The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5,6
He is risen! The completion of God’s plan of salvation for mankind took place on Easter morning. Jesus, the Son of God, our substitute, rose from death. All of the Old Testament and the first portions of the four Gospels pointed forward to the coming suffering, death, and rising again of Jesus to complete his victory over eternal death for you and me. All of the New Testament following Easter pointed back to the event.
If the centerpiece of the whole Bible is God’s plan of salvation for all sinful mankind, then shouldn’t that be our focus every day? If it weren’t for what took place Easter morning, you and I would have had nothing to look forward to except our own death, which would have meant eternal separation from God. Easter morning changed everything! God accepted Jesus’ perfect life, his innocent suffering, and his death as an exchange for our sinful life. Jesus earned eternal life for us with God in heaven.
So, if God tells us in the Bible that we now have a future with him, shouldn’t every morning be a resurrection morning? Yes, we can look forward with anticipation and every morning remember Jesus’ resurrection morning. God’s promise to us has been fulfilled, and we look forward to everlasting joy.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of salvation through your Son, Jesus, and the joy and anticipation that you give me with your promise and fulfillment. Amen.
Even death on a cross: That’s all that the Apostle Paul had to say as the Holy Spirit moved him to write this letter to the Christian congregation in the town of Philippi. Philippi, you see, had a sizeable number of retired Roman soldiers and their families living there. No one had to explain to them what death on a cross meant.
And yet the understated power of Paul’s reference was unmistakable. For Paul’s readers, death on a cross was more than enough to trigger in their minds the sights and sounds and smells of one of the worst forms of execution mankind has ever invented. Crucifixion meant a slow death with the maximum of pain and suffering on every level imaginable. Our English word excruciating comes from the Latin word for crucify.
With just a few words Paul had made his point: As our Savior, Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience on our behalf. In the life he lived as our substitute, Jesus never faltered. He never failed. For the sake of living the perfect life we could not live, Jesus was obedient to the very end. Even when the end was death on a cross.
But, of course, the cross was not the end. Jesus came back to life. He’d purchased our forgiveness by his suffering and death. And by faith in him now, eternal life is ours.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you went to the cross in my place to take my every sin away. You love me. For that I love you. And I thank you. Amen.
Welcome To Our Church We extend a warm welcome to everyone viewing our recorded worship service today. The bulletin includes the complete order of service, hymns, Bible readings and announcements. For those without internet access to our website <stjohnsmontello.org>, DVDs and written sermons plus the bulletin may be mailed. Just phone secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office (608) 297-2866 or contact Pastor Zietlow (talk or text) at (608) 408-7830.
Online Service, Printed Bulletin or Split Screen If you’re watching our worship services on-line and want to also follow along with the bulletin, you can just print the bulletin and follow it as you view the recorded worship service. Or, you can do a “split screen.” This means you would click the menu button on the top right corner of your screen, click “new window” and then open a second window to our website and recorded service page. Click “bulletin can be accessed here” and now you have two windows. Make each window half-size, so that you have a split screen–one side for the service and one side for the bulletin.
P: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
Congregational Hymn 157 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Easter Litany
P: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
P: The stone has been rolled away.
C: The tomb is empty.
P: The women have told the disciples.
C: The disciples have come to see.
P: The Lord lives,
C: Never to die again.
P: The victory has been won.
C: Death has been defeated.
P: The stone has been rolled away.
C: Our faith is built on this foundation.
1st Reading: The Wise and Foolish Builders Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Confession and Absolution
P: Though our faith is built on the rock-solid foundation of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, there are times when we hear his words but do not do them. It is then that our lives are built on that faulty foundation of our own weak and sinful nature. For that, we must repent and confess our sin to our Savior who paid the price, hears our confession and then forgives.
C: Most merciful God, we confess that our very nature is sinful. We do not love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We do not love our neighbors as ourselves. Far too often we trust in our own willpower and resolve rather than the firm foundation of a Savior crucified and risen again for us. We fail to do what you command and do the things that you detest. We deserve to have our spiritual houses destroyed for lack of a firm foundation. Forgive us, most holy God.
P: The stone was rolled away from the tomb, and the death and resurrection of Jesus have become the source of infinite forgiveness from the God who loves and saves. He hears our plea and responds by washing away our sin in the flood of his mercy. Therefore, all of our sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn of Response 152v1 I Know That My Redeemer Lives
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead:
He lives my ever-living Head!
The Prayer of the Day
Heavenly Father, you have laid the perfect foundation for us in the death and resurrection of your beloved Son, Jesus our Savior. Grant that our faith would ever be founded on this firm foundation and that we would hear your words and do them. Amen.
2nd Reading:Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”
3rd Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:10-22
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their workwill be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours.
Verse of the Day: Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia. Psalm 118:24
Congregational Hymn, “This is the Day the Lord Has Made,” Hymn 225, verses 1 & 2
This is the day the Lord has made;
He calls the hours his own.
Let Heav’n rejoice; her earth be glad
And praise surround the throne.
Today he rose and left the dead,
And Satan’s empire fell; Today the saints his triumphs spread
And all his wonders tell.
Gospel Reading:Jesus Has Risen Mark 16:1-8
P: When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Congregational Hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less,”Hymn 382, Verse 1
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare to make no other claim
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
4th Reading: The parable of the wise and foolish builders in our 1st Scripture reading is a well known teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. At one level Jesus’ meaning is obvious. You build on a solid foundation if you want what you build to stand. Obeying Jesus’ words provides just such a solid foundation. However, Jesus uses symbolic elements in this picture to give it a deeper and richer meaning. The Bible portrays floods and winds as forces that brought chaos and could only be controlled by God. Jesus uses them as a metaphor to describe the causes of calamity that could overtake a person or even a nation. When illness hits or relationships falter; when we fail utterly or lose our job or do something really stupid and face the consequences for it, we feel our lives are falling apart. Fair-weather foundations do not hold up—only Jesus is faithful.
Congregational Hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less,” Hymn 382, Verse 2
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace; In ev’ry high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
5th Reading: Moses describes God himself as “The Rock” in Deuteronomy 32:4. The Hebrews understood this. God was their sure place of refuge and strong tower against the enemy. In our 2nd Scripture reading, Isaiah tells us that God has laid “a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation.” And that “the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” We are safe and secure with Jesus.
Congregational Hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less,” Hymn 382, Verse 3
His oath, his covenant and blood
Support me in the raging flood;
When ev’ry earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.
6th Reading: Christ is laid for a foundation, and everything besides Christ is sand. Some build their hopes upon worldly prosperity—making a lot of money or collecting a lot of stuff; others upon becoming well-known and respected, or competing and winning. Some build a life on being healthy or happy or smart, or build it on an outward profession of religion or their own goodness. But all is sand, too weak to bear our hopes of heaven. First, and foremost, the resurrection of Jesus paves the way to life beyond death for all who believe in him. Jesus can be trusted. Jesus said he would suffer, die, and then rise in three days, and he did! May the risen Lord make us wise builders.
Congregational Hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less,” Hymn 382, Verse 4
When he shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in him be found,
Clothed in his righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before his throne.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.
Sermon Text: Revelation 19: 11-16
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Sermon Theme:
“The Son of God Goes Forth to War – VICTORY!”
Prayers
P: When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord,
C: we build our house on you, our Rock.
P: God, who lays the firm foundation for our faith, we give you thanks for the glorious resurrection of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave his life, laid in the tomb, and rose from the dead so that our salvation is secure and our faith is firm. When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord,we build our house on you, our Rock.
C: Father, use your people to make a firm foundation for this nation, so that we live in peace and serve others to the glory of your name, Be with our elected leaders that they would see in you the source of all hope, courage and strength. When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord, we build our house on you, our Rock.
P: Lord Jesus, be the bedrock of your church wherever your Word is preached and your Sacraments are given to the faithful as gifts from your hand. Use this church to be a foundation of renewal in this community so that many will know of your eternal love and your overwhelming forgiveness. When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord, we build our house on you, our Rock.
C: God, our Creator, for those who are facing storms in their life due to illness or disease, be their source of healing and hope. Provide caregivers, medicine and medical personnel to be your instruments of help. When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord, we build our house on you, our Rock.
P: God, who lays the firm foundation of our faith, today we look forward to the resurrection of the dead when we will rejoin all those who have gone before us in the faith. We especially ask that our faith would be firm, as was theirs, so that we would be lasting witnesses of your resurrection story. When the rains fall and the floods come, O Lord, C: we build our house on you, our Rock. Amen.
We join together in the Lord’s Prayer.
Benediction
Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace.
All: Amen
Closing Hymn, “Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won,” Hymn 145
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Yes, this is definitely a change from what we’re used to. Wisconsin’s state directive “Safer At Home” has changed how we will worship, for now. We need to remember that the power of God’s Word and the comfort of the gospel is not diminished by the way it is delivered. You will hear law and gospel. You will be assured of Christ’s forgiveness. Your faith will be nourished and our trust in God’s unchanging promises will be strengthened.
Perhaps God will use this experience to lead us to never take public worship for granted again. I pray that God is also using this crisis to draw many in our nation to see the value of forgiveness, faith and the Word of God. As He tells us, “My Word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11). If you know of someone who doesn’t have access to these on-line worship opportunities, please let us know. Call (608-297-2866) or email <scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org> church/school secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office or leave a message.
At the encouragement of our church synod leaders, we will be reserving distribution of the Lord’s Supper for its regular and normal use within the gathering of the body of believers, except in special circumstances. We take comfort in knowing that we have two forms of the means of grace – Word and sacrament. Forgiveness received through God’s Word is no less powerful and effective than the sacrament.
Every Saturday at 11am (either at Emmanuel at St. John’s) we will record an abbreviated service that will be uploaded to our website <www.stjohnsmontello.org> & linked You Tube channel together with a bulletin file and available for viewing at your convenience. This week’s Maundy Thursday (4/9) and Good Friday (4/10) services will also be recorded and available on-line, or via DVD, printed sermon & bulletin mailings.
While we might be tempted to face this situation with a great deal of disappointment and chagrin, we also recognize the opportunity God is placing before us to ponder and grasp ever more firmly his promise of spiritual health for our souls and to reflect the light of his love to others. We can:
– pray for God’s healing for those affected by the virus
– pray for those involved in essential services – medical personnel, first responders, and those who keep the peace
– share the links to our website and worship service with family, friends, and acquaintances
– renew our daily devotional life
– continue to support the message and ministry of our congregation by responding in thanks to God for his gift of eternal life through offerings mailed to the church office, by electronic-ACH-auto-pay-direct-deposit giving or via credit card at <www.stjohnsmontello.org> menu button “Church Recorded Service” DONATE NOW yellow button. Call Ciara at the church office for direct deposit giving details.
– offer care and compassion for those who need support and a listening ear
Church elders, shepherd, trustees, other concerned members and Pastor Zietlow have begun contacting all E/SJ members (via email, text, and phone) to make all aware of the situation, to offer alternatives for those who do not have a computer or internet access, and to offer any special assistance during these challenging times. Following our governor’s announcement on 3/24, all WI residents are to “stay safe at home”. President Trump also advises that we continue this “social distancing” until May. These are trying times..times for personal reflection, Bible study, devotion and prayer. Pastor Zietlow (608-408-7830 talk/text) and our E/SJ Elders are available for emergency home visits. Please reach out to them directly.
We as your church family want to be able to help and serve you, but we can all rejoice as we look to the One who is our real and lasting helper. He is our strength and that’s especially comforting in a time like this, when our human weakness is made so clear!
Don’t you love that feeling of accomplishment when you complete a big project? You click “Save” or “Submit” or “Print” on a homework assignment. You finally put the last thing in place after a remodeling project. You fill in the last letter of the crossword puzzle or push the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle into place.
Today, we see a scene that doesn’t look like much to be proud of. It doesn’t look like much of an accomplishment. A man hangs weak and dying on a cross. He lived his life loving and teaching people. But what happened? Many hated him, and few believed him. He was rejected and ridiculed. He was condemned and crucified. In the last moments, before he dies, we might expect him to say, “I give up. My life was a failure.”
But instead, he says, “It is finished.” Everything is done! Mission accomplished! Don’t let your eyes deceive you. Jesus’ life was no failure. It was a tremendous success. He accomplished exactly what he set out to do. He achieved exactly what he needed to achieve.
He came to show perfect love to people who leave so many opportunities to love unfinished. He came to accomplish the rescue of people who fail every day to carry out the life that God has called us to live.
As he breathed his last breaths on the cross, he cried out, “It is finished.” This wasn’t a cry of defeat but of victory. It was a cry of celebration, not resignation. He did it. He met the requirements of God’s law and satisfied God’s justice in your place. He battled to the death for your soul, and he won. The proof would come three days later when he rose from the dead—a victory we will celebrate this Sunday.
Because Jesus accomplished his mission for you, sin can’t hold you. Guilt can’t grab onto you. The devil can’t accuse you. Death can’t claim you. You are forgiven. You are free. You are alive. It is truly a Good Friday.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, when I survey your wondrous cross, help me see and celebrate your victory for me. Amen.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11
Our world says that pride, power, wealth, and success are the keys to honor and glory. But that’s not how God sees it.
It was because of Jesus’ humility that God the Father honored Jesus above everything and everyone else. God honored Jesus as the one to whom people can cling by faith and have the absolute assurance that their sins are forgiven, that they are reconciled to God, and that heaven is their eternal reward. God raised Jesus from the dead and promised that there would be an even greater glory to come. One day, on the Last Day, everyone will acknowledge that Jesus is indeed the world’s only Savior and Lord—some in joyous faith, others in stubborn and regretful unbelief.
Jesus wants us to share in the honor and glory that his Father gave to him. Jesus loved us so much that nothing would stand in the way of his saving us—not the greatest weakness, not the humblest service, not the most shameful death.
He is worthy of the highest praise. So, let’s bend our knees in humble adoration. Let’s confess his saving name and give him glory now and always.
Prayer:
Jesus Christ, you are my Lord and my Savior. I praise you now and always. Amen.
O for sinners slain, “Father forgive”, cries the Son – Worthy Lamb of God!
April 10, 2020
Emmanuel & St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Churches
Hymn: Oh, Perfect Life of Love (Christian Worship #138)
Gospel Affirmations (Based on Words from Scripture)
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Christ died for sins once and for all, the righteous for unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.
God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.
Greater love has no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.
Prayer of Invocation
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who sent your Son to become the Savor of the world; today, in spirit we wait in the shadows of the cross as we worship together. We see ourselves in the faces of those who were around him as he was crucified. Forbid it that we should be in the company of those who mocked him and ridiculed him; challenge us that we might be more faithful witnesses to the fact that his Spirit lives and reigns within our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Good Friday Gospel According to St. John 19
So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to what is called the Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him with two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.19 Pilate also had a notice written and fastened on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that ‘this man said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took his tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it. Instead, let’s cast lots to see who gets it.” This was so that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.So the soldiers did these things.
25 Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene were standing near the cross. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother!” And from that time this disciple took her into his own home.
28 After this, knowing that everything had now been finished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there. So they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished!” Then, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
Hymn: Were You There (Christian Worship #119)
Message: The Son of God Goes Forth to War: The Greatest Battle Ever Fought
Matthew 27:45-50
5 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This fellow is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, and soaked it with sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and gave him a drink. 49 The rest said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50 After Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are a just God who accepts nothing less than perfection. All too often we fail to realize how much our sins offend you. We forget that the wages of sin truly is death. We forget that there is a hell. Lead us to recognize the seriousness of our sinfulness. Lead us also to admit our inability to make things right with you. Teach us to look to you as the only one who can make us just and right. Today we are reminded not only of your justice but also of your love. You did not spare your own Son but gave him as a ransom for each one of us. Comfort us with the knowledge of this great love. Give us the peace that the forgiveness of sins brings. When we feel our guilt, point us to the cross, where our guilt was washed away in Jesus’ blood.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for paying the debt that we could not pay. We thank you for coming to earth so that we could be with you forever in heaven. For being our perfect substitute, we thank you, Lord Jesus. Son of God, you offered up your body as an unblemished sacrifice for sin and commended your spirit into the hands of your Father. Teach us to cast the cares of this brief life on our heavenly Father and commit our bodies and souls to his love. Give us the courage to face death, knowing that it is the gate to our home in heaven. Hear us, Lord, as we offer our personal thanks for the forgiveness that you have given us and for the home that you have won for us.
Private Petitions
The cross was once an instrument of death. It is now a sign of life. Dear Savior, we humbly kneel at the cross in awe of your power and of your love. Amen.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? My groaning does nothing to save me. 2 My God, I call out by day, but you do not answer. I call out by night, but there is no relief for me.
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me. They sneer. They shake their heads. 8 They say, “Trust in the Lord.” “Let the Lord deliver him. Let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”
15 My strength is dried up like broken pottery, and my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. They have piercedmy hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them. For my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O Lord, do not be distant. O my Strength, come quickly to help me. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! 24 For he has not despised nor detested the affliction of the afflicted. He has not hidden his face from him, but when he cried out to him, he heard. 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before you. 28 For the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will eat and bow down. All who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Descendants will serve him. For generations people will be told about the Lord. 31 They will come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet to be born— because he has done it.
Hymn: Rest, O Christ, From All Your Labor(CWS#718)
Welcome To Our Church We extend a warm welcome to everyone viewing our recorded worship service today. The bulletin includes the complete order of service, hymns, Bible readings and announcements. For those without internet access to our website www.stjohnsmontello.org, DVDs and written sermons plus the bulletin may be mailed. Just phone secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office (608) 297-2866 or contact Pastor Zietlow (talk or text) at (608) 408-7830.
Online Service, Printed Bulletin or Split Screen If you’re watching our worship services on-line and want to also follow along with the bulletin, you can just print the bulletin and follow it as you view the recorded worship service. Or, you can do a “split screen.” This means you would click the menu button on the top right corner of your screen, click “new window” and then open a second window to our website and recorded service page. Click “bulletin can be accessed here” and now you have two windows. Make each window half-size, so that you have a split screen–one side for the service and one side for the bulletin.
Opening Hymn 116 In the Hour of Trial
Invocation and Confession
Pastor: In the name of our God, to whom all hearts are open and from whom no secrets are hidden.
People: Amen.
All: O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy, and in your faithfulness, come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a troubled and repentant sinner, confess that I have sinned against you in my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I am distressed by the sins that trouble me and am deeply sorry for them.
Pastor: Jesus says to his people: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.” His death paid for the guilt of your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?
People: Yes, I believe.
Pastor:Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I forgive you all your sins. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life.
Prayer
Pastor: Lord God, we thank you for this day of grace now drawing to a close. Stay with us and warm our hearts with your forgiving love in Christ. May your Word keep our faith burning brightly, that we may walk in the light of your presence through the darkness of this world.
Come and bless us as we worship you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Passion History Luke 22: 1-48
Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you.For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That’s enough!” he replied.
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Seasonal Response
All: All we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. By his wounds we are healed.
Hymn 104 Go to Dark Gethsemane
Message Luke 22: 47-48 “The Battle Is Personal”
See underlined verses in Passion History reading.
Prayer
Blessing
Pastor:The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ †, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Lampstand [The LORD said to Moses,] “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.” (Exodus 25:31)When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) As long as you have light, you will never walk in darkness. A streetlight guides home weary travelers. A nightlight comforts an anxious child. A flashlight guides the way on a dark path.
In the wilderness tabernacle, God drove away the dark in his Holy Place with a golden lampstand. The lampstand, also known as the menorah, was constructed of solid gold. God told Moses to make the lampstand from one talent, or about 75 pounds of solid gold. The lampstand had a center column with six branches extending from it, creating seven branches. These arms resembled the branches on an almond tree, with ornamental knobs, ending in a flower at the top.
Although this object is sometimes referred to as a candlestick, it was actually an oil lamp and did not use candles. Each of the flower-shaped cups held a measure of olive oil and a cloth wick, which gave off a small flame. Aaron and the priests were to keep the lamps burning continuously.
The golden lampstand was placed in the Holy Place, opposite the table of showbread. Because this chamber had no windows, the lampstand was the only source of light. Not only was it ornamental, it was critical for sight.
Like all the other tabernacle furniture, the golden lampstand foreshadowed Jesus Christ. There is other symbolism. Seven, the Hebrew number for completeness, pointed to God’s complete presence, protection, and guidance. God designed the lampstand to look like almond branches. The almond tree blooms very early in the Middle East, in late January or February. Its Hebrew root word means “to hasten,” telling the Israelites that God is quick to fulfill his promises. Perhaps the almond branches also reminded the people of Aaron’s staff, which was a piece of almond wood.
But the golden lampstand’s chief purpose was to point to the true Light that gives life and salvation, and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus told the people: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
His light shined in his perfect life of love. It shined when he hung in the darkness of Good Friday and cried out, “It is finished.” With that cry, he proclaimed his victory over the darkness of sin, death, and the devil. He confirmed that victory in the early morning light of the first Easter. Jesus shines the light of salvation on us in his Word.
How dearly we need to rely on our Light. He drives away the darkness of the devil’s accusations, reminding us that we are forgiven. And when the fear of death surrounds us or a loved one, our Light lives to assure us of victory over death’s darkness. When you live in the Light, you will never walk in darkness.Christ be my leader by night as by day, Safe through the darkness, for he is the way. Gladly I follow, my future his care; Darkness is daylight when Jesus is there. Amen. (CW 367:1) Rev. Dr. John Boeder serves Martin Luther College as campus pastor.
A blessed Holy Week to you! We’re doing what we can to help you in your online worship plans this week.View email in your browser
Lenten Trilogy OnlineFootsteps to the Cross, Tenebrae, and The Vine and BranchesHello,
We’ve posted our Lenten Trilogy online. We hope you will choose to use them as part of your Holy Week devotions. Feel free to share these links with your congregations or on social media!
If you are looking for any help with finding high-quality videos to incorporate into your virtual worship services, visit koineworshipmedia.com.
Please let us know if we can be of any assistance.
Footsteps to the Cross – Part 1 of Koiné’s Lenten Trilogy. Walk with Jesus from the Mount of Transfiguration to Mount Calvary as Koiné presents a musical passion play of hymns, scriptural narration, and dazzling multimedia.
On Good Friday, the Church remembers the crucifixion of her Lord. Traditionally this day has been marked with a Tenebrae service. Tenebrae means “darkness” or “shadows.” While solemn, it is not a message of gloom, but a service of adoration to the Son of God as he offers up his life as the Lamb of God.
Our service is an adaptation of the historic Tenebrae service told through scriptural narration, music, and video.
Lent has offered us the opportunity to walk with Jesus from his Glory revealed in the Transfiguration, to his glory hidden when he was disfigured and nailed to the cross. Though the season may make us blue, its purpose is to have us long for that first glimpse of life on Easter morning.
As we trudge through the dead faith and decay of blind scoffing, sleepy disciples, a betraying friend, and brutal abuse, we know Jesus went through all of it for us that we might be grafted into the Vine that sprouted from the empty tomb.
Science and technology strive to extend life and avoid death. If you believe the ads, you might think, “If I just have the right diet, the right exercise regimen, and the right medicine, I’ll be strong, healthy, young, and attractive forever.” We can get so attached to this world that the thought of dying makes us more worried about what we’ll leave behind than excited about the glory that lies ahead.
Jesus existed before time began; he is timeless and immortal. We, humans, were created to be immortal too. But then sin entered our world. The Bible says, “The one who sins is the one who will die.” For our failure to live up to the perfect standard of God’s holy law we deserve to die, and we will die. But Jesus, the Son of God, was holy. He had no sins. And so he remained immortal.
And yet, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” This is why Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. His friends and followers tried to dissuade him. They knew his enemies wanted him dead. Jesus knew that too. But he also knew that he came to die in shameful innocence on a cross.
As you and I think about our death, we have many unanswered questions: How will I die? When will I die? But, for Jesus, death wouldn’t call the shots. Jesus said about his life, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” Jesus chose to come into our world as a human being. And Jesus chose to die.
The only one who truly didn’t deserve to die gave up his life and died on a cruel Roman cross, so that we don’t have to fear death. When the sinless, immortal God died, death lost its power over us too. The Immortal came to die. And now death is but the door to eternal life for all who cling to him in faith.
Prayer:
Jesus, Living Savior, you did the impossible. Though you are immortal, you came to die for me. Thanks and praise! Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
