The Seventh Sunday of the Epiphany Season
also known as Sexagesima (60) Sunday
February 23, 2025
The Seed of God’s Word….
Ignored, Taken for Granted, and Believed
This morning we’re observing another strangely-named Sunday on the Church’s “calendar.” It’s known as Sexagesima Sunday, but also as the 7th Sunday of the Epiphany Season. It also happens to be the 6th Sunday before Easter. Sexagesima is the traditional name for the second Sunday before Ash Wednesday. This name is derived from the Latin word, “sexagesimus,” which means sixtieth. And so, Sexagesima refers to the 60th day before Easter (which actually occurred this past Thursday). Sexagesima Sunday is technically part of the 16 day pre-Lenten period that began last Sunday (Septuagesima – 70th) and runs through Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). The other Sunday (next week) in this period is known as “Quinquagesima” (50th). While Quinquagesima is mathematically correct, since it refers to the 50th day before Easter, the terms Sexagesima and Septuagesima are only approximations. (Their exact numbers before Easter are 57 days and 64 days, respectively.) Depending on when Easter falls, the earliest Sexagesima can occur is January 25 and the latest is February 28, or February 29 in a leap year. This year it comes rather late.
The Pre-Lent Period, in centuries past, was considered a unique group of Sundays that fell between the Epiphany and Lenten seasons. The traditional purpose of its three Sundays was to assist Christians in preparing their hearts and lives for the more solemn penitential period of Lent through their emphases on the grace of God to undeserving sinners, the importance of God’s Word in our lives, and SOMETHING ELSE. These “Gesimas” were, in a sense, “transition Sundays” between the more joyful atmosphere of the Christmas and Epiphany Seasons and the very solemn, repentance-emphasizing atmosphere of Lent. (By the way, the Latin name used for Lent happens to be “Quadragesima,” which stands for “fortieth,” since Lent covers a forty day period [not including its Sundays] of penance leading up to Easter Sunday.) Today they are the concluding Sundays of the Epiphany Season.
The Scripture lessons for Sexagesima Sunday are intended to remind us of the importance of your and my cultivating a heart for the Word of our God that consistently, faithfully believes all that God says to us in the Scriptures and uses them properly.
Our Gospel Lesson and Sermon Text is Jesus’ familiar Parable of the Sower and the seed. It can also be found in Matthew 13:1-23 and Mark 4:1-29, but today’s reading is from Luke 8:4-15. The seed, clearly, is the Word of God. Those people along the beaten, hard path represent the individuals who hear God’s Word as it is presented to them, but the Devil and their sinful nature inspire them to reject it – lest they believe and be saved. The rocky soil stands for those souls who joyfully hear God’s Word, but their faith is “shallow.” They believe for a while, but eventually they fall away in the face of temptation. The thorny soil represents other individuals who hear God’s Word and also believe it, but their faith ends up being choked out by the worries, cares, and pleasures of this life. Finally, the good soil stands for those persons who, by God’s grace through the power of the Holy Spirit, hear and believe His Word, and – over
Our Epistle Lesson for this Sexagesima Sunday comes from I Corinthians. In it Paul speaks about some of the experiences of the nation of Israel while it was wandering in the Sinai wilderness following the Exodus from Egypt. The Cloud (vs. 10:1) that guided them through the desert was actually a physical manifestation of God (theologians refer to an event like this as “theophany” – God appearing in a physical form). Israel’s miraculous passage through the Red Sea on dry land, escaping the Egyptian army, is a metaphor for baptism (vs. 10:2). We also want to note that God miraculously sustained His people in the wilderness through His provision of manna (Ex. 16:15) and quail (Ex. 16:13). In a place where water was not ordinarily found, God allowed the Israelites to drink from water that miraculously poured out of a rock (Num 20:8). Incidentally, Paul informs his readers, that “Rock was Christ.” However, the Israelites rejected the LORD and His Word, preferring sin to faithfulness, and so – says Paul – God was not pleased with them. To better understand God’s displeasure, we only have to recall the story of Kadesh Barnea (Deut 1:18-46). There, on the verge of finally entering the land promised to them, the people of Israel refused to trust in the promise and presence of the Lord their God to give them victory over their enemies. Instead, consumed by an unwarranted fear of the Canaanite people, they complained that the Lord had only led them out of Egypt so that they could be destroyed by the inhabitants of the Promised Land once they entered it. The consequence for failing to take God at His Word was that the entire Israelite community over the age of 20 would remain in the wilderness for 40 years until they all died. Only then would their children enter the Promised Land. This brief history of Israel provides the background for Paul’s athletic metaphors about remaining faithful to the Lord, which he presents in the verses preceding today’s lesson (9:24-27): “Run to win…” “Exercise self-control…” “Don’t box the air…” “Subdue the body…” In their failing to take the Lord at His Word at Kadesh Barnea, the Israelites might just as well have called God a liar. May God grant that you and I learn from Israel’s bad example, just how important it is for us today to always listen to the Lord, and to believe and do everything He tell us.
In our Old Testament Lesson Moses reminds the people of Israel that the LORD has blessed them by graciously giving them His Word (even though they don’t deserve the privilege), as well as the Promised Land that they are about to enter. As a result, Moses urges them to diligently teach it to their children and apply it to their own lives. He also warns them that they are not to add to God’s Word or take anything away from it. Plus, any failure on their part to consistently and faithfully make use of the Word of the LORD could result in Israel’s losing it.
That point will also be stressed in today’s Children’s Lesson which is built around the inspired words of the prophet Amos. Here the LORD says He will punish Israel (which has ignored His Word) by creating a “famine” of His Word. In other words, God will remove His life-giving words and promises from those (today as well as 3400 years ago) who deliberately misuse it, ignore it, and/or take it for granted.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019,
The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission
Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-Service Prayer – 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.
Pre-service prayer Pre-worship music
Pre-Worship Hymn Singing, beginning at 9:25 a.m.
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Welcome and Introduction to Worship
The Invocation
We begin this service in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Psalm for This Morning Psalm 119, selected verses
P: How can a young man keep his path pure? By guarding it with Your words.
C: I have hidden Your sayings in my heart + so that I may not sin against You.
P: Do not tear away the Word from my mouth; Because I wait confidently for Your judgments.
C: Better for me is the law from Your mouth + than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
P: How I love Your laws! I meditate on them all day long.
C: How sweet are Your sayings to my taste, + sweeter than honey to my mouth!
P: Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
C: The doorway of Your words lets in light + It gives understanding to the inexperienced.
P: See how I love Your precepts; LORD, according to Your mercy give me life.
C: The sum of Your Word is truth. + All your righteous judgment is
eternal.
P: I wait for Your salvation, O LORD, and I obey Your commandments.
C: May Your hand be ready to help me, + because I have chosen Your precepts.
after this the Congregation will please be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 478 “With The Lord Begin Your Task
With the Lord begin your task; Jesus will direct it.
For His aid and counsel ask; Jesus will perfect it.
Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise, And when day is ended,
In His name then close your eyes; Be to Him commended.
Let each day begin with prayer, Praise, and adoration.
On the Lord cast ev’ry care; He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter’s might, With His presence cheer you.
With your Savior at your side, Foes need not alarm you;
In His promises confide, And no ill can harm you.
All your trust and hope repose In the mighty Master,
Who in wisdom truly knows How to stem disaster.
If your task be thus begun With the Savior’s blessing,
Safely then your course will run, Toward the promise pressing.
Good will follow ev’rywhere While you here must wander;
You at last the joy will share In the mansions yonder.
Thus, Lord Jesus, ev’ry task Be to You commended;
May Your will be done, I ask, Until life is ended.
Jesus, in Your name begun Be the day’s endeavor;
Grant that it may well be done To Your praise forever
after which the Congregation will rise
Pastor O LORD, open my lips.
Congregation – And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Pastor Hasten, O God, to deliver me.
Congregation – Make haste to help me, O Lord.
Pastor The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
Congregation – A broken and a contrite heart, O God
You will not despise.
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.
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor – I now ask you before God, who searches your heart, do you confess that you have sinned against God and deserve His wrath and punishment? Then declare so by saying, “I do confess.”
Congregation – “I do confess.”
Pastor – Truly you should confess, for the Holy Scriptures say, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Second, do you, with all your heart, repent of all your sins, committed in thought, word, and deed? Then declare so by saying, “I do repent.”
Congregation – “I do repent.”
Pastor – Truly, you should repent, as other penitent sinners have done: King David, who prayed for a contrite heart; Peter, who wept bitterly; the sinful woman, the prodigal son, and others.
Third, do you sincerely believe that God, by grace, for Jesus’ sake, will forgive you all your sins? Then declare so by saying, “I do believe.”
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – Truly you should so believe, for the Holy Scriptures say, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Fourth, do you promise that with the help of the Holy Ghost, you will, from this time forward, reform your sinful life? Then declare it by saying, “I do promise.”
Congregation – “I do promise.”
Pastor – Truly, you should so promise, for Christ, the Lord says: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Finally, do you believe that through me, a called servant of God, you will receive from God the forgiveness of all your sins? Then declare it by saying, “I do believe.”
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – Upon this, your confession, I, because of my office as a called and ordained servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place, and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be with you. Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated
Feed Us, Lord
The Children’s Lesson Amos 8:11-12
11 Look, the days are coming, declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine into the land— not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but rather a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. 12 People will stumble from sea to sea and from north to east. They will roam back and forth seeking the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.
Got the Right “Food”?
The Old Testament Lesson Deuteronomy 4:1-9
So now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances that I am teaching you, and carry them out so that you may live and so that you may enter the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving to you and take possession of it. 2 Do not add to the word that I am commanding you, and do not subtract from it, so that you keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you. 3 With your own eyes you have been observing what the Lord did at Baal Peor. Indeed, the Lord your God destroyed from among you every man who followed the Baal of Peor.
4 But all of you, who are clinging to the Lord your God, are still alive today. 5 Note well now, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may carry them out also in the land that you are entering to take as a possession. 6 Keep them and put them into practice, because in this way your wisdom and your understanding will be recognized by all the people who hear about all these statutes; and they will say, “This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people,” 7 because what other great nation is there that has a god as close to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him? 8 What other great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this entire law that I am presenting to you today?
9 But guard yourselves and guard your whole being diligently, so that you do not forget the things that your eyes have seen and so that those things do not disappear from your heart all the rest of the days of your life. Make them known to your children and to your children’s children.
The Epistle Lesson I Corinthians 9Z:24-10:13
24 Do you not know that when runners compete in the stadium, they all run, but only one receives the prize? Run like that—to win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable victor’s wreath, but we do it for an imperishable one. 26 That is why there is nothing aimless about the way I run. There is no pummeling of the air in the way I box. 27 Instead I hit my body hard and make it my slave so that, after preaching to others, I myself will not be rejected.
10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2 and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them—and that rock was Christ! 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did. 7 Do not become idolaters like some of them—as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to celebrate wildly.” 8 And let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9 Let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and so were being destroyed by the serpents. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 All these things that were happening to them had meaning as examples, and they were written down to warn us, to whom the end of the ages has come.
12 So let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you except ordinary testing. But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will also bring about the outcome that you are able to bear it.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 293 “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
God’s Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way;
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure,
We keep its teachings pure
Throughout all generations.
after which, the Congregation will rise,
out of respect for the words of our Savior, for
The Gospel Lesson Luke 8:4-15
4 As a large crowd was gathering and people from one town after another were making their way to him, he spoke using a parable. 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path. It was trampled, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on rocky ground. As soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Other seed fell into good soil. It grew and produced fruit—one hundred times as much as was sown.” As he said these things, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9 His disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”
10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest I speak in parables so that ‘even though they see, they may not see, and even though they hear, they may not understand.’ 11 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear it, but then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts to keep them from believing and being saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root. So they believe for a while, but then fall away in a time of testing. 14 The seeds that fell into the thorns are the ones who hear the word, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of life, so they do not mature. 15 And the seeds in the good ground are the ones who hear the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it tightly, and produce fruit as they patiently endure.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 279 “O Word of God Incarnate”
1 O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
We praise you for the radiance
That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps,
Shines on from age to age.
2 The Church from you, dear Master,
Received the gift divine,
And still that light is lifted
O’er all the earth to shine.
It is the chart and compass
That, all life’s journey through,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands
Still guides, O Christ, to you.
3 Oh, make your Church, dear Savior,
A lamp of burnished gold
To bear before the nations
Your true light, as of old.
Oh, teach your wand’ring pilgrims
By this their path to trace
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see you face to face.
the Congregation will remain seated for
The Greeting
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! Amen.
The Sermon Text Luke 8:4-15
The Sower, the Seed, and the Soil
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 Offer Our Gifts and Prayers 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) to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
the Congregation will please rise as the offerings are brought to the altar
Our Prayers for Each Other
In our prayers this morning we include:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of Katie and James Boatright, as our Lord blessed them and their family this past Tuesday with the birth of their son, Theodore.
and
A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Continued Intercession on behalf of Diane and Tim Pfortmiller, as they continue to contend with a myriad of health problems.
We Close with God’s Blessing
The Benediction
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 unto you.
The Lord look upon you with favor, and grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn “Closing Prayer”
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 sep’rate ways,
Help us share with others the things we’ve shared today.
May the grace 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.
Silent prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
+ + + Thank You + + +
Thank you for being a part of our worshiping assembly this morning.
We invite you to join those around you for some good conversation and fellowship at the conclusion of today’s announcements. We also invite you to join us for coffee, tea, juice, and other refreshments in our gymnasium/fellowship hall.
Finally, we encourage you to remain afterwards with us for further study in the Word of our Lord through our Bible Classes and Sunday School. May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ be with you throughout this day and this week.