09/14/25

As We Gather

 In this series, Living Discipleship, we learn of God’s great love for people. The Scriptures teach that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 It is our heavenly Father’s desire that all be saved and come to the knowledge of His Son. 1 Timothy 2:4   This is a series that seeks to instruct us as Christians what it means to believe in Christ and live as his people in a world that runs counter to Christian thought and life. For the next 10 weeks we will learn more fully what it means to be a ‘living disciple’ as God’s redeemed children. Adult Sunday School will feature a more in-depth teaching for today’s message. Study materials provided. All are encouraged to participate… why this would be a good opportunity to invite a friend.

Family Room & Children Activity Bags- We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit T. V. to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion- The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused the LCMS ordinarily communes only those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. Please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service if you have a question about this. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.

The Trinity in the Creation Record “According to the general consensus of the church, there is an indication in this record of the mystery of the Trinity. The Father created the heavens and the earth out of nothing through the Son, whom Moses calls the Word. Over these, the Holy Spirit broods. A hen sits on her eggs in order to hatch chicks; she warms the eggs as though giving them life by her warmth. So the Scripture says that the Holy Spirit brooded, so to speak, over the waters in order to give life to substances which were animated and beautified; for it is the office of the Holy Spirit to give life.” What Luther Says # 4453

Pentecost 14

September 14, 2025

Welcome and Hand of Friendship

Opening Hymn                                      Holy, Holy, Holy                                                 LSB 507 

Invocation, Confession and Absolution   

P:   In the name of the Father, who endlessly creates and re-creates all living things;

C:   Glory to God the Father.

P:   and of the Son, who forever redeems, restores, and forgives;

C:   Glory to God the Son.

P:   in of the Spirit, who continually sanctifies and calls us by name.

C:   Glory to God the Spirit.

P:   God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit possess all wisdom before the very work of creation.

C:   Praise be to the Holy Trinity.

P:   Wisdom, begotten of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals the incarnate Christ—the appointed Messiah, working out our salvation’s story.

C:   Praise be to the Holy Trinity.

All:   Heavenly Father, redeeming Son Jesus and Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, we confess that we have often failed to live in the salvation we have through Jesus, whose suffering, death and resurrection granted us forgiveness and eternal life. We have not forgiven as You have forgiven. We have not loved as You have loved. In other words, we have not been holy as our Father in heaven is holy. In Your forgiving love continue the restoration work that You have begun, that our life with You will be made complete and fit for the eternity You have promised and prepared for all who trust in You. Amen

(Silence for Meditation)

P: By God’s work of mercy, we are granted forgiveness. By Christ’s work of suffering, crucifixion, and death, we are granted eternal life. By the work of the Spirit, we are continually sanctified in the glory of God’s holy triune name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are a forgiven and restored people in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Hymn of Praise                                  Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee                                 LSB  803

All:   Gracious heavenly Father, we praise you for the awesomeness of Your creative power displayed in all of creation. When we consider that it was You who knit us together in our mother’s womb Scripture says we were fearfully and wonderfully made! And so we are! By Your gracious hand You brought us into Your kingdom of light through your Son Jesus whose sacrifice for our sin cancelled the debt we owed You. As we grow in Your grace, keep us mindful of Your ever-present help as we seek to live for You; for You reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

O T Lesson                          (God created man in His image)      Genesis 1: 1-2, 26-27, 31

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters…. ²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. ²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them… ³¹And God saw all He had made and it was very good.

N T Lesson                   (God speaks to us these days through His Son)  Hebrews 1: 1-6

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.  ⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? ⁶ And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Gospel Lesson           (In the Beginning Was the Word)  John 1: 1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. ⁶ There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Message Song                                    You Are So Good To Me

You are so good to me, You heal my broken heart  

                                You are my Father in Heaven.  (2x) then Chorus

                                Chorus      You are beautiful my sweet, sweet, song (3x)

And I will sing again.

You ride upon the clouds, You lead me to the truth,

You are the Spirit inside me.  (2x) then Chorus

      Bridge              You are my strong melody,  You are my dancing rhythm.

You are my perfect rhyme, And I will sing of You  –  forever.

You poured out all Your blood, You died upon the cross,

                              You are my Jesus who loves me. (2x) then Chorus

You are my Father in Heaven…

You are the Spirit inside me…

You are my Jesus who loves me.

CCLI Song # 2757944© 1999 Hey Ruth Inc | Squint Songs | Blue Renaissance All rights reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License # 11390779

Message                               The Word That Creates and Sustains

1. Apart from the Word of God, Man is left with his own     fallible         thoughts about the world in which he lives.
2. The Word also describes who God    is       and the Triune      nature     of His being.
3. The Word of God brings the reality of God’s beauty   in    creation       and His desire for all mankind to   be    saved    and come to the knowledge    of    His    Son     Jesus. 
4.    

Apostles 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 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.

Offering
Offertory                                      Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me                   LSB  722  vs. 1, 3

Prayers of the Church 

After each petition:

P:    Lord, in Your mercy,

C:    hear our prayers.

The Lord’s Prayer                                                                                  

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                       page 160 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And also with you.

P:   Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them to the Lord.

P:   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:   ♪ It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P:   It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And ever more praising You and singing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                         page 161 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might: Heaven and earth are full of   

         Your glory. Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is He who  

         comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                   page 163 in the hymnal

P:   The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C:   ♪ Amen.   

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God

C:  ♪ Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God

C:  ♪ Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.

Distribution of Communion

Distribution Hymn                                    Seek Ye First                                                          LSB 712   

Post Communion Canticle                                                            page 164 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Thank the Lord and sing His praise; tell ev’ryone what He has done.  Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name.  He recalls His promises and leads His people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Post Communion Thanksgiving

All:   We give You thanks, O Lord, that You have dealt with us not as our sins deserve but in grace and mercy. Give us such humility of heart that we never forget what You have done for us. Guard us against such temptation to pride lest we presume ourselves worthy of all that Your mercy has given to us. Build in us the humility of faith that delights in serving You with all that we have and all that we are and in serving our neighbors as ourselves; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Benediction

P:   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

C:   Amen. Alleluia. Amen!                                                

Sending Song                                    Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise                         LSB  680

1. Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude