The Weekend is Here

"Everybody's working for the weekend."  Loverboy

Okay, so it's not a quote from the Bible leading off today's post.  Yet, this lyric from the song "Working for the weekend" seems somewhat fitting as Friday rolls around.  Yet, as you may have guessed, I want to approach the weekend from a slightly different mindset than that of a group that would call themselves Loverboy.

Sure, in our day and age, most people approach the weekend as a break from the workaday week.  It's a time to kick back, relax, do something fun, and have fewer responsibilities.  It shouldn't be a surprise that there is an equal correlation between attendance at clubs and bars, incidents of drug and alcohol use (and abuse), and other things of such a nature.

Is that really what the weekend is about?  Or, perhaps I should suggest it in a different way.  If that is what the weekend is about, what does it say about the purpose of your existence?  If you exist and work simply to get to the fun times, that really is a pretty shallow existence.  Work becomes a means to fun and enjoyment, during which you try to escape from the means that allows you to have such fun and enjoyment.  Work becomes a drudgery that you simply have to do and endure if you want to have fun.

Yet, as Christians, not only do we see work in a different light, we also see the weekend in a different light.  God instituted a day of rest, a day to be refreshed, a day to honor Him and His work of creation.  And then, in the resurrection of Jesus, that came to include a day that we would honor the ultimate work of our Savior in rising from the dead, winning victory of sin, death, and the devil.  The weekend is our time to honor our God, to honor His work in this world, and to honor His sacrifice for us.

Far too often, we use the weekend to honor our own sinful pleasures and desires.  And yet, as the weekend once again approaches, what about seeing it as a time to honor our God, who created everything and did everything that the weekend truly is about?

Oh, The Wealth

From the top, I want to make one thing perfectly clear.  There is NOT a set order of worship outlined by our God in His holy Word.  For something that is as important to Him as giving us His gifts, and in us offering our praise and thanks, it may seem strange that God didn't see fit to include a "do it this way" set of instructions on gathering for worship. 

And yet, that's very much like our God, who refuses to be easily simplified down.  Without a set "form" for recieving God's gifts and returning thanks and praise, that means that God's people are left with a great deal of latitude in how this takes place.  So, you might think that this would mean that there are a whole host of ways in which God's people gather for worship.

However, history paints a bit of a different story.  It seems that there are certain parts of worship that have remained fairly consistent through the ages, regardless of where Christians live or when they live(d).  Christians sing thanks and praise to God.  Christians hear God's Word and reflect upon it.  Christians confess their need for God's forgiveness in Jesus, and hear the certainty of that forgiveness.  Christians unite hearts and voices in prayer.  Christians receive the holy meal that Jesus Himself instituted.  And as they do these things, they typically occur in a rather unified fashion.

So what does this have to do with our celebration of the Lord's Supper?  Well, as we gather as Christians in worship, we have a rather set "form" that we tend to follow, one which has its roots all the way back to the earliest of Christians.  And yet, we have variations to that order which displays the freedom and openness that God allows in worship. 

In particular, included in the hymnal our church uses are five different orders of worship for celebrating the Lord's Supper.  They have an order or form in common, and yet, each is also highly unique, with music and wording that fits the form, and yet allows a certain amount of diversity.  We have a wealth of worship, especially when it comes to celebrating the Lord's Supper. 

But what if we don't regularly enjoy this wealth?  True, we will almost always have our certain "one" that we like more than the others.  At the same time, celebrating the Lord's Supper each week at our early time of worship will also allow us to make use of this wealth of worship as we celebrate God's gifts to us.  We may even find that there are parts of each of them that speak our heart language more than others, and thus serve to draw us closer to our God as He gives us His good and gracious gifts.

Oh, the wealth.  As God's people, our desire is always to utilize that which our God so freely gives. 

How Connected Are You, Really?

For a moment, think about your typical time going to worship.  As you get out of the car and walk into the church, who are the people that you notice?  Who are the people that you expect you will spend some time talking with?  Now, let's look at a few other questions, and I encourage you to think about these and really be brutally honest with yourself.  Are there those that you sort of slink around to avoid?  Are there those that you would feel awkward talking with?  Are there those that you hope you don't run into?  (If we are honest with ourselves, we are going to have some of each of those.)

Now, another vein of thinking.  Approximately how many people do you anticipate that, on any given gathering time, you will spend time talking with?  Or, perhaps you can think of it another way.  Who are the individuals that you will spend 75% of your time talking with?  If you are like most people (and chances are, you are!), you will spend a majority of your time conversing with a much smaller group than you might think.  Outside of that group, you aren't really sure what to talk about, or you feel some level of discomfort in talking with them or listening to them.

How connected are you, really?  If you are like the typical person, you have room in your life for about 8-10 really good, close, deep friendships.  You have room in your life for about another 15-20 acquantainces with whom you regularly interact.  If we go with the bigger of those numbers, that means that you may have a group of about 30 people with whom you would regularly interact with when you go to worship.  Yes, there are others outside of that with whom you will interact, but you will likely spend the majority of your time within that group of 30.

So now think back to the answers you had as you read through the first paragraph.  Are they mostly within that group of 30?  Or maybe I could ask it this way.  If you had to list out 45 people that you know within your gathering of the saints, could you readily list them out and say that you know them pretty well?  Chances are, as you get toward the end of that list, you may know the person, but you may not know them well.

How connected are you, really?  We sometimes have an overinflated sense of our influence and role within the body.  The reality may very well be that we aren't as influential as we think we are.  If our gathering is of any appreciable size, we actually may not know more people than we actually do know. 

So what do we do about this?  Well, that's an answer for another blog post.  So tune in tomorrow and we'll start to unpack some of what we can do to be a bit more connected.

Getting to Know You

Quick introductory question: How well do you know your next door neighbors?  And once you think about that, how well do you know the people up and down your street, or on the same floor of your apartment?  If you think about those questions and realize that you don't know the people there very well, then I would throw in a follow-up question.  What is preventing you from getting to know them?

I suppose we could ask the same thing about the people that we worship with.  How well do you know the people who sit in front of you, behind you, or at the other end of the row?  How well do you know the people that sit across the aisle from you?  And, as you consider those, I'd toss in the same follow-up question.  What is preventing you from getting to know them?

I recently heard an interesting thought that came out of some research on churches and how they interact with newer people in their midst.  The common thought out there is that people want a friendly church.  But the researchers found that this statement isn't exactly accurate.  What they discovered is something that I think we all sort of know in our minds and hearts.  People don't want others to merely be friendly with them.  They want to develop friendships with the people they worship with.  They don't want merely a smile and a handshake; they want to get to know God's people as they worship.  They want friends, not merely friendliness.

The problem that many new people discover is that the people already there seem to have their fill of friends already.  It's pretty true that God's people spend time with the friends that they already have, and I absolutely do not want to discourage that.  However, I would also suggest that it is necessary to get to know those who make their way among us.  We need to reach to them with the hope that God is sending us a new friend, one with whom we can share our faith and hope, as well as our lives.  While this isn't the saving Gospel message, it is often a key factor that keeps people coming so that they can hear the Gospel message, in worship, but also from God's people.

Getting to know you.  That's what we are about as we gather together.  Yes, there are many reasons we come together as Christians, but one that we shouldn't overlook is how we get to know those who are new among us.

So, this coming Sunday, to whom will you reach out a welcoming hand and say, "I'd like to get to know you"?

Advent Worship for December 17

Here is the order of worship we will be following for our midweek Advent reflection.

HYMN: LSB 338; Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

INVOCATION

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

People:            Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Colossians 1:15–20; John 14:6–9, alt.

Pastor: [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

People:            For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.

Pastor: And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

People:            And He is the Head of the Body, the Church.

Pastor: He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

People:            that in everything He might be preeminent.

Pastor: For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

People:            and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

Pastor: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him,

People:            “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

Pastor: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

PSALM Psalm 103:1–18; antiphon: v.13

Pastor: As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

People:            and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

People:            and forget not all His benefits,

Pastor: who forgives all your iniquity,

People:            who heals all your diseases,

Pastor: who redeems your life from the pit,

People:            who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Pastor: who satisfies you with good

People:            so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Pastor: The Lord works righteousness and justice

People:            for all who are oppressed.

Pastor: He made known His ways to Moses,

People:            His acts to the people of Israel.

Pastor: The Lord is merciful and gracious,

People:            slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Pastor: He will not always chide,

People:            nor will He keep His anger forever.

Pastor: He does not deal with us according to our sins,

People:            nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Pastor: For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

People:            so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

Pastor: as far as the east is from the west,

People:            so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

Pastor: As a father shows compassion to his children,

People:            so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

Pastor: For He knows our frame;

People:            He remembers that we are dust.

Pastor: As for man, his days are like grass;

People:            he flourishes like a flower of the field;

Pastor: for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

People:            and its place knows it no more.

Pastor: But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

People:            and His righteousness to children’s children,

Pastor: to those who keep His covenant

People:            and remember to do His commandments.

All:       Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

BIBLE READING Jeremiah 31:31-40

Lector:  This is the Word of the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

CATECHISM The Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed

Pastor: 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.  What does this mean?

People:            I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength 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 richly forgives all my sins and the sins of 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.

SERIES HYMN: LSB 342; What Hope! An Eden Prophesied

SERMON

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

LORD’S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9–13)

People:            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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Lord Jesus, Lamb of God, when You walked this earth as one of us, You revealed our heavenly Father’s true nature;

People:            so now graciously open our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that in our life and conduct we may show that we abide within the love streaming from the Father’s heart.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Lamb of God,

People:            and show us the Father’s heart.

LUTHER’S EVENING PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.

People:            I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Word of God Incarnate,

People:            and show us the Father, our Creator.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The blessing of almighty God—the Father,  Son, and Holy Spirit—be upon you now and forever.

People:            Amen.

HYMN: LSB 336; Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

[The following copyright notice must appear on each reproduction.]

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Part 1. Copyright © 2014 Concordia Publishing House.

All rights reserved. Used by permission.

December 10 Advent Midweek Worship

Follow along with the Oak Road Youtube channel video of December 10 worship.

HYMN “Once He Came in Blessing” [LSB 333; LW 30; TLH 74; CW 17]

INVOCATION

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

People:            Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Colossians 1:15–20; John 14:6–9, alt.

Pastor: [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

People:            For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.

Pastor: And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

People:            And He is the Head of the Body, the Church.

Pastor: He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

People:            that in everything He might be preeminent.

Pastor: For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

People:            and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

Pastor: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him,

People:            “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

Pastor: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

PSALM Psalm 104:24–34; antiphon: v. 28b

Pastor: When You open Your hand, they are filled with good things.

Pastor: O Lord, how manifold are Your works!

People:            In wisdom have You made them all;
the earth is full of Your creatures.

Pastor: Here is the sea, great and wide,

People:            which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.

Pastor: There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which You formed to play in it.

People:            These all look to You,
to give them their food in due season.

Pastor: When You give it to them, they gather it up;

People:            when You open your hand, they are filled with good things.

Pastor: When You hide Your face, they are dismayed;

People:            when You take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.

Pastor: When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created,

People:            and You renew the face of the ground.

Pastor: May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

People:            may the Lord rejoice in His works,

Pastor: who looks on the earth and it trembles,

People:            who touches the mountains and they smoke!

Pastor: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

People:            I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

Pastor: May my meditation be pleasing to Him,

People:            for I rejoice in the Lord.

All:       Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

When You open Your hand, they are filled with good things.

BIBLE READING: Isaiah 40:1-8

Lector:  This is the Word of the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

CATECHISM The Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed

Pastor: 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.   What does this mean?

People:            I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord,

Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, 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,

That I may be His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness,

Just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.

This is most certainly true.

SERIES HYMN: LSB 342; What Hope! An Eden Prophesied

SERMON

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

LORD’S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9–13)

People:            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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, when You walked this earth as one of us You revealed our heavenly Father’s true nature;

People:            so now graciously open our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that in our life and conduct we may show our joyful dependence on the Father’s gracious providence, giving us all that we need from day to day. Amen.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Bread of Life,

People:            and show us the Father, our Provider.

LUTHER’S EVENING PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.

People:            I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Word of God Incarnate,

People:            and show us the Father, our Creator.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The blessing of almighty God—the Father,  Son, and Holy Spirit—be upon you now and forever.

People:            Amen.

HYMN: LSB 337; The Night Will Soon Be Ending

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

[The following copyright notice must appear on each reproduction.]

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Part 1. Copyright © 2014 Concordia Publishing House.

All rights reserved. Used by permission.