November 12 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

The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you.

We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children.  But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment.  Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.  In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child.  But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love.  Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins.  By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever.  You are his own dear child.  May God give you strength to live according to his will. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord our God, so govern the nations on earth and direct the affairs of this world that your church may worship you in peace and joy; 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 13:1-7

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. ²Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God’s institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves.  ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to evil. Would you like to have no fear of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will receive praise from him, ⁴because he is God’s servant for your benefit. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason. He is God’s servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.  ⁶For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s ministers, who are employed to do this very thing. ⁷Pay what you owe to all of them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, and honor to whom honor is owed.

GOSPEL – MATTHEW 22:15-22

¹⁵Then the Pharisees went out and plotted together how to trap him in his words. ¹⁶They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in accord with the truth. You are not concerned about gaining anyone’s approval because you are not swayed by appearances. ¹⁷So tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”  ¹⁸But Jesus knew their evil purpose and said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? ¹⁹Show me the coin used for the tax.”  They brought him a denarius.  ²⁰He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”  ²¹“Caesar’s,” they replied to him.  Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  ²²When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away.

DEVOTION – DANIEL 1:3-21

CONFESSION OF FAITH

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.  He descended into hell.  The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.  From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  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

Lord Jesus, King of kings and Lord of the nations, Millions of people, both citizens and war fighters, watched and waited for the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 for war to cease.

We know now that it was not the war to end all wars.

The series of wars that have followed moved our leaders to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day, to honor everyone who has served in our nation’s Armed Forces.

We thank you, Lord, for our military veterans. Through those who have “kept the watch” on our behalf, you have prevented war from advancing to our shores, frustrated the plans of wicked people, and protected us from harm.

Because of their time of service to our country, there are many veterans who do not live in peace. There are many who do not wish to be thanked for their service, because they are ashamed by what they have done or failed to do.

Move us to offer our patient, listening hearts to those veterans who suffer, including those who suffer in silence. Help us to point them to the perfect peace that is now theirs in Christ.

Although none of us fully enjoys the perfect peace we have in you, Lord Jesus, may we wait and watch for that day when you will restore all things for us.

You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

Although the devil and his allies do not know the meaning of “ceasefire” and continue their assault to rob people of peace in Jesus, remind us of the armor you provide to protect minds and hearts.

Move all who fight the good fight of faith, especially those who serve our nation on our behalf, “put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet”.

To you, the commander of the armies of the LORD, we call upon you to protect all the men and women who are actively serving our country today: [read list of actively serving men and women who are members and prospects/friends of the congregation] We especially recognize today those who have served our country in the armed forces: [read list of veterans, both members and prospects/friends of the congregation]  Give to all who have served and all who are actively serving, the identity and purpose that comes only from you, that through baptism, they are forgiven, loved children of their heavenly Father, bought and purchased with the blood of his Son, 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.

PRAYER

O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

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.

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