Everything you need for March 27 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.”
INVOCATION
O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall declare your praise.
Hasten to save me, O God. O Lord, come quickly to help me.
The glory of Christ is revealed: let us worship him.
Lord, we pray that your mercy and grace may always go before and follow after us that, loving you with undivided hearts, we may be ready for every good and useful work; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, you receive us as your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge your merciful goodness, give thanks for all your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
LESSON – ROMANS 8:1-10
In that day you will say: I will give thanks to you, Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away, and you comfort me. 2Surely God is my salvation. I will trust him and will not be afraid, because Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. 3Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4In that day you will say: Give thanks to the Lord! Proclaim his name. Declare among the peoples what he has done. Proclaim that his name is exalted! 5Sing to the Lord, for he has done amazing things! Let this be known in all the earth! 6Shout aloud and sing for joy, daughter of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!
GOSPEL – LUKE 15:1-4, 11-32
All the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3He told them this parable: 11Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all that he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his wealth with reckless living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16He would have liked to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, and I am dying from hunger! 18I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20“He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, hugged his son, and kissed him. 21The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate, 24because this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate. 25“His older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here! Your father killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29“He answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I’ve been serving you, and I never disobeyed your command, but you never gave me even a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours arrived after wasting your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31“The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ ”
DEVOTION – ISAIAH 12:1-6
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
Father in heaven, You welcome us into Your family for the sake of Your Son.
Call us to repentance when we wander from Your ways or believe we have earned a place in Your household by our works, and return us to the confident joy that in Christ alone we are found and alive.
Almighty God, we are brought forth in iniquity and conceived in sin.
Make us ever grateful that in Holy Baptism You forgive and enliven even the smallest child, and that for Jesus’ sake You wash us thoroughly from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin.
Almighty God, in Christ You were reconciling the world to Yourself. Watch over our nation and all whom You have placed in authority.
Give them wisdom and prudence, that Your people might live in peace and freely make known the message of reconciliation.
Heavenly Father, hear our prayers for all who cry out to You for mercy, healing and help including those in Ukraine during this war crisis, and for Beth Herbst’s brother who is going through cancer treatments.
Deliver them according to Your will and, as You have made them a new creation in Christ, keep them mindful of the day when sorrow and sickness will be no more.
Lord Jesus, you commanded your church to “go into all the world” with your Word. You have enabled our national church body to reach many faraway places with the Gospel. We thank you. Bless the work of all congregations doing mission work during this Easter time.
Use our congregation to connect more people to the Savior. Send your Holy Spirit to open hearts and minds to your saving grace.
Lord of glory, fill the hearts of Your people in all their various callings with the joy of Your salvation.
Give them opportunities in their lives to make known in all the earth what great things you have done for them.
Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ 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.
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with your mighty power, and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger; and in all we do, direct us to what is right in your sight, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.