Everything you need for February 20 online worship.
Preparations for Worship:
- Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
- Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
- This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
- Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
- Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
“Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
CONFESSION OF SINS
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father, I am sinful by nature and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I deserve your punishment both now and forever. But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins with his innocent suffering and death. Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Heavenly Father, keep your family continually in true faith, so that those who rely only on the hope of your heavenly grace may be protected by your mighty power; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
LESSON – GENESIS 45:3-15
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
His brothers could not answer him, because they were terrified by his presence. 4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me, please.”
They came closer. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves for selling me to this place, since God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6For two years now the famine has been in the land, and there are still five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as survivors on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great act of deliverance. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord over his entire household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. 9Hurry, go up to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Do not delay. 10You shall live in the land of Goshen, where you will be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11I will take care of you here, for there are still five years of famine. Otherwise you will come to ruin, you, and your household, and all that you have.” ’ 12Pay attention. Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13You shall tell my father all about my position of honor in Egypt and about everything that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that his brothers talked with him.
GOSPEL – LUKE 6:27-38
27“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other too. If someone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes away your things, do not demand them back. 31“Treat others just as you would want them to treat you. 32If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners do the same thing. 34If you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners lend to sinners in order to be paid back in full. 35Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the unthankful and the evil. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. In fact, the measure with which you measure will be measured back to you.”
CONFESSION OF FAITH – NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.
Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O Lord, Your servant Joseph endured hardship and struggle, yet believed it would come to good.
Give us such tested faith, and bring all things to completion according to Your purposes in Christ, the new Adam, who has brought hope to the world.
Let Your love have its way with us, Lord. Lead us to expect no self-interested reward, but to love our enemies and serve those in need.
Put an end to all bitterness and strife. Let forgiveness reign between each of us, even as Christ’s blood covers our sins before Your heavenly throne.
Comfort all who suffer, deliver the sick according to Your will, and sustain by Your grace those troubled in body or soul. Be with the dying, and grant them peace at the last. Give Your comfort to those who grieve.
Grant Your children patience and courage to endure every time of trial with hope in Christ.
Holy Spirit, we rejoice that missionaries have been able to work in Ecuador since 2018.. Keep them safe when they are separated from loved ones.. Continue to use their Facebook posts and Academia Cristo presence online to open even more doors to share Jesus with the people in Ecuador.. May these social media efforts spill into other nearby countries that we cannot safely enter at this time..
May our efforts to train future leaders in this country bear abundant fruit so that more churches will be planted and grow.
We remember our brothers and sisters in Christ living in Ukraine.. We thank God for bringing these people to faith through the gospel.. Now we ask you Lord God to prevent war. Gracious Lord give our fellow Christians strength and comfort by your promises..
If the worst happens, God keep them safe from harm and give them the continuing opportunity to hear your Word and share your gospel with the people of Ukraine.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You will bring all things to completion according to Your order and time. When Christ comes and all the dead are raised, number us, we pray, among the saints in glory, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who taught us to pray…
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 BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.