Christ the King Sunday Worship Bulletin
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY (Last Sunday of the Church Year)
11-20-2022 10:00AM Hybrid Worship
+ We Gather to Worship +
OPENING RITE (using COLLOSIANS 1:11-20):
L Grace to you and peace from God, who has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the beloved (+) Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin…
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation and also the firstborn from the dead, and the head
of the body, the church…
and through whom God has brought reconciliation, peace, and unity to all things on earth and all things in heaven
through the blood of his cross.
C Amen to all that – all the time!
L We have proudly declared that Jesus is the king and the model for our lives …
C but we have been slow to listen and to follow.
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US!
L We have been bold in demanding generosity, mercy, and forgiveness for ourselves…
C but we have been quiet in offering inclusion, love, and compassion to others.
CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON US!
L We have verbally committed ourselves to be more and more Christ-like in our words, in deeds, in mind, and in spirit…
C but we have been halfhearted in our discipleship and energetic in our sinning.
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US!
L My friends, God knows us for who we are and who we aren’t… and yet loves us gently and completely.
At the cross we meet humanity at its worst and God at God’s best.
Listen to some good news! The God of amazing grace and second chances loves you, forgives you, and offers you the
peace, the power, and the promises of (+) Christ.
Redeemed and renewed, you are sent into a troubled world to be God’s good shepherds to others. ALLELUIA!
OPENING SONG: “TO GOD BE THE GLORY” Brown #264
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY:
Almighty God, we worship you, we glorify you, and we give thanks to you for your Son, Jesus Christ.
May Christ be present among us, rule within us, and bring peace and unity to this entire universe.
We want to be ready when the trumpet sounds, when the saints go marching in. Amen.
+ We Open Ears and Hearts to God’s Word +
FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 23:1-6 [The SHEPHERD KING who will save God’s people!]
23:1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
23:2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.
23:3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
23:4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
23:5 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
23:6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”
SECOND READING: COLOSSIANS 1:11-20 [The CHRIST who delivers and strengthens, unites and rules!]
1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully
1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
1:13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
1:16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers–all things have been created through him and for him.
1:17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
1:18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
1:20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Victory is mine, victory is mine, victory today is mine!
I TOLD SATAN ‘GET THEE BEHIND!’… victory today is mine!
(2) Joy is mine…
(3) Peace is mine…”
HOLY GOSPEL: LUKE 23:33-43 [The CRUCIFIED ONE who offers Paradise!]
23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
23:35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!”
23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,
23:37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
23:38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
23:40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
23:41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
23:43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG RESPONSE: “DOWN AT THE CROSS” Brown #72
A CONFESSION OF OUR FAITH (written by Desmond Tutu):
Goodness is stronger than evil;
Love is stronger than hate;
Light is stronger than darkness;
Life is stronger than death;
Victory is ours through Him who loves us. Amen.
THE PRAYERS… We lift up our praises, the Church, the needs and burdens of this troubled world!
+ We Share God’s Holy Meal +
OFFERING OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS… We best celebrate Christ’s kingship when our attitude of gratitude is transformed into generous giving and sharing that extends his kingdom of love to others.
SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir
THE OFFERTORY SONG:
“Thank you, Lord… thank you, Lord… thank you, Lord… I just want to thank you, Lord!
(2) Been so good…
(3) Love you, Lord…”
OFFERING PRAYER:
God of grace and glory, we thank you for giving us life, we thank you for loving and calling us.
While we still have life on this earth… while we can still breathe and think and act… we offer ourselves to minister to friends as well as the least, the lost, and the lonely with equal concern and compassion.
Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. Amen.
THE PREFACE:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L We are the Body of Christ! C His Spirit is in us!
L Eternal God, today we celebrate your might and your majesty, your mercy and your love. Today we thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, his teaching and healing, his challenging and feeding, his servant-like living and sacrificial dying, for the peace of salvation and the promise of feasting together with all the faithful at his heavenly table. And today we sing with hearts filled with praise and joy…
C [singing]… (1) “O when the saints go marching in… O when the saints go marching in…
O Lord, I want to be in that number – when the saints go marching in!
(2) O when they gather ‘round that throne…
(3) O when they crown him King of kings…
(4) And on that hallelujah day… ”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (together)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous distribution” with wafers and either wine or grape juice. Praise the Lord for this community meal that renews our spirits, powers our faith, and reminds us of the future heavenly banquet that awaits us!
COMMUNION SONGS: Brown #281 Brown #265 Brown #171
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Are Sent into God’s World +
THE BENEDICTION… We go forth in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to testify, baptize, and serve!
CLOSING SONG: “KING OF MY LIFE” Brown #86