Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing (LSB 475)
Good Christian friends, rejoice and sing!
Now is the triumph of our King!
To all the world glad news we bring:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord of life is ris’n this day;
Bring flow’rs of song to strew His way;
Let all the world rejoice and say:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Praise we in songs of victory
That love, that life which cannot die,
And sing with hearts uplifted high:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Your name we bless, O risen Lord,
And sing today with one accord
The life laid down, the life restored:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
+ Preparation +
Invocation
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
C: Amen.
Confession and Absolution
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination.
P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
+ Word +
Introit
P: Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
C: Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
P: For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him.
C: But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.
P: We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng.
C: But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
P: Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Kyrie
P: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.
This Is the Feast
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God,
and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
First Reading – Judges 16:23–31
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.” And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.
Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Hebrews 11:17–31; 12:1–3
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Alleluia and Verse
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Holy Gospel – Luke 12:49-53
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twelfth chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Children’s Hymn – He's Got the Whole World In His Hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the whole wide world in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the whole world in His hands
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands
He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands
Children’s Sermon – Tim Cosby
Hymn of the Day – Eternal Father, Strong to Save (LSB 717)
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.
O Christ, the Lord of hill and plain,
O’er which our traffic runs amain
By mountain pass or valley low;
Wherever, Lord, Thy people go,
Protect them by Thy guarding hand
From ev’ry peril on the land.
O Spirit, whom the Father sent
To spread abroad the firmament;
O Wind of heaven, by Thy might
Save all who dare the eagle’s flight,
And keep them by Thy watchful care
From ev’ry peril in the air.
O Trinity of love and pow’r,
Our people shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad praise from air and land and sea.
Sermon
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 Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
+ Celebrating birthdays this week: 15 – Peyton Toney; 16 – Devin Sauer; 17 – Beth Nicolaus; 19 – Jan Cosby, Kira Moore; 20 – Ed Nelson, Josh Nelson
+ Wedding anniversaries: 16 – Kevin & Gail Metzler; 19 – Bill & Judy George
Special Celebrations and Needs:
+ Church family members: Bob Jacobson, recovering from surgery to correct afib; Laurel & Derek Don, celebrating the birth of Nolan; Ethan Grossenheider, grandson of Mike & Lisa Grossenheider, recovering from successful brain surgery; Mary Ann Crabtree, dealing with Covid; Michelle Fiala, on her diagnosis of breast cancer
+ Friends of our congregation: Chris & Nicole, son and daughter-in-law of Jerry & Beth Nicolaus, upon the death of Nicole’s mother; Penny Jonas, mother of Pastor Scott, in the hospital recovering from a stroke; Kim, daughter of Greg & Karen Frimel, who is starting a new treatment
+ Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules & Mary Bush, Carol Fisher, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jerry & Jane Keathley, Rosemary Orloff, Gayle Sappington, Judy Thielker, Shirley Williams
