| Prelude Greeting and Welcome Lighting of the Candles Hymn of Invocation – Lift High the Cross (LSB 837) Refrain: Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim Till all the world adore His sacred name. Come, Christians, follow where our Captain trod, Our king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. Refrain Led on their way by this triumphant sign, The hosts of God in conqu’ring ranks combine. Refrain All newborn soldiers of the Crucified Bear on their brows the seal of Him who died. Refrain O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, As Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee. Refrain Let ev’ry race and ev’ry language tell Of Him who saves our lives from death and hell. Refrain So shall our song of triumph ever be: Praise to the Crucified for victory! Refrain + Preparation + Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. Confession and Absolution P: God’s ways are unsearchable; all things and we ourselves belong to Him. C: But we are not righteous, for we have done the evil He forbids. We are not upright in heart, for we have thought to save ourselves. We are not at peace, for we have led others astray in our thoughtless words. We cannot save ourselves. Forgive us and lead us in paths pleasing to You, gracious God. P: Although you have sinned, God still surrounds you with His protection, like the mountains around Jerusalem. He never rests in His seeking to guide your hands to do good. He has sent His Word to turn your thoughts back to His grace and mercy. His peace is made sure for you in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In His gracious love, God declares you to be His good and righteous children. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. Thanks be to God! + Word + Introit P: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! C: Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! P: Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! C: Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! P: Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, C: O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! 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: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, C: give us an increase of faith, hope, and love, P: that, receiving what You have promised, C: we may love what You have commanded; P: through 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 – Deuteronomy 7:6–9 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Epistle – 1 Timothy 3:1-16 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Holy Gospel – Matthew 13:44-52 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the thirteenth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord. [Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
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 and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit 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 sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in 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. Children’s Hymn – Lord, Be Glorified (AGPS 165) In my life Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my life Lord, be glorified today. In my song Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my song Lord, be glorified today. In Your church Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In Your church Lord, be glorified today. Children’s Message – Tim Cosby Hymn of the Day – Lord, Whose Love through Humble Service (LSB 848) Lord, whose love through humble service Bore the weight of human need, Who upon the cross, forsaken, Offered mercy’s perfect deed, We, Your servants, bring the worship Not of voice alone, but heart, Consecrating to Your purpose Ev’ry gift that You impart. Still Your children wander homeless; Still the hungry cry for bread; Still the captives long for freedom; Still in grief we mourn our dead. As, O Lord, Your deep compassion Healed the sick and freed the soul, Use the love Your Spirit kindles Still to save and make us whole. As we worship, grant us vision, Till Your love’s revealing light In its height and depth and greatness, Dawns upon our quickened sight, Making known the needs and burdens Your compassion bids us bear, Stirring us to tireless striving, Your abundant life to share.
Called by worship to Your service, Forth in Your dear name we go, To the child, the youth, the aged, Love in living deeds to show; Hope and health, goodwill and comfort, Counsel, aid, and peace we give, That Your servants, Lord, in freedom May Your mercy know and live. Sermon Offertory | 
