The Seventh Sunday of the Easter Season
Also referred to as Exaudi (“Hear”) Sunday
And known as “The Sunday of Anticipation”
May 17, 2026
Waiting For the Lord
I don’t know about you, but waiting is not at the top of my “most favorite things to do list.” In fact, it’s nowhere to be found on that list. But it does have a prominent place on my “least favorite list.” You see (and I freely – though not proudly — admit it) I am not the world’s most patient person…..(yes, I know I should work on it – and I do regularly pray to become more patient….it’s just not an “easy” virtue for me to cultivate – even with the Holy Spirit’s provision). For example, I don’t like to wait in long lines at Wal-Mart, or to wait in the doctor’s office (for what seems like “hours that turn into days!”), or to wait at a traffic light when there are dozens of cars in front of me (and I just know the light is going to turn red just before I get to pass through …. so I can wait some more), or to wait for a that promised return phone call that sometimes never comes. There’s no denying it: I don’t like to wait, and I suspect you don’t like to wait all that much either.
But waiting is a part of life, isn’t it? And not just at traffic lights, in the doctor’s office, or at Wal-Mart. Waiting is a very important part of our faith and lives as Christians. We wait to be confirmed. We wait to for the Lord to lead us to that “right person” with whom we can spend our lives in Christian marriage. And, most important of all, we wait for Jesus to return on the Last Day, as He’s promised. The angels’ message to the Apostles on the day of Christ’s ascension (which we observed this past Thursday) continues to ring in the ears and hearts of His followers across the centuries: “This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”
When Jesus actually does return for this world’s judgment and the deliverance of His Church is something that only the Lord Himself knows. What we know is that He’s told us He is going to return, and that He wants us to be Spiritually ready and waiting for His return….. whenever that Day occurs.
In order that we properly make use of “The In-Between Time” (our Sermon Theme for today), Jesus has provided us with instruction in His Word about how we can grow in our faith and Spiritual steadfastness as we wait for Him to call us to heaven (through a believer’s death) or for Him to return on the Last Day. We can keep on growing Spiritually through our regular, faithful use of His Word, as well as through the time we spend in prayer, and through the way we exhibit Christian love toward others and live faithful lives for our LORD’s glory. In addition, Jesus is going to instruct us about how vitally important it is to Him and His Kingdom that you and I make it our chief priority to personally bring the Good News of salvation in Him to others who don’t yet know Him by faith as we do. (We’ll hear that instruction in this morning’s First Lesson and Gospel Lesson.) All the while, as we faithfully and patiently wait to leave this world (our Children’s Lesson) we can look forward eagerly to the world’s end (our Epistle Lesson) and to the eternal privilege that will be ours when we experience the glory of heavenly perfection and the joy of living and worshiping forever in the presence of our Savior-God.
This Seventh, and Last, Sunday of the Easter Season is also known by the ancient name Exaudi Sunday. (“Exaudi” is the Latin word for “hear,” and is taken from verse 7 of our Psalm reading for day, Psalm 27). Across nearly 15 centuries that particular Psalm has been regularly read by Christian congregations on the Sunday after the Lord’s Ascension. It reminds us that our Lord, in His great love for us, does “hear” our prayers, and He continues to bless and support in all those individuals He has called into faith, so that we might be His followers and faithful servants here on earth, as well as heirs of everlasting life in heaven.
In addition to being know as Exaudi Sunday, and the Seventh Sunday of the Easter Season, today is also frequently referred to as “The Sunday of Anticipation,” since we find ourselves between Ascension Day (this past Thursday) and Pentecost (next Sunday). Just before He returned to His home in heaven, Jesus directed His disciples on Ascension Day to be His witnesses to an unbelieving world. He also told them to wait in Jerusalem, anticipating the outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit, Which He would powerfully send upon them. The Holy Spirit would empower and support them in the ministry of the Gospel which Jesus was commissioning them to carry out on His behalf. Some 20 centuries later, Jesus also commissions us, His disciples, to personally carry out the same Gospel ministry today on His behalf.
In our first lesson, Acts 1:12-26, Luke provided a brief account of what the disciples did in Jerusalem following Christ’s Ascension: they waited patiently, anticipating their eventual reception of the Holy Spirit Which Christ had promised He would send them. In addition to praising their Savior and praying to Him, they also assumed the responsibility to fulfill one of Scripture’s prophecies/promises by selecting, with God’s guidance, Judas’ replacement — the new twelfth Apostle, whose name happened to be Matthias.
Pre-Service Prayer – Dear Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul once referred to himself as the Chief of Sinners. But in my heart I know that – not Paul, but – I am that Chief of Sinners. I am wholly undeserving of Your love, of Your many mercies, and particularly of the forgiveness and salvation You won for me through Your innocent suffering and death along with Your resurrection. As I confess my sins this morning, assure me that You have removed the burdens of unworthiness and guilt that afflict my heart and conscience. As I hear the assurance that You have wiped my sin-slate clean, because of Your great love for me, give me once more the joy and confidence of eternal life in heaven that You graciously give to all who believe in You. Also, as I meditate on Your Word today, strengthen my faith and remind me once again of why I am alive here on earth: So that I can live a life of love and faithful obedience….all to Your glory alone. Then, at the conclusion of today’s service, send me back out into the world – not only certain of my salvation, but also motivated and better equipped by the Holy Spirit to serve You with all that I am and have. Through that same Spirit make me eager to share with everyone I can reach the blessed hope of everlasting life in heaven that is mine (and theirs) through faith in You. Finally, bless the Pastor as he brings Your Word to me; bless my fellow Christians as they worship You along with me; and bless my soul as I mediate on Your Word and worship You today. In Your name I pray.
Amen.
The portions of God’s that are 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 Introduction and Invitation To Worship
following which, the Congregation will rise for the invocation
The Invocation
We begin this service in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Opening Prayer
O Lord God, Heavenly Father, + You have prepared for those who love You + blessings that greatly exceed our understanding: + Pour into our hearts such love toward You, + that we may love You above all things, + and lead us, by faith, + to Your eternal promises, + which exceed all that we can desire. + All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one true God, + now and forever. + Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 143 “He’s Risen, He’s Risen, Christ Jesus the Lord”
1. He’s risen, he’s risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;
He opened Death’s prison, The incarnate, Word.
Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song
While earth, sea, and mountain His praises prolong.
2. The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.
In Satan’s domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.
3. But short was their triumph, the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes;
The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high.
He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die.
4. Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden’s door.
For all our transgressions His blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are His own.
5. Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;
Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.
Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain;
Who now sits in glory, and ever shall reign.
After which the Congregation will rise
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.
(Sung) Lord have mercy on us.
Christ Have Mercy on Us
Lord have mercy on us.
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, having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, addressing you as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and under His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
(Sung) Glory be to God on high
and on earth peace good will to men.
We praise You, we bless You, we worship You.
We glorify You,
we give thanks to You for Your great glory.
O Lord God heavenly King,
God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world.
Receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father.
Have mercy on us.
For You only are holy. You only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit.
Are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen
Our Psalm Reading for Today Psalm 27
P: The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
C: When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, + when my enemies and my foes attack me, + they will stumble and fall.
P: Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
C: One thing I ask of the LORD, + this is what I seek: + that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, + to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD + and to seek Him in His temple.
P: For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
C: Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; + at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; + I will sing and make music to the LORD.
P: HEAR my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
C: My heart says of You, “Seek His face!” + Your face, LORD, I will seek.
P: Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my Helper. Do not reject me or
forsake me, O God my Savior.
C: Though my father and mother forsake me, + the LORD will receive me.
P: Teach me Your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
C: Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, + for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
P: I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
C: Wait for the LORD; + be strong and take heart + and wait for the LORD.
Our Prayer for This Morning
Almighty and Everlasting God, + Whose Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our way: + Grant us receptive minds, + and good and honest hearts, + free from selfishness and sin; + so that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, + we may become not hearers only, + but doers of the Word; + and, being enlightened and renewed, + enable us – through our lives of faith – to bring forth spiritual fruits in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, + doing what is acceptable to You, + and of service to our fellow men; + all this we ask in the name + and for the sake of Jesus Christ, + Your Only Son, our Lord. Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson Acts 1:12-26
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John were there, also James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 All of them kept praying together with one mind, along with the women, with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days, when the group there numbered about 120 people, Peter stood up among the brothers and said, 16 “Gentlemen, brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David about Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 Judas was counted as one of us and was given a share in this ministry. 18 Now this man acquired a field with what he was paid for his wicked act. When he fell headfirst, his middle burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, and so in their own language that field was called Akeldema, which means Field of Blood. 20 Indeed, it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his residence be deserted. Let there be no one dwelling in it.’ And, ‘let someone else take his position.’ 21 Therefore it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from His baptism by John until the day Jesus was taken up from us, become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 They proposed two: Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” 26 Then they assigned lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was counted with the eleven apostles.
The Epistle Lesson II Peter 3
Dear friends, this is now the second letter that I have written to you. I wrote both of them to stir up your sincere mind with a reminder 2 for you to remember the words spoken earlier by the holy prophets and the command of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First, know this: In the last days scoffers will come with their mocking, following their own lusts. 4 They will say, “Where is this promised coming of His? For from the time that our fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have from the beginning of the creation.” 5 You see, what they are intentionally forgetting is that the heavens came into existence long ago by the word of God and that the earth came together out of the water and between the waters. 6 Through these waters the former world perished, when it was flooded with water. 7 And now, by that same word, the heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: For the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to do what He promised, as some consider slowness. Instead, He is patient for your sakes, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to His promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, dear friends, as you look forward to these things, make every effort to be found in peace, spotless and blameless in His sight. 15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him. 16 He spoke about these things the same way in all of his letters. There are some matters that are hard to understand in his letters, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they also do with the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you do not fall from your own firm position by being led astray through the error of the wicked. 18 Instead grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and forever. Amen.
The Gospel Lesson Mark 16:14-20
14 Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17 “These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons. They will speak in new languages. 18 They will pick up snakes. And if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them. They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.”
19 Then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 Those who went out preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed His Word by the signs that accompanied it.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Children’s Lesson James 5: 7,8
7 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the valuable harvest from the ground, patiently waiting for it, until it receives the early and late rain. 8 You be patient too. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near.
What Are You Waiting For?
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 207 “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”
1 The day is surely drawing near When God’s Son, the Anointed,
Shall with great majesty appear As judge of all appointed.
All mirth and laughter then shall cease When flames on flames will still increase,
As Scripture truly teaches.
2 A trumpet loud shall then resound And all the earth be shaken.
Then all who in their graves are found Shall from their sleep awaken
And with the living in that hour By the Almighty’s boundless pow’r
Be changed at his commanding.
3 A book is opened then to all, A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small, When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen, And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions.
4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised his precious Word And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand And at the judge’s stern command
To Satan be delivered.
5 My Savior paid the debt I owe And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free, And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
6 O Jesus Christ, do not delay, But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way In fear and tribulation.
Your saints are waiting patiently; Come soon, Redeemer; make us free
From ev’ry evil. Amen.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! Amen.
The Sermon Text I Peter 4:7-19
7 The end of all things is near. So have sound judgment and be self-controlled for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, love each other constantly, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
10 Serve one another, each according to the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many forms of God’s grace. 11 If anyone speaks, let him do it as one speaking the messages of God. If anyone serves, let him do it as one serving with the strength God supplies so that God may be glorified in every way through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted in connection with the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or as a meddler. 16 But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God in connection with this name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. Now if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, where will the ungodly sinner end up? 19 So let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to their faithful Creator while doing what is good.
In The “In-Between” Time…..
after the Sermon, the Congregation will rise 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.
after which the Congregation will be seated
Lord, Receive our Offerings and Prayers
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Offer Our Prayers to the Lord
as the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation will rise for
Included in our prayers this morning are the following:
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Sarah Bruns, who graduated
from high school this past Thursday evening;
And, in addition
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of Amy and Terry Bruns
who will celebrate their wedding anniversary this Thursday.
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 Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation (sung) And also with you
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation (sung) We lift them up to the Lord,
Pastor – Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation (sung) It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Pastor – It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and we praise You especially for the glorious resurrection of Your Son, the true Passover Lamb, Who by His sacrifice took away the sins of the world, and by His resurrection restored eternal life to all who believe in Him. Therefore with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
Congregation
(Sung) Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of heav’nly hosts
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is He. Blessed is He.
Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest
Consecration of the Communion Elements (Pastor)
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – (Sung) Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper (Pastor)
The Distribution of the Elements
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with
our Pastor about taking communion. Thank you.)
To our Guests this morning, we appreciate your presence among us. It is an honor to have you join with us as we worship our Lord and listen to His Word. We truly consider it a privilege to spend this time with you! It is our hope that you will both return in the future to worship with us again, and – perhaps – that You will even choose to become part of our congregation’s membership and our Synodical (WELS) fellowship, so that you might become even more involved in worship, study of God’s Word, and in Christian ministry and fellowship with us.
In connection with our worship as Christians, we regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion. But, as a key part of our church’s Biblically-based communion practice, before we can ask anyone to commune with us, we are compelled to first sit down with that individual and establish (upon a comprehensive study of the teachings of Scripture) that we are united in full doctrinal/ teaching fellowship…….which Scripture requires of any and all Christians before they can commune together.
Accordingly, we can offer the Lord’s Supper this morning only to those individuals who have completed that course of study, and who have chosen to become confirmed, communicant members of Grace Lutheran congregation or from one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) or Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) congregations.
For some guests, this Biblical practice of “Close Communion“ is both unfamiliar and (quite possibly) uncomfortable. We realize that, unfortunately, few churches today continue to follow this approach to communion…..though, in the past (when many churches were more concerned about following all of God’s Word than is the case today) nearly all did. We understand that it is not necessarily easy to watch others receiving the Lord’s Supper, while being asked – respectfully — to refrain from receiving it. Many of us who are communing today once also watched others receive the Lord’s Supper, as you are asked to do this morning, while waiting for the privilege of one day being an active partner in this “Close Communion.” We want to assure you that we are not judging your faith in Christ today. Nor it is our desire to offend you. But it also is not our desire to offend or disobey our Lord’s expectations for the proper use of His Supper. Indeed, we must all obey Him above all others, and we want to obey Him. Consequently, if you have any questions or concerns about our use/practice of the Lord’s Supper (and we invite you to ask or express them — if you do), please feel free to speak with our Pastor after the service, or at your convenience. He considers it a privilege to share with you and others the Biblical reasons for our approach to receiving and offering the Lord’s Supper. In addition, you can also find a brochure in our tract/brochure rack in the entryway; it is entitled “Our Communion Practice.” This brochure also provides our guests and friends with the Scripture-based explanation for our understanding of and use of the Lord’s Supper.
Finally, please know that we truly are grateful for your participation – as a fellow Christian – in this morning’s worship service. We also thank you for your patience and understanding, and for respecting this Biblical approach we must take as we endeavor to faithful make us of our Lord’s Supper. We hope and pray that you will come back to worship with us again — often. And that one day you might become a part of this Christian fellowship, not only as we worship and hear God’s Word from these pews, but as we receive the Lord’s Supper together. May God bless and keep you always!
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.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
The Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord look with favor upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn God the Father, Son and Spirit
Melody 8787 (Regent Square) cwh 2009
God the Father, Son and Spirit: As our service ends today —
Thank You, LORD, for granting us this time to study, sing and pray —
May our faith, which You have strengthened,
be for Your praise, now, alway.
From eternity You chose us, All by grace and grace alone.
Through Your saving Word You called us,
In our hearts, You made Your throne —
Gave us faith in Christ, our Savior, Who for our sins did atone.
Help us all, Lord to be faithful Throughout life, unto the end.
May each one of us be useful — that your Kingdom might extend
Through this town, across this nation, and to earth’s remotest end.
Grace for all, from every station, blood-bought souls from near and far
Christ has earned for us salvation: “Reconciled to God, we are –
Life through His death. It is all done.” Glorify our Morning Star!
LORD, for Your great love, we praise You,
Guiding us our whole lives through
Day by day our faith, You renew — May we e’er to You be true
Serving You in all that we do —
‘Til in heav’n, we live with You. Amen.
Silent Prayer, Announcements, Post-service Music