Bethany Lutheran Church
Springdale, Arkansas - Service at 10 AM
Pastor Gregory Jackson
YouTube
The melodies are linked in the hymn title.
The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
The Lord is the Strength of His people:
He is the saving Strength of His anointed.
Save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance:
feed them also and lift them up forever.
Psalm. Unto Thee will I cry, O Lord, my Rock; be not silent unto me: lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
Lord of all power and might, who art the Author and Giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of Thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual
Gradual
He shall call to the heavens from above:
and to the earth that He may judge His people.
V. The heavens shall declare His righteousness:
for God is Judge Himself. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. The ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with everlasting joy upon their lands:
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and weeping shall fly away.
Hallelujah!
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Better Than the Best
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #50 Lord, Dismiss Us
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #50 Lord, Dismiss Us
In Our Prayers
- Diagnosis and treatment, Sarah Buck; Kermit Way; Lorie Howell, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris Shrader; Callie and her parents; those suffering from emotional and metabolic distress; those we name in our hearts.
- Happy 70th Birthday, Lyne Cruz, the wife of Dr. Lito Cruz.
Sixth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, we confess that we are poor, wretched sinners, and that there is no good in us, our hearts, flesh and blood being so corrupted by sin, that we never in this life can be without sinful lust and concupiscence; therefore we beseech Thee, dear Father, forgive us these sins, and let Thy Holy Spirit so cleanse our hearts that we may desire and love Thy word, abide by it, and thus by Thy grace be forever saved; through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Better Than the Best
KJV Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
This verse is striking for, especially because we attended the Sunday service at Willow Creek Community Church, and this was the sermon verse. Lutheran pastors were saying in public that they were paid to go to Willow Creek and learn great insights. The service ended with the food court waiting for us, just outside the sanctuary.
I hate to admit this - a number of Lutheran clergy are still at Willow Creek in their heart of hearts, searching for that go-to gimmick and failing in their misery. The Biblical answer was in front of them and in their ears, but not in their hearts. Faith in Christ = righteousness. Most people will admit that the primary (common) definition of righteousness is being very good, almost perfect, being known for great work$, therefore perfect and beyond all criticism.
Better than the Pharisees means faith in Christ. I noticed that, in the hushed crowd at Willow Creek, the former world-class preacher denounced the audience for not coming to the Wednesday service, where the "real worship took place."
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Jesus is numbering stages of aggravation, based on how we behave. The Pharisaical rules are carried out today with swiftness and brutality. At the mainline denominational level, those who are not "sensitive, inclusive, diverse, etc" are removed in various ways and shunned.
The "conservative" Lutherans do the shunning and excluding, based on whether that person is loyal to their brand or not. The stink-eye (the opposite of the right hand of fellowship) is a warning that demands bowing, scraping, begging for a chance to fit in. At the Walther level, members and pastors must swear to being forgiven and saved before they were born, as WELS-ELS claim, "guilt-free saints in Hell." And you thought magicians were clever and devious!
As Jesus confirms with those stages of the Law, the best way is not completing the offering - which is an act of obedience - and instead - promoting forgiveness on both sides. In other words, our gracious nature is far more important than a visible or financial act.
I think there is hyperbole [exaggerating to prove a point] in Jesus' lesson and Luther's sermon, both teachers good in stirring us up about these matters of hostility and lack of forgiveness. Our world has unraveled over the last century, and most of us can identify the marks of this decay, especially lately. Comedians are mean, nasty, and disgusting. Films and books have fallen into decay. New music is painful to hear and obnoxious in many ways. Politics? Oy!
The best of works come from faith in Jesus Christ, Who admonishes us in many ways, but teaches sin in the simplest way - "not believing in Him."
There are many harsh statements in this lesson, and they are easily understood. They are the backdrop of the primary, the substantial, the divine nature of the Christian Faith, which begins and continues with the Savior.
KJV John 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Amendment ICongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The very first amendment is Freedom of Speech, which was derived from the persecutions in England and Europe. Bloody Mary persecuted the Protestants and some kings were secret Roman Catholics. This was so important to those who sailed to America that they made this the most important inalienable right, that is, a right which cannot be changed or removed from the Constitution. It is beyond debate though it has been ignored by many who would love to abolish it.
The end.