January 19, 2025 – The Second Sunday after Epiphany
Our “Calling” To Be Witnesses for Christ
Many years ago some men were panning for gold in Montana, and one of them found an unusual stone. Breaking it open, he was excited to see that it contained gold. Working eagerly, the men soon discovered an abundance of the precious metal. Happily, they began shouting with delight, “We’ve found it! We’ve found gold! We’re rich!” They had to interrupt their celebrating, though, to go into a nearby town and stock up on supplies. Before they left camp, the men agreed not to tell a soul about their find. Indeed, no one breathed a word about it to anyone while they were in town. Much to their dismay, however, when they were about to return, hundreds of men were prepared to follow them. When they asked the crowd to tell who “squealed,” the reply came, “No one had to. Your faces showed it!”
As Christians, what do our faces show, and what do our lips and lives tell others? Do we consistently — as Jesus exhorts us in Matthew 5:16 – “let [our] light shine before others so that they may see [our] good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven”? Do we consistently – as one of today’s hymns will express – “Talk about our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord and King, with our lives and whole behavior”? Those questions can challenge us and even make us a bit uncomfortable, from the Pastor who’s writing this to the fellow Christians who are reading this ….you included. We’re challenged and uncomfortable because, as sinners, we know that the answers to each of these questions is, “No. Not really.”
The focus of our worship service today will be on the topic of “Evangelism,” or “Outreach” – and particularly on your calling and mine, as Christians, to let Christ’s Light shine before others from our lips and lives as we show and share the Gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus with them. That’s what we’ll see the Apostles Andrew and Philip do in today’s Gospel Reading. Andrew and Philip couldn’t wait to share with a brother and friend, respectively, that they had found the Messiah. Each had been brought to Christ – and each was convicted and committed to bringing Christ to others. And did they ever! So did the Apostle Paul, who declares in our Epistle Lesson for today that what we, as Christians must preach – simply yet faithfully – none other than Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of sinners! Nothing else we can say, from talking about our families to current events, from the latest weather to yesterday’s sports news, can come close to this Greatest of all News. In our First Lesson for today, Jesus shows us how to witness to others – in a very casual, clear, yet caring conversation, as He brings the woman at the well to faith in Him as her Savior. In our Children’s Lesson, from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we’ll use a salt shaker as an example of what our Savior expects us to be…..people who “get the salt out” for Him. And, finally, through our Sermon, based on the call to be a prophet that the LORD gave to Jeremiah, we’ll talk about how “The LORD Chose us to Do His Work” – particularly our work today of witnessing about our Lord to others, as God gives us the opportunity.
Please bear in mind that the “plan” this morning isn’t to make you feel “guilty” (although a person might feel guilty in any area where God’s Word and/or our conscience speaks about our having been negligent in doing anything He expects of us….). Here’s what our goals for this morning are: 1) to strengthen your faith and love for Jesus as you are reminded of how much God loves you….enough to guarantee your salvation through Christ’s atoning work for you; and 2) to better instruct and encourage you to be what God has called you to be – one of His Witnesses, a Christian light in this sin-darkened world.
Admittedly, a large part of why this subject of evangelism makes many Christians nervous is because we struggle with our individual failures of telling people about Jesus – people at work, at school, at the gym, in our neighborhood, and in our families. Many Christians would rather avoid even thinking about our evangelism responsibilities and efforts, because if we do, a feeling of guilt burns in the pit of our stomachs. The same is true when it comes to the collective evangelism obligations and activities of our congregation. We can feel guilty because we know how much more we, as a church, could be doing, but aren’t. I have to admit that it’s easy for me to think only about myself, my relatives and my church family when it comes to believing and going to heaven…..and, as a result, I give less attention and energy to trying to reach others who also need to believe in Jesus to be saved. Thankfully, Jesus died to forgive all my sins – including those of being a “weak witness” and a “less than eager evangelist.” With that grace of God for us in mind today, let’s open our ears and hearts to His Word. Through it the Lord intends to encourage and equip us to bring to others the message that Jesus, the Lamb of God, has taken away the sin of the world and offers us all the free gift of eternal life through faith in Him. And so may each of us, moved by the Holy Spirit to recommit ourselves to being what our Lord has called us all to be: His witnesses, proclaiming with our lips and through our lives His saving Word to all in our world.
Pre-Service Prayer – O Lord God, You have bountifully blessed me every day of my life. You have brought me to saving faith in you. You have kept me grounded in Your Word. You have provided for my bodily needs. You have protected me from spiritual harm and have kept me in the one true faith. And so I want to humbly praise and thank You for You amazing grace to me. In this year just begun, please bless me with Your continued presence, Your Fatherly protection, and Your guidance in all areas of my life. I submit myself to Your gracious will, with the confidence that You will use me, as Your servant, in whatever ways will serve to further Your glory and Your kingdom. Bless and enrich my faith as I hear Your Word today, and receive my heart-felt praises for all your blessings, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, my Savior. In His name I pray. 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 sanctuary Pre-service Music
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
We Praise Our God
The Opening Hymn Hymn 573 “Hark the Voice of Jesus Crying”
1 Hark! the voice of Jesus crying,
“Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting;
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth;
Rich reward he offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying,
“Here am I– send me, send me?”
2 If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus;
You can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked
With the Judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.
3 If you cannot be a watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Off’ring life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your off’rings
You can do what God demands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophet’s hands.
4 Let none hear you idly saying,
“There is nothing I can do,”
While the multitudes are dying,
And the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly;
Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he calleth,
“Here am I– send me, send me!”
after which the Congregation will rise
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
The Confession of Our Sins
P: 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.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, + I am altogether sinful from birth. + In countless ways I have sinned against You + and do not deserve to be called Your child. + I have allowed my affection for the treasures and pleasures of this world + to hinder my support of for the proclamation of Your Gospel to every treasured soul You love. + I have been silent when I should have spoken to others about You. + I have left undone so many things that You have directed me to do. + And I have sinned against You + by doing those things, in my thoughts, words, and actions, + which You tell me not to do. + So often my behaviors have limited me in my calling + to let the light of Your love shine from me + and to be a faithful Christian witness to others. + Yet, at Your gracious command I come to You, + and for the sake of Your Son, + my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: + Lord, have mercy on me, + and renew me, poor sinful being that I am.
P: 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.
Now, in the peace of His forgiveness, let us praise our gracious God and Lord.
ALL sing: to the tune of “I Know That
My Redeemer Lives” (CW 152)
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
For Thy forgiveness, full and free,
He, who by grace, this truth believes
The blessings of Christ’s love receives
Praise God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
As ’twas, is now, and so shall be
World without end, eternally! Amen.
Our Prayer of Today
P: Almighty God, You gave Your one and only Son,
C: To be the Light of a world lost in spiritual darkness.
P: We pray that You would empower each of us, Your people, to shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory,
- So that through us, and other Christians, Jesus bight be known, believed, and worshiped, as our Lord and only Savior, not only in our community, but throughout the world.
P: We humbly ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,
C: 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 as
We Listen to the Word of our God
The First Lesson John 4:1-42
4 Jesus found out that the Pharisees had heard He was making and baptizing more disciples than John, 2 though it was not Jesus Himself Who was baptizing but His disciples. 3 So He left Judea and went back again to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Then Jesus, being tired from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” she said, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do You get this living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his animals.”
13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty ever again. Rather, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, bubbling up to eternal life.”
15 “Sir, give me this water,” the woman said to him, “so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband, and come back here.”
17 “I have no husband,” the woman answered.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say, ‘I have no husband.’ 18 In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews insist that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming and now is here when the real worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for those are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (the One called Christ). “When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I, the One speaking to you, am He.”
27 Just then His disciples returned and were surprised that He was talking to a woman. Yet no one asked, “What do You want?” or “Why are You talking to her?”
28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back into town. She said to the people, 29 “Come, see the Man Who told me everything I ever did. Could This be the Christ?” 30 They left the town and came to Him.
31 Meanwhile, the disciples kept urging Him, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But Jesus said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
33 Then the disciples said to each other, “Did anyone bring Him something to eat?”
34 Jesus told them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Four more months and the harvest will be here’? Pay attention to what I am telling you. Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are already ripe for harvest. 36 The reaper is getting paid and is gathering grain for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. 37 Indeed in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap a harvest for which you did no hard work. Others have done the hard work, and you have benefitted from their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony: “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them. And He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His message. 42 They told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves. And we know that This really is the Savior of the world.”
The Epistle Lesson I Corinthians 1:18-25
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 19 In fact, it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Jewish law? Where is the probing thinker of the present age? Has God not shown that the wisdom of this world is foolish? 21 Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in His wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message. 22 Yes, Jews ask for signs, Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified—which is offensive to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. 25 We preach Christ crucified, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 557 “On Galilee’s High Mountain”
1 On Galilee’s high mountain Christ gave the great command
In words of strength and promise Which all can understand:
“All pow’r to me is given To do what I shall choose;
Therefore I send my children, Their witness I will use.”
2 The Lord who, born of Mary, Came down as man and died,
Who preached to all who listened, For us was crucified—
This Lord, our living brother, In pow’r at God’s right hand,
Has chosen us to carry His truth to ev’ry land.
3 His strength within my weakness Will make me bold to say
How His redeeming power Transforms my stubborn clay;
His touch of fire ignites me, With courage I am sent,
My tongue-tied silence broken, With grace made eloquent.
4 And not alone to nations In faraway retreats,
But ev’rywhere I broadcast His love through crowded streets:
The lives that my life touches, However great or small—
Let them through me see Jesus, Who served and saved us all.
5 That ev’ryone he chooses, For reasons of his own,
Will find in Christ his calling To live His love alone.
His presence always leads us Till time no more shall be;
Christ’s strength, his love, his comfort Give us his victory.
After which the Congregation will rise for the words of our Savior
The Gospel Lesson John 1:35-51
35 The next day, John was standing there again with two of his disciples. 36 When John saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38 When Jesus turned around and saw them following Him, He asked, “What are you looking for?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?”
39 He told them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying. They stayed with Him that day. It was about the tenth hour.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his own brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated “the Christ”). 42 He brought him to Jesus.
Looking at him, Jesus said, “You are Simon, son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
43 The next day, Jesus wanted to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, and about Whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 Nathanael said to him, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”
“Come and see!” Philip told him.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Truly, here is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus replied, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that!” 51 Then He added, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
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 Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.
Let’s Get the Salt Out of Our Shakers
The Sermon Hymn “Let Us Talk About The Savior” (CW 411)
sung to the tune “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”
Let us talk about the Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.
With our tongues and whole behavior Let us each His praises sing.
With our unchurched friends and neighbors,
With the strangers that we meet.
Let our share our Priceless Treasure – Jesus, Savior, oh so sweet!
Let us tell them how He suffered, Died and rose to set us free
From the power of sin and Satan, Life to give to you and me.
When we see them lost and stumbling In the wilderness of sin –
Let us tell how God gave Jesus Everlasting life to win.
Let us talk about the Savior, Let us speak of sin and grace –
For there’s nothing but the Gospel That can save our fallen race.
Go and tell to all who’ll listen: “Jesus is the only Way.”
He alone has died to save us – This is what the Scriptures say.
Let us talk about the Savior, Christian members, go and tell!
For this spot where God has placed us Needs this message just as well.
Every single congregation Faithful witnesses must be –
When it comes to Gospel preaching, Now and ‘til eternity. Amen!
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text Jeremiah 1:4-10
4 The word of the Lord came to me.
5 Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,
and before you were born, I set you apart.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.
6 But I said, “Ah, Lord God! I really do not know how to speak! I am only a child!”
7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord.”
9 Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth. The Lord said to me:
There! I have now placed My words in your mouth.
10 Look, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and to tear down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.
The Lord Chose Us To Do His Work
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority now and forever. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship. However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash, 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 brought forward, the Congregation will rise for
We Offer Our Prayers to the Lord
Today’s Special Prayers
Included in our prayers this morning is:
A Prayer of Intercession for:
Tim Pfortmiller who is also receiving treatments for cancer
P: Lord God, on account of your rich mercy poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, hear our prayers. Continue to look in mercy on us and the whole Christian Church on earth.
C: We rejoice in the freedom from condemnation and rejoice in the redemption of Christ. On account of Jesus’ saving work we are Your treasured possession. We thank You for those who proclaimed the gospel of the crucified and risen Savior which caused faith to arise in our hearts.
P: As the gospel continues to be proclaimed throughout the world, we pray that leaders of the nations make decisions that reflect God’s care for the whole human family. Guide and protect citizens and cause governments to work for the well-being of all. Especially let there be peace so the gospel may have free course and find fertile ground in the hearts of people.
C: We also pray for our congregation, that in our life together we walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, caring for one another, and showing generosity toward those whose needs are great. Then let us look outside these walls to the treasured souls won through the cross and lead us to proclaim Jesus’ love to them.
P: Through Holy Baptism we became members of Your family. Let this joy lift our hearts to serve. Keep us from neglecting others but move us to bear witness to Christ’s love in acts of mercy.
C: Bless those who serve in this House of God. Let Your Word touch the lives of everyone as we meditate on the mysteries of Your great love for us. Help us to remember our walk together with other congregations to carry the Gospel throughout the world. Watch over our missionaries and lay workers who go to the world on our behalf with the Gospel of Jesus.
P: The devil will do his best to ruin our lives on this earth and our hope for going to heaven. When some are torn by the struggles of this life—the poor, the hungry and the homeless, those struck down, and the unemployed—let them be strengthened and sustained with the knowledge of our being Your treasured possession. Be with those who are hospitalized, the sick, the homebound, and the dying. Comfort and sustain them with the gracious promises of Christ. Hear us as we also bring our private requests, petitions and praises to You.
Silent Prayer
P: Now heavenly Father, answer our prayers according to Your will, not because we earned or deserve any of Your blessings, but because of Jesus our Savior Who has taught us to pray….
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper CW p. 21
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation (sung) And also with you
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation (sung) We lift them up unto the Lord
Pastor – Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
Consecration of the Elements
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – (Sung) Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with
our Pastor about taking communion. Thank you.)
TO OUR GUESTS AND FRIENDS
We ask that only “Confirmed, Communicant” members of this congregation, or of one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations come forward to receive the Lord’s Supper at this time.
We believe, according to Scripture, that only those who are “one,” that is, in complete doctrinal agreement – united in a common public confession of faith – are to commune together at the same altar (see I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 1:10).
To be “in communion” means to share and to hold in common. By eating and drinking at our Lord’s Table, we are not only sharing in, with, and under the bread and wine, Jesus’ very body and blood…we are also publicly declaring that we hold in common a specific confession of faith. In other words, as a result of having comprehensively studied the Scriptures together all of our communicants have agreed to accept and proclaim the same Biblical doctrines and practices.
Through membership in a particular church body (for us, that church body is the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), each person makes a public statement that he/she is in full agreement with the teachings and practices of that body. Because not every church body or Lutheran Synod teaches and practices the same things, we in the WELS want to be honest in our recognition of the doctrinal differences that, here on earth, separate us from other church bodies. Please bear in mind that we are not, in any way, judging the legitimacy of your Christian faith. Still, we ask that if you have not (upon study of the Word with us) declared yourself to be in full doctrinal agreement with us, you would respectfully not join us in the Lord’s Supper this morning.
It is our prayer that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage anyone among us today who is not presently in full fellowship with us to seriously examine the teachings and
practices of his/her church in order to determine if those teachings and practices are really in full agreement with God’s Word.
And if you are guest among us today, we want you to know that it is our earnest desire that you might become familiar with the Biblical doctrines our congregation confesses, in order that you might one day join with us at the Lord’s altar in this public expression of full unity of doctrine and practice. Until then, please know that we are most grateful for your participation as a fellow Christian in this worship service, and that we appreciate your understanding and respect of our Communion practice.
The Distribution Hymn “I Stand Here Before You”
Sung to the melody of “How Firm A Foundation”
I stand here before You, O mightiest One
In need of forgiveness for wrongs I have done.
Oh, grant me Your pardon, my spirit now pleads
Forgive my transgressions in thoughts, words, and deeds.
The Tempter keeps taunting me day after day,
I often succumb and submit to his way.
From birth I’ve been evil — my mortal flesh weak,
I do not abide by the words that You speak.
I humbly confess with the deepest of shame
The times I abused Your magnificent Name.
In spite of Your right to demand faithfulness,
My life’s often guided by my selfishness.
I covet, I slander, I look with lust, too.
I fail to give honor where honor is due.
I steal and I gossip…..so far do I fall –
Your perfect commandments: I’ve broken them all.
Right here at Your table forgiveness is found
In Christ’s holy blood that flowed down to the ground,
His body and blood in the bread and the wine
A marvel of love that is truly divine!
That blood of Your Chosen was shed to erase
The sins of the world. How I cherish that grace!
Dear God I am thankful to be such a one,
Washed clean by the blood of my Savior, Your Son.
Following the distribution, at the Pastor’s invitation the Congregation will rise as
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
The Benediction
Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another.
And serve the Lord by bearing witness to our Savior.
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 grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “The Time Has Come, O Lord”
The time has come O Lord, for us to leave this place.
Tend Your sheep, Good Shepherd, and lead us in Your grace.
Wherever life may take us as we go our separate ways,
Help us share with others the things we’ve shared today.
May the peace of God the Father, and the Love of Christ, His Son,
Guide us in the days ahead, and strengthen us, each one.
May the blessings of the Spirit fill us from within.
God bless us and return us. to this fellowship…..Once again.
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.