The First Sunday in Lent 3-05-17

Home / The First Sunday in Lent 3-05-17

Volume 65, No. 11

The First Sunday in Lent

March 5, 2017

Serving Us Today

Organist: Lois
Usher: Armin
Greeters: Darol & Lois
Children’s Sermon: Bob

Bulletin Cover (Matthew 4:1-11): Satan tempted Jesus throughout his life on earth. On one particular occasion early in Jesus’ ministry, the devil posed three specific temptations to Jesus after he had been without food for 40 days and 40 nights. The devil was focused on destroying Jesus and our salvation. The temptations were real, but each time Jesus turned them back with the power of God’s Word.

Order of Worship

(The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 5)

When the congregation is asked to stand, please do so only if you are able. You may remain seated if standing is difficult.

Pre-service Meditation: Psalm 130

The Bells Call Us to Worship

Welcome to Worship (Pastor)

Hymn: 19 — All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above

(Please stand for the final verse)

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation (sings): Amen

P: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God, our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

C (sings): Who made heaven and earth.

P: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord.

C (sings): And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

P: Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess to You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C: O most merciful God, who has given Your only begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

P: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His sake forgives all our sins. To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Grant this, Lord, to us all.

C (sings): Amen.

Responsive Reading: Psalm 130 (selected verses)

Pastor: Out of depths I cry to you, OLord!
Cong: O Lord, hear my voice!
P: If you, OLord, shouldiniquities, O Lord, who could?
C: But with you there is, that you may be feared.
P: I for the Lord, soul waits,
C: and his word I hope;
P: O Israel, in theLord! FortheLordis steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
C: And he willIsrael from all his iniquities.

Congregation Sings (TLH, p.6ff)

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father and to the son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.

The Kyrie

Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Gloria in Excelsis

Glory be to God on high: And on earth peace, good will toward men. We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, We glorify You, we give thanks to You, for Your great glory. O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takes away the sin of the world, Have mercy upon us. You who takes away the sin of the world, Receive our prayer. You who sits at the right hand of God the Father, Have mercy upon us. For You only are holy; You only are the Lord. You only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, Are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

P: The Lord be with you.

C (sings): And with Your spirit.

P: Let us pray…

C (sings): Amen!

God Speaks to Us Through His Word

Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 3:1-15

The crafty, deceitful, lying, and destructive ways of Satan are evident in the temptation he places before Eve—a temptation which leads to the first sin and the corruption of God’s perfect creation. Conversely, the merciful and gracious ways of God are evident in His seeking Adam and Eve and His promise of a Savior.

P: Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and treasure it! Hallelujah!

C (sings): Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

New Testament Lesson: Romans 3:27-31

C (sings): Glory be to You, O Lord!

We have no standing whereby to boast before God on the basis of the law or our works. Only by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and all that He has done are we saved.

C (sings): Praise be to You, O Christ!

Confession of Faith: The Apostolic Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there 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.

Hymn: 776 — Lord, ’Tis Not that I Did Choose You

(Please stand for the final verse)

The Sermon

Text: John 15:9-17

“Love One Another”

I. Love that is modeled by the Father and Son

II. Love that fulfills the law

III. Love that brings full joy

C (sings): Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with Your free Spirit.

Hymn: The Gift of Love

Though I may speak with bravest fire,

and have the gift to all inspire,
and have not love my words are vain,
as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

Though I may give all I possess,
and striving so my love profess,
but not be giv’n by love within,
the profit soon turns strangely thin.
(Please stand for the final verse)

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control,
our spirits long to be made whole.
Let faith in Christ guide every deed;
by this we worship, and are freed.

Offering of Thanksgiving

Children’s Sermon

Prayer & Lord’s Prayer

Benediction (Pastor)

C (sings): Amen! Amen! Amen!

Hymn: 429 — Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart

(please stand for the final verse)

Silent Prayer

Welcome to worship at Gethsemane! God’s love which moved Him to send His only begotten Son for the salvation of sinners is incredible! What amazing love to move the holy God to have compassion on rebellious sinners. Jesus demonstrates this love to us and urges us to love one another with the same love.

Guest and Visitors, we invite you to sign our guest book in the narthex and speak to the members and pastor if you wish to learn more about the Gospel ministry at Gethsemane.

This Week at Gethsemane
Today
Coffee Fellowship
10:15 a.m. Bible Class (God’s Word is Our Great Heritage: Origin of the Bible)
10:15 a.m. Sunday School
10:15 a.m.—GLCW
11:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal—Join us!

Wednesday

7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Worship
Usher: Matt Lueck / Organist: Gretchen Peters
Following the service — Portrait Opportunity

Thursday

6:30 p.m. — GLS Spring Literature Fair — all are invited!

Saturday

No Confirmation Class

Next Sunday (March 12)

9:00 a.m.—Worship Service
Usher: Dave H / Greeters: Matt & Heidi L
Organist: Lois B
10:15 a.m.—Bible Class & Sunday School
10:15 a.m. — Church Portrait Opportunity
11:00 a.m.—Church Choir

News & Notes

Literature Fair — Gethsemane Lutheran School is hosting a literature fair on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. Please join us for a night of literature performances that includes a readers’ theater, poems for more than one voice, and individual poem performances.

ILC Tour Choir Concert:

Please remember to sign up for tour choir housing. Some distance to host houses isn’t a problem. If you’d like to host but need help with transportation—talk to Pastor Eichstadt.
Help get the word out — if you have a public location to place posters advertising the Tour Choir concert, or know of such a place, please talk to Pastor Eichstadt.

Opportunities to have your portrait taken…

This Wednesday (March 8) – Following the worship service.

March 12 – Following the worship service. Bible Class and Sunday School will meet as usual.

If you can’t make any of these dates, or if you have any questions at all about the directory, please speak to Pastor Eichstadt, Emily H, or Desiree H.

Share your musical talents in Lent! If you’d like to play pre-service music, or sing a selection (soloists, duets, ensembles)—please talk to Pastor Eichstadt.

Volunteer Janitorial Help Needed: We are looking for volunteers to do touch-up cleaning prior to the midweek services during Lent. A sign-up sheet is in the narthex.

Voters Meeting—the Voters will meet following the worship service on March 19th. The primary purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Board of Education’s recommendation to call a part-time teacher for the coming school year. An open forum for updating the congregation and to provide opportunity for discussion will precede the voters’ meeting.

News from the Church of the Lutheran Confession

Miss Claire Abbas,Peace Thru Christ Lutheran, Middleton WI,two calls: Messiah Lutheran, Hales Corners WI, has called her to teach pre-school-K and Redeemer Lutheran, Cheyenne WY, has called her to teach K-8 as they are re-opening their school. / St. Stephen Lutheran School, Mountain View CA, has called Miss Becky McKenney to serve as second teacher. / Grace Lutheran, Sleepy Eye MN, which plans to open a new school in the fall of 2017, has calledOhlmann of Holy Cross Lutheran, Phoenix AZ andalso called Debra Mayhew of Grace Lutheran, Sleepy Eye, to teach in the preschool.

Gethsemane Lutheran School at the Symphony–get your tickets! Gethsemane Lutheran School students are participating in “Link-up” as part of their music instruction. This program includes a performance with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. You may now buy your tickets for this event from the Fox Theater Box Office. To attend you will need to purchase tickets ($5.00) for the April 27th, 7:00 p.m. Link-Up Concert. If you mention that you are with Gethsemane Lutheran School, you will get to sit in our section. For more information on the Link-Up program: spokanesymphony.org/link-up/

Arise and Shine 20’s – 30’s Retreat – Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Phoenix, AZ is once again sponsoring a four-day retreat in Pillager, MN, June 15–18. The retreat is designed for men and women in their 20s & 30s. Singles, couples, and families are welcome. The registration fee includes a t-shirt, lodging, meals and snacks, and activities during the retreat. The cost is $140.00 per adult (ages 12 and up), $100 per child (ages 0-11). This year’s theme is “Jars of Clay,” based 1 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” If you are looking for a faith-strengthening weekend with young adult Christians that is focused on the Word of God, this retreat is for you! can find more information and register on the website: www.AriseAndShineRetreat.com.