7-2-17
Sunday Service with Communion
Minor Leagues: Hollow Amos
July 2, 2017
Grace Lutheran Church
555 SW Cashmere Blvd. Port St. Lucie, FL 34986-2034
Office: 772-871-6599
Gracelutheranpsl@gmail.com | www.GraceLutheranPSL.com
Pastor Cris Escher | Email: cris@gracelutheranpsl.com
We are so happy that you are here with us today. Our desire is to be like another home for you. We encourage you to register your name on the fellowship pad which you will find at the end of the row where you are sitting. If you are new to Grace or to the area and are looking for a church home, we hope you will consider joining our family here at Grace. A Fellowship Hour is held after the Worship Service, and we invite you to stay for a few minutes so we can get acquainted.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION is celebrated in our Worship Service today. This meal is for Christ Followers who recognize their sinfulness and their need for Christ’s forgiveness and strength, and desire to live a new life in Christ. We receive this meal recognizing the presence of Christ in, with, and under the bread and the wine. Children who have not been instructed in the meaning of the Sacrament may come to the Lord’s Table with their parents for a blessing, but are asked to fold their arms across their chests to indicate they are to receive a blessing. All those who commune are asked to indicate their participation by marking the appropriate column in the Red Attendance Books as they are passed at the beginning of the Worship Service.
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SACRAMENT, the wine is made available in both the individual glasses and the common cup. Following the distribution of the bread, the individual cups will be offered. Then the common cup will be offered to those who do not have an individual cup in their hand. The acolyte will then gather the individual glasses. For those who have an intolerance to wine, grape juice is lighter colored in the individual communion glasses. Those who find it difficult to walk to the altar can be communed in the pew. Please inform the usher of your need.
ATTENDANCE BOOKS PLEASE BE SURE TO PASS ALONG THE RED ATTENDANCE BOOKS IN YOUR ROW AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SIGN IT. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MINISTRY OF CARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
Minor Leagues: Minor Prophets, Throwing Strikes
Waiting for Redemption. The world is going away from God’s People, the Assyrians to the north and Babylon to the south. They will either be destroyed or taken over if they don’t watch out. But God calls in his minor league stars to proclaim His righteousness, grace, and favor to His people.
Today:
Amos forces us to ask ourselves, “Has our worship become hollow?” His answer is “yes” if our lives have become unfruitful and only self serving.
(Asterisks (**) indicate that the people stand)
** THE OPENING HYMN
“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
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 still may we dwell 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.
O God, our Help in ages past, our Hope for years to come
Be Thou our guide while life shall last and our eternal home.
** THE INVOCATION AND CALL TO WORSHIP
Pastor: God’s people, Listen to His teaching;
PEOPLE: TURN YOUR EARS TO THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH!
Pastor: Let us not hide his teaching from our children
PEOPLE: TELLING THEM TO THE COMING GENERATION.
Pastor: Let us tell of the glorious deeds of the Lord
PEOPLE: AND THE WONDERS THAT HE HAS DONE.
Taken from Psalm 78
** THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you all.
PEOPLE: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
(We greet one another with the handshake of peace and with the words
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”)
** THE HYMN OF PRAISE
“Bless the Lord, O My Soul”
Sung by congregation:
Bless the Lord, O my soul; bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me bless His holy name.
Sung by all with key change:
Bless the Lord, O my soul; bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me bless His holy name.
THE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
During Confession we take time to slow down and realize how we have lost God’s Great Story of goodness. We have served ourselves and our interests above God.
(Take a moment of silent reflection upon our need for God’s forgiveness)
Pastor: O Almighty God,
PEOPLE: WE CONFESS THAT WE HEAR THE GOOD NEWS BUT DO NOT ALWAYS LIVE IT OUT. WE FAIL TO TRUST YOUR KINGDOM COMING. FORGIVE US LORD. OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO RECEIVE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST IN OUR DAILY LIVES, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE ETERNALLY. IN THE NAME OF OUR SAVIOR WE PRAY. AMEN.
Pastor: The Story of Jesus is …….
There is new life everywhere. There is Good News everywhere. There is nothing lost that cannot be found, no dark place where light cannot shine, no awful past that cannot lead to a bright future. You are God’s beloved; you are a child of the resurrection. Live in the hope and promise of Christ. Your sins are forgiven, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
PEOPLE: AMEN.
** THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
Stir up, Lord, the wills of your faithful people. Help us richly bear the fruit of good works, and give us your rich reward. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
PEOPLE: AMEN
Scripture Lessons
THE FIRST LESSON Amos 5:18-27
Most people think they are OK with God; it’s the other fellow who should be worried. Ironically, God’s own people have become His enemies. So Amos warns that the day of the Eternal One will bring a big surprise to those who think they are in good standing with God.
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, and not light,
as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
“I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
PEOPLE: THANKS BE TO GOD.
THE SECOND LESSON Acts 7:35-43
Stephen narrates the history of God’s work of salvation among the Jewish people in the midst of their repeated struggle with unfaithfulness and idolatry. According to Stephen, those who reject Jesus are following the same path as the people who rejected Moses to follow idols. Such a strong message strikes a nerve, and Stephen becomes the first martyr of the church because of it.
“This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
PEOPLE: THANKS BE TO GOD.
** THE HOLY GOSPEL
Matthew 21:12-17
After a great parade, Jesus and His disciples walk into the temple area, and what He sees enrages Him. He sees moneychangers, buying and selling. He sees men sitting on benches, hawking doves to those who have come from the countryside to make a sacrifice. He sees that the salesmen and teachers have turned a sanctuary of worship into a place of spiritual prostitution.
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”
And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
Pastor: The Gospel of the Lord
PEOPLE: PRAISE TO YOU, O CHRIST.
** THE APOSTLES’ CREED
SERMON HYMN “Song for the Nations”
May we be a shining light to the nations,
A shining light to the peoples of the earth,
Til the whole world sees the glory of Your name,
May Your pure light shine thro’ us.
May we be a word of hope to the nations,
A word of life to the peoples of the earth,
Til the whole world knows there’s salvation in Your name,
May Your mercy flow thro’ us.
May we be a healing balm to the nations,
A healing balm to the peoples of the earth,
Til the whole world knows the power of Your name,
May Your healing flow thro’ us.
May we sing a song of joy to the nations,
A song of praise to the peoples of the earth,
Til the whole world rings with the praises of Your name.
May Your song be sung thro’ us.
May Your kingdom come to the nations,
Your will be done to the peoples of the earth,
Til the whole world knows that Jesus Christ is Lord,
May Your kingdom come on earth.
Sermon
THE SERMON Pastor Cris Escher
Minor Leagues: Hollow Amos
Sermon Slides and Resources.
Amos 2
Judgment on Israel
6 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—
7 those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and turn aside the way of the afflicted;
a man and his father go in to the same girl,
so that my holy name is profaned;
8 they lay themselves down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge,
and in the house of their God they drink
the wine of those who have been fined.
9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,
whose height was like the height of the cedars
and who was as strong as the oaks;
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots beneath.
10 Also it was I who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and led you forty years in the wilderness,
to possess the land of the Amorite.
Amos 5
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, and not light,
19 as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves,27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
Acts 7
42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[a] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
The Stoning of Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[b] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Matthew 21
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
cleaning the temple
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
THE OFFERTORY
“Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful”
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
** THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
(After each petition)
Pastor: . . . Lord, in your mercy,
PEOPLE: HEAR OUR PRAYER.
** THE LORD’S PRAYER
THE ORDER OF HOLY COMMUNION
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
PEOPLE: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
PEOPLE: WE LIFT THEM TO THE LORD.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
PEOPLE: IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE.
Pastor: The tree of life in the midst of the garden was the tree of our defeat.
Christ was lifted up on the tree of victory; and where life was lost, there life has been restored. And so we praise you ....
PEOPLE HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD, GOD OF POWER AND MIGHT,
HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY.
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.
** THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
THE DISTRIBUTION HYMNS
“Behold The Lamb”
Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away, slain for us—and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this bread of life and we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bond of peace around the table of our King.
The body of our Savior Jesus Christ, torn for you, eat and remember;
The wounds that heal the death that brings us life paid the price to make us one.
So we share in this bread of life and we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bond of love around the table of our King.
The blood that cleanses every stain of sin, shed for you- drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in to receive the life of God.
So we share in this bread of life and we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bond of grace around the table of our King.
And so with thankfulness and faith we rise to respond- and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ as His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering, we proclaim Christ will come again!
And we’ll join in the feast of heaven around the table of our King.
“There is a Redeemer”
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One. (CHORUS)
CHORUS
THANK YOU, O MY FATHER, FOR GIVING US YOUR SON;
AND LEAVING YOUR SPIRIT ‘TIL THE WORK ON EARTH IS DONE.
Jesus my Redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain. (CHORUS)
When I stand in glory I will see His face, and there I’ll serve my King forever, in that holy place. (CHORUS)
“Just as I Am Without One Plea”
Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee. O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind, sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am; Thy love unknown has broken ev’ry barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
THE BLESSING
Pastor: May God bless your life of worship; may His Holy Spirit give to you a full spirit of fruitfulness that serves to bless the world.
PEOPLE: AMEN.
** THE CLOSING HYMN
“God Bless Our Native Land” LW 497
God bless our native land;
Firm may it ever stand
Through storm and night,
When wild tempest rave,
Ruler of wind and wave,
Do our country save
By thy great might.
So shall our prayers arise
To God above the skies,
On whom we wait,
Thou art never nigh,
Guarding with watchful eye,
To thee aloud we cry:
God save the state!
SENDING
Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
PEOPLE: THANKS BE TO GOD.
Announcements
Today July 2, 2017
Sunday School & Adult Bible Study 8:45 pm
Worship 10:00 am
Fellowship 11:00 am
Korean Church Worship 1:00 pm
Women’s Study @ Liagre’s 7:00 pm
AA 7:30 pm
This Week
Independence Day-office closed Tuesday
Surviving Spouses Tuesday, 12:30 pm
Bible Study @Perkin’s Restaurant Thursday, 7:00 am
Scripture Narration (Sanctuary) Thursday, 11:00 am
Mahjong Thursday, 12:00 noon
Brownies Thursday, 6:30 pm
Korean Church Prayer Meeting Saturday, 6:00 am
WELCOME, BABY GUNNRIK! We will be holding a baby shower reception for Gunnrik Matthew Fullen and his parents Matthew and Annalee on Sunday, July 23 immediately following the worship service. In lieu of a card, you could offer a blessing for Gunnrik in the front cover of a children’s book (either new or used). Gift ideas include baby toiletries or clothes (9 months-1 year sizes). Gunnrik is also registered on amazon.com.
NEW WOMEN’S COMMUNITY GROUP On Sunday, June 25 at 7:00 pm in the home of Leigh Liagre, Leigh and Coli began a new women’s Bible study, fellowship, and prayer group. Email coliescher@gmail.com if you would like more information.
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND ADULT BIBLE CLASS will begin at 8:45 am. Students from grades 4 through 7 will be together in one class taught by Barbara Ruzicka. We will be using the children’s room. Friends are welcome. And of course, all adults are invited to participate in the Sunday Morning Adult Bible Class.
BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Bob Bailey & Patricia Hessee, 7/3; Bettye Herd, 7/6.
ANNIVERSARIES Richard and Jenny Brendlinger, 7/3 (62); Augustyn and Mechelle Arbuzow, 7/6 (14); John and Gertrude Behrens, 7/6 (5).
If we have missed your anniversary or birthday, please drop us a note
in the office or email us at Gracelutheranpsl@gmail.com.
THE FLOWERS adorning the altar this morning are given to the glory of God by Jerry Davis and Lois Danzo in memory of Ron Scheer.
FLOWER CHART The flower chart continues to be posted on the bulletin board in the narthex. If you would like to order flowers to adorn the altar for a specific Sunday, please write your name on the appropriate line. The cost per Sunday is $27.00. We thank you for your help.
PRAYER LIST/CHAIN If you have family and/or friends you would like our members to include in our prayers, please submit their names in writing by completing one of the forms in the narthex or send an email to the church office at GraceLutheranPSL @gmail.com and title it “Prayer List”. Members of the “Prayer Chain” are listed on the bulletin board in the narthex. Thank you.
www.GraceLutheranpsl.com
Remember to check out our website and follow us on Facebook. They’re both “works-in-progress”, but the calendar and information on our website is updated constantly.