The Fifteenth Sunday After the Festival of the Holy Trinity
The Seventeenth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
September 08, 2024
The Handwriting’s On The Wall
On May 20th, 1883, perhaps the greatest volcanic explosion in modern history took place. Krakatoa, a volcano in Indonesia, exploded and shot 6 cubic miles of debris 24 miles up into the earth’s atmosphere. Its shock waves traveled around the world an incredible 7 times. Volcanic ash and other debris fell more than 2000 miles away! The official death toll was in excess of 90,000 people. The sky was so darkened by the clouds of Krakatoa’s debris that the sun was blocked from the sky for the next 24 hours as far away as New England, over half way around the world.
At the time of Krakatoa’s explosion, the Captain of a British ship sailing in that part of the world wrote these words in his log: “I am writing this blind in pitch darkness. We are under a continual rain of pumice-stone and dust. So violent are the explosions that the ear-drums of over half my crew have been shattered…. I am convinced that the Day of Judgment has come.”
Although Krakatoa’s eruption 140 years ago was rare – given its destructive effects……a hand suddenly appearing out of thin air to write strange words on a wall is beyond rare…..it was truly miraculous! That handwriting on a wall in Babylon some 2560 years ago not only communicated a call to repentance, as well as God’s message of impending judgment for Belshazzar (Babylon’s last king), it still offers some important messages for you and me today about our repenting of our sins, as well as about our Spiritual readiness to one day face the LORD for judgment.
Years ago, many of us probably played the children’s game of “Hide and Seek,” which always includes the warning “Ready of not, here I come!” Being “ready” by being in hiding is an important part of playing that game. But, ultimately it’s just a game. And whether or not you’re “ready or not,” when the searcher begins the looking for you is not, in the final analysis, going to have any significant effect on your life. Certainly, the end of the world is not going to happen if you’re not ready….
But whether or not a person is actually ready for the end of the world to come, and for Jesus Christ’s return for judgment…..well, THAT’s a very different matter – the consequences of which are not just extremely, but eternally significant. God’s Word makes it abundantly clear in many places that Jesus IS going to come back to the earth some day to judge everyone according to what they have done. We just don’t know exactly when His return will take place. However, our Savior has given us some revealing signs to watch for that will tell us when His return (and Judgment Day) is close at hand….signs in nature, society and the visible church that – from all appearances – have already been fulfilled. For that very reason…because of the immanence and uncertainty of Christ’s return…we must always be Spiritually ready His return (or our appearance before Him on the day of our death), for our judgment according to His Word and His Will. This vital matter of Spiritual preparedness on our part is the focal point of our worship service this morning.
Since no one, except the Lord Himself, knows the time when we will die, let alone the moment when this world will be brought to its end, Jesus encourages each of us to live every day as if it were our last…. living every moment as His faithful people, always spiritually prepared to leave this earthly life for eternal life.
In our Old Testament Lesson and Sermon Text for today, we have a foreshadowing of the suddenness of God’s judgment on the Last Day, through the story of the surprising overnight fall of the city of Babylon to an invading army of Medes and Persians in 536 B.C. In connection with that event, we’ll look particularly at God’s amazing notice of impending judgment on Babylon’s arrogant and blasphemous king, Belshazzar, through a message the hand of God wrote on a wall during a Babylonian banquet.
For our Epistle Lesson, we’ll be giving our attention the book of Revelation where, at the end of chapter three, our LORD Jesus has a message for the Christian congregation in Laodicea (within modern-day Turkey). Our reading is the seventh, and final, “letter” to the “seven churches.” The Laodiceans, from what Jesus says here, weren’t “bad” people in a public-sin sense. They certainly weren’t guilty of some of the problematic sins of most of those other six congregations. Apparently, their “big” Spiritual problem wasn’t overt sin, but was instead Spiritual apathy. Jesus calls them “lukewarm….neither hot nor cold” when it comes to their love for Him and their faithfulness to Him. And so, in our reading our LORD both evangelically challenges them, reminding the Laodiceans of His love for them, and He also threatens (as He has the right to do….including with us) to bring judgment against them if they persist in their so-far unrepented sinful apathy.
Our Children’s Lesson will be based on the two closing verses of Solomon’s “mea culpa” (“my fault”), inspired book of Ecclesiastes. As an older, wiser (and finally repentant) man, having just reviewed in the preceding 11 chapters many of the various misguided priorities and bad Spiritual choices that He had made over the years, Solomon concludes that our lives are to be lived primarily for God’s glory…..and not primarily for our satisfaction, success, or sinful indulgences. “Fear God and keep His commandments” is how Solomon sums up the believer’s life. Then, in closing, he adds this warning: that God is going to bring everything we say, do and think into judgment. So, faith and faithfulness need to be matters that are first and foremost in our lives……as God enables us.
Finally, the Gospel Lesson we’ll be considering is the first part of Jesus “End of Times” discussion, presented to His disciples on Tuesday of Holy Week. In our reading Jesus informs His disciples about what will be some of the signs that will indicate the Last Day is near. He says that the “signs” heralding the nearness of the world’s end will include an abundance of natural disasters, great distress in society, persecution for the church, the falling away of many, and that the Gospel will have been proclaimed throughout the world. Throughout these verses two emphases stand out: 1) that we must remain prepared for Christ’s return for judgement and deliverance; and 2) that the Lord will preserve us, His Church, as we continue to remain steadfast in our faith in Him. Of course, we want to recognize, as well, that these signs have been fulfilled to a very great extent, and so that the Lord’s return is very, very near.
……….One last observation about today’s service. This morning in our worship we’ll be using the “Order of Matins.” Used often by us, “Matins” is the oldest form of public worship still in common use within the Christian Church. The Matins liturgy (order) we use is actually a combination of two ancient worship service orders, “Matins” and “Lauds.” Both date back to the earliest days of the Christian Church. Originally “Matins” was the first of 8 daily worship services occurring at 3 hour intervals. Matins was the midnight order, while Lauds was used at daybreak. By the fifth century, Lauds and Matins had been combined into the Order of Matins which, with small variations, we will use today. The one addition we have made, consistent with our Lutheran worship heritage, is the inclusion of a Confession of Sins and a public Absolution of those sins.
Pre-service Prayer — Heavenly Father, You showed Your grace by bringing me to faith in Christ through the work of Your Holy Spirit, and then by giving me the blessing of being called Your child. Though what I offer You today is so small, compared to all You have done for me, please accept my humble offerings of praise and thanksgiving, as well as my gifts. Also, Lord, help me gladly hear and take to heart the Good News of salvation from sin for me and all people through faith in Your Son, my Savior. Renew and invigorate me with Your Holy Spirit today and every day, that I might live a confident life of faith and love to Your glory, and that I might share, by all possible means, at every opportunity, the same Good News of salvation through Christ which has filled my life with peace and purpose. 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
Silent Prayer upon entering the sanctuary
Pre-service music
We Praise Our God
The Welcoming and Introduction to Worship
The Opening Hymn Hymn 255 “Open Now Thy Gates Of Beauty”
1 Open now thy gates of beauty; Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty Waits for him who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessed is this place, Filled with solace, light, and grace!
2 Gracious God, I come before thee; Come thou also unto me.
Where we find thee and adore thee, There a heav’n on earth must be.
To my heart, oh, enter thou; Let it be thy temple now!
3 Here thy praise is gladly chanted; Here thy seed is duly sown.
Let my soul, where it is planted, Bring forth precious sheaves alone,
So that all I hear may be Fruitful unto life in me.
4 Thou my faith increase and quicken; Let me keep thy gift divine,
Howsoe’er temptations thicken; May thy Word still o’er me shine
As my guiding star through life, As my comfort in all strife.
5 Speak, O God, and I will hear thee; Let thy will be done indeed.
May I undisturbed draw near thee While thou dost thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows; Here is balm for all our woes.
the Congregation will rise for the invocation
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.
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; I have done what is evil in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins, and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, carrying out my office as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
The Order of Matins
Pastor – O Lord, open my lips.
Congregation And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Pastor – Hasten, O God, to deliver me.
Congregation Hasten to help me, O LORD
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.
World without end. Amen. Hallelujah!
The Prayer for Today
O Almighty God, our Heavenly Father + as we meditate on Your Word today + move us to repent of all our sins + particularly the sins of worrying, + of being worldly, + selfish, + weak-willed, + idolatrous, + and indifferent toward Your Word. + Enable us, + through Your Spirit working in our hearts, + motivating us by the Gospel, + to resist the Devil’s temptations, + the evil influences of this wicked world, + and the deceitful desires and wicked ways of our own sinful nature. + Empower us to grow in our faithfulness to You + and increase our trust in You, O Lord, + that we might daily bring honor and glory to Your holy name here + until we live with You in everlasting glory in heaven. + All this we ask in the name and for the sake + of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the One, True God, + now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The Old Testament Lesson Daniel 5
5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and in front of the thousand he drank wine. 2 When he had tasted the wine, Belshazzar said to bring the gold and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that they had taken from the temple, that is, the House of God in Jerusalem. So the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand, and the king saw the back of the hand that was writing. 6 Then the king’s cheerful appearance changed, his face grew pale, and his thoughts troubled him. His legs went limp, and his knees knocked together.
7 The king called out loudly to bring the spell casters, the astrologers, and the diviners. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever is able to read this writing and explain its meaning will be clothed in purple, with a gold chain around his neck, and he will rule as third highest in the kingdom.”
8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they were not able to read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 Then King Belshazzar was really terrified. He grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.
10 The queen came to the drinking party because of the words of the king and his nobles. The queen said, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, and do not look so frightened. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, enlightenment, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. So King Nebuchadnezzar your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, spell casters, astrologers, and diviners, 12 because an outstanding spirit and knowledge and insight in interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving knotty problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be summoned, and he will explain the meaning of the writing.”
13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and enlightenment and insight and outstanding wisdom are found in you. 15 Now, those wise men who are the spell casters were brought before me to read this writing and to make its meaning known to me, but they were not able to explain the meaning of the message. 16 Yet I have heard about you that you are able to explain meanings clearly and to solve knotty problems. Therefore, if you are able to read the writing and make its meaning known to me, you will be clothed in purple, with a gold chain around your neck, and you will rule as the third in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered the king: Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and I will make its meaning known to him. 18 As for you, Your Majesty—the Most High God gave the kingdom, greatness, splendor, and glory to Nebuchadnezzar, your father. 19 So because of the greatness that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and were afraid in his presence. He killed whomever he wanted, and he let live whomever he wanted. Also, he promoted anyone he wanted, and he demoted anyone he wanted. 20 But when he thought too much of himself, and his spirit became hardened in pride so that he acted arrogantly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and his splendor was taken away from him. 21 He was driven away from humans, and his mind was changed to that of an animal. So his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass as bulls are fed, and his body was wet with dew from the sky, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdoms of men, and He raises up over them anyone He desires.
22 But you, his son, Belshazzar, did not humble your heart although you knew all this. 23 Instead, you lifted yourself against the Lord of Heaven. The vessels from His house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. Then you praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, who do not see and do not hear and do not know. But you did not honor the God Who holds your breath in His hand and Who controls all your ways. 24 So the back of the hand was sent by Him, and this writing was inscribed.
25 Now this is the writing that was inscribed: mene mene tekel and parsin
26 This is the meaning of the message:
Mene means that God has counted up your kingdom and paid it out or spent it.
27 Tekel means that you have been weighed in the scales, and you are too light.
28 Parsin means that your kingdom has been broken in two and given to the Medes and the Persians.
29 Then Belshazzar spoke, and they dressed Daniel in purple, with a gold chain around his neck, and they made him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night, King Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.
31 Then Darius the Mede received the kingdom, when he was about sixty-two years old.
The Epistle Lesson Revelation 3:14-22
14 To the messenger of the church in Laodicea write:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Ruler of God’s creation, says this:
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. If only you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I am about to spit you out of My mouth. 17 You say, “I am rich. I have become very wealthy and need nothing.” But you do not know that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments, so that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not become public, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
19 I rebuke and discipline those whom I love. So take this seriously and repent.
20 Look, I stand at the door and I am knocking. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will go in with him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To the one who is victorious I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
After which, the Congregation will rise, out of respect for our Savior’s words in
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 24
As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the temple buildings. 2 Then He replied to them, “Do you see all of these things? Amen I tell you: Not one stone here will be left on another that will not be thrown down.”
3 While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 Because many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many people. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because all these things must happen; but that is not yet the end. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are only the beginning of birth pains. 9 Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will put you to death. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 Then many will fall away from faith. They will betray each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever endures to the end will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
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 Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13 This is the conclusion of the matter. Everything has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments. For mankind, this is everything. 14 Yes, God will bring everything that is done into judgment, including everything that is hidden, whether good or evil.
The ONLY Thing that REALLY Matters in Life
Sermon Hymn Hymn 376 “Jesus Your Blood and Righteousness”
1 Jesus, your blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head.
2 Bold shall I stand in that great day– Who can a word against me say?
Fully through you absolved I am From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
3 Lord, I believe your precious blood, Which at the very throne of God
Forever will for sinners plead, For me — e’en for my soul — was shed.
4 Lord, I believe were sinners more Than sands upon the ocean shore,
You have for all a ransom paid, For all a full atonement made.
5 When from the dust of death I rise To claim my mansion in the skies,
E’en then this shall be all my plea: Jesus has lived and died for me.
6 Jesus, be worshiped endlessly! Your boundless mercy has for me,
For me and all your hands have made, An everlasting ransom paid.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Pre-Sermon Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! Amen.
The Sermon Text Daniel 5
The Reason for the Hand Writing on the Wall
(and the appropriate response)
The Congregation will remains seated for the post-sermon blessing
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, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
We Respond To God’s Word through our Offerings
The Offering
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:
1) You might wish to make use of the giving button on our web page. To do so, please go to www.gracelutherannwa.com; or
2) You can also mail an offering to us at the following address:
Grace Lutheran Church, 415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745
As the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation rises for prayer
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The Prayers of the Church
Included in our prayers for this morning are:
Petitions of Intercession on behalf of:
Tim Pfortmiller, who is continuing to receive treatments
to eliminate the cancer that is afflicting him;
and
Ruth Strackbein, (Cynthia Tragasz’ mother) who is in hospice care;
and
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for
JoAnne Huebner (Pastor’s mother) whom the LORD graciously took
home to heaven early this past Wednesday morning.
Today’s General Prayer
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 The Lord’s Blessing
The Benediction
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Closing Hymn Hymn 9 “Jesus, Your Church With Longing Eyes”
verses 1 & 5
1 Jesus, your Church with longing eyes For your expected coming waits.
When will the promised light arise And glory beam from heaven’s gates?
5 Teach us in watchfulness and prayer To wait for your appointed hour,
And fit us by your grace to share The triumphs of your conqu’ring pow’r.
Silent Prayer, Announcements, Post-Worship Music
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