The First Sunday in Lent
also known traditionally as “Invocavit Sunday”
February 22, 2026
How To Resist the Devil and His Temptations
Some years back the Denver Post reported: “Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and ‘scare-coyotes.’ She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambs–
fifty last year alone. “Then she discovered the llama–the aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-of-nothing llama…’Llamas don’t appear to be afraid of anything,’ she said. ‘When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they won’t have anything to do with that… Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away.'”
Apparently llamas know how to handle coyotes in a way similar to what James writes about our handling Satan and his temptations. “Resist the Devil,” writes James, “and he will flee from you” (4:7). The moment we sense that the Devil is attacking us through one temptation o another, THAT is the moment we should face it and rely on the power of God’s Word to deal with it…..following the example set for us by our Savior.
For today’s First Scripture we will turn to the “Full Armor of God” chapter – Ephesians 6. Tying this lesson in with today’s other Scripture readings and their truths, we’ll want to recognize that we are under daily assault from Satan. But that ultimate and inevitable victory against him is already assured us through the redemptive work and power of Christ, our Savior. Wrapped in the “Spiritual armor” that He gives us, we can safely stand against all Satan’s assaults, certain that our souls remain eternally secure through faith in Christ.
This morning’s Epistle Lesson begins the 7th vision of the book of Revelation. The “Angel” here is actually Jesus, Who possesses the keys to hell (1:18) and Who, with His almighty power, is able to chain (control) Satan. He then shares His victory over the Devil with us. Though some grossly misinterpret this lesson and take the “1000 years” mentioned here as a literal 1000 year period of Christian domination of the world, the immediate context, as well as very clear end-of-times passages throughout Scripture demand that this portion of God’s Word must be interpreted figuratively. And so, it refers to the entire New Testament era, from Christ’s death/resurrection (binding Satan) through the Last Days (Satan temporarily “running wild”) culminating in the Devil’s final defeat and permanent incarceration in hell on Judgment Day. For us, then, this reading assures us that, as formidable as Satan is, Christ is all-powerful and so Satan will ultimately, absolutely be defeated and rendered powerless.
In our Gospel Lesson for today, we have the story of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man by driving a legion (in other words, “many”….for a point of reference, a Roman “legion” typically consisted of about 6000 troops) of demons out of him. Let’s also note the incredible power that this man possessed because of the demons’ presence in him. It should remind us that we can never take Satan’s power lightly! Among the other lessons this account teaches us is this one: as powerful as the Devil and his evil-angel allies are, they are totally powerless before Christ – and they cannot harm any of those (us, included) who rely on Christ’s power to protect them.
In this morning’s Children’s Lesson we’ll focus on Jesus’ words of rebuke to Peter after this Apostle had told Jesus that He (Jesus) shouldn’t talk about dying as the Messiah. Jesus told him to “get away from Me, Satan!” – not because Peter was the devil, but – because at that moment Satan was trying, through Peter, to deter and discourage Jesus from carrying out His mission of redemption (and of defeat for Satan). Today, whenever the Devil tries to tempt us, we can also use these very words of Jesus to tell him, “Get away from me, Satan!” Finally, the account of Satan appearing before Jesus three times in succession in an effort to tempt Him into sinning (in the vain hope of stopping Jesus from carrying out His mission of saving fallen mankind) is our Sermon Text for today (which is, technically, the first installment of our Midweek Lenten sermon series, “Lent by the 40’s”). Each time the Devil tried to tempt Him, Christ turned away temptation by relying on and responding with a portion of God’s Word. Nearly 2000 years later the Devil continues to tempt God’s people to sin. Since he never gives up, let us always be on our guard against Satan’s repeated temptations, and may we always be prepared to rely on the same power of God’s Word that Jesus used as our best defense against the Devil’s schemes.
The Origin and Background for the Season of Lent
“We are going up to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). With these words Jesus invites us to follow Him as He travels the way of the cross during another season of Lent. Having already begun this past Ash Wednesday (February 18th), Lent is a 40 day period which ends on Holy Saturday, just before Easter Sunday. While Ash Wednesday actually takes place 46 days prior to Easter, the six Sundays in Lent are traditionally not included in the 40 day count of this Lenten season with its penitential emphasis. The reason for this omission is that, by custom, the Sundays during Lent are regarded as interludes during which the Church can celebrate, however briefly and still with a measure of solemnity, the joy that continues to be ours by virtue of God’s grace to us in Christ, and the victories that He has won for us over sin, death and Satan.
The term “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for “spring,” the time when the days lengthen. The earliest Christians to observe Lent did so over 40 hours, remembering the 40 hours during which our Savior lay in the tomb. The period of commemoration was later extended to two weeks (that period is still referred to as “Passiontide”), and eventually to forty days. The 40 days, incidentally, are representative of several Biblical events that we will be focusing on during our midweek Lenten services: 1) Jesus’ 40-day fast at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13); 2) Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness and God’s provision and protection during that time; 3) Moses’ stay on Mt. Sinai in connection with the Lord’s giving the Ten Commandments and His other laws to Israel (Exodus 24:18); 4) Elijah’s period of fasting on his way to the mountain of God (I Kings 19:8); 5) Jonah’s proclamation: “40 more days and Nineveh will be destroyed.” That episode of divine grace – and its miraculous results (the largest “conversion” recorded in Scripture); and 6) The story of Noah and the great flood, with the unprecedented rainfall that spanned 40 days and 40 nights, flooding the entire world. In so doing, God destroyed, as an act of divine judgment, all life on earth….except for Noah’s family and the animals which He (the LORD) had brought to safety in the ark.
The Focus of Worship during Lent
The Christian Church traditionally has used the season of Lent as a period for Spiritual preparation – specifically, a time during which it has devoted itself to repenting our of sins and contemplating what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. The midweek evening worship services during Lent have a more “penitential” character, and thus focus the worshiper’s attention on our sins and Christ’s Passion (His sufferings for our sins). The Sunday Scripture readings and prayers for Lent are characterized – less by a repentance emphasis and more by a spirit of “celebration” which anticipates the victories over sin, death and the Devil that Jesus won for us at the cross and His open grave. And so, all of the traditional Scripture lessons and prayers of the six Sundays in Lent deal in one way or another deal with the challenges and battles which our Savior waged and won against the kingdom of Satan. Each victory “prefigures” (points ahead to) the glorious triple- victory which Jesus won for us through His resurrection – His (and His Church’s ) victories over sin, death, and Satan’s power.
Why Is Today also known as “Invocavit” Sunday?
Over the past sixteen centuries, the Christian church – at least that portion of the church which follows the
traditional “Church Calendar” – has retained the custom of identifying the six Sundays of Lent by the first words of their Latin “introits” (Psalm readings for the day. “Introit” is the Latin word for “he enters” and refers to a particular point in the worship liturgy/order when the minister approached the altar, which symbolizes the “presence” of the Lord among us during worship. The first Sunday in Lent, then, is known as Invocavit. That name is taken from the final verse of our Psalm for this morning, Psalm 91 (“invocavit” means “He will call”). The Scripture readings for this day were originally assembled to focus the Church’s attention on Satan’s relentless efforts to tempt Jesus (and us), as well as on Christ’s ability to successfully overcome all of the Devil’s temptations with the power of God’s Word.
Prayers and Scripture Lessons of the Lenten Season
Today’s (and our entire Lenten season’s) Scripture lessons and “Collect-Prayers” (Early Prayers) can be traced
back to the first centuries of the early Christian Church. Initially “collect-prayers” were simply the product of early church pastors gathering/collecting prayer requests from church members prior to the worship service. The “collected” requests would then be offered in one, general prayer. Over time, and due to the consistency of many prayer-requests, formal “collect-prayers” were written down to be used from one year to the next, and were handed down from one generation to the next – all the way to us today. In addition, during its early era the Church customarily required its adult candidates for Baptism to undergo a 40 day period of rigorous discipline, prayer, and fasting, which — in time — came to be known as our season of Lent. The original intent was to provide spiritual discipline for the soon-to-be baptized members, so that they might be freed from affection for worldly matters and from any attachments to the Devil’s and this sinful world’s wicked works and ways. The terminal point of their period of Lenten denial was Easter Eve (or Holy Saturday), when they were baptized into the Christian faith and first permitted to commune with their Savior through the Lord’s Supper.
In the weeks ahead, we will be hearing on Sundays – with some variation – many of the same Scripture readings those early Christian candidates for Baptism also heard during the worship services that they attended, starting nearly 19 centuries ago. We will also join in offering essentially the same “Collect-Prayers” to the Lord which they joined in offering. Besides giving us a sense of the Spiritual heritage we possess, which connects us with the earliest Christians and believers since then, these specially-selected readings and prayers should also help us better prepare our hearts and lives both for the reception of the Sacrament during Holy Week, for the observance of Christ’s death on Good Friday, and for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter morn.
Pre-service Silent Prayer Heavenly Father, please guide me in wisdom and truth through Your Holy Spirit, as I
spend this hour meditating on Your Word and rejoicing in Your limitless love for me. Assist me in being attentive in heart and mind to Your Word, as well as to the hymns of praise, the various petitions, and the prayers of thanksgiving my voice directs toward You. Use this worship service, O Lord, to deepen my love for You, to strengthen my trust in You, and to renew my commitment to You. All this I ask for the sake of and in the name of Your One and only Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-service Prayer Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
The Introduction and Invitation to Worship
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Psalm for Today Psalm 91
P: One who lives in the shelter of the Most High will stay in the shadow of the Almighty.
C: I will say to the Lord, “My Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.”
P: Surely He will rescue you from the fowler’s trap, from the destructive plague. With His feathers He will cover you, and under His wings you will find refuge; His truth will be your shield and armor.
C: You will not fear the terror of night, + nor the arrow that flies by day, + nor the plague that prowls in the darkness, + nor the pestilence that destroys at noon. + A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, + but it will not come near you. + You will only observe it with your eyes. You will see the punishment of the wicked. + Yes, Lord, You are my Refuge!
P: If you make the Most High your Shelter — evil will not overtake you. + Disaster will not come near your tent.
C: Yes, He will give a command to His angels concerning you + to guard you in all your ways; + so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. + You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; + you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
P: The LORD says, + “Because He clings to Me, I will rescue him. + I will protect him + for he acknowledges My name.”
C: He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; + I will be with him in distress, + I will deliver him and I will honor him. + With long life I will satisfy him + and I will let him see My salvation.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (TLH 262)
1 A mighty Fortress is our God, A trusty Shield and Weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil Foe Now means deadly woe:
Deep guile and great might Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.
2 With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the Valiant One, Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?– Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth, Lord, And there’s none other God,
He holds the field forever.
3 Tho’ devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill, They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.
4 The Word they still shall let remain,
Nor any thank have for it;,
He’s by our side upon the plain With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life, Goods, fame, child, and wife;
Let these all be gone, They yet have nothing won:
The Kingdom ours remaineth. Amen.
We Join in Confession of Our Sins
P: Almighty God, Heavenly Father, we have violated Your holy will through our sinful actions, in our failure to do what You righteously expect from us, with our wicked words, and by our evil thoughts and desires.
C: We come, O Lord, to Your altar to confess our sins. + We beg for Your mercy, + though we do not deserve it. + Hear our prayer. + Grant us the forgiveness of all our sins, for Jesus’ sake.
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. (CW 397)
P: Our sins are many….inexcusable, yet inevitable given our weakness and dullness. We/have sworn falsely and used Your name to curse, rather than to bless others and to praise You. We have not worshiped You as faithfully as we ought. We have not listened to Your Word as we should. Too often we have conformed our lives – not to Your perfect will – but to the norms and dictates of this sinful world. At times we have lived as though we were “god” instead of humbly submitting everything that we are and have to You, O Lord.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
We have acted spitefully toward friends and strangers. We have fought with our family. We have been impatient with each other, and even with You, O Lord. We have sought superiority over others at work, in the home, at school, and in the church. We have preferred materialism more than we have pursued our Spiritual growth. We have committed the very evils that we have self-righteously – and You have properly – condemned.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
We have passed by and ignored those who have been in genuine need. We have thought too highly of ourselves and too little of others. Though converted by the Gospel’s power, we have been reluctant and indifferent to bring the Good News to others. We have not readily forgiven those who have sinned against us. We have not loved You and others as You have commanded us to do.
Forgive us all our sins, + those known and unknown to us, + according to the mercy of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. + Pour Your grace upon us, + that we might know the peace which surpasses all understanding, + and that we might share eternal life in heaven with Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Congregation Almighty and most merciful God, + We acknowledge and confess + that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed; + That we have not loved You with all our heart
and soul, + and with all our mind and strength; + and that we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. + We ask You, O God, + to be forgiving of what we have been, + to help us to amend what we are, + and – in Your mercy – to direct what we shall be, + so that the love of what is righteous in Your sight + might always be in our hearts, + that we may always walk blamelessly in Your commandments, + and faithfully follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ to the very end. + Amen.
Pastor Upon this, your voluntary confession, and in accordance with the responsibilities entrusted to me as a called and ordained servant of the Living Word, I assure you that God, our heavenly Father, has
forgiven you all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has removed your guilt and condemnation forever. You are His own dear child – an heir of everlasting life through faith in Christ. May God now give you the strength of faith to live according to His will. Go in His grace and peace. Amen.
The Prayer for This Morning
O Lord God, Heavenly Father + mercifully hear our prayers, + and help us in our need. + Stretch forth Your all-powerful hand + to defend us from every attack of the Devil, + from every assault of this wicked world, + and from every evil inclination of our sinful human nature. + Through Your Spirit, grow our faith in You + as our sovereign, Savior-God, + so that we might honor You through our lives here on earth, + until, by Your grace, + we praise and serve You eternally in heaven. + We ask all this 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
We Listen to the Word of God
The First Lesson Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the schemes of the Devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to take a stand on the evil day and, after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness fastened in place, 15 and with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace tied to your feet like sandals. 16 At all times hold up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. 17 Also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
18 At every opportunity, pray in the Spirit with every kind of prayer and petition. Stay alert for the same reason, always persevering in your intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray for me also, that when I open my mouth a message will be given to me that boldly reveals the mystery of the Gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may speak about it boldly, as it is necessary for me to speak.
The Second Lesson Revelation 20:1-10
Then I saw an Angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in His hand. 2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand years, 3 threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.
4 Then I saw thrones, and those who were sitting on them were given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the Word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years came to an end.) This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. Instead they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will reign with Him for a thousand years.
7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be released from his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. They are as numerous as the sand of the sea.
9 They came up over the broad expanse of the earth, and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 And the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are. There they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.
After which the Congregation will rise for
This Morning’s Gospel Lesson Mark 5:1-20
They went to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes. 2 As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs to meet Him. 3 The man lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he pulled the chains apart and broke the shackles in pieces. Nobody had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was constantly crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down in front of Him. 7 He cried out with a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You to swear by God not to torment me.” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “because we are many.” 10 He begged Jesus repeatedly that He would not send them out of the region.
11 There was a large herd of pigs there feeding on the hillside. 12 The demons begged Him, “Send us to the pigs so we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits went out and entered the pigs. Then the herd of about two thousand pigs rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned. 14 Those who were feeding the pigs ran and reported this in the city and the countryside.
People came to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it described for these people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and they told them about the pigs. 17 They began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to stay with Jesus. 19 But Jesus would not let him. Instead, He told him, “Go home to your people, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how He had mercy on you.”
20 The man left and began to proclaim in the Decapolis everything Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
The Apostles’ Creed CW 169 (Hymn to Joy)
I believe in God the Father, Maker of the heav’ns and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, our Savior, God’s own Son, of human birth.
Virgin born, the Lord incarnate, Whom the Spirit did conceive,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Our salvation to achieve.
Crucified, was dead and buried, Down to hell in victory;
From the dead He rose the third day;
Up to heav’n triumphantly.
There at God’s right hand He’s ruling,
By His will the world is led.
He will come to judge the nations,
Both the living and the dead.
I believe in God the Spirit, In His Church, His chosen band.
They are joined in close communion,
Holy in His sight they stand.
I believe in sins forgiven; That the dead will rise again;
I believe in life eternal. Amen! Amen! A – – men!
After which the Congregation will be seated for
Today’s Children’s Lesson Matthew 16:21-23
21 From that time, Jesus began to show His disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised again.
22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “May You receive mercy, Lord! This will never happen to You.” 23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a snare to Me because you are not thinking the things of God, but the things of men.”
Telling Satan to “Take A Hike”
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 472 “Rise, My Soul, To Watch And Pray”
1 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray; From your sleep awaken!
Be not by the evil day Unawares o’ertaken.
For the foe, Well we know, Is a harvest reaping
While the saints are sleeping.
2 Watch! Let not the wicked world With its lies defeat you
Lest with bold deceptions hurled It betray and cheat you.
Watch and see Lest there be Faithless friends to charm you
Who but seek to harm you.
3 Watch against yourself, my soul, Lest with grace you trifle;
Let not self your thoughts control Nor God’s mercy stifle.
Pride and sin Lurk within, All your hopes to shatter;
Heed not when they flatter.
4 But while watching also pray To the Lord unceasing.
God protects you day by day, Strength and faith increasing,
So that still Mind and will Shall unite to serve him
And forever love him.
after which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Greeting
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ! O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. Amen.
The Sermon Text Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. 2 After He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The Tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”
5 Then the Devil took Him into the holy city. He placed Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He will command His angels concerning you. And they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written: You shall not test the Lord your God.”
8 Again the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 He said to Him, “I will give You all of these things, if You will bow down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
11 Then the Devil left Him, and just then angels came and served Him.
Jesus was tempted in every way – just as
we are – yet was without sin!
after the Sermon, the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May the God of peace, Who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, now equip you with everything good for doing His will! Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
The Offering Prayer
Dear Savior, You have taught us: “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Teach us to realize more and more that happiness in life does not depend on the number of things we can call our own. Rather, Jesus, help us to find joy in the faithful uses that we as stewards make of the money and all of the other resources You have placed in our hands….as we gratefully and humbly return them to You for the growth of Your Kingdom and for the glory of Your holy and saving name. Amen.
after which the Congregation will rise
Our Prayers for This Morning
P Lord God, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier:
C: We humbly come before Your throne of grace, + asking for Your blessings upon the Church at large, + our congregation, + and each one of us.
P Fill us with thankful hearts for every gift, opportunity, and challenge that You provide.
C: Merciful God, though we do not deserve them, + continue to grant us our daily bread + and all of our other needs of body and spirit.
P Instill in us, as Your people, a genuine hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Allow us to continue to properly read, learn, and inwardly digest Your holy, true and mighty Word –
C: that our hearts and minds might remain firmly focused on You + as the one true God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that we might be eternally sustained + in this one, true, saving faith.
P: Grant us all a strong faith especially in those times when we face temptation and doubt, so that we might trust in You with unwavering confidence.
C: Guard us from the wiles of the Devil, + the ways of this wicked world, + and our own sinful nature. + Preserve us from all forms of selfish love and sinful ambition.
P: We also pray for every nation on earth, and their respective residents. We particularly seek Your mercy and Your peace for troubled places like the Middle East and the Urkaine, where war is either being threatened, or is occurring.
C: For all those in harm’s way – especially those serving in our military and in our country’s law-enforcement agencies – Almighty God we pray that You would continue to send Your protective angels + to guard both the defenseless and those who defend others.
P: We offer You our thanks, on behalf of our sister, Debbie Huebner, who had a successful knee replacement operation this past week. Now we pray that You, O Lord, will bless her recovery. Please make it a swift and safe one, so that Debbie might enjoy, once again, an active, productive life serving others, and especially serving You. We also pray for all other persons in our church family, and in our extended personal families, who are sick or hurting in other ways. For those we know and love, as well as those with which we are not acquainted, sustain them in the midst of their injuries, difficulties, suffering, heartache, loneliness and pain.
C: Enable them to fix their eyes and hearts on You, Lord, + trusting in You day by day + for healing, relief, strength, and hope.
P: Lord God, work powerfully through Your Spirit in the hearts of those who do not yet believe, or who have wandered from the faith, that none might perish eternally, but instead will be brought to repentance and faith, and one day into that land flowing with milk and honey—heaven itself.
C: That we might personally share in extending Your kingdom, + grant each of us such a strong faith + that we will boldly and confidently confess You + through our lives and with our voices + as the only true God, + upon Whom – alone – our everlasting salvation depends.
P: For all other things unspoken and hidden in our hearts, we pray that You, O Lord, would give Your gracious and wise attention to our necessities and desires, conforming all our hopes and needs to Your perfect will. And now, into Your hands, O Lord, we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. In His name we offer this prayer and continue now, by praying:
C: Our Father, Who art in heaven + Hallowed be Thy name. + Thy Kingdom come. + Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. + Give us this day our daily bread. + And forgive us our trespasses + as we forgive those who trespass against us. + And lead us not into temptation. + But deliver us from evil. + For Thine is the kingdom + And the power + And the glory + Forever and ever. Amen.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon You and be gracious unto you,
The LORD look upon you with favor, and grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “God the Father, Son and Spirit)
(Sung to “Regent Square….CW 578); cwh 2009
God the Father, Son and Spirit: As our service ends today —
Thank You, LORD, for granting us this time to study, sing and pray —
May our faith, which You have strengthened,
be for Your praise, now, alway.
From eternity You chose us, All by grace and grace alone.
Through Your saving Word You called us,
In our hearts, You made Your throne —
Gave us faith in Christ, our Savior, Who for our sins did atone.
Help us all, Lord to be faithful Throughout life, unto the end.
May each one of us be useful — that your Kingdom might extend
Through this town, across this nation, and to earth’s remotest end.
Grace for all, from every station,
blood-bought souls from near and far —
Christ has earned for us salvation: “Reconciled to God, we are —
Life through His death. It is all done.” Glorify our Morning Star!
LORD, for Your great love, we praise You,
Guiding us our whole lives through
Day by day our faith, You renew — May we e’er to You be true
Serving You in all that we do — ‘Til in heav’n, we live with You. Amen.