A Great Reward-All Saint’s Day-LCMS Readings 2018

Description

Matthew 5:1-12

Following Jesus often results in persecution.  Jesus called the persecuted blessed in the Kingdom of Heaven and described their future reward as great.  Mighty prophets in Scripture like Elijah and Daniel were persecuted because of their faith, so we can take comfort in knowing that when we face persecution, we are being faithful to the Lord who will one day grant us a priceless reward- eternal life with Him.

  

…  We Lift Our Hearts in Worship  … 

[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]

 

Welcome & Time of Greeting

  

Time of Praise and Worship

I Can Only Imagine

Bart Millard, ©2001, 2002 Simpleville Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.)

Open The Eyes Of My Heart

Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)

Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin, ©2011 Thankyou Music, Said And Done Music, sixsteps Music, SHOUT! Publishing (Admin EMI CMG Publishing)

[Traditional Options]

Lord, This Day We’ve Come to Worship

LSB 911; TFBF 137

Holy God, We Praise Your Name                          

CH 2; EH 366; ELW 414; HWC 12; HFG 385; HLC 9; LBW 535; LSB 940; LW 171; NCH 276; PH 460; RS 657; STTL 12; WC 3; UMH 79; WAR 138; WHM 117

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing 

EH 217,218; ELW 393; LBW 157; LSB 493; LW 149; RS 606; WC 259; WAR 322

  

Invocation

 Pastor              Welcome Church, the Bride of Christ!

ALL                  Amen!  The Bridegroom is coming! 

Pastor               We find our inspiration to live this life from Jesus Christ who is sinless and pure in heart. 

ALL                  He is pure and motivates us to be pure like Him.

  

Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction

 

Pastor                 Holy King, we rejoice in you.  We are filled with gladness that You prepared the way

                             before us.  A beautiful picture of purity and holiness You painted for us, and we

                             are so blessed to have Your Word in written form.  Strengthen us for the persecution that

                            lies ahead.  By Your grace alone we pray,                      

ALL                 Amen.

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

Pastor               Father God, we confess to you our sins and hide nothing as You see everything. 

ALL                 Even our deepest layers, You see. 

Pastor               With humility, we bow before You and ask for Your forgiveness.  We ask that the blood of

                           Jesus would wash us white as snow.   

ALL                 We receive Your forgiveness for our sins, and we say thank you, Jesus. 

Pastor               Psalm 149:4 says, 

ALL                 “For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” 

Pastor               We aren’t looking for crowns, but we do seek humility, Great and Mighty King!

                          Through You, we are victorious over the enemy! 

ALL                  Thank you, Jesus.

 

…  We Hear God’s Word  …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

First Reading                                  Revelation 7:(2-8) 9-17

In John’s vision, a great multitude of people stood before the throne of God wearing white robes, holding palm branches, and loudly crying out praises to the Lamb of God. 

 

² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ³ “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” ⁴ Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. ⁵ From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, ⁶ from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, ⁷ from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, ⁸ from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000. ⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength
be to our God forever and ever. Amen!” ¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ¹⁶ ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, ‘nor any scorching heat. ¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water. ” And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”