you and to what they have done to you in Egypt. 17 So I have said that I will bring you up from the misery in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.’
18 “They will listen to your voice. Then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt, and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord, our God.’
19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced to do so by a powerful hand. 20 So I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in their midst. Afterward he will let you go.
21 “I will give this people favor with the Egyptians so that when you go, you will not go out empty-handed. 22 Each woman is to ask her neighbor, as well as any woman staying in her house, for articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. You are to put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Can One Person (Can I….) Make A Difference?
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers; May He never leave us or forsake us. May He turn our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts 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)
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)
and use the giving option there.
We Offer the LORD Our Prayers
The Prayers for Today
Included in our Prayers this Morning…
A Praayer of Intercession on behalf of Bill Krizsan, as he continues
to undergo treatment for bladder cancer….that God might him with a successful recovery;
and
A prayer of Intercession on behalf of Mary Pudas, who is hospitalized at Mercy Hospital
due to complications from having contracted the Corona Virus;
plus
A Prayer of Thanksgiving forLisa and Ken Pudas, who will celebrate their wedding anniversary this Thursday.
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.
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 to the Lord
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
C: (sung) It is good and right so to do.
P: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. He sends His Holy Spirit to testify that we are His children, to strengthen us when we are weak, and to enable us to grow in our faith in the one, true God.
Now have come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ. To Him Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory forever and ever. Amen
After which the Congregation may be seated.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper
The Distribution of the Sacramental Elements
(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 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.
The First Distribution Hymn Draw Near And Take The Body of the Lord”
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 who His saints in this world rules and shields,
To all believers life eternal yields;
With heav’nly bread He makes the hungry whole,
Gives living waters to the thirsting soul.
3 Come forward then with faithful hearts sincere,
And take the pledges of salvation here.
O Lord, our hearts with grateful thanks endow
As in this feast of love You bless us now.
The Second Distribution Hymn Your Table I Approach
1 Your table I approach; Dear Savior, hear my prayer.
Let not an unrepentant heart Prove hurtful to me there.
2 Lord, I confess my sins And mourn their wretched bands;
A contrite heart is sure to find Forgiveness at Your hands.
3 Your body and Your blood, Once slain and shed for me,
Are taken at Your table, Lord, In blest reality.
4 Search not how this takes place, This wondrous mystery;
God can accomplish vastly more Than what we think could be.
5 O grant, most blessed Lord, That earth and hell combined
May not about this sacrament Raise doubt within my mind.
6 Oh, may I never fail To thank You day and night
For Your true body and true blood, O God, my peace and light.
following the distribution of the Lord’s Supper, the Pastor will invite the Congregation to rise for
The Closing Prayer
Almighty God, to Whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we may love You more completely, praise You more joyously, and serve You more faithfully. These requests we make in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, both now and forever. Amen.
The Benediction
P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord in gladness.
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, and grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ”
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Ev’ry morning You greet me As a Babe so lowly
Through the day, on my way; Came to die, crucified,
You are with me to keep me. Son of God most holy,
Here in this world may I live Rose on the third day
for Thee to live again,
Live for Thee forever. Live again, forever.
Take my life, fill my life, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Use my life, dear Lord Jesus. Master, King, and Redeemer
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Friend and Savior Who loves me;
You are mine, I am Thine,
Keep me always beside Thee.
All of my days, I will sing Your praise,
Sing Your praise forever.
Take my life, fill my life,
Use my life, dear Lord Jesus.
Silent Prayer,
Announcements
Post-Service Music
Announcements
Last Week at Grace Lutheran Worship Attendance: 74
Sunday School Attendance: 3 Bible Class Attendance: 22 Tuesday Bible Class: 14
Wednesday Evening Bible Class attendance: Men’s study: 6 Women’s Study: 5
Budgetary Fund: $2976 School: $130 Capital Imv: $51 Phil Pudas Memorial: $250
Serving Us Next Sunday Elders: John Johnson, Steve Stone, Tim Pfortmiller
Ushers: Tim Huebner, Tom Otto, Kent Mayer
Altar Guild: Tina Wambold, Harriet Johnson
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship at 9:30 a.m with a celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Sunday School and Bible Class – begins 15 minutes after worship concludes
Youth Confirmation, 12:00-1:15 p.m.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies, 6-7 p.m.
Saturday Morning Outreach Visits, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m. Sunday School/Bible Class – 15 minutes after
Youth Confirmation, 12:00-1:15 p.m.
Birthdays and Anniversary This Coming Week: Sept 20 – Finley Lemmon;
Sept 22 – Mary Book; Sept 22 – Vic Walker; Sept 24 – Lisa & Ken Pudas;
Sept 25 – Emily Mansch; Sept 26 – Olivia Laine
Bible Classes This Week ………Today our adult class continues its general study called “Lessons Learned From Believers of the Past.” This morning, we’re studying I Samuel 15, where we’ll examine the consequences of King’s Saul’s “almost doing God’s will” – instead of doing what the Lord expected of him.