We had Holy Communion at Crown Point Sunday Morning. It
seemed good to have the service also on Monday, March 10.
Bethany Lutheran Church
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The
Hymn #462 I
Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer Him: I will deliver
him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him: and show him My
salvation.
Psalm. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the
Most High: shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
O Lord, mercifully hear our prayer and stretch forth the
right hand of Thy majesty to defend us from them that rise up against us;
through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle
6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also
that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard
thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee:
behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all
things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by
long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the
word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right
hand and on the left, 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good
report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we
live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Gradual
For He shall give His angels charge over thee: to keep thee
in all thy ways.
V. They shall bear thee up in their hands: lest thou dash
thy foot against a stone.
Tract. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most
High: shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
V. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress,
my God: in Him will I trust.
V. He shall cover thee with His feathers: and under His
wings shalt thou trust.
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness
to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and
said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and
setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels
charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any
time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is
written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil
taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms
of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then
saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil
leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Example of Jesus Christ
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days
and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Fasting diets are currently popular, a
parallel to Jesus' suffering in the desert 40 days. Fasting allows energy
burning as long as water is available, but it requires moderation. People
become extremely thin, such as from forced marches with water but little food.
Hungry is a mild term in this case, because any human would be truly starving
and feeling the torturous pain.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be
the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered
and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
This is a good lesson to teach us about
what is the most important. As a former bread baker and yeast raised donut
baker, I can vouch for how appealing bread is, for all occasions. The
combination of food and swallowing it (becoming sweet) is great, especially
with the texture, the flavor, and the aroma. In the greater sense, isn't it the
most basic of satisfying our appetites? I could talk longer and make people
want to find the nearest bakery. But what is bread when God issues His Word and
accomplishes great miracles, heals people, drawing them into His path toward
glory?
Luther taught the efficacy of the Word, coming
from the Holy Spirit. When God speaks, it is the Spirit, which can crush and
drive away Satan, his works, his so-called dominion. Little children know more
about this than adults do. Children know how Jesus loves and protects them. All
the time we hear of - or experience - children coming back from being lost in
the woods, fallen into water, and so far.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and
setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels
charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any
time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is
written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
The devil took Him up where He
would see the city from a very high place, but the Son of God already knew the
great Temple would be pulled down by the pagan soldiers and the priests would
be cursing Jesus, John 8.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw
it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years
old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Before Abraham was, I AM.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid
himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so
passed by.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high
mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of
them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee
hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels
came and ministered unto him.
This is the ultimate challenge.
Before that time, Julius Caesar was the greatest of all, though later than
Alexander the Great. Both of them had short, violent lives. They both wanted to
be worshiped too. There is only One God, no matter what they say in World
Religion and in ELCA. There is no "Sparkle Creed" except for fools.
The angels came and ministered to Jesus
Christ. They minister to us as well. All we have to do is reject Satan and all
his empty promises. Trusting in God comes from faith in Jesus Christ, no matter
what. The Kingdom of God is not very glamorous on the surface, but God reaches
into our souls and helps us in every possible way.
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The
Sermon Hymn #146 Lamb
of God
The
Hymn #524 In
Thee Lord I Have Put My Trust - Winkworth trans.
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 #154 Alas
and Did My Savior
Prayers and Announcements
- Today
is Amanda Oak's birthday.
- Saturday
was Zach and Jayz wedding.
- Medical
treatment - Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Dr. Kermit Way, Sarah
Buck.
- Pray
for our country, our President, and those who honor the U.S. Constitution.
- Tuesday
10 AM Lecture
