The Sixth Sunday after the Festival of the Holy Trinity
known also as The Eighth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
July 11, 2021
Noah’s Ark…..A Symbol of God’s Salvation
If you want to see Noah’s Ark today, you don’t have to travel to modern-day eastern Turkey and then trek into the Ararat Mountains. Instead, all you have to do is drive to the east, just few states from Arkansas. You’ll find the ark located in our own United States, just outside Williamstown, KY. Actually, what you’ll find is an impressive replica of the Ark, built to the specifications of Scripture.
Of course, what we are talking about as historical fact, Noah’s Ark, is something that many people – even some who claim to be Christians – regard as nothing more than a myth, a fable, or a legend. Deniers of the Great Flood and of Noah’s Ark have a variety of reasons for doing so, but ultimately we can say that such individuals not only refuse to accept the historicity of the Flood account in Genesis 6-9, they refuse to accept the Bible’s inspiration and inerrancy….because they refuse to submit themselves and their human-generated religious ideas to the ever-true Word of God. They do so to their spiritual peril.
Regarding the truthfulness of the Bible’s account of Noah, the Ark and the Flood….this story is critical to our salvation insofar as Jesus, Himself, affirmed that it actually happened in today’s Gospel Lesson (from Matthew 24). If the Ark and Flood story is a “myth,” then Jesus is a liar. And if Jesus is a liar, then He is not without sin, and an imperfect person can never be my Savior or yours….and so – if it were true that Christ wasn’t telling the truth – we would be lost eternally in our sins. Thank God the story of Noah’s Ark is true, and that Jesus – our Perfect Savior – acknowledged its truthfulness for us in our Gospel Lesson.
Now, concerning the Ark itself…..Noah’s ark was an impressive, massive ship, built at God’s command and according to His Divine design. It not only saved Noah and his family, it also preserved representatives of every kind of land-dependent, air-breathing animal from the global flood that look place some 4300 years ago, and which destroyed all life on earth (other than what swam in the water and what survived on the ark). We’ll especially talk about the ark as God’s means of salvation for Noah and his family in today’s Sermon. As we do, we’ll also see it as a “type” (or Old Testament representation) of Christ as our one and only Savior from our wickedness, and for heaven. In fact, today’s Children’s Lesson will also speak about that human salvation through the ark, comparing it to the gifts of faith, forgiveness and eternal salvation that God gives us through the Sacrament of Baptism.
Depending on how a “cubit’s length” is determined (see below) the Ark was either about 450 long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high….or, it could have been as large as 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high. For just over a year it housed Noah’s family of 8, plus several thousand animals that God brought into the safety of the ark. God He preserved this remnant in order to later repopulate the earth following the global flood that He had caused as a judgment against the thoroughly wicked world of that time. Noah’s ark eventually came to rest on the “mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4), and Noah’s family, along with all the animals that were saved from the flood, eventually left the ark to spread throughout the world.
As far as what Noah’s Ark looked like, our Sermon Text gives us its description in Genesis 6:14-16: “Make an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark. Seal it inside and outside with pitch. This is how you are to make it: The length of the ark is to be 450 feet, its width 75 feet, and its height 45 feet. Make a roof for the ark, and leave an eighteen-inch opening just under the roof. Place a door on the side of the ark. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.” (EHV)
In all probability, Noah’s ark was the largest wooden ship EVER built….AND it was perfectly constructed over 120 years by Noah in dimensions that were optimal for any sailing vessel….but especially for one that had to survive for an entire year with history’s most important cargo ever. The ark’s size, capability and survivability are, in themselves, a testament to God’s perfect directions, since the inexperienced Noah had almost certainly never built any kind of ship before (he lived miles and miles from any significant body of water), much less a ship of such revolutionary size.
For us to understand how massive the ark actually was, it’s important to know what a “cubit” was. A cubit was an ancient measurement of length based on the distance from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger. The actual length of a cubit varied between different ancient groups of people. Though the ark’s cubit length remains uncertain, it might well have been a long or royal cubit (between 20.4 and 20.6 inches), since many ancient structures were built according to long/royal cubits.
A regular cubit was approximately 18 inches in length. Based on it, the ark would have been 450 feet long, 75feet wide and 45 feet tall. On the other hand, a “royal cubit” was 20.4 inches long. If the ark was measured by royal cubits, it could have been as large as 510 feet long (slightly longer than one and one half football fields); 85 feet wide (nearly as wide as a football field); and 51 feet high (approximately the height of a modern, four story home; that’s plenty of space for the three extra-tall inner decks that the Bible describes). It’s interesting that the ark roughly had the same storage capacity as about 450 standard semi-trailers. Since a standard livestock trailer holds around 250 sheep, the Ark would have had the capacity to accommodate at least 120,000 sheep. That is simply mind-boggling!
As we also noted earlier, a life-sized Ark exists today that you can tour as part of a Biblical Creationism/ Great Flood museum complex outside Williamstown, Kentucky. The ark there has been built to the dimensions provided in the Bible (see above). Impressively, over 3.1 million board feet of timber were used in the construction of this replica! (A board foot is 12 inches by 12 inches by 1 inch. So, in board feet [laid end to end] there is enough timber in the replica to go from Williamstown, Kentucky to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania….a distance of over 610 miles.)
Exactly why did God tell Noah to build an Ark in “the middle of nowhere?” The Bible answers that question for us in Genesis 6:11-13: “In the sight of God the earth was morally corrupt, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked at the earth and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh was corrupt in all their ways on the earth. So God said to Noah, ‘I have decreed the end of all flesh, because the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.’” Both Jesus, in our Gospel Lesson, and Peter, in today’s Epistle Lesson, speak about the wickedness that permeated the world of that day, and that moved God to bring an act of judgement against the entire world that is second only to the final judgment and destruction of the world by fire that will occur on the Last Day.
Ever since Adam’s sin, the world had grown increasingly more rebellious. Because of the prevalence of corruption, violence, and unbelief God had determined that He would destroy mankind and all land-dwelling, air-breathing animals on the earth. Nevertheless, He gave His created beings 120 years of grace (during which time the ark was built) to repent. But repentance was not forthcoming….even with an object-lesson as remarkable as the ark that Noah was building, as well as the in spite of the preaching that Noah did during that time (see Hebrews 11:7). Noah, as a righteous, believing man, found favor with God (Genesis 6:8). As a result, God had mercy on mankind by saving righteous Noah and his family from His impending judgment of the earth. Following the flood Noah, in essence, would become a “second Adam” along with his family. God would – and did – employ them to repopulate the earth. Sadly, their descendants – being sinners too – would eventually rebel against and reject the LORD. We see that evidence all around us in today’s world, don’t we?
There are many “Flood Traditions,” in addition to the unique truths about the Great Flood that we learn only from Scripture. In fact, there are over 200 myths and legends from all over the world about a major flood. Of course, since the Bible is God’s Word, we know with certainty that the true account of the Flood has been recorded for us, under Divine inspiration, by Moses and is found in Genesis 6–9. The many flood stories of various cultures the world over are the uninspired re-tellings (but, to an extent, also confirmations) about the real event recorded in Scripture. Unfortunately, over the centuries all these other stories have become greatly distorted. The earliest “other” records of the Biblical Flood event date back some two thousand years prior to Jesus’ birth. Some of these traditions are actually older than Moses’s inspired writings (which date between 1450 and 1410 BC), but that only confirms that these other stories were written earlier than the authoritative Genesis account…..not that their contents are original or correct. Perhaps the most famous of them is known as “The Epic of Gilgamesh” and comes from the area of Mesopotamia. It speaks about the construction of a special boat, as well as the destruction of all humanity, other than for Gilgamesh and the humans and animals that were with him. Other stories about a great flood have been found in the records of the indigenous peoples of Hawaii, China, Greece, India, South America and Thailand.
Finally, as far as where the real Noah’s Ark can be found today, the truth is that we just don’t know where – or even if – it exists any longer. Nor should its existence matter to us as Christians, since we already possess God’s perfect account of what happened at that time in our Bible. Still, over the last hundred years or so, dozens of individuals have claimed that they have located Noah’s Ark. Most of these modern searches have focused on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. For example, in 1949 photographs of the northwest side of Mount Ararat were taken by a United States intelligence agency. Something very large can be seen jutting out of the ice and snow. However, the object in the images could be nothing more than a natural rock formation. A man named George Hagopian claimed that when he was a young boy in 1908, his uncle took him up Mount Ararat to the Ahora Gorge area. Hagopian said they found a large ship, and that he walked on its roof. At least a dozen expeditions have explored the Ahora Gorge since then, but to date, none has found the remains of Noah’s Ark. Another suggested location for the ark is the Durupinar Formation that is also part of the Ararat Mountain range. This “ark-shaped” formation lies approximately 15 miles from the summit of Mount Ararat. It was popularized by Ron Wyatt, who claimed to have found numerous artifacts in the vicinity to corroborate his claims. Many consider this to be the site of the remains of Noah’s ark, but the Durupinar site appears to be just one of many similar-looking geologic formations in this region of Turkey. Ultimately, if the ark exists, it will probably never be found anywhere but where it needs to be found (and where we find it today)…..among the pages of God’s inspired Word!
Pre-Service Prayer
In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I thank You my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, for keeping me through the night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. Into Your hands I commit my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the Devil may have no power over me. 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
Prayer upon entering the worship area Pre-service Music
Pre-service hymn singing, beginning at 9:25 a.m.
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Welcoming and Invitation to Worship
At the Pastor’s Invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Responsive Reading for Today Psalm 73
P: Surely God is good to Israel, to the pure in heart.
C: But as for me, my feet almost slipped out from under me. + I almost lost my footing. + I even envied the arrogant when I observed the peace of the wicked.
P: For there are no struggles at their death. Their bodies are sturdy. They do not have the trouble common to people. They are not plagued along with the rest of mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace. They wear violence like clothing. Their eyes bulge out of their fat. The schemes of their hearts step over boundaries. They mock. They speak maliciously. From a high perch they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens. Their tongues strut around on earth.
C: Therefore God’s people turn to them, + and they drink it all in. + They say, “How can God know? + Does the Most High have knowledge?” + See, this is what the wicked are like — secure forever, they increase in strength.
P: Have I really kept my heart pure for nothing? Have I kept my hands clean in vain? I have been plagued all day. My punishment comes every morning. If I had said, “I will speak like this,” I would certainly have betrayed the circle of Your children.
C: When I tried to understand this, it was very troubling to me, + until I went to the sanctuary of God. + Then I understood their end.
P: Surely You place them on slippery places. You cause them to fall into destruction. How quickly they come to ruin, completely destroyed by terrors! They are like a dream when someone wakes up. So when You arise, O Lord, You will despise them like an illusion.
C: Yes, my heart was bitter, + and I was torn up inside. + I was unthinking and ignorant. + I was a dumb animal before You. + Yet I am always with You. + You hold me by my right hand. + With Your guidance you lead me, + and afterward, You will take me to glory. + Who else is there for me in heaven? + And besides You, I desire no one else on earth.
P: My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the Rock of my heart and my Portion forever. No doubt about it! Those who are far from You will perish. You destroy all who commit adultery against You.
C: As for me, God’s nearness is good for me. + I have made the Lord God my Refuge, so that I can tell about all Your works.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 234 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your Health and Salvation!
Let all who hear Now to His temple draw near, Joining in glad adoration!
2 Praise to the Lord, Who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen All that is needful has been Sent by His gracious ordaining?
3 Praise to the Lord, Who has fearfully, wondrously, made you,
Health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you.
What need or grief ever has failed of relief? Wings of His mercy did shade you.
4 Praise to the Lord, Who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew What the Almighty can do As with His love He befriends you.
5 Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again; Gladly forever adore Him!
After which the Congregation will rise for
The Confession of Sins
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 with 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
Almighty God, Heavenly Father, + through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, + You have overcome death + and opened the gates of everlasting life to us and all who believe. + Calm our troubled, fearful consciences + with the peace and assurance that comes + from knowing that in Christ our sins are all forgiven, + and that we cannot be condemned for them – because He suffered that condemnation for us. + Also, through Your grace, + fill us with a greater measure of Your Holy Spirit, + that we might produce the kind of fruits of faith in our daily lives + that honor and glorify You + and that clearly prove to others + the validity and blessings of the Christian faith which we profess today. + And when our days on earth finally come to an end + grant us the privilege and blessing + of entering into everlasting life in heaven + in all its completeness and joy, + through the merits and for the sake + of Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord and Savior + Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one, true God, now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The Epistle Lesson II Peter 3:3-14
3 First, know this: In the last days scoffers will come with their mocking, following their own lusts. 4 They will say, “Where is this promised coming of His? For from the time that our fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have from the beginning of the creation.” 5 You see, what they are intentionally forgetting is that the heavens came into existence long ago by the word of God and that the earth came together out of the water and between the waters. 6 Through these waters the former world perished, when it was flooded with water. 7 And now, by that same word, the heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: For the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to do what He promised, as some consider slowness. Instead, He is patient for your sakes, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to His promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, dear friends, as you look forward to these things, make every effort to be found in peace, spotless and blameless in his sight.
After which the Congregation will rise
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 24:38-44
36 “No one knows when that day and hour will be, not the angels of heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father. 37 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man returns. 38 In fact, in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the very day that Noah entered the ark. 39 And they did not realize what was coming until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man returns.
40 “At that time two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 So be alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: If the master of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 You also need to be ready for this reason: The Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.
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 I Peter 3:17-21
17 Indeed, it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, 18 because Christ also suffered once for sins in our place, the Righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in flesh but was made alive in spirit, 19 in Which He also went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20 These spirits disobeyed long ago, when God’s patience was waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. 21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Like the Ark used for Noah…..God uses Baptism to save You
The Hymn of the Day “The World Is Very Evil” (TLH 605)
The world is very evil, The times are waxing late,
Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate;
The Judge Who comes in mercy, The Judge Who comes with might,
Who comes to end the evil, Who comes to crown the right.
Arise, arise, good Christian, Let right to wrong succeed;
Let penitential sorrow To heavenly gladness lead,
To the light that has no evening, That knows nor moon nor sun,
The light so new and golden, The light that is but one:
O sweet and blessèd country, The home of God’s elect!
O sweet and blessèd country That eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us To that dear land of rest;
You are, with God the Father, And Spirit, ever blest. Amen
after which the Congregation will REMAIN seated for
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ! And grace and peace to you from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come. Amen.
The Sermon Text Genesis 6:5-8, 13-16, 22
Genesis 7:1-6, 17-18, 23-24
Genesis 8:1, 3-5, 13-17, 20-22
6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that all the thoughts and plans they formed in their hearts were only evil every day. 6 The Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with sorrow. 7 The Lord said, “I will wipe out mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, along with the animals, the creeping things, and the birds of the sky, because I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord…….13 So God said to Noah…..14 “Make an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark. Seal it inside and outside with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: The length of the ark is to be 450 feet, its width 75 feet, and its height 45 feet. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and leave an eighteen-inch opening just under the roof. Place a door on the side of the ark. Make it with lower, second, and third decks…..22 So that is what Noah did. He did everything that God commanded him, just as he had been told.
7:1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and your entire household, for I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 From every clean animal take with you seven pairs, a male and his female. From the animals that are not clean, take two, a male and his female. 3 Also from the clean birds of the sky take seven and seven, male and female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female to keep their offspring alive on the face of the whole earth. 4 In seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. Every living thing that I have made, I will wipe off the face of the earth.” 5 Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came, and water covered the earth…..17 The flood kept coming on the earth for forty days. The waters became deeper and lifted up the ark until it floated high above the earth. 18 The water kept increasing and overwhelmed the earth, and the ark was carried along on the surface of the water….. 23 Every living thing that was on the face of the earth was wiped out, including mankind, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They all were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, as well as those who were with him in the ark. 24 The waters overwhelmed the earth for one hundred fifty days.
8:1 God remembered Noah, as well as all the animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark…..After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had decreased. 4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters receded continuously until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible…..13 And so in the six hundred first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked out. He saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 God spoke to Noah. He said, 16 “Go out of the ark—you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of every sort that is with you, all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may swarm over the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
20 Noah built an altar to the Lord and took from every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasant aroma. The Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the soil anymore because of man, for the thoughts he forms in his heart are evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike every living thing, as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
Noah’s Ark: Symbol of Divine Judgment
and Source of Divine Salvation
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 Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate today, as we would during a regular worship service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Bring Our Prayers Before the Lord
Included in our prayers this morning are:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of Carl Boettcher, who is recovering at
Mercy Hospital from a heart procedure this past Thursday; also
A Prayer of Intercession for Janet Milas, as she continues to undergo rehabilitation therapy at Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital in Fayetteville; and
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Debbie and Ralph Terrian, whose anniversary is this Saturday
The Prayer for This Morning
The Lord’s Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom
Prayer 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 Benediction
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD look with favor upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 330 “Now the Hour of Worship Oe’r”
1 Now, the hour of worship o’er, Teaching, hearing, praying, singing,
Let us gladly God adore, For His Word our praises bringing;
For the rich repast He gave us Praise the Lord, Who deigned to save us.
2 Now the blessing cheers our heart, By His grace to us extended.
Let us joyfully depart; Be our souls to God commended.
May His Spirit ever guide us And with all good gifts provide us.
Bless our going out, we pray, Bless our entrance in like measure;
Bless our bread, O Lord, each day, Bless our toil, our rest, our pleasure;
Bless us when we reach death’s portal, Bless us then with life immortal.
Announcements
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Benevolence: $1 Sunday School: 4 Bible Class: 22 Online views: 12 Tuesday Bible Class: 15
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Pre-service Hymn Singing, 9:25 a.m. Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship Time, 10:40-11:00 a.m. Bible Class / Sunday School – 11:05 a.m.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Church Council Meeting, 6 p.m.
Saturday Outreach Calling, leaving from church at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship, with the Lord’s Supper 9:30 am Fellowship 10:40 am Bible Class/Sunday School, 11 a.m.
Church Council Meeting Reminder …..we will meet this Tuesday (July 13) at 6 p.m.
Birthday & Anniversary This Week: July 16 Amy Bruns; July 17 Debbie & Ralph Terrian;
TEN MINUTES WITH JESUS – Ladies…..This Wednesday from 6-6:10 p.m. please consider participating in a phone-in short devotion and group prayer opportunity. To do this, call 1-605-313-5470 and, when asked, dial in the access code, which is 334077#.
This Week’s Bible Classes ……..In this morning’s Adult Bible Study we are continuing our newly-started study of Paul’s two letters to the Church in Corinth. Today we’ll be studying chapters one and two of this book. Our overall theme is: “God’s People in a Hostile Society” (Certainly it’s a fitting study for us all, given the situations in our church and our society today). On Tuesday morning, from 10:30-11:30 am, we’ll study I Kings 21-22, exploring the story of Naboth’s Vineyard, as well as the deaths of Ahab and Jezebel. If you can’t attend in person, do consider participating over the phone. Call 1-701-802-5405, then dial 7519304#. We also broadcast this Bible class over YouTube.com. (You can find us on YouTube under “Grace Lutheran Church & Academy.”)
For Daily Devotions sent to Your Computer or Phone consider subscribing to the excellent devotions available from www.whataboutjesus.com. Go to the drop down menu for “worship” on the far right of the home page. Devotions can be found there, but at the bottom is a subscribe button. It delivers those devotions to your phone, computer or tablet.
Outreach Calling/Visitation this coming Saturday morning, we’ll be making outreach visits, leaving from church at 10:30 a.m. and returning before noon. If you would be inclined to help (and we really could use your help!), please volunteer yourself to Pastor.