The Second Sunday after the Festival of the Holy Trinity
The Fourth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
June 29, 2025
I Believe In Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord
Two weeks ago we began a summer worship service and sermon series built around the chief teachings of the Apostles’ Creed. It is our hope that a summer-long, in-depth study of this oldest and most-used of the three “Ecumenical” (used church-wide) Creeds of the Church will prove to be a blessing to all our worshipers, providing you with an opportunity to better appreciate and understand this confession of our Christian faith that nearly all of us learned by heart as young children, carry in our hearts now, and live every day of our lives.
We began our series by examining what the Bible teaches us about the First Person of the Trinity. We talked about how the First Person of the Trinity functions as our Father. Next we spoke about how and why He created everything and how He continues to provide for all of us.
Today we begin to look at what the Scriptures teach about the work of the Second Person of the Trinity, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And therein lies a challenge for every one of us this morning…….to give our undivided attention to words of God that serve as our Scripture lessons and sermon text today – portions of God’s Word that nearly all of us have heard and studied often.
The truths we will be considering today are some of the first lessons we learned as little children. Yet few, if any, of the lessons we’ve learned from God’s Word (and which we’ve reviewed regularly, as we are doing today) are more significant for our souls’ sakes. You see, unless a person knows precisely Who Jesus Christ is, and believes that He accomplished what the Scriptures say He did, he/she cannot be saved. For the eternal welfare of our own souls, and the welfare of all the souls that God allows us to touch, each and every one of us today and every day we must be able to say (anc confess) truthfully and faithfully, “I Believe in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, My/Our Lord.”
As we meditate on the Scriptures today, our study of Who the Second Person of the Trinity is begins in this morning’s Old Testament Lesson which consists of the familiar and oft-recited “Christmas” prophesy of Isaiah stressing that the absolutely unique Child to be born some 700 years after Isaiah served God would not be an ordinary child, but would be the Almighty God Incarnate (in the flesh) Who would reign as Savior and Lord forever and ever.
In this morning’s Epistle Lesson we find Jesus properly described as the “exact representation” of God; in other words, He is truly God –- not just (as many people today wrongly suppose….) an “ordinary,” sinful human being such as we are, or a “created” being whom God the Father supposedly elevated to a position of “a god.” Christ is essentially God in every way…..just as our Nicene Creed affirms when it says of Him that He is, “very God, of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”
Next, in our Gospel Lesson for today Jesus is accused by the Jews of being demon-possessed, but even they are shocked at His response. Instead of arguing with them, He promises eternal life to all who believe His words. Then, their shock turns to rage when Jesus affirms His Deity as the eternal God by describing Himself as the LORD (the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14). “Before Abraham was born, I AM,” He said.
In our Children’s Lesson, using a painted likeness of Jesus, we’ll ask and answer the question “Who Is Jesus?” on the basis of John’s declaration that “He is the true God and eternal life.” By God’s grace, this is the Jesus, the Lord-God, in Whom you and I believe, and through Whom we are saved.
And finally, our Sermon will be based on the words about Jesus that God gave the Apostle Paul to share with the Christians in Philippi, and with us today: “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
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 Almighty God, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, please bless this time that I spend in Your house today. Please increase my faith in You as I hear and meditate upon Your Word. Prepare me, too, for greater works of service to You in Your Kingdom. And motivate me, out of love for You, to give myself more willingly and generously to Your work. Bless our Pastor this morning, as he brings Your Word to us all today – may He teach Your Word faithfully and clearly. Also bless both me and my fellow worshipers that our souls might be enriched this morning through hearing and taking to heart the message of the Scriptures. And finally, please allow all of us, assembled here, to rejoice in and enjoy the Christian fellowship that we are a part of today. May we share it for all eternity! All this I ask, in Jesus’ name and for His sake. Amen.
Pre-service prayer
Pre-worship music
We Begin Our Worship Today
The Greeting and Introduction to Today’s Service
afterward, at the Pastor’s invitation 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 Preparatory Psalm Psalm 33:11-22
P: The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.
C: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, + The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
P: The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
C: From the place of His dwelling + He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;
P: He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
C: No king is saved by the multitude of an army; + A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
P: A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
C: Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
P: To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
C: Our soul waits for the LORD; + He is our help and our shield.
P: For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.
C: Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, + Just as we hope in You.
after which the Congregation will be seated
The Opening Hymn Hymn 341 “Crown Him With Many Crowns”
1 Crown him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon his throne;
Hark how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
2 Crown him the Lord of love —
Behold his hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wond’ring eye
At mysteries so bright.
3 Crown him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those he came to save.
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
4 Crown him the Lord of heav’n,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King to whom is giv’n
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns
As thrones before him fall;
Crown him, ye kings, with many crowns
For he is King of all.
We Confess 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.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, carrying out my office as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
In joyful response to this reassurance of God’s love and forgiveness for us in Christ, please join me now as we sing the praises of our gracious and majestic Lord:
“Majesty” written by Jack Hayford, Rocksmith Music
used with permission, CCLI # 13366699
Majesty, worship His majesty.
Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise.
Majesty….Kingdom authority, flow from His throne,
unto His own, His anthem raise.
So exalt – lift up on high, the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship His majesty. Jesus Who died.
Now glorified. King of all Kings.
The Prayer For This Morning
Dear Jesus Christ, + in spite of the sinfulness that fills our thoughts, words and lives + in love, You chose both to take upon Yourself our human form, + and also to live, suffer, and die + as the Substitute in punishment for all our sin. + You did all this + so that we might be forgiven by Your Father in heaven, + and so that we might be made heirs of everlasting life + through faith alone in You, our Savior and Lord. + How can we ever thank You enough for Your grace? + Through Your Holy Spirit’s working in us + please empower us to live lives of faithfulness + that bring honor and glory to You + confirming through our words, actions, and thoughts, + that You truly are + our early loved Savior, God, and Lord. + All this we ask in Your name, dear Jesus, + For You rule, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, + as the One, True and only God, + now and forever. + Amen.
Feed Us, Lord
The Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 9:6,7
6 For to us a Child is born.
To us a Son is given.
The authority to rule will rest on His shoulders.
He will be named:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no limit to His authority
and no end to the peace He brings.
He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
from now on, into eternity.
The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this..
The Epistle Lesson Hebrews 1:1-6
In the past, God spoke to our forefathers by the prophets at many times and in many ways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He appointed Heir of all things, and through Whom He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the divine nature. He sustains all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
4 The Son became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are My Son. Today I have begotten you?” And again: “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son.” 6 And again, when He brought His firstborn into the world, He said: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
The Congregation will then rise out of respect for the words of the Lord,
The Gospel Lesson John 8:48-59
48 The Jews responded, “Are we not right in saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon. On the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek My own glory. There is One Who seeks it, and He is the Judge. 51 Amen, Amen, I tell you: If anyone holds on to My word, he will certainly never see death.”
52 So the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets. Yet You say, ‘If anyone holds on to My word, he will certainly never taste death.’ 53 You are not greater than our father, Abraham, are You? He died. And the prophets died. Who do You think you are?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is My Father Who glorifies Me, about Whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 Yet you do not really know Him, but I do know Him. If I said, ‘I do not know Him,’ I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I hold on to His word. 56 Your father Abraham was glad that he would see My day. He saw it and rejoiced.”
57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t even fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Before Abraham was born, I AM.” 59 Then they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and left the temple area .
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
The Children’s Lesson I John 5:20
We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him Who is true. And we are in Him Who is true, in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
“Who Is Jesus…Really?”
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 368 “O Savior, Precious Savior”
1 O Savior, precious Savior,
Whom, yet unseen, we love,
O name of might and favor,
All other names above,
We worship thee; we bless thee;
To thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise thee and confess thee,
Our holy Lord and King.
2 O Bringer of salvation,
Who wondrously hast wrought,
Thyself the revelation
Of love beyond our thought,
We worship thee; we bless thee;
To thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise thee and confess thee,
Our gracious Lord and King.
3 In thee all fullness dwelleth,
All grace and pow’r divine;
The glory that excelleth,
O Son of God, is thine.
We worship thee; we bless thee;
To thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise thee and confess thee,
Our glorious Lord and King.
4 Oh, grant the consummation
Of this our song above
In endless adoration
And everlasting love!
Then shall we praise and bless thee
Where perfect praises ring
And evermore confess thee,
Our Savior and our King.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! Amen.
The Sermon Text Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We Believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son, Our Lord!
after which the Congregation will rise 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 Respond To God’s Word
through our Offering and Prayers
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
after the offerings are received,
at the invitation of the pastor, the Congregation will rise for
The Prayers of the Church
In our prayers this morning we include:
A Petition of Intercession…..for our brother, Tim Pfortmiller,
as He continues to receive treatments for cancer, and as He also anticipates a future surgical procedure
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.
Now Dismiss Us, Lord
Brothers and sisters, now go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. And Serve the Lord in gladness.
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 “Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ”
To the melody: Edelweiss
(cwh, 1987)
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ
Ev’ry morning You greet me
Through the day, on my way;
You are with me to keep me.
Here in this world may I live for Thee
Live for Thee forever.
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Master, King, and Redeemer
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
As a Babe so lowly
Came to die, crucified,
Son of God most holy,
Rose on the third day to live again,
Live again, forever.
Take my life, fill my life,
Use my life, dear Lord Jesus.
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Friend and Savior Who loves me;
You are mine, I am Thine,
Keep me always beside Thee.
All of my days, I will sing Your praise,
Sing Your praise forever.
Take my life, fill my life,
Use my life, dear Lord Jesus.
silent prayer,
announcements,
post service music