Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 13, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
WELCOME
We extend the hand of fellowship to all who worship here this morning. May all present grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in a love and desire to serve Him. Guests and visitors, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave. If you have no church home of your own in the area, we invite you to make Grace Lutheran Church the center of your worship, learning, fellowship, and service. Come to worship with us again and often!
OUR EPIPHANY LORD—BRIGHTER
AS WE GATHER
Throughout the season of Epiphany, we experience a sense of brightening. As we grow nearer to springtime, there is more daylight with each passing day. The world becomes brighter and brighter. As the weeks of this Epiphany season continue, we see our Lord Jesus more clearly, and we hear His words that speak to our hearts and lives. The well-loved hymn “Beautiful Savior” has the classic line “Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer Than all the angels in the sky” (LSB 537:3). God grant that brighter light shine forth in our lives as we reflect the wondrous light that is Christ, the Light of the world.
PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
Lord, God, it is through our lives that your love touches others. Stir us by your Spirit to serve all people with willing hearts and bring them the message of your love. We ask this in the Name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
CHIMES
WELCOME
PRELUDE There is a Redeemer by Melody Green Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
537 BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR
INVOCATION
Pastor In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 30:10; 43:3; Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 2:5b
Pastor Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
Congregation O Lord, be my helper.
Pastor Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me;
Congregation let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling!
Pastor The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
Congregation which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor Let us now make confession of our sins. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy name, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord.
Congregation Amen.
Pastor Assured of God’s great mercy, let us confess together that we, by our darkened, sinful nature, are estranged from God, and by our thoughts, words, and deeds have sinned and deserve His condemnation now and eternally.
Congregation Almighty God, we repent of our sins in thought and in word and in deed. Although we deserve Your just punishment, we ask for Your unmerited blessing. Be merciful to us and for the sake of Jesus grant us Your forgiveness so that, as Your redeemed people, we may be made bright by Your presence in our lives, joyfully serving You in time and through eternity.
Pastor In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation Amen.
Pastor. Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of our Lord.
PASSING of PEACE
[The congregation is encouraged to share the peace of Christ and greet one another with the words: “The Lord’s peace be with you.” The response: “And also with you.”]
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
+ WORD +
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Congregation O Lord, graciously hear the prayers of Your people that we who justly suffer the consequence of our sin may be mercifully delivered by Your goodness to the glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
[Whenever we worship, God speaks and we listen. We hear the Word of God read aloud in our midst, bringing both God’s judgment and grace.]
OLD TESTAMENT READING Jeremiah 17:5–8
5Thus says the Lord:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Leader This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
[For Paul, the resurrection of Christ is the basis for Christian hope. Because Christ has been raised, those who are in Christ know that they too will be raised to a new life beyond death.]
EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 15:1–20
1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Leader This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
Psalm 117:1–2a; 96:8
Pastor Praise the Lord, all nations!
Congregation Extol Him, all peoples!
Pastor For great is His steadfast love toward us,
Congregation and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Pastor Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Congregation bring an offering, and come into His courts!
SPECIAL MUSIC Jesus is Lord of All by Kerner Rettino Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
HOLY GOSPEL Luke 6:17–26
Pastor The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the sixth chapter.
Congregation Glory to You, O Lord.
[After choosing his twelve apostles, Jesus teaches a crowd of followers about the nature and demands of discipleship. He begins his great sermon with surprising statements about who is truly blessed in the eyes of God.]
17[Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25“Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Pastor This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation Praise to You, O Christ.
833 LISTEN, GOD IS CALLING
SERMON: “Rooted in Christ” Jeremiah 17:5–8
APOSTLES’ CREED
Congregation 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 again 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.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
OFFERING
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Congregation Gracious God, we bring before you a portion of what you first gave us and
with these gifts our very lives. Teach us patience and hope as we care for
all those in need until the coming of your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
+ SACRAMENT +
PREFACE
Pastor The Lord be with you.
Congregation And also with you.
Pastor Lift up your hearts.
Congregation We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Congregation It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Pastor Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, King of all creation, for all You have done for Your people in Jesus Christ, our Lord. We thank You for all of creation and for every good gift with which You bless us. Accept our praise, Lord, and grant that all who partake of Christ’s holy body and blood this day be filled with Your heavenly peace and joy. As we receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, grant that we be sanctified in body, soul, and spirit, and finally that we be granted our places with all Your saints in glory. This we ask through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
Pastor Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
Pastor As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Congregation Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Pastor O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
LORD’S PRAYER
Congregation Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
PAX DOMINI
Pastor The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation Amen.
+ DISTRIBUTION HYMNS +
638 EAT THIS BREAD
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Congregation God, the gracious giver of all blessings, we thank You for having fed us with the body and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, assuring us thereby that we are truly members of His Body, the Church. Sanctify us by the working of Your Holy Spirit that we may continue in this fellowship and do the good works You desire us to do; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, to whom with You and the same Spirit be all honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
BENEDICAMUS
Pastor Let us bless the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
BENEDICTION
Pastor 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 and may you be a blessing to others!
Congregation Amen.
643 SENT FORTH BY GOD’S BLESSING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Pastor Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God!
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Quarter 1. Copyright © 2021 Concordia Publishing House.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
Grace Notes
THIS WEEK AT GRACE
MONDAY: Valentine’s Day
TUESDAY: Women’s Study 10:00 am
LWML 1:00 pm
WEDNESDAY: Ashland/Phoenix Small Group 2:00 pm
SUNDAY: Bible Study 9:00 am
Worship 10:00 am
MITE Box Sunday
STUDY OPPORTUNITIES at Grace: The Tuesday morning Women’s Study meets at 10:00 am in the Fireside Room. Ashland/Phoenix Small Group study meets bi-monthly at 2:00 pm on the first and third Wednesdays. Next NewMen’s Coffee Study is scheduled for Saturday morning, March 12th, beginning at 8:30 am. Set these times aside now for a good discussion and fellowship.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
Email: gracelutheranashland@gmail.com
Visit our website: gracelutheranashland.org
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Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck - heimbuck@me.com