Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Stevensville,
Michigan
July 5 & 8, 2012 7:00 p.m., 8:00 a.m. & 10:45
a.m.
Learning
the Living Liturgy:
The
Invocation
The
Sixth
Sunday
after
Pentecost
As
We Gather
“9 But
you are a
chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a
people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies
of him who called you out
of darkness into his
marvelous light. 10 Once
you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Everyone wants to belong. Where do you belong? Do you belong to
the world? To sin? To death? To the Devil?
NO! You belong here! You were
made a citizen of God’s kingdom through Holy Baptism. When you
come to church and hear the words of the Invocation, “In the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” you are
reminded that you have left the world and have now come home to be
with the family of God.
Much of the American life is based
upon individualism. Unfortunately this has tended to bleed over into
the Church. Too many people believe that Christianity is simply a
matter of “Jesus and Me.” How sad it is to have forgotten that
Christianity is a family affair. We are children of God, brothers and
sisters of Christ, the family of believers. The words of the
invocation remind us of this and much, much more.
The
Sacrament of Holy Baptism
Name
Name Name
Sunday 10:45
a.m.
Hymn
“Dearest
Jesus
We
Are
Here” Hymn
592
Stanzas 1-4
Holy
Baptism Page
268
Hymn
“Dearest
Jesus
We
Are
Here” Hymn
592
Stanza 5
The 10:45
a.m. service continues with the Introit.
Confession
and Absolution
Thursday and
Sunday 8:00 a.m. services begin here.
Hymn
~
“All
Christians
Who
Have
Been
Baptized” Hymn
596
Stand
The
sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation Page
151
Confession
and
Absolution Page
151
Service
of the Word
Introit
Oh,
taste and see that the | Lord is good!*
Blessèd
is the man who takes ref- | uge in him!
For the Lord
has chosen | Zion;*
he has
desired it for his | dwelling place:
“This
is my resting place for- | ever;*
here
I will dwell, for I have de- | sired it.
I will
abundantly bless her pro- | visions;*
I will
satisfy her | poor with bread.
Her
priests I will clothe with sal- | vation,*
and
her saints will | shout for joy.
Glory be to the
Father and | to the Son*
and to the
Holy | Spirit;
as it was in
the be- | ginning,*
is now,
and will be forever. | Amen.
Oh,
taste and see that the | Lord is good!*
Blessèd
is the man who takes ref- | uge in him!
Ps.
132:13–16; antiphon: Ps. 34:8
Kyrie Page
152
Salutation Page
156
Collect
of the Day
P O
God, Your almighty power is made known chiefly in showing mercy.
Grant us the fullness of Your grace that we may be called to
repentance and made partakers of Your heavenly treasures; through
Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen
Sit
Reading
from
the
Book
of
Concord
Luther’s
Large Catechism
Baptism,
41-44
41
Therefore, every Christian has enough in Baptism to learn and to do
all his life. For he has always enough to do by believing firmly what
Baptism promises and brings: victory over death and the devil [Romans
6:3–6], forgiveness of sin [Acts 2:38], God’s grace [Titus
3:5–6], the entire Christ, and the Holy Spirit with His gifts [1
Corinthians 6:11]. 42
In short, Baptism is so far beyond us that if timid nature could
realize this, it might well doubt whether it could be true. 43
Think about it. Imagine there was a doctor somewhere who understood
the art of saving people from death or, even though they died, could
restore them quickly to life so that they would afterward live
forever. Oh, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain. No
one could find access to him because of the throng of the rich! But
here in Baptism there is freely brought to everyone’s door such a
treasure and medicine that it utterly destroys death and preserves
all people alive.
44
We must think this way about Baptism and make it profitable for
ourselves. So when our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen
ourselves and take comfort and say, “Nevertheless, I am baptized.
And if I am baptized, it is promised to me that I shall be saved and
have eternal life, both in soul and body.”
Readings
from Holy Scripture
Old
Testament
Reading
Ezekiel
2:1–5
1He
said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with
you.” 2And as he
spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I
heard him speaking to me. 3And
he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to
nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their
fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4The
descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and
you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’
5And whether they
hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will
know that a prophet has been among them.
P This
is the Word of the Lord
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual
Oh, the depth of the
riches and wisdom and knowl- | edge of God!*
How unsearchable are
his judgments and how inscrutable | his ways!
For from him and through
him and to him are | all things.*
To him be glory
forever. | Amen.
Rom. 11:33,
36
Epistle
Reading
2
Corinthians
12:1–10
1I
must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I
will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I
know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the
third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know,
God knows. 3And I
know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body
or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4and
he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5On
behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not
boast, except of my weaknesses. 6Though
if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be
speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think
more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7So
to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the
revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan
to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8Three
times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9But he said to
me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For
the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I
am strong.
P This
is the Word of the Lord
C Thanks be to God.
stand
Verse
~
“Alleluia.
Lord,
to
whom
shall
we
go?” Page
156
Holy
Gospel Mark
6:1–13
P The
Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 6th
chapter
C Glory to You, O
Lord.
1[Jesus]
went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples
followed him. 2And
on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard
him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?
What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by
his hands? 3Is not
this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses
and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And
they took offense at him. 4And
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his
hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5And
he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a
few sick people and healed them. 6And
he marveled because of their unbelief.
And he
went about among the villages teaching.
7And
he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave
them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He
charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no
bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but
to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10And
he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you
depart from there. 11
And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to
you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a
testimony against them.” 12So
they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13And
they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick
and healed them.
P This
is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O
Christ.
Sit
Hymn
“Baptized
into
Your
Name
Most
Holy” Hymn
590
Sermon
The
Invocation:
Baptized
People of God Gathering Together
Matthew
28:18-20
18 And
Jesus came and said to them, “All
authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go
therefore and make
disciples of all
nations, baptizing
them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching
them to
observe all that I
have commanded you. And behold, I
am with you always, to the
end of the age.”
Nicene
Creed Page
158
Prayer
of The Church
Sit
The
Gathering of Our Tithes and Sacrificial Offerings
(We
request all who are present to sign the attendance book that is at
the end of your row. Please pass this on to the person next to
you.)
Stand
Offertory
“All
Who
Believe
and
Are
Baptized” Hymn
601
Service
of the Sacrament
Celebration
of Holy Communion
Preface Page
160
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, who on this
day overcame death and the grave and by His glorious resurrection
opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore with angels and
archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify
Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus
~
Holy,
Holy,
Holy Page
161
Prayer
of
Thanksgiving Page
161
Lord’s
Prayer Page
162
Words
Of
Institution Page
162
Pax
Domini
~
The
Peace
Of
The
Lord Page
163
Agnus
Dei
~
Lamb
Of
God Page
163
Sit
Distribution
Hymns
“O,
Lord
We
Praise
Thee” Hymn
617
“Your
Table
I
Approach” Hymn
628
Stand
Post-Communion
Canticle
“Thank
the
Lord” Page
164
Post-Communion
Collect Page
166
Benediction Page
166
Recessional
~
“God’s
Own
Child,
I
Gladly
Say
It” Hymn
594
+
Silent Prayer +
All
scripture
quotations
are
from
The
Holy
Bible,
English
Standard
Version,
copyright
©
2001
by
Crossway
Bibles,
a
division
of
Good
News
Publishers.
Used
by
permission.
All
rights
reserved.
Reading
from
the
book
of
Concord
is
from
Concordia:
The
Lutheran
Confessions-A
Readers
Edition
of
the
Book
of
Concord
-
2nd
edition,
Copyright
2005,
2006
Concordia
Publishing
House
Learning
the Living Liturgy:
The
Invocation
The Invocation goes by so quickly
that it is easy to think that it is unimportant or unnecessary. Yet
this is one of the most important parts of the Divine Service. The
Divine Service is for the people of God. Here God gives us His gifts
of life and salvation through word and sacrament. This is the place
where God’s children come to receive these gifts.
The Invocation reminds us of our
baptism. With these words we remember that this is where we belong.
We are God’s children who have come to meet in our Father’s house
and to be about our Father’s business.
For some, the Divine Service seems
to have declined to the level of holy entertainment rather than a
gathering together of the family of God. In some places
congregations are divided into segments and groups according to their
musical preferences. In some places children are forbidden from
worshiping with their families in the Divine Service. Everyone
chooses for himself how God will be encountered.
The Invocation reminds us how
unhelpful these practices are. We are the family of God gathered in
this place. Young and old, men and women, all have their place here.
We encourage and strengthen one another with our presence. We all
are poor, miserable sinners who have come to receive grace and
blessings from our Lord and Savior.
May your worship with family of
God be one in which the Living Christ gives you the gifts He won for
you on the cross.
Pastor Quardokus
The
Location
of
the
Baptismal
Font
The location of the baptismal font
is not unimportant. In our sanctuary it is attached to the Altar in
the chancel. This position emphasizes that it is God who works in
and through baptism.
In some congregations the
baptismal font is located in the center in front of the steps that
lead into the chancel. This position emphasizes that it is through
baptism that we enter into the family of God and are made acceptable
to come into God’s presence.
In Europe, the baptismal font
often occupies its own building outside the entrance to the church.
This building is called a baptistry or baptistery. The fact that the
font is located outside of the church is a reminder that no one may
enter into true worship of God unless he or she has been received
into God’s family through The Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
In the last few decades some
churches have located their baptismal fonts at the entrance to the
nave. The emphasis here is similar to having a separate baptistery.
(Both of our seminary chapels have located their fonts in this
manner.) The font then is generally always filled with water enabling
people to place their fingers in the water and make the sign of the
cross in remembrance of their baptism.
The next time you visit another
congregation take note of location of the baptismal font and ponder
the message that is being sent by its position.
Pastor Quardokus
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