The 20th Sunday of after Trinity
the 22nd Sunday of the
Pentecost Season
Bible Characters & their Stories for Today
Job: As Faithful – and Frustrated – a Believer as Ever Was
The life of Job demonstrates that
humans are often unaware of the many ways God is at work in the life of each believer. Job’s life is also one that prompts the common question, “Why do bad things happen to God’s people?” It is an age-old question, and one that’s difficult to answer. Nevertheless, believers know that God is always in control, and, no matter what happens, there are no coincidences—nothing happens by chance. Job was a believer. He knew that God was on His throne and was in total control, although he had no way of knowing why so many terrible tragedies had occurred in his life.
Job lived in the land of Uz (modern day Saudi Arabia). He might have been a contemporary of Abram, or might even have lived before him. Consequently, he could not have been a Hebrew/Israelite. What Job was, was righteous and godly, “blameless and upright,” a man who “feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:2). A person might assume, given the commendation Job received in the opening verses of the book named after him that he was a simple man of humble means, since it is a rare person whose heart is fixed on God and yet who has everything this life has to offer.
But Job was a great man. In fact the Bible refers to him as “the greatest of all the men of the East” (Job 1:3). He was great by man’s standards and by God’s.
We also learn about him that Job was wealthy. He had many servants, and his livestock numbered in the thousands.
He also had 10 children. Job 1:4-5 tells us that on their birthdays, Job’s sons would invite their siblings to join them in lavish feasts that would last for days. Job, being the head of the family, served as its spiritual leader. In that capacity, he feared and loved God so much that he made sure his children were purified following these feasts, just in case, in their celebrating they sinned against God. “Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them. Job would say, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ Job did this regularly” (Job 1:5).
The unknown human author of this book (God the Holy Spirit, of course, was the real Author) depicts Job as a man of outstanding goodness and integrity. In so doing he sets the stage for Satan’s accusations against Job and his desire to test Job’s faith and faithfulness.
People suffering innocently was a common theme in ancient Near Eastern stories, just as it is common day. What Job experienced, however, was the ultimate in human suffering, carried out by the hand of Satan but allowed (yet limited) by God.
The Bible tells us that one day Satan came into the presence of God, and God asked Satan what he now thought of Job. Satan accused Job of honoring God only because God had blessed him. So, God allowed Satan to take away Job’s physical blessings. Then He subsequently permitted Satan to afflict Job physically however he wanted to….provided Satan did not take Job’s life.
First, the Sabeans attacked and stole all of Job’s oxen and donkeys and killed a portion of his servants (Job 1:14-15). Then fire fell from the sky “and burned up the flocks” and more of Job’s servants (Job 1:16). Afterward the Chaldeans attacked and stole Job’s camels, killing even more of his servants (Job 1:17). Next, “Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people, and they died” (Job 1:19). And, finally, Satan “struck Job with very painful sores” from the bottoms of his feet to the top of his head (Job 2:7).
How Did Job Respond? Following the first four tragedies, Job mourned (“tore his robe and shaved his head”), after which he worshiped God (Job 1:20-21) uttering these familiar words: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be blessed.”
After Satan afflicted him with a flesh-eating disease that left Job sitting in a heap of ashes, scraping himself with shards of pottery and wishing he had never been born (Job 2:8; Job 3:1), and even after his wife encouraged him to “curse God and die!” (Job 2:9), Job’s faith in God remained steadfast and true. “He said to her, ‘You are talking like a woman who lacks moral judgment. If we accept the good that comes from God, shouldn’t we also accept the bad. In all this Job did not sin in what he said” (Job 2:10).
Later, his friends “Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite,” heard about his unthinkable calamities, and paid him a visit to “comfort him,” but they found Job nearly unrecognizable. So they sat on the ground with him, not speaking to him for an entire week because his suffering is so great (Job 2:11-13). That was the right response on their part….and it provides an important lesson for us. When someone we know is suffering greatly, we need to be there for them without saying too much – just being present and praying for them will often suffice. But unfortunately, after a week of silence Job’s friends started talking.
Job’s friends were certain that Job must have sinned in order to deserve punishment and actually argued with him about it. Job, however, maintained his innocence, although he confessed that he wanted to die and did ask questions of God. For 34 chapters, Job and his friends discuss both his suffering and the concept of suffering in general. Job’s sufferings simply had to be the result of his sin, his friends assumed. Granted, Job was not perfect (no human being ever has been and remained perfect….except for Jesus). He was a sinner, just like us. But he was also an eminently righteous man who was consistently conscious of his own sins, as well as those of his family. He routinely offered sacrifices to God for those sins. And so Job’s mind and heart struggled to understand why God was permitting these sufferings to fall upon him. What sin, he wondered, had he committed that caused God to make him suffer in a manner worse than every other human being he knew?
Discussing it with his friends did not help Job in the least. As they applied their reason to Job’s situations they collectively concluded that Job was being punished by God, and that Job was not sufficiently humbling himself and repenting before the Lord. As is often the case, their advice was fatally flawed by their human reason. To understand what was occurring and why, Job clearly needed to talk his situation out with God Himself. “I want to speak to the Almighty. I am eager to argue my case with God” (Job 13:3).
After much struggling and soul-searching, near the book’s end Job gets his conversation with God. God reminds Job of His deity and authority, that He is everlasting and possesses power over all creation, as well as that He is wise and omni-present, as well as all-knowing. Job’s awareness of the majesty and perfection of God’s character is expressed in these words: “I know that you can do all things. No purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this who spreads darkness over my plans with his ignorant words?” I have made statements about things I did (42:1-3).
Job 38—42 contains some of the most stunning poetry about the greatness and power of God. Job responded to God’s discourse in humility and repentance, saying he had spoken of things he now realized he knew nothing about (Job 40:3–5; 42:1–6). God also told Job’s friends that He was angry with them for speaking falsehoods about Him (the LORD) – unlike Job who had spoken truth (Job 42:7–8). So God directed them to offer sacrifices to Him for their transgressions, and assured them that still-righteous Job would pray on their behalf….a prayer that God promised to accept. Job did so, undoubtedly forgiving his friends for their harshness and judgmentalism toward him.
After Job expressed his confidence in God’s character, He was further blessed as “the LORD restored Job’s fortunes….The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before,” (Job 42:10). His brothers, sisters, and other friends gathered around Job to comfort him. God ultimately restored Job’s wealth with “14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys” (Job 42:12). God also restored Job’s family with seven sons, three daughters, and four generations of grandchildren (Job 42:13-16). “And Job died, an old man, and full of days” (Job 42:17).
So, what can we learn from Job’s story and especially his sufferings? First, your sufferings and mine are often a way for God to display His power and glory. Our sufferings in life cannot always be explained by the simple principle of retributive justice, where each person gets what he deserves: namely suffering for the evil and prosperity for the good. Often in life, it is the righteous who suffer and the wicked who prosper.
For example, in today’s Gospel Lesson, the story of the man born blind (John 9), Jesus teaches His disciples and us that suffering isn’t always a discipline that God imposes because of our sins. Rather, it can mean that God is wonderfully at work in a person’s life, producing something miraculous, through which He/God finally can be glorified.
More often than we realize, our sufferings are actually the result of God’s love for us. God was not Job’s enemy, even though Job might have wondered that a time or two. God had a purpose and a plan to bless him. But it wasn’t until near the end of his travails that Job recognized that likelihood.
God doesn’t capriciously and arbitrarily dispense suffering among His people. Nor does He impose suffering as punishment on us for our sins to make us pay for our transgressions. (Jesus was punished for all our sins on the cross….and that punishment was sufficient to pay for our sins. Period!) Suffering is apportioned to us individually as God has designed it be bless us as well as to glorify Himself. Our sufferings, then, are perfect prescriptions for each of us from the loving hand of our Great Physician. And the ultimate aims of those sufferings is that our faith might be refined and strengthened, that our godliness might increase, that God might be glorified, and that our salvation might be furthered.
Job never lost his faith in God, even under the most heartbreaking of circumstances that tested him to his core. It’s hard to imagine losing everything we own in one day—property, possessions, and even children. Most people would sink into depression and might even become suicidal after such massive loss. Though depressed enough to curse the day of his birth (Job 3:1–26), Job never cursed God (Job 2:9–10) nor did he waver in his faith that God was still in control. Job’s three friends, on the other hand, instead of comforting him, gave him bad advice and even accused him of committing sins so grievous that God was punishing him with misery. Job knew God well enough to know that He did not work that way; in fact, he had such an intimate, personal relationship with Him that he was able to say, “Even if He slays me, I will wait for Him with hope. No matter what, I will defend my ways to His face” (Job 13:15).
Throughout his ordeal, Job knew Who his Redeemer was. He trusted in that living Savior, and he knew that someday He would physically stand on the earth to perfectly resurrect his battered body (Job 19:25). He understood that every human’s days are ordained (numbered) and they cannot be changed (Job 14:5). The spiritual depth of Job is on display throughout the book. In his epistle, James refers to Job as an example of perseverance, writing, “Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:10–11…..Today’s Epistle Lesson).
There are also several scientific and historical facts in the book of Job that also merit our attention. The book implied the earth is round long before the advent of modern science (Job 22:14). It also mentions dinosaurs—not by that name, but the description of the behemoth is certainly dinosaur-like—living side by side with man (Job 40:15–24).
As far as who wrote this book is concerned, Job is another book of the Bible where the author is not known to us. Certainly Job was not the writer. Ancient Hebrew tradition ascribed authorship to Moses, suggesting that he might have even been given this story by Job himself. Some scholars (including Luther) think that, based on the polished quality of the Hebrew used in it, this book was written sometime around the reign of Solomon. Others suggest that it is the oldest book in Scripture, dating back to the days of Abram, or earlier. Again, as with many other Old Testament books, while the human author is unknown to us, we do know the divine author, God the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps the greatest lesson you and I can learn from the book of Job is that God does not owe any of us answers regarding what He does or doesn’t do in our lives. Job’s experience teaches us that we might never know the specific reason for any particular suffering in life that we endure. However, we will want to trust in our all-wise, sovereign, holy, righteous God, that He always knows and does what is best for us from both an earthly and everlasting perspective. God’s ways are always perfect (Psalm 18:30), and since they are, we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever He allows—is also perfectly done for our good. We can’t expect to understand God’s mind perfectly, just as He reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9).
Instead, our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him, and to submit to His will (especially as it is expressed in His Word), whether we understand “life” and our particular circumstances, or not. When we do this, we will see our loving and gracious God in the midst of all our trials and troubles…as well as all life’s “good things.” Finally, we will see more clearly the magnificence of our God, and we will say, with Job, “My ear has heard about You. Now my eyes see You” (Job 42:5).
So, just who was Job? Someone much like you and me. He was a man greatly tested by God through his sufferings. He serves as an outstanding example for us as we deal with life’s adversities. But most of all, He was an individual who was greatly blessed by God!
Pre-Service Prayer – Dear Father in heaven, You have brought me safely to the beginning of a new week in my life. Enable me, through Your Holy Spirit, to dedicate my worship, my work, my leisure time, my very life to serving You with all that I am and possess. Responding to the love which You have shown me in Christ Jesus, my Savior, help me to seize every opportunity this morning and every day of this week to grow in Your Word, to spiritually encourage and enjoy the fellowship of those around me today, and to live a life of Christian faithfulness and gratitude to You as the God Who enriches me in so countless ways, and Who – for Jesus’ sake – has granted me the undeserved gift of everlasting life in heaven, by your grace, through faith. In the name of Your Son, my Lord and Redeemer, I humbly offer this prayer. Amen.
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
We Praise Our God
The Introduction and Invitation to Worship
The Invocation
Pastor – We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Opening Hymn Hymn 234 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
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 me.
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
After which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson Job 1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright, a man who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions included seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys. He also had a very large retinue of servants. This man was the greatest of all the men of the East.
4 His sons would regularly arrange feasts, each one in his own house on his assigned day, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of the feast were complete, Job would send for them and consecrate them. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them. Job would say, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job did this regularly.
6 There came a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came into their midst. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming the earth and walking around on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and turns away from evil.”
9 Satan answered the Lord, “Is it without cause that Job fears God? 10 You have put a protective hedge around him and his household and everything that belongs to him, haven’t you? You have blessed the work of his hands. His livestock has spread throughout the land. 11 But just stretch out your hand and strike everything that is his, and he will certainly curse you to your face!”
12 So the Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then. Everything that he has is in your hand. But you may not stretch out your hand against the man himself.” So Satan left the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 when the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the flocks and the servants and consumed them, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and plundered the camels and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and were drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother. 19 Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people, and they died, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshipped. 21 Then he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin or blame God.
The Epistle Lesson James 5:9-11
9 Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look! The Judge is standing at the doors! 10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering with patient endurance. 11 See, we consider those who endured to be blessed. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and have seen what the Lord did in the end, because the Lord is especially compassionate and merciful.
Afterward the Congregation will rise, out of respect for the words of Christ
The Gospel Lesson John 9
As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him. 4 I[a] must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.”
6 After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” Jesus told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before this as a beggar asked, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
9 Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one!” 10 So they asked him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said.
13 They brought this man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man told them. “I washed, and now I see.”
16 Then some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others were saying, “How can a sinful man work such miraculous signs?” There was division among them, 17 so they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and received his sight, until they summoned the parents of the man who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How is it, then, that he can see now?”
20 “We know that this is our son,” his parents answered, “and that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how he can see now, or who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”
24 So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind. They told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
25 He answered, “I do not know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see.” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we do not know where he comes from.”
30 “That’s amazing!” the man answered. “You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. But he does listen to anyone who worships God and does his will. 32 From the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were entirely born in sinfulness! Yet you presume to teach us?” And they threw him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. When he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 “Who is he, sir,” the man replied, “that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him, and he is the very one who is speaking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” and he knelt down and worshipped him.
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.
The Children’s Lesson Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Trust in the Lord…with All Your Heart…All the Time
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 256 “How Great Thou Art”
After which the Congregation will REMAIN seated for
The Pre-Sermon Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text Job 38:1-11; 42:1-6
Then the Lord responded to Job out of a violent storm. He said: 2 Who is this who spreads darkness over my plans with his ignorant words?
3 Get ready for action like a man! Then I will ask you questions, and you will inform me.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you understand anything about it. 5 Who determined its dimensions? I am sure you know. Who stretched out the surveying line over it? 6 What supports its foundation? Who set its cornerstone in place, 7 when the morning stars sang loud songs together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Who locked up the sea behind doors when it burst out of the womb? 9 When I clothed the sea with clouds, when I wrapped it with thick darkness as its swaddling cloths, 10 when I broke its power with my decree, when I locked it up behind barred, double doors, 11 I said, “You may come this far, but no farther. Here is the barrier for your proud waves.”
………42:1 Job responded to the Lord. He said: 2 I know that you can do all things. No purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, “Who is this who spreads darkness over my plans with his ignorant words?” I have made statements about things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 You said, “Listen now and I will speak. I will ask you questions, and you will inform me.” 5 My ear heard about you. Now my eyes see you. 6 So I despise myself. I repent in dust and ashes.
Who Do Bad Things Happen to God’s People?
Pastor May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that You may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Offertory – based on Psalm 51:10-12
(Sung)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence.
And take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation.
And uphold me with Your free Spirit. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
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.
After which the Congregation will rise for
We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
Today’s General Prayer
Our Special Prayers
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 with You also
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 good and right so to do.
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, Who lived among us as a human being and revealed His glory as Your only Son, full of grace and truth. Therefore with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
(Sung)
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of heavenly 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 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 Hymns Hymn 315 “Here, O My Lord”
Hymn 309 “Draw Near And Take The Body Of The Lord”
Following the distribution, the Pastor will invite the Congregation ro rise as
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 on you with favor upon, and grant you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 319 “On My Heart Imprint Your Image”
Silent Prayer, Announcements, Post-Service Music
Announcements
Last Week At Grace: Sunday in church: 56 Online views : 22
Bible Class: 22 Online views: 9 Tuesday Bible Class: 13 Budget: $3573 Online Budget: $90.71 Online Benevolence: $14.73
Capital Improvement: $1 Memorial for Bev Anderson: $25
This Week’s Birthdays
10/18 – Carolyne Walker; 10/22 Jordan Harper; 10/22 – Chase Roberts;
10/23 Carol Ann Heinemann; 10/23 Linda Winnat;
Serving Us Next Sunday (10/24) Elders: Vic Walker, John Johnson
Altar Guild: Karen Swogger, Mary Karloski
Ushers: Taylor Ashley, John Wambold, Kent Mayer
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:45 a.m. Bible Class/SS, 11:05 a.m.
Monday Pastors’ Conference in Oklahoma City
Tuesday Morning Bible Class, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Midweek Evening Bible Class, 6-7 p.m.
Saturday Outreach Calling/Visitation, 11 a.m.
Sunday Pre-Service Hymn singing, 9:25 a.m. Worship, 9:30 a.m. Fellowship, 10:40 a.m. Bible Class/SS 11:05 a.m.
Time Change Weekend Notice It’s coming….in three weeks. In the wee hours of November 7th (technically at 2 a.m.), our clocks are all supposed to be turned back one hour. So, plan on getting that extra hour of sleep so you can join us well-rested and ready for worship on Sunday the 7th.
Fellowship Volunteers Needed Would you be willing to volunteer to prepare after-worship coffee, drinks, and light snacks? A sign-up poster is on the fellowship hall bulletin board. We need more volunteers for the rest of this year (the end of this month through December). A reimbursement of $25 per week for expenses is available to help defray costs. (It comes through our “donation jar.”)
The Upcoming Edition of “Meditations”, our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s daily devotional booklet is available through our congregation to everyone who worships here. The November 28-February 26, 2022 edition can be found on the table in the front entry. This covers three months’ worth of devotions for time well-spent in God’s Word.
This Week’s Bible Classes ……..In our Sunday Bible Class we’re studying First Corinthians. Today we’ll work through chapter seven (“When A Christian Is Married”). Tuesday morning, from 10:30-11:30, we’re studying 2 Kings 12. As we do, we’ll talk about the religious reformation King Joash led in Judah, and then his failure to remain faithful. If you can’t join us in person, watch our class online at YouTube.com, under “Grace Lutheran Church & Academy.” This Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m., we’ll offer a Bible class for men, and one for women. You can participate in person, online, or over-the-phone. Our men are studying various Psalms (This week, Psalm 23), while our women are studying the Lord’s Prayer.
Grace Lutheran Church of Northwest Arkansas
is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a church body which spans the United States and Canada, and which also operates a number of foreign missions.
Our Vision: Extend God’s Church through His Word,
serving each Soul
Our Mission: Share the Gospel, Encourage Faith, and Prepare Souls
through Worship, Education and Fellowship.