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SECOND-LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR
Render to God the things of God
November 17, 2024
AS WE GATHER: “Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came One like a Son of Man” (Dan. 7:13). The Lord Jesus will return in glory on the Last Day with all His holy angels. “Before Him will be gathered all the nations … And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left” (Matt. 25:31-33). Those on His left will be cast into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For they rejected Christ by failing to receive and support His brethren, that is, the preachers of the Gospel. But those on His right will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. For they received and supported His brethren and believed what they preached. We believe in the promise of Christ’s coming, even it is delayed because of His long suffering mercy. Conducting ourselves in godliness, knowing that this fallen creation will soon pass away, we look forward to “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
Take a moment to notice the * at the beginning of various portions of the order of service. The * indicates the place where it is inappropriate to enter or leave the sanctuary because it marks a time of prayer or respect for the Word of the Lord. Please be considerate of others around you by honoring these notations
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Matins
Organ Prelude
Announcements
Opening Hymn LSB 851 “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us”
*CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION:
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father,
beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
Pastor: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
People: who made heaven and earth.
Pastor: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord.
People: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Pastor: O almighty God, merciful Father,
People: I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have
ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am
heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
Pastor: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained 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 I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
“O Lord, open my lips…” LSB 219
PSALMODY
Venite: LSB 220ff
READINGS
Catechism Review Question #65
65. What is marriage?
Marriage was created by God as the lifelong union of a man and a woman for their mutual help and joy and for the procreation and nurturing of children. A man and a woman enter into marriage by the public promise to live faithfully together until death. Mark 10:6-9 But from the beginning of creation, "God made them male and female." "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
Old Testament: Daniel 7:9-14 Pew Bible Page 1384
Epistle: 2 Peter 3:3-14 Pew Bible Page 1896
*Holy Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 Pew Bible Page 1542
*Common Responsory LSB 221
Office Hymn: LSB 513 “The Clouds of Judgment Gather”
Sermon
Offertory LSB 781 “We Give Thee But Thine Own”
*Te Deum LSB 223
PRAYER
*Kyrie: LSB 227
*Lord’s Prayer: LSB 227
*Prayer of the Church
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Father in heaven, give Your Church steadfast resolve and a joyful spirit as we engage in works of mercy and love. Lead us to remember we are Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You prepared beforehand for us to do. Grant us humility, that we would not boast in works, but only in the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, remember Your Church throughout the world. Bless our Synod and her pastors, including Matthew, our Synod president; Brian, our district president; John our circuit visitor; and Justin, our pastor(s), that repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Christ’s name would be proclaimed everywhere. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, heal the divisions among Your people. Curb all sinful ambition, silence the desires of our sinful flesh, and grant us hearts eager to be reconciled with each other in Christian love, that all people will know we are Your disciples. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, bless all in authority with wisdom and temperance. Protect our police, firefighters and those who serve in the armed forces from harm and danger, that peace may be established in our lifetime, according to Your gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, have compassion on all who are afflicted in body and soul. Grant them comfort and healing according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, bless all who partake in the Holy Eucharist this day, that in Jesus’ body and blood they would receive forgiveness of sins unto life eternal. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
*COLLECT OF THE DAY:
Pastor: O Lord,
People: so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Your just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with You forever hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
*Collect for Grace: LSB 228
*Benedicamus/Benediction: LSB 228
Closing Hymn: LSB 511 “Herald, Sound the Note of Judgment”
SECOND-LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
1024 West Eighth Street, Waterloo Iowa
319.235.6705