Pentecost Twenty-Six Worship Service | 11-17-24
11-17-2024 10:00AM Hybrid Worship
+ We Gather to Worship +
OPENING SONG: “MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS” Tan #385
THE OPENING RITE:
L In the merciful might of God our Creator,
in the saving sacrifice of (+) Jesus Christ, God’s own Son,
in the lifting love of the Holy Spirit;
C Amen all the time!
L Let us approach God with humility and honesty, trusting the word that God is full of compassion.
C Dear God…
Sometimes in my daily living I forget the value of the price that Jesus paid for my sins.
Sometimes in my faith I feel discouraged about the present and am anxious about the future.
Forgive me again both my failings and my fears.
Fill me again with assurances of your love and with hope that does not waver. Amen.
L Honestly, sisters and brothers,
If it had not been for the Lord on our side, tell me, where would we be?
In truth, our relationship with God is all we have to depend on sometimes.
And, thank God Almighty, we have a great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who offered – once and for all time, once and for all people – the self-sacrifice of his life to save us from our sin.
Brothers, sisters, God is gracious, faithful, and full of compassion… and God has promised to forgive and forget. Live in (+) faith, forgiven and freed. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Almighty God, in times of trouble, turmoil, and temptation let Jesus be our solid rock, our blessed assurance, and our one true ruler. Help us to think right, say right, do right, be right, and love right with all that we are, with all that we have. 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: DANIEL 12:1-3
[In desperate and troubled times, faithful ones like Daniel nevertheless trust in God’s deliverance. All hell will break loose so that heaven can blossom! Stay in faith!]
12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.
12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
12:3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
RESPONSIVE READING: PSALM 16
[All the other imagined “gods” we might meet in life do nothing, no matter what the claim might be. But the one Almighty Creator God gives us life that even stretches beyond our grave! Stay in faith!]
16:1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
16:2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
16:3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.
16:4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.
16:5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
16:6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.
16:7 I bless the LORD, who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
16:8 I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.
16:10 For you do not give me up to Sheol or let your faithful one see the Pit.
16:11 You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
SECOND READING: HEBREWS 10:11-25
[Christ, the high priest, is seated because his work – the sacrifice of his life, once and for all time, once and for all people – is done. Our work – being humble and hopeful, gathering together for worship and prayer and mutual support — continues. Stay in faith!]
10:11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.
10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,”
10:13 and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.”
10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
10:15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,”
10:17 and he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
10:18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
10:19 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,
10:20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh),
10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
10:22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
10:23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
10:24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,
10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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: MARK 13:1-8
[In unsettled times and a troubled world, do not panic, trust in Christ, the only solid foundation! Large buildings, strong nations, loud leaders will crumble, fail, and fall. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know the One who holds the future. Stay in faith!]
13:1 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!”
13:2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
13:3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
13:4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”
13:5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.
13:6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.
13:7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.
13:8 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
SONG SELECTION ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor David Maddox II
SONG RESPONSE: “AIN’T-A THAT GOOD NEWS?” Tan #592
A STATEMENT OF FAITH (written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa, anti-apartheid and human rights activist):
Goodness is stronger than evil;
love is stronger than hate;
light is stronger than darkness;
life is stronger than death;
and victory is ours through God who loves us. Amen.
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Share God’s Holy Meal +
OFFERING OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS… With glad and generous hearts, we bring our offerings to God!
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or arecurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
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 led by the Communion Assistant:
God of grace and glory, we thank you for the gift of creation and the gift of our lives,
for the gift of salvation and the gift of Jesus Christ,
for the gift of your Holy Spirit and the gift of your Church.
Take our attitude of gratitude and transform it into caring and sharing towards the least, the lost,
and the lonely all over the face of this earth.
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 Almighty God, you gave us life and you gave us love… you gave us Jesus and you gave us new life… you gave us your Spirit and you gave us fresh power. Today we offer you thanksgiving and praise… today we pray to be faithful in our living and fervent on our loving… and today we rejoice in the saints who have gone before us as we sing with happy and eager hearts…
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 (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! The wine may be received from the pouring chalice; we also have grape juice on the tray. HALLELUJAH, SOME DAY WE WILL BE “HOME” AND “AT TABLE” WITH OUR FAITHFUL LOVED ONES, IF ONLY WE WILL FOLLOW HERE AND NOW WHERE CHRIST LEADS US!
COMMUNION SONGS: “LORD, BE GLORIFIED” Tan #182
“GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU” Tan #137
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in Our Mission +
THE BENEDICTION… We go forth in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to testify, baptize, and teach!
CLOSING SONG: “SOON-A WILL BE DONE” Tan #587