The name of Leopold Loyka is not a household name. Nevertheless, Leopold Loyka is the man who made one of the most consequential wrong turns in human history.
Leopold was a chauffeur and a prestigious one at that. His job was to serve as the official driver for a high-ranking official from Austria, a man by the name of Franz Ferdinand. In June of 1914, Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, a city that harbored hostility toward Austrian rule. As Leopold drove the car through the city with Ferdinand as his passenger, he made a wrong turn. When he stopped to correct his mistake, it so happened that he passed directly in front of a man who very much wanted to see Franz Ferdinand dead. The man seized his chance and shot Ferdinand to death.
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria was the spark that started World War I. World War I, in turn, set the stage for World War II. In all, 77 million people perished. And it all began with a wrong turn.
There is another wrong turn in human history that has even greater consequences. It is the false assumption that we can make our own way into God’s favor. It is the false assumption that we can chart our own course into a right relationship with God. Such thinking is not only wrong-headed and self-absorbed; such thinking also has consequences that are fatal, and eternal.
Enter Jesus. Jesus did far more than chart a safe course. He created a path where none had existed. The path was himself. He alone was the way. As our substitute, he lived and died on our behalf. Through faith in him, God’s favor is ours, forgiveness is ours, peace is ours, life is ours. And not just for a while, but forever.
Through faith in Jesus, we will one day arrive safe and sound in our heavenly home.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive all of the wrong turns in my life—all of the times I have turned away from you. Turn me again and again toward you until I see you face to face in the heaven you are preparing for me. Amen.
It Is the Gift of God: Celebrate Reformation Sunday
November 3, 2019
8 a.m. Emmanuel
10 a.m. St. John’s
Pastor Peter Zietlow
St.
John’s School Chimes : “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
Pastor’s
Greeting–Five Latin phrases emerged
during the Reformation to summarize the Reformers’ theological convictions
about the essentials of Christianity.
Sola Scriptura, which means the Bible alone is our highest authority;
Sola Fide, which means we are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ; Sola
Gratia, which means we are saved by the grace of God alone; Solus Christus,
which means Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King; and Soli Deo Gloria,
which means we live for the glory of God alone.
Choir: “On
Faith Alone” (Sola Fide)
Please stand
Congregation Hymn sung to
the tune of CW 477 “What Is the World to Me”; 3 verses with new lyrics by Arden
W. Mead interspersed with liturgy from Psalm 103 spoken responsively by Pastor
and congregation:
♫ By grace we have been saved, by God’s abundant favor.
It is the gift of God through faith in Christ, our Savior.No merit may we claim, no effort of
our own;It is the gift of God through faith
in Christ alone.
P With all my heart I
praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise his holy name!
C With all my heart I
praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been.
P The Lord forgives
our sins, heals us when we are sick, and protects us from death.
C His kindness and
love are a crown on our heads.
P Each day that we
live, he provides for our needs.
C He gives us the
strength of a young eagle.
P How great is God’s
love for all who worship him?
C Greater than the
distance between heaven and earth!
P How far has the Lord
taken our sins from us?
C Farther than the
distance from east to west!
♫ When we were dead in sin, God sent his Son to save
us.
It is the gift of God that life eternal gave us.By God’s abundant grace we with the Lord are raised.It is the gift of God, whose name fore’er be praised.
P The Lord is always
kind to those who worship him,
C and he keeps his
promises to their descendants who faithfully obey him.
P God has set up his
kingdom in heaven, and he rules the whole creation.
C Let all of God’s
creation and all that he rules come and praise the Lord.
P With all my heart I
praise the Lord.
♫ We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus.It is the gift of God that thus his
mercy frees usTo live in holiness the life that
God desires.It is the gift of God that such good
works inspires.
Prayer of the Day
Your
Word tells us, Lord, that it is by grace we are saved, not by works, and that
it is a gift from God, lest anyone should boast. Let us bask in the blessing of
this true gift from you of our salvation from sin, death and the devil, not
because of anything we
have done but because of what your Son did for us on the cross by dying in our
stead for our transgressions and rising to life three days later that we might
live a new life in heaven with you. May this miraculous message, uncovered
again during the Reformation, which we celebrate this day, be our guiding light
and our bold claim in how we live our lives for you. Amen.
Please be seated
The First Lesson Isaiah 55:1-11
Summary: Invitation to the Thirsty
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and
you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money
and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on
what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will
delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you
may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love
promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler
and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your
God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with
splendor. Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he
is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their
thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our
God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from
heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud
and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the
eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return
to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for
which I sent it.’”
Psalm 46 The
Reformation Psalm is
sung by the congregation to the tune of CW 441 “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
with words as follows:
God
is our Refuge and our Strength, our Helper ever near.
The Lord of hosts is on
our side to shelter us from fear.
Though
mountains fall and storms arise and fearful tempests blow, Our God is with us, and he leads
where peaceful waters flow.
God’s
steadfast help will surely come as certain as the dawn. The Lord of hosts is on our side, so
let all fear be gone!
The
trembling nations hear his voice, their awesome Sov’reign own: “Be still, and know that I am God,
and I will reign alone!”
Come
and behold what God has done: as adversaries yield, He breaks the bow and snaps the
spear and burns with fire the shield.
O
God our Refuge, God our Strength, accept the praise we bring For mercy shown by grace alone
through Christ, our Savior-King!
TheSecond Lesson, Ephesians
2:1-10 (sermon text in bold)
Summary: Made Alive in Christ
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and
sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work
in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one
time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But
because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive
with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have
been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the
heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might
show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in
Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that
no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The Alleluia verse is sung by the congregation to the
tune of CW 322, “On What Has Now Been Sown”:
It is God’s gift alone that we to Christ belong, Who claims us as
his own and will our whole life long. Alleluia! By faith alone God’s gift
we own. Alleluia!
Rise for TheGospel, John 17:1-10
Summary: Jesus Prays for Himself and for Us
After Jesus said this, he
looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your
Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over
all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given
him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory
on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father,
glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world
began. I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your
word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For
I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with
certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent
me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those
you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all
you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
Please be seated
Congregational
Hymn, CW Supplement
756, “We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight,”
5 verses, see insert
The
Sermon: Ephesians 2:4-10
Grace Makes Everything New
1. A New
Life 2.
A New Name 3. A New Job
Rise
for the Creedal Hymn sung
by the congregation to the tune of CW 256, “How Great Thou Art”
♫ We all believe in God, almighty
Father who
shattered chaos, said, “Let there be light!” Sun, moon and stars show forth his
praise together, All things on earth his wisdom and his might. God loved the world so much he
freely gave his only Son the lost to save. God loves each child; by faith we
understand it is God’s gift—a Father’s hand.
We all believe in
God’s true Son, Christ Jesus, Born of a virgin, for us crucified. His holy death and resurrection
frees us To rise from sin, and in his grace abide. Ascended to his throne in heav’n on
high with saving love he still is nigh. He will return as Shepherd, Judge
and King. He is God’s gift—his praise we sing!
And we give thanks for God the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father
and the Son, By whose blest inspiration we inherit the benefits of all
that Christ has done. The holy Church is gathered ’round the Word where God’s good
news in faith is heard. Forgiven and forgiving, we shall rise to claim God’s gift of
Paradise.
Please
be seated
TheOffering (Greet one another
and sign the register.)
Please stand
Prayers based on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism Creed spoken
responsively by Pastor and congregation:
P O God the Father
Almighty, we offer our thanks for richly and daily providing us with all that
we need to support the bodies you have given us and the lives we are privileged
to live.
C Make us truly
grateful for your gifts of goods and clothing, house and home, spouse and
children, property, and all that we call ours—that we may regard them as your
blessings and dedicate them to your service.
P O Jesus Christ,
true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, for us and for our salvation
you became true man.
C It is your gift
alone that purchased and won us from all sins, from death, and from the power
of the devil—not with gold or silver, but with your holy, precious blood and
your innocent suffering and death. Keep us firm in that saving faith.
P O Holy Spirit, we
acknowledge all the gifts of God today only because you have called us by the
Gospel, enlightened us with your gifts, sanctified and kept us in the true
faith. Continue to inspire us in all
these ways, we pray, that the things we do may show forth your glory.
C By your Word and sacraments, you have united
us with the whole Christian Church on earth. Continue to call, gather,
enlighten, and sanctify more believers, and keep them with Jesus Christ in the
one true faith. Amen
At St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church we practice closed
Communion. If you are a guest at worship today and interested in receiving the
Lord’s Supper, please speak with the pastor prior to the service.
*St.
John’s continues below.
Benediction
It
is the gift of God that he has blessed us and keeps us. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be
gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his
countenance upon you and give you peace.
Amen.
Please
be seated
The Closing
Hymn, CW 201, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” 4 verses
After today’s service, please give your completed friendship register
page to an usher.
XAnnouncements
X
Activities
for the week of November 3-November 9
Sun.
REFORMATION
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel
Worship with communion
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s
Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Council
meeting
9:00 A.M.
St. John’s
Adult Bible Study
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s
Worship
Mon.
6:00 P.M.
Hands In Prayer
at St. John’s
6:30 P.M.
Choir at St.
John’s
7:30 P.M.
Adult Bible
Study at St. John’s
Tues.
9:00 A.M.
Elders meeting
at St. John’s
6:00 P.M.
Joint Worship
Committee meeting at St. John’s
6:30 P.M.
Eastside
Cemetery Association meeting at St. John’s
Wed.
8:00 A.M.
St. John’s
School Chapel
10:00 A.M.
Adult Bible
Study at St. John’s
1:40 P.M.
St. John’s
School/Little Lambs Early Release
2:15 P.M.
Public School
Teen Confirmation Class
6:30 P.M.
Women’s Bible
Study begins at St. John’s
6:30
P.M.
St. John’s
Worship with communion
7:30 P.M.
Bible
Information Class at St. John’s
Thurs.
8:00
A.M.
St. John’s Teen
Confirmation Class
6:00 P.M.
Griefshare at St. John’s lower level (9 of 13 weeks)
SJS/LL Parent Teacher Conferences (evening)
Fri.
NO ST.
JOHN’S SCHOOL/LITTLE LAMBS – St.
John’s School/Little Lambs Parent Teacher Conferences
7:00
P.M.
WELS
National Choral Fest at WLA
Sat.
Theme for Next Sunday November 10 , 2019The Last
Judgment–Welcome Home #4: “You Are
Perfectly Safe Here”
8:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Worship with communion
8:30 A.M.
St. John’s Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
St. John’s Adult Bible Study
9:00 A.M.
Emmanuel Congregational meeting
10:00 A.M.
St. John’s Worship
2:00 P.M.
WELS Sacred Concert at WLA
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS – For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: Ron
Blada, Liola Crown & son Terry, Agnes Dassow, Reinold Eckelberg, Harold
Fandrey, Lilah Farrell, Xzander Jahr, Chris Krause (Gordy and Linda’s son),
Shirley Krueger, Robert Lederer (Jackie and Jeanne Buchholz’ father), Delvin
Mittelsteadt, Mark and Peggy Russell (Elsa’s son and daughter in-law), Katie
Segrist (Pastor Gary & Orlene Johnson’s daughter), Doris Smith, John Smith
(Kenon’s father), Jennifer Strauss – (added this week: )
– For our communicants at Emmanuel
PRAISE THE LORD “I want to thank Pastor Zietlow for his
prayers and all the church members for their constant prayers and support. After
3.5 years of cancer treatments, it is now in check!”
–Bob Klapper
TRUNK OR TREAT Thank you to all who attended and helped
out at this year’s Trunk or Treat. Without you, this event would not be as
great as it was! Thanks and blessings to you all.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: RUTH “A short story masterpiece that showcases steadfast love and the
kind of selfless humility that God rewards.” ~People’s
Bible
All women are invited to come to our
new Women’s Bible Study for fellowship, fun, and growing in God’s Word!
We will be starting a four-week study of the book of Ruth this week Wednesday, November 6th
at 6:30pm in St. John’s church basement. Come learn about
God-inspired devotion, love, and most importantly, how the Savior ties into the
whole thing! Please contact Rachel Naumann at rnaumann@stjohnsmontello.org or 847.913.2135 with any questions.
MEN’S BIBLE STUDY The Men’s Bible study will NOT meet this
Tuesday, but will be resuming again the next two weeks, November 12 and 19.
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT –
EAST SIDE CEMETERY
The
Montello East Side Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting this
coming Tuesday, November 5th, at 6:30PM. The meeting this year will take place
in the St. John’s church basement. Anyone who owns a cemetery plot at East
Side, and all other interested parties are welcome to attend. Contact John
Dolan at 608-297-1075 if you have any questions.
UPDATE on CARDS FOR PRISON
MINISTRY Thanks
to all who picked up packs of cards to write for the prison ministry. All
the cards are out. Please return completed cards by Thanksgiving Day,
November 28, to the collection box in the linkway or to the church office.
SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY A “Sneak Peek at the Gospel” for the day
is the topic of the Sunday morning Bible study every week. It’s from
9:00-9:45am – come anytime. We meet in the church. All are welcomed. All are
encouraged to attend.
ACTS–ACTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE
GOSPEL IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH Adult Bible Study meets
Monday at 7:30pm & Wednesday at 10am in the St. John’s conference room.
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST Bible
Information Class (leads to membership) is at 7:30pm in the St. John’s
conference room (alternate times may also be scheduled).
GRIEFSHARE The 13-week session of
Griefshare has begun. Sessions are held at 6:00p.m. in the lower level of St.
John’s. Join us for week #8, October 17. If you have any questions or concerns,
please call Mark Emond (608) 697-1600.
ACH What is ACH? Automated
Clearing House. Interested in having your church offering automatically
deposited? Stop by the office or Information Room and fill out your application
today.
MEDITATIONS New “Meditations”
WELS daily devotional booklets are available in the church entry (many thanks
to our generous members for donating!)
CHRISTIAN ONE-LINERS (from
a WELS pastor): “If God is your Co-pilot, swap
seats!”
HOLIDAY TRAIL: NOVEMBER 23, 2019 St. John’s is again a part of this year’s Holiday
Trail. Our stop will be open from 9:00am – 4:00pm. The Scholastic Bookfair and
Thai Village Craft sale will be the main events here along with a few other
perks. Plan to come, bring a friend and enjoy a day of Christmas shopping around
town.
Emm/Usher Schedule
November 3
Emm (comm) Don
Stelter, Paul Wuerch,
Gary Weger,
comm. assist. Wayne Stelter
SJ Don
Smith; Chief, Paul Van Treeck, Haiden Van Treeck,
Nolan Van Treeck, Matt Borzick
November 10
Emm Darrell
Buchholz, Glenn Buchholz, Paul Dahlke
SJ (comm) Kenon Smith; Chief,
Martin Schmanke, Aaron Kendall,
Chuck Boetcher, Jim Eisermann
November 17
Emm DuWayne
Sommerfeld, Warren Buchholz, Don Stelter
SJ Cal Kapp; Chief, Jerre
Duerr, Robin Smith, Joe Zauner Sr., Joe Zauner Jr.
November 24
Emm Wayne
Stelter, Bob Ferber,
Gary Wegner
SJ (comm) James
Wachholz; Chief, Jon Vote, Joe Vote, Jesse Schable, Richard Freitag
November 27 Thanksgiving Eve
SJ Jack Yates; Chief, Ben
Jaster,
Jacob Jaster, Jeff Reimer,
Jeremy Breiwa
November 28 Thanksgiving
Emm Darrell Buchholz, Don Stelter,
Gary Wegner
December 1
Emm (comm) Lucas
Stelter, Jim Stuempges,
Paul Dahlke
comm. assist. Brian Ninnemann
SJ Don
Smith; Chief, Richard Freitag, Gerhardt Voigt, Mitch Simon, Gordon Krause
Attendance
Emmanuel
St. John’s
10-27 10-30
70
126 8
St. John’s Altar Committee
November 2019
Jennie Utke
&
Susan Brown
Save
the Date for our Thanksgiving Services!November 27 6:30pm
Thanksgiving Eve at St. John’s
November 28 9:00am Thanksgiving Day at
Emmanuel
Tour guides in Rome will describe what the Apostle Paul’s dungeon was like—the dungeon he lived in as he awaited execution. Many think that it was like an empty cistern in the ground, with only a hole in the top for light.
So picture Paul at the bottom of that dungeon. He’s alone. He’s cold. He knows he is going to die. Then the Holy Spirit moves him to write one final letter, a letter to his friend Timothy. From the darkness of that pit, the living and enduring Word of God comes to Timothy. And across the miles and centuries, that same Word comes to you and me.
Among the many extraordinary things that Paul includes in his last letter is this: “Join me in suffering for the gospel.” As Paul considered all that the Lord Jesus had done for him, he was gladly willing to suffer for the sake of standing up for the Good News of Christ.
You and I live in a society that, to a great degree, has gotten used to avoiding pain and inconvenience at all costs. For this reason, it’s easy for us to go on automatic pilot and avoid standing up for the gospel if doing so involves any discomfort or trouble. Such abandonment of our Lord is wrong. It’s sin. And deep down we know it.
So look to Jesus again. Come to him in repentance. Be washed clean in his blood. Then, as a forgiven child of God, recognize the opportunities you have every day to join with the Apostle Paul. Perhaps it is remaining faithful and Christlike during a difficult stretch in your marriage. Perhaps it is refusing to fill your conversation with complaints about your physical aches and pains. Or perhaps it is accepting ridicule because you are open about your Christian faith.
Just remember. In light of what Jesus has done for you, suffering for the gospel is not a burden. It is a sweet privilege.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in you I am forgiven. In you I have life. Empower me to endure any trouble for the sake of serving as a witness for you. Amen.
It’s a great blessing to have Christians in your life who know the pattern of sound Christian teaching and who pass it on. Some of what the Bible says matches your conscience, but most of it does not come naturally. It has to be taught and learned, and nothing is more valuable. For example, when someone teaches and shows you how to make forgiveness in Jesus a main focus of your life, you appreciate it because of the tremendous comfort it brings.
You also appreciate it when Christians in your life demonstrate their faith in Jesus. It’s especially helpful to see them in action during the difficult times. They are sure of the promises of God even when it’s not easy to see how God will keep those promises. The confidence of believers is reassuring when everyone else seems to be panicking.
Along with passing along Christian teaching and demonstrating faith in Jesus, we are also blessed when our fellow Christians demonstrate the love God has placed in their hearts. Nothing makes life more pleasant than people who love you. Christians in your life reflect the love of Christ Jesus and love you even when you don’t deserve it. You can teach the truths of the Lord, and you can believe his promises, but those two very valuable things ring hollow to other people if you do not demonstrate love to them.
Christians around the world celebrate November 1st as All Saints Day, remembering all of the people who lived Christian lives and died in the faith. What is the best way to honor them?
Teach. Believe. Love.
Prayer: (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal – 551)
For all the saints who from their labors rest, all who their faith before the world confessed, your name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
