March 19, 2023 The Fourth Sunday of Lent
8:00am Worship Service
Welcome and Announcements
*Welcome to our worshipers!
*Our March Collection Box is for the Blessing Boutique at Oasis of Hope. They are collecting 4T & 5T boys & girls clothes, 3 & 4T Pull-Ups, children’s bibles, Dreft detergent, Oxy unscented stain remover & storage containers - 66 quart & up.
*Sign up to order Easter Lilies on the Ministry in Action wall. Payment envelopes are on the usher stand. The last day to order is this Tuesday, March 21.
*Love Inc. will be doing a service project on May 6 & 7 helping community members with outdoor projects. If you know someone who needs assistance, or want to help with projects, please contact our church office. Deadline is March 31.
*We are collecting candy for the Easter Egg hunt in the Narthex.
*Sarah Bullington wants to start a fellowship crafting group. If interested, please talk to Sarah.
*Pastor Haberkost’s last bible study will be next Sunday, March 26.
*Pastor Haberkost’s retirement party is Palm Sunday, April 2, after late service.
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Sharing of the Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you
C: And also with you
Invocation: We begin our service in The Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past LSB# 733
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home!
Text: Public domain
Opening Prayer:
C: Dear Father in Heaven,
In so many ways, the world seems to be a godless place. Temptations of darkness and evil surround me every day. I know You are The Living God and Your Son is my Savior. Enable me to be faithful to You and to produce good works that please You and help others. Let The Truth of Your Word lead my mouth and the deeds of my life. Protect me from The Evil One and all his lies and temptations. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Apostle’s Creed
C: 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.
Song of Confession: What is the World to Me LSB #730 V.1, 4
1 What is the world to me
With all its vaunted pleasure
When You, and You alone,
Lord Jesus, are my treasure!
You only, dearest Lord,
My soul’s delight shall be;
You are my peace, my rest.
What is the world to me!
4 What is the world to me!
My Jesus is my treasure,
My life, my health, my wealth,
My friend, my love, my pleasure,
My joy, my crown, my all,
My bliss eternally.
Once more, then, I declare:
What is the world to me!
Text: Public domain
P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Confession:
C: If I claim to be without sin, I deceive myself and the truth is not in me. If I confess my sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive me my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness. If I claim I have not sinned, I make God out to be a liar and His Word is not in me. Oh Lord, I have broken Your Commandments and against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight. Have mercy on me through Christ, Your Son, Who died for me.
Absolution:
P: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called servant of The Word, announce The Grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, forgive all your sins in The Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit. Amen.
First Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Second Reading: John 9:13-34
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Kid’s Korner with Pastor Jim
Sermon Text: Isaiah 42:14-20
14 “For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. 15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools. 16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. 17 But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame. 18 “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! 19 Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the Lord? 20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.”
Sermon: Lord, uphold me in faith in this wicked world.
Offertory: We Give Thee But Thine Own LSB #781
We give Thee but Thine own,
Whate’er the gift may be;
All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
May we Thy bounties thus
As stewards true receive
And gladly, as Thou blessest us,
To Thee our firstfruits give!
Oh, hearts are bruised and dead,
And homes are bare and cold,
And lambs for whom the Shepherd bled
Are straying from the fold.
To comfort and to bless,
To find a balm for woe,
To tend the lone and fatherless
Is angels’ work below.
The captive to release,
To God the lost to bring,
To teach the way of life and peace,
It is a Christ-like thing.
And we believe Thy Word,
Though dim our faith may be:
Whate’er for Thine we do, O Lord,
We do it unto Thee.
Text: Public domain
Prayers:
C: Dear Father in Heaven, Strengthen me in my faith! You have made me a Child of Light. Your Life and Truth are in me. Let me stand firm in Your Word of Life and Truth; live by it, speak it and share it with others. Your Word says, “Speak The Truth in Love”, enable me to do this to Your Glory and the good of others. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Prayers for our people
Lord’s Prayer
C: 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.
The Words of Our Lord
P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Communion Hymns:
If God Himself Be For Me LSB #724 V. 1-6
If God Himself be for me,
I may a host defy;
For when I pray, before me
My foes, confounded, fly.
If Christ, my head and master,
Befriend me from above,
What foe or what disaster
Can drive me from His love?
I build on this foundation,
That Jesus and His blood
Alone are my salvation,
My true, eternal good.
Without Him all that pleases
Is valueless on earth;
The gifts I have from Jesus
Alone have priceless worth.
Christ Jesus is my splendor,
My sun, my light, alone;
Were He not my defender
Before God’s judgment throne,
I never should find favor
And mercy in His sight,
But be destroyed forever
As darkness by the light.
He canceled my offenses,
Delivered me from death;
He is the Lord who cleanses
My soul from sin through faith.
In Him I can be cheerful,
Courageous on my way;
In Him I am not fearful
Of God’s great Judgment Day.
For no one can condemn me
Or set my hope aside;
Now hell no more can claim me:
Its fury I deride.
No sentence now reproves me,
No guilt destroys my peace;
For Christ, my Savior, loves me
And shields me with His grace.
Who clings with resolution
To Him whom Satan hates
Must look for persecution;
For him the burden waits
Of mock’ry, shame, and losses
Heaped on his blameless head;
A thousand plagues and crosses
Will be his daily bread.
Text: Public domain
The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want LSB #710
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnishèd
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.
Text: Public domain
The Benediction:
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His Face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His Peace. Both now and forever more. Amen.
Closing Hymn: The King of Love My Shepherd Is LSB# 709 V. 1, 3, 6
The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me.
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever!
Text: Public domain
Serving Today:
Pastor Daniel Haberkost
Pastor Jim Bretthauer
Organist: Daniel Barber, D.M.