The Second Sunday of the Season of Lent
also known as Reminiscere (“Remember”) Sunday
March 13, 2022
Faith in Our Savior, through Which We
Can Overcome the Obstacles of Life
The following letter was found in a baking-power can wired to the handle of an old pump that offered the only hope of drinking water on a very long and seldom-used trail across Nevada’s Amargosa Desert: “This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water, out of the sun and cork end up. There’s enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You’ll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller. (signed) Desert Pete. P.S. Don’t go drinking the water first. Prime the pump with it and you’ll git all you can hold.”
In some ways you and I are the man traveling through the desert, desperate for even a drop of water. He finds that pump and bottle of water with the note asking him to trust that if he uses up the water in the bottle first to prime the pump (rather than drink the bottle up), then he will have all the water he needs…and more….to slake his thirst. The note calls for the kind of faith that’s real….faith that is put into practice in a challenging situation. However, it’s hard for us – as sinners – to exhibit that kind of faith, isn’t it? That’s particularly true when we’re dealing with some of life’s more difficult circumstances and conditions. Nevertheless, that’s the kind of faith we’ll see encouraged and exhibited in our Scripture lessons today….the kind of faith God the Holy Spirit can also give to each of us.
As we meditate on the Word of our Lord this morning, we pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen the faith of all our fellow worshipers today, allowing us to boldly and confidently trust in the Lord, certain that His Will will always be done in our lives and that that Will will always be best for us. In fact, our spiritual attitude will be that of the possessed both by the bleeding woman and Jairus – in connection with his trust in Jesus to heal his dying daughter – that is contained in today’s Gospel Lesson/Sermon Text. It’s also expressed well by the author of today’s closing hymn “Oh, for a faith that will not shrink,” who wrote: “Lord, give us such a faith as this, and then whate’er may come, we’ll taste e’en now the hallowed bliss of an eternal home.”
Our Scripture Readings for Today
Our Epistle Lesson is the introduction to Peter’s first epistle, addressed to people who are firm in their faith in Christ, yet who are also facing persecution for that faith. As an encouragement to stay strong spiritually through persecution as well as all of life’s other trials, Peter reminds them (and us) of faith’s ultimate goal: eternal life in heaven. Since we are headed to heaven by God’s grace, that grace of God will help us to persevere through all of the troubles and challenges we face in life….keeping us strong spiritually until real life begins
Our Children’s Lesson for today (II Corinthians 5:7) succinctly says: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” That sounds simplistic, and it is! Faith humbly goes beyond what we see, feel, and think….and instead totally trusts in all that God says, does and promises.
In today’s Gospel Lesson/Sermon Text we’ll see Jesus performing two miracles: healing a woman who had been ill for years, and bringing back to life the dead daughter of Jairus (Jesus says she is “sleeping” – and isn’t that all that death is for the Christian?). In the case of the woman, Jesus commends her determined faith in Him. In Jairus’ case, he urges the grieving father simply “only believe” and then Jesus vindicates that faith by raising his daughter from death. Likewise, Jesus urges us, too, to “only believe” – to trust in Him no matter what happens, confident that He will always do what is best for us for this life, and for all eternity.
Finally, in this morning’s Old Testament Lesson we have the opportunity to listen to one of the Bible’s more familiar and most amazing stories…..about how the LORD delivered the nation of Israel – as they were leaving Egypt – from being attacked and re-enslaved by Egyptian army. First, imagine the relief and joy the Israelites must have felt when the Exodus began – for they were finally liberated from being slaves. Then, imagine the terror that must have filled their hearts when they realized that Pharaoh had changed his mind and had sent the army of Egypt in pursuit of them. Keep in mind that, at that time, Egypt was one of the most powerful nations on earth. It’s army was formidable. Consequently, with their backs to the Red Sea and nowhere to flee, the Israelites panicked – sure that they were going to die or be recaptured. But the LORD had not led them out of slavery in Egypt only to return there. He directed Moses to stretch forth his hands over the Red Sea and – miraculously – the waters parted, dry land appeared, and the Israelites were able to pass through safely to the other side. Of course, when the Egyptians pursued them into the dry seabed, the LORD first slowed them by having their chariot wheels bind up, and then He had Moses stretch out his arms again, and the sea swallowed up the Egyptians. It was a great victory for Israel – won by the LORD – and God used it to build up their faith in Him as the One Who would protect and provide for them throughout their journey to the Promised Land.
Some Background Information about
the Season of Lent and this “Reminiscere” Sunday
Across better than 16 centuries, the Christian Church has used the 40 day/roughly six week period of Lent as a time during which its members are to contemplate, in an even more subdued than usual fashion, the spiritual significance of our Savior’s sufferings for our salvation. The “tone” of Lent has traditionally been a very penitential one focusing on the seriousness and significance of our sins, our need to personally repent of those sins, and the undeserved mercy of God in Christ through which He has forgiven us all our sins. However, these “solemn” 40 days of Lent (which begin with Ash Wednesday and continue through “Holy Saturday”) technically do not include the six Sundays in Lent. The worship services on those Sundays – as is the case for us this morning – are used as minor “respites” from the heavy repentance-emphasis of the 40 day Lenten season. While there remains a “penitential” character associated even with the Sundays in Lent, we nevertheless want to gratefully focus our hearts and minds on selected portions of Scripture that point out to us the victories which our Savior has won for us over sin, death, sickness, difficulties, sorrow and the Devil himself. Those victories which Christ has won (and continues to win for us) should move us gratefully, yet also with a spirit of determination, to put our faith in Him for all our needs of body and soul….confident that Jesus will never let us down.
Incidentally, the Sundays during Lent have been identified for many centuries by Latin names which have been taken from the first words (in Latin) of the Psalms traditionally appointed to be read in worship on those days. This Second Sunday in Lent, then, is known as “Reminiscere Sunday,” taken from verse 6 of Psalm 25 (“Reminiscere” means “Remember” — you’ll find that it has been underlined in today’s reading).
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
The Service of Worship and Praise
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary
Pre-service Music
Pre-Service Hymn Singing, beginning at 9:25 a.m.
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Greeting and Invitation to Worship
following which the Congregation will rise for the invocation
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service
Congregation In the name of the Father,
Pastor Who gave His Son into death for us and raised Him in
glory on the third day;
Congregation And of the Son,
Pastor Who laid down His life only to take it up again on the
third day;
Congregation And of the Holy Spirit
Pastor through Whom Christ was made alive, Who has worked and sustains saving faith in our hearts, Who lives in us now through the Word, and Who will one day give life to our mortal bodies.
Congregation Amen.
The Psalm for Today Psalm 25, selected verses
P: Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your mercy, for they are from eternity.
C: Do not Remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways. +
According to Your mercy remember me, + because of Your goodness, O LORD.
P: To You, O LORD, I will lift up my soul; in You I have trusted O my God.
C: All who hope in You will ever be put to shame.
P: Make known to me Your ways, O LORD. Teach me Your paths.
C: Make me walk in Your truth and teach me, + because You are the God Who saves me. + In You I hope all day long.
P: Good and upright is the Lord. Therefore He instructs sinners in the right way.
C: He directs the humble to what is just + and He teaches the humble His way.
P: For the sake of Your name, O LORD, You forgive my guilt, although it is great.
C: Turn toward me and be gracious to me, + because I am lonely and afflicted.
P: The distress of my heart increases. Bring me out of my anguish.
C: See my affliction and my trouble, + and take away all my sins.
P: Guard my life and rescue me. Do not let me be put to shame, for I have taken refuge in You.
C: May integrity and uprightness protect me; + because I wait for You.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
Opening Hymn Hymn 340 “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”
(Sung antiphonally)
Verse one – ALL
Verse two – Pulpit Side Verse three – Lectern Side
Verse four – Men and Boys Verse five – Women and Girls
Verse six – ALL
After which the Congregation will rise
Hear Us and Forgive Us, Lord
Pastor – “We have come together to worship the Triune God.”
Congregation – “He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
P: Jesus said, ‘Wherever two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.”
C: “The LORD Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our Refuge.”
P: “But who may come into His presence? And who may call on Him for help?”
C: “He whose walk is blameless + and who does what is righteous.”
P: “Who speaks the truth from his heart, and who has no slander on his tongue.”
C: “Who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man.”
P: “Who keeps His oath even when it hurts.”
C: “Who honors those who fear the Lord.”
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor Brothers and sisters in Christ: the Word of God urges us to confess to our Lord all our sins of thought, word, and action.
This is something that ought to be daily part of our spiritual lives, and should come forth from every heart that is humble and penitent. But we should especially do this when we meet together in His house to thank God for all that He has done for us, to praise Him, and to hear His life-giving Word. Therefore, come with me now, to our Heavenly Father’s throne of grace, and let us confess our sins together.
Congregation: O Lord, hear my prayer, + Listen to my cry for mercy + and in Your faithfulness, come to my relief.
+ Do not bring Your servant into judgment, + for no one living is righteous before You. + Answer me quickly, O Lord; + my spirit fails. + Do not hide Your face from me, + For I have put my trust in You. + Show me the way I should go, + for to You I lift up my soul. + Teach me to do Your will, + for You are my God.
Almighty God, merciful Father, + I, a troubled and repentant sinner + confess that I have sinned against You in my actions, thoughts and words. + I have not loved You with all my heart; + I have not loved others the way I should. + I have not been a faithful steward of the time, abilities, opportunities and resources + which You have entrusted to my care. + I have not always been eager and willing to worship You, serve You, or learn from You as I ought. + My transgressions, whether deliberate or done out of ignorance + are too numerous for me to recall. + I know that because of them + I deserve Your punishment both now and eternally. + But I truly am distressed by + and deeply sorry for my sins. + And so I implore You, for Jesus’ sake, + to have mercy upon me + and to forgive me, + a poor, sinful being.
Pastor: Jesus says to His followers: “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven.” Do you believe this word and promise of your Savior?
Congregation: Yes, I believe.
Pastor: Then according to the command and promise of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and in His place, I forgive you all your sins, in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Be at peace once more with your God, assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life in heaven through faith in Christ Jesus.
Congregation: O Lord, my God + I called to You for help + and You answered me. + I thank You for the love You
have shown me in Jesus Christ, my Savior. + Through Him You have rescued me from the guilt and curse of my sin. + Renew me now, through Your Holy Spirit + that I might faithfully fight against all temptation, + correct whatever wrongs I can, + and live in the peace of Your forgiveness. + Let my life be filled with Your love and praise. + Now and forever. + Amen.
Our Grateful Response for God’s Forgiveness
To the tune of “Nun danket alle Gott”
(“Now Thank We All our God”)
The Lord, my God be praised To Him with joyful song
My God, Who, ever-living, Our praises we are bringing
To Whom the heavenly host And with the angel throng
All praise and honor, giving Thrice “Holy,” we are singing.
The Lord, my God, be praised, With one united voice
In Whose great name I boast, The Church does Him adore.
God Father, God the Son The Lord, my God, be praised
and God the Holy Ghost. Now and forevermore. Amen
The Prayer for the Morning
O Lord God, + You know that we have no strength + to withstand the assaults against our souls + that come from Satan, this wicked world, and our own sinful flesh. + Therefore we pray that You would graciously use Your mighty power + to safeguard us outwardly + from every danger that could physically harm us + and to protect us inwardly + from everything and everyone that would damage our faith + and jeopardize our eternal inheritance in heaven. + Please build up our faith this morning + and every day + as we meditate upon Your Holy Word + that we might be enabled to resist temptation, + to serve You faithfully + and to bring honor and glory to Your Holy Name. + All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one, true God, + now and forever. + Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated
The Children’s Musical Selection Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! The Creator all-wise.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! For the earth, sea, and skies.
Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory – great things He has done.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Jesus Christ King of kings.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Free salvation He brings.
Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory – great things He has done.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Holy Spirit, great pow’r.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Keep us faithful each hour.
Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory – great things He has done.
Feed Us, Lord
The Old Testament Lesson Exodus 14:1-31
Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to camp by the sea, facing Baal Zephon. 3 Then Pharaoh will say about the Israelites, ‘They are wandering around in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them, and I will gain glory through Pharaoh and his entire army. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So that is what the Israelites did.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials had a change of heart concerning the people. They said, “What have we done? We have let Israel go! They will not serve us anymore!” 6 So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his troops with him. 7 He also took six hundred of the best chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites. The Israelites were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his charioteers, and his army caught up with them where they were camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, which faces Baal Zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them. The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Wasn’t this what we said to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm, and see the salvation from the Lord, which he will perform for you today. For the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you. You must wait quietly.”
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to set out. 16 As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide the sea so that the Israelites can go through the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go into the sea after them, and I will gain glory through Pharaoh and his entire army, through his chariots and his charioteers. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his charioteers.” 19 Then the Angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It went between the Egyptian forces and the Israelite forces. The cloud was dark on one side, but it lit up the night on the other. Neither group approached the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all night long the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the middle of the sea on dry ground. The waters were like a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his charioteers went after them into the middle of the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud. Then he confused the Egyptian forces. 25 He jammed their chariot wheels, and they had difficulty driving them. The Egyptians said, “We must flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and the waters will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their charioteers.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal place. While the Egyptians were fleeing from it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the middle of the sea. 28 The waters came back and covered the chariots and the charioteers, the entire army of Pharaoh that went into the sea after the Israelites. Not even one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters were like a wall for them on their right and on their left. 30 On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the mighty hand which the Lord put into action against the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in Moses, his servant.
The Epistle Lesson I Peter 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. 6 Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
after this the Congregation will rise out of respect for the words of our Savior
The Gospel Lesson Mark 5:21-43
21 When Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him near the sea. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and repeatedly pleaded with him, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place your hands on her so that she may be healed and live.” 24 Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following him, pressing tightly against him. 25 A certain woman who was there had a discharge of blood for twelve years. 26 She had suffered much under the care of many physicians and had spent all that she had. Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. 27 When she heard what was being said about Jesus, she went up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe. 28 She said, “If I just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 At that moment, Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” 31 His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing tightly against you and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 Nevertheless he kept looking around to see who had done this. 33 The woman was trembling with fear since she knew what had happened to her. She came forward, fell down in front of him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your suffering.”
35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue ruler’s house arrived, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?” 36 But when Jesus heard this report, he told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” 37 He did not allow anyone to follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 They went into the house of the synagogue ruler, and Jesus saw a commotion with people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 They laughed at him. But after he put everyone out, he took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Grasping the hand of the child, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (When translated, that means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”) 42 Immediately the little girl stood up and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.) They were completely and utterly amazed. 43 Then he gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and he told them to give her something to eat.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. + And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; + Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; + Born of the Virgin Mary; + Suffered under Pontius Pilate; + Was crucified, dead and buried; + He descended into hell; + The third day He rose again from the dead; + He ascended into heaven + And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; + From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. + I believe in the Holy Ghost; + The Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; + The forgiveness of sins; + The resurrection of the body; + And the life everlasting. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Children’s Lesson II Corinthians 5:7
We walk by faith, not by sight.
BLIND FAITH
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 404
”Faith Is A Living Power From Heaven”
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
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 based on Mark 5:21-43
Faith To Face Life’s Toughest Tests
after the Sermon, the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
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, now encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
We Respond To God’s Word through our Offerings
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.
However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash, please) to our church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745); or
2) You can donate through our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
The Confirmations of Ceilidh Nogy (Phil 1:9-11)
and Jeremiah Tabor (Rom 8:38-39)
Pastor: Do you this day, in the presence of God and of this Christian congregation, confirm the solemn covenant which at your Baptism you made with the Triune God? Then answer “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you, then, renounce the devil, and all his works, and all his ways? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Father?
Confirmand: Yes, I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Son?
Confirmand: Yes, I believe 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.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Holy Ghost?
Confirmand: Yes, 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.
Pastor: Do you desire to become a communicant member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of this congregation? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you hold all the canonical books of the Bible to be the verbally inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God,
and the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Bible, as you have learned to know it from Luther’s Small Catechism, to be the true and correct one? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you also, as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, intend to continue steadfast in the confession of
this Church, and suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? Then answer, “I do so intend, with the help of God.”
Confirmand: I do so intend, with the help of God.
Pastor: And finally, do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the rule of the divine Word, to be diligent in the use of the
Means of Grace, to walk according to the Gospel of Christ, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to the Triune God, even unto death? Then answer, “I do so intend, by the grace of God.”
Confirmand: I do so intend, by the grace of God.
the Congregation will rise as
We Respond To God’s Word through our Prayers
Special Prayers for this Day
Included in our prayers this morning are:
A Prayer of Intercession for Dan Beck as he continues to contend with the challenge of cancer; plus
A Prayer of Intercession regarding the fighting that is occurring in the country of Ukraine; and
A Prayer of Intercession for our brother, Steve Davis, who is in
Washington Regional Hospital, recovering from heart bypass surgery;
The Prayers for the Church followed by 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 Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
Pastor The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
the Congregation will be seated for
Closing Hymn Hymn 405 “Oh For A Faith That Will Not Shrink”
Silent Prayer, Announcements, Post-service music
Announcements
Last Week Worship Attendance: 74 Online views: 25
Bible Class: 23 (13 Online) Sunday School: 9 Tuesday Bible Class: 11
Budgetary Offerings: $3741 Online Offerings: $626.86
School Fund: $50 Capital Improvement: $50
Midweek Lenten Service: 24 Online views: 7 Offerings: $185
Looking Ahead at Grace Lutheran Church
Mar 13 (Sun) Morning Worship 9:30 a.m. Fellowship, 10:45 a.m.
Bible Class/SS 11:00 a.m.
Youth Confirmation Class, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
Mar 15 (Tues) Morning Bible Study, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Mar 16 (Wed) Soup and Sandwich Fellowship meal, 6:00-6:45 p.m.
MIDWEEK LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICE 7 p.m.
Brief Church Council Meeting following the service
Mar 19 (Sat) Women’s Group Luncheon (12-2 p.m.) at Pastafina Restaurant in Cave Springs
Mar 20 (Sun) Choir, 8:30 am Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 am
Fellowship 10:45 a.m. BC/Sunday School, 11:05 p.m.
Youth Confirmation, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
Serving Us Next Week Altar Guild: Harriet Johnson, Tina Wambold
Ushers: Terry Bruns, Tim Huebner, Tom Otto
Elders: Vic Walker, Steve Stone Fellowship: Mary Karloski
Easter Outreach Encouragement: “Each one Brings One”…. It’s now exactly five weeks before Easter arrives. That’s not far off! Our hope (and plea) this year is for every person and family in our congregation this year to already be praying about those persons that you can invite to join you (and us) to celebrate Christ’s resurrection here at Grace Lutheran Church. (You can invite them for another Sunday service, too, if you’d like.) Think of how God would be glorified, our guests would be blessed, and how thrilled we would be, if everyone in our church family could bring one person to worship here that day! Believe it or not, that can actually happen….with God’s blessing…..through prayer…as well as with each of us purposefully inviting (and, if needed, transporting) our unchurched acquaintances to worship with us on Easter morning. The majority of non-churched people, if they go to church ever (aside from funerals and weddings) will go to church to celebrate Easter. Not only that, but 15% of non-churched people say that they would come to church – if only someone would invite them. You might have to invite one, two, or seven or eight people….but if each of us asks enough people, those guests will come. So, please pray and plan now already, to make those Easter invitations to your friends, relatives, acquaintances …..and even to folks you don’t know at all. And may God bless our efforts…to His glory!
Special Holy Week Worship Services Reminder – In little more than one month we’ll have two special opportunities to gather together here for worship during the week we know as Holy Week.. We urge all of you to make your preparations and plans now so that you will be able to join us for our Maundy Thursday (April 14) worship service with the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 p.m., and our April 15th Good Friday worship service, which will also begin at 7:00 p.m.
Rummage Announcement…..Approximately two months from now our Women’s Group will sponsor a rummage sale…..on May 14-15. If you’re one of those persons who does an annual “spring cleaning” of your home, would you please keep our rummage sale in mind? Even if you don’t do a “spring cleaning,” if you have items you could donate to our rummage sale, that would be very much appreciated. And, if you might need to bring items earlier than the week prior to the sale, early drop offs will be available in early May. Please speak with Pastor about this when the time comes. We’ll do our best to work with you.
Remember, Midweek Lenten Services Have Begun!!!…. Starting two weeks ago, on Wednesday, March 2nd, and continuing through April 13th, we will be offering six special Lenten worship services, each beginning at 7 p.m. Our goal is to enable us to become better prepared spiritually for the commemoration of our Savior’s death and the Easter celebration of His resurrection. This year’s sermon theme is “Seven Times The Savior Spoke.” This Wednesday, our service theme will be: “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
In the midweek services that will follow, along with two services during Holy Week, we’ll ponder the rest of the statements our Savior spoke while He was on Calvary’s cross, suffering to save us. Each statement, or “Word” is rich in its significance for Christ, as well as for every one of us. Please also keep in mind that many churches don’t offer worship services like these midweek Lenten services. Each of them provides us with an opportunity to invite others to join us in meditating on Christ’s supreme sacrifice, through which we have been saved. We want to remember that these services also give us opportunities to invite to worship people who often have to work on Sunday. So, please pray about whom you might invite to attend one of these services, and then ask that person or family (maybe offer them a ride) to worship with us.
This Week’s Bible Classes In Bible Class today we’ll study what God has to say to us through I Corinthians chapter 15 about the significance of Christ’s (as well as our own) resurrection. For our Tuesday morning Bible class we’re starting a new study….the book of Ezra !!!
Grace Lutheran Church of Northwest Arkansas
is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a church body which spans the United States and Canada, and which also operates a number of foreign missions.
Our Vision: Extend God’s Kingdom through His Word,
serving each Soul.
Our Mission: Share the Gospel, Encourage Faith, and Prepare Souls
through Worship, Education and Fellowship.
I Corinthians, Chapter 15
The Great Resurrection Chapter
Introduction
There’s an old familiar saying: “There are two things you can’t escape…. death and taxes.”
Whether or not one can escape taxes, this much is true….death is inescapable. In the portion of God’s Word before us, the Apostle Paul addresses the topic of death; not so much what death is, but rather, what will happen after death.
To many people today, death is a horrible fact of life that evokes intense feelings of anxiety and fear. In fact, the fear of death underlies many present-day burial customs (e.g., the many flowers given, the cosmetic art applied to the corpse, and the elaborate, emotional productions that typify many funerals, as well as “celebrations of life.”
When there is no hope of a resurrection, death naturally seems frighteningly final. That’s the view many people have today. They hopelessly see death as the end of life….and so of ones existence. Others are afraid of death’s arrival because they have no idea what – if anything – follows death. Still others, in vain attempts to “dodge the bullet” of death, have seen to it that their bodies (or portions of them) are frozen at the moment of death, in the hope of being medically revived at some future date….should medical science and technology ever become so advanced (and they won’t).
“There is no resurrection.” “There is no heaven.” And “there is no hell.” These are the declarations of a growing number of rather hardened unbelievers who see this lifetime as all there is. Perhaps that was also the case in Corinth some twenty centuries ago. Perhaps even some of the relatively “new” Christians that Paul had served, and to whom Paul was now writing, had become confused about what happened after a person died. Is there a resurrection from the grave, or isn’t there? Is there despair for us, or hope beyond the grave? These are a few of the questions we’ll be considering as work our way through what some have called “The Great Resurrection Chapter,” I Corinthians 15, under the theme:
Despair in the Face of Death, Or…..
Confidence and Expectation through the Resurrection
Overview of Chapter 15
From problems of disunity (chapters 1-4), immorality (chapters 5-6), the use and misuse of
marriage and Christian freedom (chapters 7-10), and problems concerning public worship and the use of Spiritual gifts, Paul now turns his readers attention in chapter 15 to another subject on which the Corinthians needed instruction: the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. He lays the foundation for his discussion by first establishing the reality of Jesus’ physical resurrection as attested by in the Old Testament and by living witnesses of the New Testament era. In the two sections (verses 12-19 and 29-34) he touches on the absurdities that follow denials of the bodily resurrection of the death – Christ, included. He bases his belief in the resurrection of the body on Christ’s conquest of death as proved by His resurrection and further exaltation. Paul also anticipates and answers the questions of how the dead are raised and with what kind of bodies. After a resurrection-supported, doxology-like declaration of confidence in the Christian’s victory over death, Paul urges the Corinthians to maintain a steadfast, hopeful faith in the bodily resurrection as a cornerstone of our Christian faith.
- The Proofs of Christ’s Resurrection (verses 1-11)
- What does Paul mean by “unless you believed in vain”? Of what particular importance is that phrase to us?
- How had the Scriptures foretold the atoning death (Is 53:5), burial (Is 53:9) and resurrection (Ps 16:10,11) of Christ?
- How many people does Paul cite who were witnesses to Christ’s resurrection? (3-8)
- How did Paul acquire this information? (Acts 9:3-9; Galatians 1:13-170
- What does Paul mean in verse 8 by “the stillborn child – so to speak”?
- To whom does Paul give credit for his conversion and his success as an Apostle? Of what should Paul’s testimony remind us about both our earthly and Spiritual successes?
- In verse 11, Paul states that he and his fellow apostles are united in the message they preach. Why did Paul feel the need to say this? Is full unity of message necessary in our day?
- The Resurrection of the Dead (verses 12-34)
- What problem pertaining to the doctrine of the resurrection had arisen in the church in Corinth? (12)
- How is one’s faith “pointless” if the resurrection of the body didn’t happen? (14, 17)
- On what basis can Paul make his statement in verse 19? What’s his real point?
- How does the victory of the “Second Adam” (Christ) balance out the defeat of the first Adam in Eden? (21-22)
- Does verse 23 imply that there won’t be a resurrection for unbelievers? (see John 5:28)
- What is the “millennium”? And does verse 25 support its teaching?
- Do verses 27 and 28 teach the inferiority of the Son to the Father?
- Can we baptize persons who are already dead? (Some churches/religious groups do this…..) Consider verse 29.
- What two reasons, mentioned in verses 29-30, make it absurd to deny the resurrection of the dead?
III. The Resurrection of the Body (verses 35-58)
- To what things does Paul compare the resurrection? (35-41)
- What sort of body will you have after the resurrection? (44)
- What weaknesses, associated with our sinful flesh and blood, will NOT be found in our resurrected bodies?
- What will happen to those who are alive when Christ returns? (51,52; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)
- How do we achieve victory over death? (57)
- For Discussion
- Agree or disagree: A person can deny the resurrection of the body and still be a Christian.
- In light of this chapter, how should we approach the deaths of loved ones? How should be approach funerals?
- How might we use verses 2 and 33 in dealing with churches that are not in doctrinal fellowship with us?
- What implications should verse 8 have for us in our personal work of the Lord?
- Why is Easter the most significant Christian festival?
- Note the emphasis on Christ’s resurrection as an historical fact. Why is that so vital?
- What should every Christian’s attitude toward death be in view of the truths Paul lays out in this chapter?
- Can a Christian be cremated?
- How should we live in anticipation of Christ’s return and the resurrection of the dead?