OUR EVER-PRESENT HELP
You are invited to use the time during the preservice music to prepare your hearts and minds for worship by praying, meditating on the music, or reading through this worship folder. If you would like to carry on a conversation, we ask that you kindly move to our courtyard area to do so.
WELCOME
OPENING HYMN—If God Had Not Been on Our Side Christian Worship 866
Please stand
INVOCATION
Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES AND CONFESSION OF SINS
Today we celebrate that God has preserved for us the pure teaching of his Word. We remember the bold confessions and active faith of Martin Luther and others through whom God accomplished many great things. We commemorate the first clear movements away from false teaching and toward a pure proclamation of the gospel in the posting of the 95 Theses. We acknowledge that God’s Word has not changed and that in a clear confession of it we are connected to faithful believers of all time and in all places. And we come in humble repentance, as our Lord Jesus himself directs his followers.
When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent,” he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.
Any truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without indulgence letters.
Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.
PRESERVICE MUSIC:
Variations on “Salvation Unto Us Has Come”
Dieterich Buxtehude
Johann Sebastian Bach
Variations on “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
Wilbur Held
Kevin Hildebrandt
Johann Pachelbel
Johann G. Walther
As our service begins, the minister speaks the words spoken at our baptisms and makes the sign of the cross, marking us anew as redeemed children of God.
1 John 1:8-9
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let us therefore confess our sins.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16
Christ gave the authority to forgive the sins of penitent sinners to his church:
“Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven.”
John 20:23
Holy God, gracious Father, I am sinful by nature, and I have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I deserve your punishment both now and forever. But Jesus, my Savior paid for my sins with his holy life and innocent death. Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
ABSOLUTION
Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
By the grace of God may we be built up in faith to battle temptation, to stand firm against adversity, and to boldly confess our faith.
Thesis 94
Thesis 95
Psalm 118:24
Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell.
And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations rather than through the false security of peace.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Almighty God, through the preaching of your servants, the blessed Reformers, you caused the light of the gospel to shine forth. Grant that we may faithfully defend it against all enemies and joyfully proclaim it for the salvation of people everywhere, to the glory of your holy name; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The children are invited to come forward to sing.
CHILDREN’S
SONG—The First Song of Isaiah Christian Worship 810
(Refrain) Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say, “Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name.” (Refrain)
Make his deeds known among the peoples; see that they remember that his name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord for he has done great things and this is known in all the world. (Refrain)
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. (Refrain)
FIRST READING
Joshua 1:1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates all the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
This song is a paraphrase of Isaiah 12. The Lord encouraged his servant Joshua with the promise to be with him just as he was with Moses his predecessor. With the Lord’s promise, Joshua could be courageous no matter what trouble he faced.
Text: The Draft Proposed Book of Common Prayer,
©
Charles Mortimer Guilbert, custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer
The Church sings Psalm 46 in services that celebrate the power of the Lord in the face of every evil attack. Of this Psalm, Martin Luther said, “We sing Psalm 46 to praise the only true God for being with us. He wonderfully upholds his Word and Christendom against the very gates of hell, against the rage of every demon, the world, the flesh, sin and death. Our little spring is a free-flowing source of living water.”
PSALM—If God Is for Us
Christian Worship Psalter 46E
The choir sings the refrain. The congregation repeats the refrain and sings it after each verse. The choir sings verses 1 and 2, and the congregation joins in singing verse 3.
Refrain (Choir 1st time, Congregation remaining refrains)
Verses (Choir verses 1 and 2, Congregation verse 3):
The Psalm continues on the next page.
SECOND READING 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
ADULT CHOIR & ORCHESTRA—I Lift My Eyes Psalm 121
I lift my eyes up to the hills; from where does my help come? My help comes from the maker of the heavens and the earth. He will not let my foot be moved; he keeps my journey safe.
He is the shade at my right hand, my shelter in the storm; no sun by day, nor moon by night shall ever bring me harm. He will not slumber, will not sleep; he watches all my ways.
(Refrain) O my soul, praise the Lord most high; strong to save, he upholds my life. Forevermore he will be my light; I lift my eyes up to the Lord most high.
I lift my eyes up to the hills; from where does my help come? My help comes from the maker of the heavens and the earth. The God of Israel is my guide wherever I may go; and in his strength I will abide until he leads me home. (Refrain)
In the closing words of his epistle to the church at Thessalonica, Paul asked the Lord graciously to be with his people.
Of this psalm, Martin Luther said, “Psalm 121 is a comfort psalm. We see how the Lord treats both the psalmist and us as we remain strong in faith, waiting for his help and protection. Even when it appears that God is sleeping, it is not so. He watches and keeps us secure even to the end.”
Jesus promises to be with his people in the intimate connection between the vine and the branches. Through faith, his followers bear fruits of love and service.
John 15:1-17
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Please be seated
This hymn overflows with proclamations of God’s loving care for his people and invites us to praise him.
SERMON
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther wrote a brief explanation to each part, or article, of the Apostles’ Creed. He urged families to use the Catechism to learn important truths about God. Today we use these words to express our faith in the Triune God: our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Luther’s Explanations to the Apostles’ Creed
I believe that God created me and all that exists, and that he gave me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my mind and all my abilities.
And I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, property and home, spouse and children, land, cattle, and all I own, and all I need to keep my body and life.
God also preserves me by defending me against all danger, guarding and protecting me from all evil.
All this God does only because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it.
For all this I ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him.
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil,
not with gold or silver but with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.
All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally.
I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.
But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers.
On the Last Day he will raise me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
This is most certainly true. This is most certainly true.
OFFERING
Our generous offerings of thanks to God go to support the work of our Saguaro Circuit (Tucson and southeast AZ). In the past these gifts have enabled us to carry out God’s kingdom work in a number of ways and allowed us to join together for Reformation worship each year. Checks may be made payable to Grace Lutheran Church.
HYMN Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
Christian Worship 862
OFFERTORY:
Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
Charles Callahan
Please stand
LITANY FOR THE REFORMATION
Almighty and merciful God, through the inspired writing of the Apostles and Prophets you revealed your holy will and your grace. For these first heralds of your truth:
We glorify your name, O Lord.
In days of spiritual darkness you raised up reformers to recall your Church to the Gospel light. For Martin Luther and for all the brave defenders of your saving Word: We magnify your name, O Lord.
Through that Word you made known your saving grace in Christ Jesus. You delivered him into death for our sins and raised him to life again for our justification, thereby freely offering to all people deliverance from sin, death, and the devil. For such tremendous love:
We praise your name, O Lord.
In mercy you have brought us into the fellowship of faith and richly blessed us day by day. For our Christian homes and families, for faithful pastors and teachers, for peace and freedom in our land, for all the blessings we have received: We thank you with all our hearts, O Lord.
This hymn of Martin Luther asks for God’s protection against the evils that threaten the Church and the truths found in God’s Word.
Litanies are simple, ancient forms of prayer that use repeated statements in response to petitions, praise, and intercessions.
Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. We use his example prayer as part of our public worship, trusting that he will hear and answer our prayers.
We freely confess our unworthiness of all your gifts. For our unfaithfulness, our feeble faith, our careless hearing of your Word, our wasted opportunities to share the Word, our lack of love for you and for other people, we pray:
Forgive us for Jesus’ sake, O Lord.
We earnestly implore you, O Lord, to increase our loyalty and love for you. Constantly reform and purify your church. In this day of spreading error and confusion, grant all Christians the blessing of true faithfulness to your Word. Use us to bring its saving truths to many and grant that, thereby, many will come to follow in the way of life everlasting.
Hear us, O Lord, for the glory of your name! Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
The blessing of Aaron has been spoken over God’s people for over 3,500 years. The L said, “In this way they will put my name on [them], and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:27
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
Amen.
This hymn of Martin Luther paraphrases the words of Psalm 46.
POSTLUDE MUSIC:
A Mighty Fortress
Kenneth T. Kosche
Please be seated
The congregation will not be ushered out following the service. Instead, please take a moment to greet those gathered to worship with you. You are welcome to remain and socialize in church and to dismiss yourself when you would like. Please join us in the Fellowship Hall (across the Courtyard) for a Reformation “Gemütlichkeit” (fellowship and refreshments) following the service.
To view a recording of this service, please visit https://www.gracelutheransaz.org/service-videos
THANKYOU! Our sincere thanks to all who helped plan, prepare, and conduct the service this afternoon!
Preacher Pastor Joel Heckendorf, President of the Arizona-California District Liturgist Pastor David Clark, Redeemer
Organ Jim Bakken, Grace
Choir & Orchestra Director Paul Kassulke, Grace
Children’s Choir Director Sarah Williams, Redeemer
Children’s Choir Accompanist Nate Reich, Redeemer
Violin Carson Williams, Redeemer; Lauren Hartzell, Holy Cross
Flute Cheryl Koniar, Redeemer; Barb Hartzell, Holy Cross Oboe Gail Stoeckman, Redeemer
Clarinet Missy Wiechmann, Grace; Calli Stoeckman, Redeemer; Beth Kassulke, Grace
Alto Saxophone Jeremy Snavely, Grace; Adam Koniar, Redeemer
French Horn Cora Stuhr, Grace
Trumpet
Nathan Kassulke, Grace; Erin Moldenhauer, Shepherd of the Hills; Ron Koehler, Grace
Baritone Jason Schmidt, Shepherd of the Hills
Percussion Ella Parsons, Holy Cross Timpani Danny Koehler, Grace Piano Shannon Schmidt, Shepherd of the Hills; René Parsons, Holy Cross Greeters Eric & Erika Hanson, Grace
Ushers Ferdie Kramm, Stanley Mead, DJ Miller, Jenn Miller, Chris Stuhr, Jay Wiechmann; Grace
Sound and Recording Technicians Jeremy Snavely, Danny Koehler; Grace
Acknowledgements:
Scripture readings are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®) © 1973, 1978, 1984,2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved. Cover Art: Corissa Nelson. CorissaNelsonArt.com.
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