PMay our Lord Jesus Christ confirm your faith that you may worthily partake of his blessed Sacrament, be strengthened in faith in the forgiveness of sins, abound in love toward God and your neighbor, and be steadfast in the hope of eternal life.
CAmen.
DISTRIBUTION
POST-COMMUNION HYMN
THANKSGIVING Stand
POh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Psalm 107:1
C And His mercy en-dures for - ev - er.
PWe give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us
through this salutary gift, and we implore you that of Your mercy
Youwould strengthen us through the same in faith toward You
and infervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your
Son, ourLord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, nowand forever.
C A - - - men.
BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24-26
PThe Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you
and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you
and give you ✠peace.
C A - men, A - men, A - - - - men.
CLOSING HYMN Sit
POSTLUDE
Α Ω
DIVINE SERVICE FOR ADVENT
P=Pastor, C=Congregation
SERVICE OF PREPARATION
OPENING BELLS
OPENING HYMN
PIn the name of the Father and of the Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit.
CAmen. Matthew 28:19b
PBeloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God, our Father, imploring Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness:
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Cwho made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8
PI said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,
Cand You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:5
PO almighty God, merciful Father,
CI, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your punishment now and forever. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being.
PUpon this your confession, I by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and 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. John 20:19-23
CAmen. Remain standing
SERVICE OF THE WORD
INTROIT OF THE DAY (cf. worship folder cover)
1
ADVENT KYRIE (Czech Advent/Christmas Kyrie) Mark 10:47
C Ky - ri - e e - lei - son.
1. Come, O long ex - pect - ed Je - sus;
2. Born your peo - ple to de - li - ver,
3. By your own e - ter - nal Spi - rit,
from our fears and sins re - lease us,
bornto reign in us for - ev - er,
by your all suf - fi - cient me - rit,
e - lei - son, e - lei - son. Ky - ri - e e - lei - son.
SALUTATION & COLLECT FOR THE DAY
PThe Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22
C: And with your spir - it.
PLet us pray to the Lord: . . . now and forever.
C A - - - men. Sit
LESSONP: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
EPISTLEP: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
GRADUALcf. worship folder cover
GOSPEL Stand
PThe Holy Gospel according to . . .
C: Glo - ry be to You, O Lord.
The pastor reads the Gospel … “This is the Gospel of the Lord.”
C: Praise be to You, O Christ.
2
AGNUS DEI (LSB 345:1, 3, 4 tune: FreuenWirUns) John 1:29
C Hark! a thrill-ing voice is sound - ing!
“Christ is near,” we hear it say.
“Cast a - way the works of dark - ness,
all you child-ren of the day!”
2.See, the Lamb, so long expected,
comes with pardon down - - from heav’n.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
one and all, to be - forgiv’n;
3.So, when next he comes in glory
and the world is wrapped - - in fear,
He will shield us with his mercy
and with words of love - draw near.
PO Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who, according to the will of the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, have by your death given life to the world: deliver us by Your most Sacred Body and Blood from all our iniquities, and from every evil; make us always to cling to Your commandments, and never let us be separated from You, Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.
CAmen.
PMay the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve our souls to life everlasting.
CAmen.
PDo you believe that this consecrated bread and wine is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins?
CI do.
7
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Tune: Danish/Bugenhagen Order, 1685) Mt 6:9-13
P:Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray:
C:
PAX DOMINI
PThe peace of the Lord be with you always. John 20:19
C A - - - men.
6
NICENE CREED Said by All
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life ✠ of the world to come. Amen. Sit
HYMN OF THE DAY
SERMON
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
APOSTOLIC BLESSING Stand
PSALM VERSE Stand Psalm 51:10-12
C Cre-ate in me a clean heart, O God,
and re - new a right spir-it with - in me.
Cast me not a -way from Your pre-sence and
3
take not Your Ho - ly Spir - it from me. Re -
store un - to me the joy of Your sal -
va - tion, and up - hold me with
Your free Spir - it. A - men. Sit
OFFERING
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE Stand
P The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22
C And with your spir - it.
P Lift up your hearts. Colossians 3:1
C We lift them up un - to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. Psalm 136
C It is good and right so to do.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming him the Messiah, the very Lamb of God, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when he comes again in glory.
C A - men. 4
CONSECRATION Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25
P:Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: Take, eat.
This is my Body ✠
which is given for you. This do in remem-brance 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 is my Blood ✠
of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.
SANCTUS (LW 16adpt.)Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9
PTherefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying:
C Ho-san - na now through Ad - vent with
lov - ing hearts we sing, for Je - sus Christ our
Sav - ior has come to be our King.
2. O holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might,
theheav’ns and earth are full of
the brightness of your light.
3.Hosanna! Blessed Jesus, in Sacrament and Word;
O Blessèd Jesus, blessèd,
come save us, precious Lord.
4.Hosanna! Let this welcome ring out from every heart;
draw near to us, O Jesus, and nevermore depart.
5
ADVENT I
November 27, 2016
OPENING HYMN - 332POST-COMMUNION -938
HYMN OF THE DAY - 354CLOSING HYMN –333
INTROIT(Ps. 25:1-3a,4)
P:To You, O LORD, I lift⎮up my soul. *
O my God, I⎮trust in You;
C:Let me not⎮be ashamed; *
Let not my enemiestriumph⎮over me.
P:Indeed, let no one who waits on You⎮be ashamed; *
Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach⎮me Your paths.
All:Glory be to the Father and⎮to the Son *
and to the Holy⎮Spir-it;
As is was in the the be-⎮gin-ning,
is now and will be forever.⎮A-men.
P:To You, O LORD, I lift⎮up my soul. *
O my God, I⎮trust in You;
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
LESSON Jeremiah 23:58
EPISTLE Romans 13:1114
GRADUAL (Ps.25:3a,4; 85:7)
P:Indeed, let no one who waits on You⎮be ashamed; *
Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Alleluia! Al-⎮le-lu-ia!
C:Show us Your⎮mercy, LORD, *
And grant us Your salvation. Al-⎮le-lu-ia!
GOSPEL Matthew 21:19
COMFORTING WORDS FOR THE SEASON
Luther once put it: “Reason and will would ascend and seek above, but if you will have joy, bend yourself down to this place.There you will find that boy given for you Who is your Creator, lying in a manger … Take Him away and you face the Majesty which terrifies.I know of no God but this One in the manger.Do not let yourself be turned away from this humanity.What wonderful words!He is not only a man and a servant, but that person lying in the manger is both man and God essentially, not separated one from the other, but as born of a virgin.If you separate them, the joy is gone.O You boy, lying in the manger, You are truly the God who has created me, and You will not be wrathful with me because You come to me in this loving way — a more loving way cannot be imagined.”
(Quoted from Norman Nagel, The Seven-Headed Luther, p. 48)
The Adoration Of The Kings And Christ On The Cross
Benedetto Bonfigli 1420-1496
Greetings to All: Welcome to St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. If you are visiting today we hope that you will consider making St. Michael’s your church home. Join us after service for refreshments and conversation in Mathesius Hall, followed by Sunday School and Adult Bible Class.
An Exhortation Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar: Mindful of our Lord's words regarding unity in the faith and preparation to receive His body and blood, and mindful of the Lutheran confessional practice of examination prior to coming to the altar, we practice closed communion. If you are a visitor at St. Michael’stoday and have not spoken to the pastor prior to service please do not come to the altar for communion at this time. If you would like to know more about St. Michael’s Lutheran,the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession, and the practice of closed communion, or if you are interested in membership, please speak with the pastor following Divine Service. Thank you for your consideration.
Coffee, Conversation, and Bible Study: Please join us afterDivine Service inMathesius Hall for coffee and conversation until 12:30 p.m. This is followed by Sunday School in the same venue and adult Bible study in Luther Hall from 1:30 p.m. Please feel free to donate to our Coffee & Snacks fund.
Confession: Pastor Hoff is available for private confession and absolution on Sundays 9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., and on Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., at Mathesius Hall, or, by special appointment. Please take advantage of the great blessing and consolation of absolution and the power of the keys.
Pastor Hoff’s Office Hours: Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Mathesius Hall.
Confirmation: Catechism instruction leading to the rite of confirmation is being held on Mondays at 2:30 p.m. at Mathesius Hall
English Midweek Advent service: Midweek Advent services begin this week onWednesday, 30 November at 6 PM. Join us for Vespers on Wednesdays at6 PMthroughout the season of Advent.
Prayer Requests/Announcements: Please submit requests by calling/texting Pr. Hoff at +420.725.847.961, or email him at Thank you.
Prayers: Polina Lynch (for a healthy pregnancy); TomášHradecký (for healing), Shereen Patrick (for a blessed marriage – Dec. in Pakistan)
Serving: Liturgist, Celebrant, Preacher – Rev. Clinton Hoff; Organist: Vladimír Kopáčik
Scripture texts for next week: Advent 1: Jer 23:5–8; Rom 13:11–14; Matt 21:1–9
Annual Budget: Rent, Maintenance, Electricity = 98.000 Kč/yr. + other expenses = 15.000 Kč/yr. = weekly needs of 2.175 Kč per Sunday.
St. Michael’s Lutheran Church
English language worship
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic.
“Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed.”
(Psalm 25:2c-3a)
ADVENT I
NOVEMBER 27, 2016
Sermon on the Gospel for Advent I, 2016
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The word of God on which we would like to meditate on this first Sunday in Advent, is the holy Gospel, our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to cheers of “Hosanna (Come save us now!) Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (Come save us now from on high!)”
In the name of Jesus, our Advent King and Savior, dear fellow redeemed:
Introduction
At first blush the Gospel for the first Sunday of the new church year may seem strange. It is the familiar triumphal entry of Jesus into the holy city, Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, leading up to our Lord’s crucifixion and death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
But we are all gearing up for Christmas. So, what does this Gospel have to do with the season? On the surface, it doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with it, but if we look a little deeper, we will find that they have a lot to do with each other.
When we study the Bible, we always try to understand it in it’s literal and historical sense. In the gospel before us, it is not difficult to grasp this. It is a straightforward historical account of what happened at the beginning of that fateful week before the passion, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Many in that crowd had come to the conclusion that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The words they called out are proof of that. Both the word “Hosanna,”and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”come from Ps. 118 (25-26). This was the main Psalm sung by Israel during the Passover. It still is. The sacrifice of a Passover lamb and the meal they made of it reminded them of God’s great deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt under a ruthless and wicked Pharaoh. But more than that it pointed forward to the true Lamb of God, the Messiah, who would redeem them from their sins.
When the Palm Sunday crowd sang this Psalm to Jesus on His triumphal ride into the holy city, it could only mean one thing: they believed that He was the Anointed One, the Messiah who should come.
That is the literal and plain sense of our Gospel. But the Word of God is not like other words that relate to us simple histories of the goings-on of man through the ages. The Word of God is thicker than that. In, with, and under the literal sense of God’s Word there is also a spiritual sense, which gives depth of meaning to the literal. That is, there is an application of the literal sense to your spirit; a sense that transports the historical sense into your life. It is that spiritual sense of this Gospel that we want to focus on today as we begin the holy season of Advent. Where do you fit into this picture?
What is Our Hosanna Now Through Advent?
Act I
As we have heard, the Word “Hosanna”means “Come save us now.” And the word “Advent” means “coming.” As you visualize the Lord Jesus riding into Jerusalem, think broadly of what that means. The donkey He rode on was a beast of burden, not the mighty steed of a worldly king. It represents both the humility of Christ’s Advent and the purpose of His coming, namely, to be a servant to mankind and to bear our burden. Jerusalem represents the world and the Church in the world. The Messiah would enter the world in the most humble of appearances; so humble that indeed many would not recognize Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.
He would be born of the royal blood of David, to be sure. But by the time of his birth, the Davidic line had been reduced to insignificance by one conquering nation after another. Only Mary is left, a queen by blood, but in reality a poor maiden with no royal status or recognition among her people. She was no more than a pauper, betrothed to a carpenter. Yet miraculously, through the Holy Spirit, this pure virgin becomes a mother, as the LORD Himself had given the sign through the prophet Isaiah 700 years before: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel(which translated means God with us)”(Is. 7:14).