The Eighteenth after the Festival of the Holy Trinity
also known as the Twentieth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
October 11, 2020
“Questions God’s People (and others) Often Ask”
Do I Have the Right to be Angry?
Bruce Goodrich was being initiated into the cadet corps at Texas A & M
University. Late the night of August 30, 1984, he was forced to run until he dropped — but he never got up. Bruce died of heat stroke and exhaustion that night, before he even formally entered college at Texas A & M.
A short time after the tragedy, Bruce’s father wrote this letter to the administration, faculty, student body, and the corps of cadets: “I would like to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of my family for the great outpouring of concern and sympathy from Texas A & M University and the college community over the loss of our son Bruce. We were deeply touched by the tribute paid to him in the battalion. We were particularly pleased to note that his Christian witness did not go unnoticed during his brief time on campus.”
Mr. Goodrich went on: “I hope it will be some comfort to know that we harbor no ill will in the matter. We know our God makes no mistakes. Bruce had an appointment with his Lord and is now secure in his celestial home. When the question is asked, ‘Why did this happen?’ perhaps one answer will be, ‘So that many will consider where they will spend eternity.'”
Bruce’s father grieved over his son’s death, yet he was not angry toward those responsible. Many might say, “he has a right and reason to be angry.” But Mr. Goodrich believed — just as God teaches us in His Word — “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). He understood that his son’s tragic death was part of God’s eternal plan for Bruce, for him and his family, and for many others….including those who had a hand in his death. And so, rather than be angry….Mr. Goodrich chose to forgive…fully….freely….from the heart.
Anger is an emotion……one of the most intense and — if not handled properly — most destructive emotions we can have. Anger can arise in every setting and situation in life, such as at work, in the family, through our relationships with others, at church, when we’re all alone, and even through someone else’s wrong doing.
Many Christians operate under the false conception that anger is always sinful. The fact is that anger, per se, is neither good nor bad. It is how people use their anger that makes it sinful, or not. In the Scriptures there are many examples of anger being exhibited or expressed in sinful ways (like Cain’s anger in today’s Old Testament Lesson). But sometimes anger can be expressed in a righteous, godly way. For example, anger can serve as an emotional signal for us indicating that something is spiritually wrong in us and needs to be changed. Anger can also be expressed by Christians properly (with restraint…) in connection with the sinful failures of others to honor and love God and uphold His will. We are offended, even angry, that God’s will is being violated.
If all anger were sinful, then we wouldn’t find the many references to God’s anger that occur throughout the Old Testament. (There are approximately 365 references to God’s anger and 80 references to man’s anger.) Actually, the Bible shows us that there are two types of anger: righteous and unrighteous. Since God is holy, we must understand His anger is His righteous response to human sin and rebellion. At the same time, over and over we also read that God is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).
In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us about some of the things that righteously anger God. For example, Jesus expressed righteous anger when He drove the money-changers out of the temple courts in John 2 and in Matthew 21. He was properly angry because they had made God’s house a marketplace; they had cheated people and prevented them from worshiping God by perverting the worship of the LORD (which also meant worship that was due Jesus Himself!). He also became angry with the Pharisees in today’s Gospel Lesson because of their heartlessness. They wanted Him to keep the rules they had made for the Sabbath, and they had no compassion for the man with the shriveled hand whom Jesus healed (Mark 3:5). Jesus was also quite indignant, or angry, when the disciples tried to prevent people from bringing children to Him (see Mark 10:14). Since Jesus was sinless, these occasions when He became righteously angry show us that all anger is not sin.
The Bible says Moses was more meek than anyone else on earth (Numbers 12:3), yet several times he acted and spoke in great anger — sometimes properly, sometimes improperly. For example, in Exodus 2 Moses sees an Egyptian oppressing a Hebrew slave. He became angry in an ungodly way and attacked the Egyptian, killing him. Moses knew that what he had done was wrong because he went so far as to bury the Egyptian’s body in sand to hide it. But then there’s the story in Exodus 32:19-24. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the law of God, Israel began worshiping a golden calf. When he saw this, “Moses’ anger became hot” (v19), so much so that people could see that he was angry (v22). He spoke strongly to the people and he punished them in his righteous anger (cf. vv 25-29). Later, in Numbers 16:15 when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram led a rebellion against Moses’ leadership, “Moses was very angry.” He spoke in anger (vv 16ff), and even prayed to God in anger. Moses wasn’t angry because he was being personally attacked so much, but because the rebels where also dishonoring the LORD Who had appointed Moses as Israel’s leader.
We also have some examples of righteous anger from men in the New Testament. One of them comes from 2 Corinthians 7:11. In obedience to Paul’s inspired teaching (1 Cor. 5), the congregation in Corinth had disciplined and expelled an impenitent member guilty of the sin of incest. Paul praised them for their righteous “indignation.” In Ephesians 4:26 (today’s Epistle Lesson), Paul urges his readers to “Be angry, and do not sin.” Can we obey this passage? Yes we can….IF our anger is righteous. In certain situations (where God’s Word, honor and love are being violated ) anger may be justifiable. But please note this: every
“justifiable” case listed above involves being angry at sin…..not angry at and vengeful toward a sinful person. Sin ought to anger Christians, but in every moment of righteous anger we have to carefully control our response, because it’s easy for us to go too far in our righteous anger and end up being sinfully angry.
While anger can be righteous, it is typically unrighteous, and so is decidedly sinful. One of the chief problems with anger is that it leads us to lose control of our conduct and lash out with foolish words or actions that hurt others (as well as ourselves) and which might be regretted later. Anger usually stems for feelings of entitlement gone awry. We become upset, bitter, aggressive, even hateful, because (in our sinful pride) we feel we are not getting the right response, respect or some other result to which we have convinced ourselves we are entitled. That was the prophet Jonah’s problem in today’s Sermon Text. He didn’t want to serve the Ninevites for the purpose of saving their souls. He hated them and wanted God to destroy — not deliver — them. Jonah cared more for his own personal comfort than for their conversion, but through a divine object lesson involving a withered shade-vine, Jonah would learn that God cares for every soul — from the population of Nineveh, to Jonah. Incidentally, anger is always the opposite of God-pleasing contentment, kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)…..virtues that were in short supply in Jonah’s heart…..and which could be more abundantly evident in our hearts, words and actions as well.
Cain, from today’s First Lesson, is — perhaps — the ultimate example of destructive anger in Scripture. His destructive anger came over him simply because the LORD had rejected Cain’s offering but had accepted his brother Abel’s offering. In his sinful pride, Cain became so angry that he killed Abel…..even though Abel had done nothing wrong. (Remember, anger at sin can be justified, but — ironically – Cain was angry at someone who was righteous.) Cain was the one who did wrong in bringing God an inadequate, “left over” offering…..and yet he was upset with God because God did not accept his selfish conduct. How sinfully foolish! A second point about unrighteous anger: Cain’s anger was clearly sinful because it drove him to murder his brother. Unrighteous anger nearly always results in injury of spirit or body…whether to others, or the perpetrator.
Believe it or not, anger can be controlled — as God the Holy Spirit enables and empowers us. We’ve already cited some situations in which Jesus expressed righteous anger…..but though He might have been tempted to drift from righteous into unrighteous anger, He never sinned that way (Hebrews 4:15). Our Savior controlled His anger…..and you and I can control ours too by focusing it on the “sin” — not on the people who commit the sin (that doesn’t mean we have to approve of them, personally). That’s what Moses, Paul and the Christians in Corinth did. Today’s Children’s Lesson (Proverbs 16:32) reminds us that the person who controls his temper and is slow to anger, is the one who rules his spirit. That person is more powerful than someone one who captures a city. In other words, you and I can restrain that impulse to unrighteous anger, since God enables and expects us to do so. Scripture refers to this as the essential Christian characteristic of “self control” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27; 2 Peter 1:5-8; Galatians 5:22,23). You and I need to keep in mind that God doesn’t leave us alone, or let us stay powerless to face the challenge of unrighteous anger. We know from 1 Corinthians 10:13 that we do not ever face any temptation that is beyond our ability to handle with God’s help….including the temptation to lose our temper. God will provide us with a way to escape…..provided we come to Him in prayer for strength, and find our guidance in His Word (and not our feelings or the advice of others). That’s why you and I never really have an excuse for disobeying God and letting anger get the better of us. To say “I just can’t control my temper” is to say God is not faithful….and how dare we do that? What we need to do is to rely on God’s way of escape.
Furthermore, all of us already know how to control our tempers……when it is important enough for us to do so. For example, consider that mother who has had a terrible day. The washer leaked all over the floor, supper was burned, she broke her favorite bowl, the kids tracked mud onto her clean floor as they fought with each other…..and so she exploded, yelling at her kids. Just then, the phone rings. It’s her best friend. Suddenly she is quite capable of calmly carrying on a polite, anger-less conversation. She “managed” her anger, didn’t she? Then there’s this scenario: Dad’s out working on the car, but the parts store gave him the wrong part. When he finally gets the right part, and gets it on, the car still won’t run. Tightening up the last nut, his wrench slips and splits his knuckle. He’s screaming and using profanity. In that painful moment, a car pulls in the driveway; it’s the preacher who’s come for a visit. Suddenly he is calm and polite. We can control our anger when we really want to, can’t we? And if we can control our temper for the sake of other people, why won’t we do it for the people closest to us….and especially for God, Who sees and hears everything we do? Isn’t your God important enough for you to try to do better at controlling your anger for His glory?
So, how can we better control all that unrighteous anger that oozes out of all of us — often at the most inconvenient times? Well, it all starts with faithful study of the Scriptures, and with putting God’s Word to work in our daily lives. The inspired Psalmist put it well in Psalm 119:105 when he wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s Word will instruct us in how to better manage, and even overcome, the temptation to be sinfully angry. Since Jesus (in Matthew 4) dealt with Satan’s temptations by quoting Scripture — and it worked!…..then so can you and I. Why not put together a list of passages about anger, then study and memorize them? Whenever you’re tempted to lose your temper, quote or read them. Let the Word work in you to righteously manage any unrighteous anger!
Also, when you do sin by succumbing to unrighteous anger, admit your sin and repent of it….clinging to God’s promises of forgiveness for your transgressions (Acts 8:22). Trust, too, that as He assures you of His forgiveness, He also promises you the spiritual
support and strength you need to resist temptation (I Peter 5:7). So don’t forget to ask for God’s help especially when facing then temptation to be sinfully angry. Furthermore, don’t forget to pray for those who spitefully use you and test you to become angry (Luke 6:27,28) Besides, praying for others helps us overcome our bitterness and develop a spirit of concern and good will toward them….even if they won’t apologize or take any steps to change their behavior toward you. Look at how Jesus prayed for His enemies on the cross, asking His Father (and ours) to forgive them (Luke 23:34). Also, ask others to pray for you as you deal with this temptation (James 5:16). In addition, be careful of whom your associates are. If you associate with people who regularly lose their temper, you’re far more likely to become an angry person like them. (Proverbs 22:24,25 ; I Corinthians 15;33).
This next suggestion might seem obvious, but most angry people do the opposite. By losing your temper and getting angry, you might actually think that your outburst is working to solve whatever is causing the problem. Actually, in almost every case all you’re doing is lashing out at the person who hurt (or who you think has hurt) you. Instead of attacking the real source of our problems, we consistently tend to attack the person. You and I need to do a better job of collecting our thoughts before impulsively, immediately and angrily reacting to whatever….. We also need to keep in mind that the issue is not WHO angered me, but WHAT happened to anger me. All of us can do a better job of learning and practicing how to distinguish “the act” from “the person.” Striking out at others….(or at inanimate objects for those who like to angrily punch, kick or throw things)…..never solves the problem. In addition, let’s remember that the vast majority of problems are not “worth” getting angry over anyway. Let’s work to distinguish the real, serious problems from the imaginary or unimportant ones….and it isn’t that hard to make that distinction, not if we pause for a few moments, ponder the problem and pray about it.
And if your “problem” is a person, then — in Christian love — go talk to the individual who is causing the problem for you with the goal of working out a God-pleasing solution that helps him or her repent and be more godly (Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 18:15-17; Ephesians 4:25-26, 29). But please be sure that you don’t simply say whatever comes to mind or whatever you feel like saying — particularly if what you’re thinking of saying is hurtful or hateful. Expressing anger righteously means that the focus is not on you and your feelings or hurts; it’s on God, Whose will and honor and been violated…..and on the SOUL of the person who has committed the sin. And please don’t drag out old wrongs either. Graciously, kindly, lovingly, simply say what is necessary to address the issue and to solve the problem in a God-pleasing (rather than self-satisfying) manner. If it won’t help solve the problem and edify others, then we don’t need to say it (Ephesians 4:29)! In addition, be willing to listen to what the other person is saying (James 1:19; Matthew 7:3-5).
Finally, don’t forget to apologize to those people you’ve hurt with your anger (Matthew 5:23,24; Luke 17:3,4). Be personally accountable for your anger and its sinful effect on others. If your conversation demonstrates you’ve been wrong, then say, “I repent.” “I apologize.” “I was wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me.” If we’d all do more of this, just imagine how many damaged families would be reconciled, how many church members would be reconciled, how many friends and neighbors would be reconciled!
As with all sins, God does not just tell us what to stop doing. Through His Spirit working in the Word and Sacraments, He actually gives us the Spiritual strength to starting doing what is pleasing in His sight, as well as what is best for us and others, by enabling us to live more Godly lives. Without a doubt, anger is a deep-seated, usually sinful habit and a problem that all of us have to varying degrees. But with God’s help, great changes for the better can come in all our lives. And when we do fail, as we inevitably will, being sinners who live in a sinful world, we always have the blessed assurance — and motivation — that our sins have all, already been forgiven fully, freely and forever for the sake of Jesus Christ our perfect, crucified, risen and reigning Savior……Whose only expressions of anger were always righteous. May we all follow more faithfully and more frequently in His footsteps!
An Invitation To You If you have no church home of your own, and/or are looking for religious truth and spiritual certainty as a foundation for your life and for your eternal future, we invite you to become a part of this Christian fellowship called Grace Lutheran Church. For further information on becoming a member of our church family, please speak with our Pastor after today’s worship service, or at your convenience. We thank you for the opportunity to serve you with God’s Word and to have you as a part of our worshiping family today. We do hope that you will worship and study with us again soon, and often. Please know that you will always be welcome at Grace Lutheran Church. May God bless you, now and always…..in Jesus’ name.
Scripture quotations in this worship flyer, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the EVANGELICAL HERITAGE VERSION of the Bible. Copyright 2019 by the Warburg Project. All rights reserved.
Pre-Service Prayer …….Dear Father in heaven, You have brought me safely to the beginning of a new week in my life. Enable me, through Your Holy Spirit, to dedicate my worship, my work, my leisure time, my very life to serving You with all that I am and possess. Responding to the love which You have shown me in Christ Jesus, my Savior, help me to seize every opportunity this morning and every day of this week to grow in Your Word, to spiritually encourage and enjoy the fellowship of those around me today, and to live a life of Christian faithfulness and gratitude to You as the God Who enriches me in so countless ways, and Who – for Jesus’ sake – has granted me the undeserved gift of everlasting life in heaven, by your grace, through faith. In the name of Your Son, my Lord and Redeemer, I humbly offer this prayer. Amen.
Pre-service prayer
Pre service music
The Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
We Worship Our Lord
At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
P: We make our beginning this morning, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
C: And also with you.
The Opening Psalm Psalm 145
P: I will exalt You, my God, the King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.
C: Great is the Lord and worthy of great praise, + and there are no limits to the extent of His greatness.
P: One generation will praise Your deeds to another, and they will declare Your mighty acts. I will contemplate the glorious splendor of your majesty and the accounts of your wonderful works. Then they will speak about the power of your awesome works, and I will tell about your great deeds. They will pour forth the memory of your abundant goodness and sing loudly about your righteousness.
C: The Lord is gracious and compassionate, + slow to anger and great in mercy. + The Lord is good to all. + His compassion extends over all He has made.
P: Everyone You have made will thank You, O Lord, and the ones You favor will bless You. They will tell about the glory of Your kingdom, and they will speak about Your might, 12 to make known His might to the children of Adam, to make known the glorious splendor of His kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and Your dominion endures through all generations.
C: The Lord is faithful to all His words + and merciful toward all He has made. + The Lord lifts up all who fall, + and He supports all who are bowed down.
P: The eyes of all look eagerly to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. He opens His hand, and He satisfies the desire of every living thing.
C: The Lord is righteous in all His ways + and merciful toward all that He has made. + The Lord is near to all who call on Him, + to all who call on Him in truth. + He grants the desire of those who fear Him. + He hears their cry and saves them.
P: The Lord watches over all who love Him, but He will destroy all the wicked.
C: My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. + Let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever.
Our Opening Prayer
Awesome and compassionate God, + You have loved us with unfailing, self-sacrificing mercy, + but we have not loved You as faithfully and fully as we ought. + You constantly call us through Your Word, + but we do not listen as attentively and eagerly as we could. + You tell us to love others — even our enemies, + but we often walk away from friends and strangers in need — too wrapped up in our own concerns and personal priorities. + We even knowingly condone selfishness, + prejudice, + anger, + and so many other evils. + God of grace, as You come to us in mercy today, + through Your Holy Spirit enable us + to acknowledge our sins, + to truly and thoroughly repent of them, + and gratefully receive Your forgiveness and love. + We ask this in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and rules along with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one true God, now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated for
Today’s Opening Hymn “To Your Temple I Draw Near” (# 226)
sung antiphonally
(Entire Congregation) To your temple I draw near;
Lord, I love to worship here.
Here are sacrament and Word; Here believers meet their Lord.
(West Side) I through Christ am reconciled;
I through Christ become your child.
Abba, Father, give me grace In your courts to seek your face.
(East Side) While your glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless Christ the Lord, my righteousness.
(Entire Congregation) While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend.
Hear me, for your Spirit pleads; Hear, for Jesus intercedes.
(Women and Girls) While I listen to your law, Fill my soul with holy awe
Till your gospel brings to me Life and immortality.
(Men and boys) While your ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in your name,
Through their voice, by faith, may I Hear you speaking from the sky.
(Entire Congregation) 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 Confess Our Sins Together
P: As we approach the Lord in worship today, let us all confess our sins and seek God’s forgiving mercy:
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.
P: 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.
After which the Congregation will be seated as
We Give Our Attention to the Word of God
The Old Testament Lesson Genesis 4:1-16
The man was intimate with Eve, his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten a man with the Lord.” 2 She also gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel tended sheep, but Cain worked the ground. 3 As time passed, one day Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord looked favorably on Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not look favorably on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and his face showed it. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you have that angry look on your face? 7 If you do good, will you not be lifted up? If you do not do good, sin is crouching at the door. It has a strong desire for you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel, his brother, and killed him. 9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the soil. 11 Now you are cursed and sent away from the soil which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the soil, it will no longer give its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear. 14 Look, today you have driven me away from the soil. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. And whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 The Lord said to him, “No! If anyone kills Cain, he will face sevenfold revenge.” And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone who found him would not strike him down.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 423 “Not In Anger Mighty God”
Not in anger, mighty God, Not in anger smite us.
We must perish if your rod Justly should requite us.
We are naught; Sin has brought,
Lord, your wrath upon us. Yet have mercy on us!
The Epistle Lesson Ephesians 4:17-32
17 So I tell you this and testify to it in the Lord: Do not walk any longer as the Gentiles walk, in their futile way of thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they have no sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality, with an ever-increasing desire to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But you did not learn Christ in that way, 21 if indeed you have heard of him and were taught in him (since the truth is in Jesus). 22 As far as your former way of life is concerned, you were taught to take off the old self, which is corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed continually in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new self, which has been created to be like God in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Therefore, after you put away lying, let each of you speak truthfully with your neighbor, because we are all members of one body. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. 27 Do not give the Devil an opportunity. 28 Let the one who has been stealing steal no longer. Instead, let him work hard doing what is good with his own hands, so that he has something to share with a person who is in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come from your mouths. Say only what is beneficial when there is a need to build up others, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, quarreling, and slander, along with every kind of malice. 32 Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us.
The Sequence Hymn “Not In Anger Mighty God” (#423)
Show me now a Father’s love And his tender patience.
Heal my wounded soul; remove These too sore temptations.
I am weak; Father, speak
Now of peace and gladness; Comfort me in sadness.
After which, the Congregation will rise for
The Gospel Lesson Mark 3:1-6
Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 They were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day, so that they could accuse him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Step forward!” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 Then he looked around at them with anger, deeply grieved at the hardness of their hearts. He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees left and immediately began to conspire against Jesus with the Herodians, plotting how they might kill him.
The Public Confession of our Christian Faith
According to the words of 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 may be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Proverbs 16:32
Better to be patient than to be a hero,
better to control your temper than to capture a city.
The People Who Are Really The Most Powerful, Are The Ones
Who Love God Enough To Control Their Anger…….Can You?
Hymn of the Day “How Can I Thank You, Lord” (# 466)
1 How can I thank You, Lord, For all Your loving-kindness,
That You have patiently Borne with me in my blindness!
When dead in many sins And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God, Your anger ev’ry day.
2 It is Your work alone That I am now converted;
O’er Satan’s work in me You have Your pow’r asserted.
Your mercy and Your grace That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart Into a heart newborn.
3 Lord, You have raised me up To joy and exultation
And clearly shown the way That leads me to salvation.
My sins are washed away; For this I thank You, Lord.
Now with my heart and soul All evil I abhor.
4 Grant that Your Spirit’s help To me be always given
Lest I should fall again And lose the way to heaven.
Grant that He give me strength In my infirmity;
May He renew my heart To serve You willingly.
5 O Father, God of love, Now hear my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God, Accept my adoration;
O Holy Spirit, be My ever faithful guide
That I may serve You here And there with You abide. Amen
The Pre-Sermon Greeting
Grace be yours, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Sermon Jonah 4:1-11
But to Jonah all this seemed very bad, and he became very angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Lord, wasn’t this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I previously fled to Tarshish, because I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and you relent from sending disaster. 3 So now, Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city. He made a shelter for himself there and sat in the shade under it, waiting to see what would happen in the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a plant and made it grow up over Jonah to provide shade over his head, to relieve him from his discomfort. So Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, and it attacked the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, so he said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” Jonah said, “I do have a right to be angry—angry enough to die!”
10 So the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant. You did not work for it or make it grow. It grew up in one night and perished after one night. 11 So should I not be concerned for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than one hundred twenty thousand people who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left—and also many animals?”
Do I Have a Right to be Angry?
After the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED as
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 during today’s worship
service those in attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates
by the exit door at the close of our service today.
For those watching today’s 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 the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)
and use the giving option there.
At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise as
We Offer Our Prayers to the Lord
The Prayers of the Church
A Prayer of Intercession on behalf of Bill Krizsan, as he continues
to contend with the affliction of cancer. May God grant him with a successful recovery;
and
A prayer of Intercession on behalf of Mary Pudas, who continues to receive care at Mercy Hospital, for complications from the Corona Virus;
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father Who art in heaven + Hallowed be Thy name. + Thy Kingdom come. + Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. + Give us this day our daily bread. + And forgive us our trespasses + as we forgive those who trespass against us. + And lead us not into temptation, + but deliver us from evil. + For Thine is the kingdom + And the power + and the glory + forever and ever. Amen.
We Leave With Our Lord’s Blessing
The Benediction
P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord in gladness.
The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD look upon you with favor, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “Search Me, O God”
Search me, O God, and know my heart today
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray:
See if there be some wicked way in me. Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
Lord, take my heart and make it wholly Thine.
Fill my poor soul with Thy great love divine.
Take all I am, my passion, self and pride Now and forever, Lord with me abide. Amen.
Announcements
Last Week at Grace Lutheran Worship Attendance: 68 Online views: 17
Sunday School Attendance: 6 Bible Class: 19 + 2 online Tuesday Morning BC: 12
Wednesday Evening Bible Class attendance: Men’s study: 6 Women’s Study: 7
Budgetary Fund: $9,291.25 School Fund: $61 Capital Improvement: $50 Benevolence: $20 Online Budgetary Offerings: $2020.51
Birthdays This Week: Oct 12 – Debbie Huebner ; Oct 13 – Charles Huebner;
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship at 9:30 a.m
Sunday School/Bible Class – 15 minutes after Confirmation, 12:00pm
Tuesday Morning Bible Study, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies, 6-7 p.m.
Saturday Morning Outreach Visits, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m with the Lord’s Supper
Sunday School/Bible Class – 15 minutes after Confirmation, 12:00pm
Serving Us Next Sunday Elders: John Johnson, Steve Stone, Tim Pfortmiller
Ushers: Tim Huebner, Pat Quinlan, Taylor Ashley
Altar Guild: Tammy Schwartz, Linda Winnat
Bible Classes This Week ………Today our adult class continues its general study called “Lessons Learned From Believers of the Past.” This morning, we’re studying I Samuel 24, where we’ll be finishing our examination of David’s encounter with King Saul. Our theme is “Loving Your enemies.” Our Tuesday Morning Bible Class (10:30 to 11:30; both in-person and over-the-phone) is working its way through the book of 2 Samuel. Tuesday we’ll be in chapters 13-14 (Discord and David’s Family and Absalom’s Rebellion).
Also, on Wednesday Evening we’ll offer Bible classes for Women and Men (both in-person and over-the-phone). The women are studying the book of Philippians under the theme: “Joy.”