The Fourteenth Sunday After the Festival of the Holy Trinity
The Sixteenth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
September 01, 2024
Human Targets
Wearing Heavenly Armor
Law enforcement officers and service personnel in our military typically wear protective vests made of kevlar and other composite materials to provide them with protection against bullets, shrapnel and other life-threatening materials. The reason is obvious: there are many, many “bad actors” on the streets and on the battlefield whose intent is to do great bodily harm on our officers and soldiers…..including killing them, if possible. Both law enforcement officers and our military are also trained to be vigilant against those “bad actors,” and to take defense measures to protect themselves as they carry out their duties. But sometimes, all the kevlar, training and watchfulness isn’t enough, given the magnitude and lethality of today’s modern weapons.
On July 13 (it still only seems like yesterday to me, as I write this), minutes after the start of a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump was hit by an assassin’s bullet. Miraculously, though, a fraction of a second before the shooter pulled the trigger, Trump turned his head just enough that instead of the bullet penetrating the middle of his forehead (and no doubt, instantaneously killing him), it hit his ear. As he dropped to the ground, agents of the Secret Service immediately threw themselves on top of, and around, him…..covering his body as a unified “human shield” to protect him from further injury and possible death. Within seconds of the assassin’s bullet hitting President Trump, a sharp-shooter ended the assassin’s assault…..but not before one man had been killed and other people were severely wounded in the few seconds’ worth of addition shots that that assassin took.
Like President Trump’s secret service protectors, and similar also to the “bullet proof” vests and other protective gear that our police and military wear for their self-defense……You and I are protected not only by God’s angels, but also by our LORD Himself – and particularly through the powerful weapon of God’s Word (“the sword of the Spirit” mentioned in today’s Epistle Lesson and Sermon Text). As to the “bad actors” and “assassins” intent on doing us harm and from which we need God’s protection….they are three, in general, in number: Satan (along with his evil angel allies); this wicked world; and – perhaps the most perilous of those three enemies – our own sinful nature. Left to defend ourselves all on our own, if we try to rely on our cunning and determination, any one of those three members of that “unholy trinity alliance” can not only lead you and me into sin, but can destroy our faith and deprive us of the eternal salvation in heaven that Christ lived, died and rose to secure.
The Words from God that we’ll be considering today – particularly in our Sermon Text/Epistle Lesson speak both about the threat that Satan, the sinful world and our human nature poses against us as God’s people, and about the eternal victory that Christ won for us over these enemies of our souls…..so that, although we need to remain vigilant and wary of them, we do not have to be afraid of them. That’s because, through the sinless life Jesus lived and the hellish death He died on our behalf, coupled with His bodily resurrection 3 days later, that “unholy Trinity” has been absolutely defeated – forever.
Consequently, in connection with our theme for today, Satan has made us sinful “Humans” his “Targets” on the one hand – but, on the other hand, Christ has interposed Himself between Satan and us (as well as between us and His Father’s wrath) by becoming our Spiritual “secret service/kevlar vest”……and, more directly, the One Who has sacrified Himself in our place, to save our souls from Satan, sin’s curse, our sinful nature, this wicked world, and hell’s horrors.
In today’s Old Testament Lesson, we find Moses speaking to the Israelite generation that is finally going to enter and inhabit the Promised Land. They had been waiting for four decades while wandering in the Sinai wilderness as a discipline from God for their national disobedience and refusal to trust Him 40 years earlier. Throughout Deuteronomy (which means “the second law”) God inspires Moses (who is about to die and enter the real Promised Land) to instruct the Israelite people to live faithfully according to His Law. Both the LORD and Moses had instructed their parents and grandparents 40 years before at Mount Sinai to be faithful when He gave them His written Law in the last half of the book of Exodus along with Leviticus. God knew their sinful natures would tempt them to do what they thought and felt was right (but never is!) AND even follow the Canaanite peoples’ false gods instead of Him. And so He urges them to trust and obey Him fully and faithfully instead. In addition, the LORD reminds them that their faithful obedience of His Law will serve as a positive witness to all the other nations about the incomparable greatness of the true God, Who will thus be glorified by His people’s godliness.
In our Gospel Lesson Jesus is challenged by some Pharisees and Scribes (“legal experts” in God’s OT Law as well as the Pharisees’ additional religious rules). These men had been sent from Jerusalem to “check Jesus out” – not because they wanted to learn from Him, but because they were supposed to find some fault in Him (which was an impossible task, since Jesus is sinless). Nevertheless, seeing some of Jesus’ disciples eating without washing their hands (which was a violation of Judaism’s “rules” – but not of God’s Law), they attacked Jesus. But our LORD responds l– bluntly, yet evangelically (because He cared for their souls too and wanted them to repent!). Jesus calls them what they are: “Hypocrites” (as well as false teachers, who felt that salvation could be earned by personal outward righteousness and obedience – but, of course, it can’t; real righteousness only comes to us through Jesus’ sinlessness and obedience applied to us!). These false religious leaders had abandoned God’s Will and Word in favor of their own fabricated rules. That was a tragic mistake! Jesus subsequently reminds His audience (and us) that dirty hands and different foods don’t make a person Spiritually unclean. Instead it’s the sinful nature that makes a person Spiritually unclean through the wicked words, thoughts and behaviors that it leads us to act out, think, and say. Thank God, then, that Jesus’ holiness has been applied to us, overcoming the wrongs of our sinful natures, and that the Holy Spirit has given us the faith to trust in Christ alone for our righteousness and eternal salvation.
Finally, our Epistle Lesson for today will remind us that Jesus came to earth for especially one purpose/ reason: to defeat the Devil and to destroy his work (of taking our souls to hell)…and He did that for all of us! This morning’s Sermon, then, is based on “The Full Armor of God” chapter – Ephesians 6. Tying this lesson in with today’s other Scripture readings and their truths, we’ll both 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 remain eternally secure through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior, against all Satan’s assaults.
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 –
Lord, open now, my heart to hear And through Your Word to me, draw near;
Let me Your Word e’er pure retain, Let me Your child and heir remain.
Your Word does deeply move the heart, Your Word does perfect health impart,
Your Word my soul with joy does bless, Your Word brings peace and happiness. Amen.
Silent Prayer upon entering the sanctuary
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 119
P: How I love your laws! I meditate on them all day long.
C: Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, + because it is always with me.
P: I have more wisdom than all my teachers, because your testimonies are my meditation.
C: I have more understanding than the elders, + because I guard your precepts.
P: I have kept my feet off every evil path in order to keep your words.
C: I have not turned from your judgments, + because you yourself have instructed me.
P: How sweet are your sayings to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
C: From your precepts I gain understanding. + Therefore, I hate every false road.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 226 “To Your Temple I Draw Near”
1 To your temple I draw near;
Lord, I love to worship here.
Here are sacrament and Word;
Here believers meet their Lord.
2 I through Christ am reconciled;
I through Christ become your child.
Abba, Father, give me grace
In your courts to seek your face.
3 While your glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless
Christ the Lord, my righteousness.
4 While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend.
Hear me, for your Spirit pleads;
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.
5 While I listen to your law,
Fill my soul with holy awe
Till your gospel brings to me
Life and immortality.
6 While your ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in your name,
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear you speaking from the sky.
7 From your house, when I return,
May my heart within me burn,
And at evening let me say,
“I have walked with God today.”
After which, the Congregation will rise as
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; I have done what is evil in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.
(Sung) Lord have mercy on us;
Christ have mercy on us;
Lord, have mercy on us.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, addressing you as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and under His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
(Sung) Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will to men.
We praise You, we bless You, we worship You.
We glorify You, we give thanks to You for Your great glory.
O Lord God heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world. Receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father. Have mercy on us.
For You only are holy. You only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit.
Are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen
The Prayer for This Morning (in Unison)
O Lord God, + in Your grace for us + we humbly ask that you would hear all our prayers + including what we offer now. + Stretch forth Your mighty hand + to defend us from every attack of the Devil, + from every assault of this evil world, + and from every inclination of our sinful human nature, + that we might prove to be faithful to You + in all that we think, say and do + and so bring glory to You. + we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the One God, + forever and ever. + Amen.
We Listen to the Word of God
Today’s Old Testament Lesson Deuteronomy 4:1-8
So now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances that I am teaching you, and carry them out so that you may live and so that you may enter the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving to you and take possession of it. 2 Do not add to the word that I am commanding you, and do not subtract from it, so that you keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you. 3 With your own eyes you have been observing what the Lord did at Baal Peor. Indeed, the Lord your God destroyed from among you every man who followed the Baal of Peor.
4 But all of you, who are clinging to the Lord your God, are still alive today. 5 Note well now, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may carry them out also in the land that you are entering to take as a possession. 6 Keep them and put them into practice, because in this way your wisdom and your understanding will be recognized by all the people who hear about all these statutes; and they will say, “This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people,” 7 because what other great nation is there that has a god as close to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him? 8 What other great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this entire law that I am presenting to you today?
The Epistle 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.
After which the Congregation will rise for
The Gospel Lesson Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
The Pharisees and some of the experts in the law came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. 2
They saw some of his disciples eating bread with unclean (that is, unwashed) hands. 3 In fact, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they scrub their hands with a fist, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions they adhere to, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches. 5 The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead they eat bread with unclean hands.”
6 He answered them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they were doctrines.
8 “You abandon God’s commandment but hold to human tradition like the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.”
……14 He called the crowd to him again and said, “Everyone, listen to me and understand. 15 There is nothing outside of a man that can make him unclean by going into him. But the things that come out of a man are what make a man unclean. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
………..20 He continued, “What comes out of a man, that is what makes a man unclean. 21 In fact, from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual sins, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained immorality, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and make a person unclean.”
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 457 “Fight The Good Fight”
1 Fight the good fight
With all your might;
Christ is your strength and Christ your light.
Lay hold on life, and it shall be
Your joy and crown eternally.
2 Run the straight race
Through God’s good grace;
Lift up your eyes and seek his face.
Life with its way before us lies;
Christ is the path and Christ the prize.
3 Cast care aside,
Lean on your guide;
His boundless mercy will provide.
Lean, and the trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its life and Christ its love.
4 Faint not nor fear;
His arms are near.
He changes not, and you are dear.
Only believe, and you will see
That Christ is Lord eternally.
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 Ephesians 6:10-20
Today’s Epistle Reading
Put God’s Armor On
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.
The Offertory – based on Psalm 51:10-12
(Sung) Create in me a clean heart, O God
And renew a right spirit within Me
Cast me not away from Your presence
And take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation
And uphold me with Your free Spirit. Amen.
Lord, Receive our Offerings and Prayers
The Offerings are gathered and presented to our Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
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) to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
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, all gratefully and humbly returned from us 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
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Our Prayers for This Morning
Included in our prayers for this morning are:
Petitions of Intercession on behalf of:
Tim Pfortmiller, who is undergoing treatments
to eliminate the cancer that is afflicting him;
and
Ruth Strackbein, (Cynthia Tragasz’ mother) who is in hospice care;
and
JoAnne Huebner (Pastor’s mother) who remains in an intensive care unit
in a Saginaw, Michigan Hospital, but who is gradually improving.
Today’s General Prayer
concluding with…..
P 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 Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation (sung) And also with you
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation (sung) We lift them up unto the Lord,
Pastor – Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation (sung) It is good and right so to do.
Pastor – It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who promised that wherever two or three come together in His name, there He is with them to shepherd His flock until He comes again in all His glory. Therefore with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
Congregation
(Sung) Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of heav’nly hosts
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is He. Blessed is He.
Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest
Consecration of the Communion Elements (Pastor)
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – (Sung) Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper (Pastor)
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with our Pastor
about taking communion. Thank you.)
At Grace Lutheran Church, on the basis of what the Bible teaches, we practice what is known as “Close Communion.” That means we are able to offer the Lord’s Supper this morning only to those individuals who – after completing a thorough study with us of the doctrines contained God’s Word – have already publicly committed themselves to be members of our fellowship because of their agreement with those teachings. In so doing we are endeavoring to express our comprehensive commitment (and unity which we – as a Christian congregation – share with each other as members of this fellowship) to all the teachings of the Scriptures. and to our striving to put them fully and faithfully into practice in our ministry.
That “comprehensive commitment” requirement (which our Lord expects of all His children and so of every church – please see Romans 16:17-18; 2 John 10-11; I John 4:1-3; John 8:31-32; Matthew 28:19-20 …among other portions of Scripture that express this) allows us only to offer the Lord’s Supper to those persons who are already committed, confirmed, communicant members of Grace Lutheran congregation, or who have become members of one of the congregations of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
We do this, not to offend anyone, but because the Scriptures teach that only those who are “one,” that is, in complete doctrinal agreement, united in a comprehensive public confession of faith, are to commune together at the same altar (see I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 1:10).
Through membership in a particular congregation or 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 congregation, church body or Lutheran Synod teaches and practices the same things, we at Grace and in the WELS want to be honest in our recognition of the doctrinal/teaching differences that, here on earth, separate us from other church bodies.
To our Guests this morning….. We want you to know that we sincerely appreciate your presence among us today, and we do rejoice that we share faith in Christ with you. Please understand that by asking you to refrain from communing with us this morning we are NOT judging your faith in Christ. What we are doing is expressing – as a congregation – our complete unity of faith in Christ, as well as our joint commitment to all the teachings (doctrines) of God’s Word. Consequently, we hope that you will do us the courtesy of kindly respecting our close communion practice by refraining from taking the Lord’s Supper with us today…
It is our hope that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage anyone among us this morning who is not presently in full doctrinal 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. In fact, we pray that all of our guests – and many others – will one day share with us in this “close” fellowship which we enjoy at Grace Lutheran and in the WELS, by your studying God’s Word with us , by joining us in this joint, comprehensive commitment to His Biblical teachings that our Lord wants us to have with each other, and by committing yourself to membership in our church family.
A brochure further explaining the Biblical basis for this Close Communion practice is available on the entryway tract/brochure rack. We encourage you to carefully examine it – especially the Biblical references within it – and also to speak with our Pastor after the service (or, at your convenience) so that you might better understand and appreciate our Biblically-based “Close Communion” practice.
Thank you for your understanding, your patience, and for your presence here among us this morning.
Distribution Hymn Hymn 311 “Soul, adorn yourself with gladness”
verses 1-4
verses 5-8
1 Soul, adorn yourself with gladness;
Leave behind all gloom and sadness.
Come into the daylight’s splendor;
There with joy your praises render
Unto him whose grace unbounded
Has this wondrous supper founded.
Though he reigns above most holy,
Deigns to dwell with you most lowly.
2 Hasten as a bride to meet him,
And with loving rev’rence greet him,
For with words of life immortal
He is knocking at your portal.
Open wide the gates before him,
Saying, as you there adore him:
Grant, Lord, that I now receive you,
That I nevermore will leave you.
3 He who craves a precious treasure
Neither cost nor pain will measure,
But the priceless gifts of heaven
God to us has freely given.
Though the wealth of earth were proffered,
Naught would buy the gifts here offered:
Christ’s true body, for you riven,
And his blood, for you once given.
4 Now I kneel before you lowly,
Filled with joy most deep and holy,
As with trembling awe and wonder
On your mighty work I ponder,
How by mystery surrounded,
Depths that no one ever sounded.
None may dare to pierce unbidden
Secrets that with you are hidden.
5 Human reason, though it ponders,
Cannot fathom these great wonders,
That Christ’s body must be boundless
Since the souls it feeds are countless,
And that he his blood is giving
With the wine we are receiving.
These great mysteries unsounded
Are by God alone expounded.
6 Lord, by love and mercy driven,
You have left your throne in heaven
On the cross for me to languish
And to die in bitter anguish,
To forgo all joy and gladness
And to shed your blood in sadness.
By this blood redeemed and living,
Lord, I praise you with thanksgiving.
7 Jesus, Sun of life, my Splendor,
Jesus, Friend of friends most tender,
Jesus, Joy of my desiring,
Fount of life, my soul inspiring –
At your feet I cry, my Maker:
Let me be a fit partaker
Of this blessed food from heaven
For our good, your glory, given.
8 Jesus, Lord of life, I pray you,
Let me gladly here obey you.
By your love I am invited;
Be your love with love requited.
By this supper let me measure,
Lord, how vast and deep love’s treasure.
Through the gift of grace you give me
As your guest in heav’n receive me.
After the Lord’s Supper is distributed, the Congregation will be invited to rise
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
P: Hear the prayer of Your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised You here may glorify You in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of Your Son may long for His coming again, and that all who have received in His true body and blood the pledge of Your forgiveness, may be restored to live a new and holy life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
The Benediction – Pastor
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 Hymn 474 “Stand Up Stand Up Jesus”
Stand up, stand up, for Jesus
Ye soldiers of the cross!
Lift high his royal banner;
It must not suffer loss.
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall he lead
Till ev’ry foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.
2 Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this his glorious day!
Ye that are brave, now serve him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger
And strength to strength oppose.
3 Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Stand in his strength alone.
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor;
Each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger,
Be never wanting there.
4 Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle,
The next, the victor’s song.
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory
Shall reign eternally.
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