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PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
RINGING OF THE BELL
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever. Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned
from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly
sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed
to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we
may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Lord. Amen.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and
made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the
name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen
you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts
through faith. Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “God of Grace and God of Glory” Next page
Text: Harry E. Fosdick, 1878-1969 Music: John Hughes, 1873-1932
GREETING
The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Holy God, you confound the world’s wisdom in giving
your kingdom to the lowly and the pure in heart. Give us such a hun-
ger and thirst for justice, and perseverance in striving for peace, that
in our words and deeds the world may see the life of your Son, Jesus
Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
FIRST READING Micah 6:1-8
With the mountains and the foundations of the earth as the jury, God brings a lawsuit against Israel. God has “wearied” Israel with a long history of saving acts. God does not want or expect lavish sacrifices to attempt to earn divine favor. Rather God empowers the people to do justice, to love loyalty
to God, and to walk shrewdly in God’s service.
1
Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
2
Hear, you mountains, the case of the Lord, and you enduring founda-
tions of the earth, for the Lord has a case against his people, and he will
contend with Israel.
3
“O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you?
Answer me!
4
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the
house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5
O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what
Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to
Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”
6
“With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on
high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of
rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my
body for the sin of my soul?”
8
He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require
of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your
God?
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 15
Refrain:
1
Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? Who may abide upon your holy
hill?
2
Those who lead a blameless life and do what is right, who speak the
truth from their heart;
Refrain:
3
they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil to their friends; they
do not cast discredit upon a neighbor.
4
In their sight the wicked are rejected, but they honor those who fear the
Lord. They have sworn upon their health and do not take back their word.
5
They do not give their money in hope of gain, nor do they take bribes against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be over thrown.
Refrain:
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
According to the world’s standards of power and might, the message of the
cross seems stupid and offensive. Yet this word reveals the paradoxical
way God has chosen to work power and salvation through weakness, re-
jection, and suffering. Hence the message of the cross becomes true wis-
dom and power for believers.
18 The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the de-
bater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wis-
dom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save
those who believe. 22 For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23
but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness
to gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser
than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human
strength.
26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were
wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
The Gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL Matthew 5:1-12
Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount by naming those who are blessed in
the reign of God.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat
down, his disciples came to him. 2And he began to speak and taught them,
saying:
3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will
be filled.
7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter
all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.”
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON Rev. Chris Steubing
HYMN OF THE DAY “To Be Your Presence”
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS
. . .Merciful God, Receive our prayer.
THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us share the peace with one another.
OFFERING
OFFERING MUSIC “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” Next pageOFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God of every good gift, we offer what we have back to
you, knowing that your son is the greatest gift we will ever receive.
Grant us glad and generous hearts, ever and always, Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer (Sung)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
Used by permission CCLI License # 2561119
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace
and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
SENDING HYMN “The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve” Next page
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Do justice. Love mercy.
Thanks be to God.
Our staff and worship leaders today:
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing
Visitation Pastor—Rev. Judi Miller
Our Reader—Marv Dettloff
Our Liturgist—Claire Roberts
Organist—Jimmy Cheung
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann