09/21/25

As We Gather

In this series, Living Discipleship, we learn of God’s great love for people. The Scriptures teach that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 It is God’s desire that all be saved and come to the knowledge of His Son. 1 Timothy 2:4   This is a series that seeks to instruct us as Christians what it means to believe in Christ and live as his people in a world that runs counter to Christian thought and life. For the next 8-10 weeks we will learn more fully what it means to be a ‘living disciple’ as God’s redeemed children. Adult Sunday School will feature a more in-depth teaching for today’s message. Study materials provided. All are encouraged to participate… why this would be a good opportunity to invite a friend! 

Children Activity Bags We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit TV to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station on a small rack. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused, and that participation in the Lord’s Supper is an act of confession of faith, we ordinarily commune those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. If you have a question, please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.

No Thorough Education Without Religion “But where the Holy Scripture does not rule I certainly advise no one to send his child. Everyone not unceasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt; therefore we must see what people in the higher schools are and grow up to be… I greatly fear that schools for higher learning are wide gates to hell if they do not diligently teach the Holy Scriptures and impress them on the young folk.” What Luther Says # 1327

Living Discipleship 3 –  The Father’s Provision

September 21, 2025

Welcome and Hand of Friendship

Opening Hymn                          Children of the Heavenly Father                                  LSB 725

Invocation, Confession and Absolution  (Psalm 68: 1-6)

P:   We gather in the name and at the invitation of our great and gracious triune God;

C:   In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P:   May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 

C:   As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 

P:   But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; 

C:   may they be happy and joyful. 

P:   Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds— 

C:   his name is the Lord— and rejoice before him. 

P:   A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, 

C:   is God in his holy dwelling. 

P:   Gracious heavenly Father, 

C:   We come before You knowing that we do not deserve the mercy or grace we find ourselves in according to Your unfailing love. We recognize that we do have a sin nature that seeks to thwart Your will for our lives. Strengthen our resolve to love you with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength so that, having endured the daily trials of the devil, the world and our sinful flesh, we may gain the victory that is only found in Jesus, Your Son, Amen.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   Brothers and sisters in Christ, in Christ our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name!  His life, death and resurrection are yours in your baptism where having your sins washed away, You are a forgiven people, chosen in Him, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.                                  

C:   Amen.

Hymn of Praise                           How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us,    How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son   To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,   The Sacrifice accepted,

As wounds which mar the Chosen    One  Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross, My sin upon His shoulders;

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life – I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything –   No gifts, no power, no wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,    His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?     I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart.      His wounds have paid my ransom.

Words and music by Stuart Townend CCLI Song # 1558110© 1995 Thankyou 

MusicFor use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License # 11390779

Prayer of the Day

All:   Gracious heavenly Father, we praise you for the awesomeness of Your creative power displayed in all of creation. When we consider that it was You who knit us together in our mother’s womb Scripture says we were fearfully and wonderfully made! And so we are! By Your gracious hand You brought us into Your kingdom of light through your Son Jesus whose sacrifice for our sin cancelled the debt we owed You. As we grow in Your grace, keep us mindful of Your ever-present help as we seek to live for You; for You reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

O T Lesson                                 (Instructions for living in a new land)            Deuteronomy 7: 1-9

When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— ² and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. ³ Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴ for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. …. ⁸ But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

N T Lesson      (We are chosen in Christ, gifted with every spiritual blessing)    Romans 1: 16-20

¹⁶ I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” ¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Gospel Lesson                            (We welcome the little children)                          Matthew 18:1-10 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³ And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. ⁶ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. ¹⁰ “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Message Song                                    I Am Jesus Little Lamb                   LSB  740

(10:30 service ACS children will sing first verse, Congregation with organ sing last two)

Message                                       The Father’s Love in Provision

1. of the                                                       to supply everyone’s needs!
2. to                      what man has                             by our                           .
3. to                         into an                             where the presence of sin                           !

Explanation of the 1^st Article of Apostles Creed

All:   I believe in God the Father, Maker of heaven and earth.

P:   What does this mean?C:  I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason, and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals and all that I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey him! This is most certainly true.

Offering 

Offertory                                       Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me                       LSB  722  vs. 1, 3

Prayers of the Church  

 After each petition:

 P:  Lord, in your mercy,

 C:  hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy   

        glory. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, 

        blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna 

        in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                  page 197 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.C:  ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                                 page 198 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; 

         have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; 

         have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; 

         grant us Thy peace.  A – men.

Distribution of Communion

Distribution Hymn                           Lord of All Hopefulness                                                 LSB 738

 Nunc Dimittis                                                                                      page 199 in the hymnal        

C: ♪ Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word, for mine  

       eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,

       a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel. 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, world without end.  Amen.

 Post Communion Collect

All:  O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in loving-kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament. We ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may constantly to serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Benediction                                                                                       Numbers 6:24–26                                                                                                    

P:   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.

C:   Amen. Alleluia. Amen!

Closing Hymn                                           Jesus Loves Me                         LSB 588 plus verse

Jesus loves me! He who rose. P’wer for living this we know.                           Intercedes for us each day, So we walk in all His ways!         Refrain

 Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude