11/11/2020 - Wednesday Vespers Full Worship Service

all right good evening good evening everyone at home as well uh blessings to everyone here this evening on this november 11 2020 as we continue on finally back to our midweek vespers service and this week we we dwell upon well the assured return of christ and the comfort and the true hope that he gives to all of us as well as those who have preceded us and this is a great text we have in first thessalonians chapter four uh which we which we will meditate and preach upon this day but why don't we begin here with the order of vespers on page 200 and 29 i'll please rise as you were able [Music] oh lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise [Music] make haste oh god to deliver me makes to help me o lord glory be to the father and to the son and the holy spirit as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever [Music] let's continue with our reading of the catechism on page 326 in regards to confession 326 confession how christians should be taught to confess what is confession confession has two parts first that we confess our sins and second that we receive absolution that is forgiveness from the pastor as from god himself not doubting but firmly believing that by our sins are forgiven before god in heaven what sin should we confess before god we should plead guilty of all sins even those we are not aware of as we do in the lord's prayer before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts which are these consider your place in life according to the ten commandments are you a father [Music] unfaithful or lazy have you been hot-tempered rude or quarrelsome have you heard someone by your words or deeds have you stolen negligent wasted anything or done any harm what is the office of the keys the office of the keys is that special authority which christ has given to his church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent where is this written this is what saint john the evangelist writes in chapter 20. the lord jesus breathed on his disciples and said receive the holy spirit if you forgive anyone his sins they are forgiven what do you believe according to these words all ministers of christ deal with us by his divine command in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the christian congregation and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to be better this is just as valid and certain even in heaven as if christ our dear lord dealt with us himself please be seated let us continue with our responsive reading of the psalms chapter 70 chapter 70. make haste oh god to deliver me oh lord make haste to help me let them be petitioned and confusion who saved my life let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt let them turn back because of their shame who say aha aha may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you may those who love your salvation say evermore [Music] but i am poor and needy hasten to me o god you are my help am i delivered oh lord do not delay glory be to the father and to the son and of the holy spirit as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever amen amen let's continue with singing him i know my redeemer lives in 461 but let us only sing verses 1 to 4. [Music] he lives he lives who once was dead he [Music] found is the grave he lives eternally to save he lives all glorious in the sky he is he lives to plead for me above he lifts my hungry soul two feet he in time of [Music] lives to need me with his eye he lives to comfort me when faint he lives [Music] our reading this evening is from the from first thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 to 18. let us begin but we do not want you to be uninformed brothers about those who are asleep that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope for since we believe that jesus died and rose again even so through jesus god will bring with him those who have fallen asleep for this we declare to you by a word from our lord that we are who that we who are alive who are left until the coming of the lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep for the lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of god and the dead in christ will rise first then we who are alive who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air and so we will always and so we will always be with the lord therefore encourage one another with these words this is the word of the lord thanks be to god please rise uh for the responsory on page 230. teach me your way o lord then i may walk in your truth your word is a lamp to my feet and a lie to my path unite my heart to fear your name that i may walk in your truth your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit please be seated so the sermon for this evening is based on first thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 to 18. the sermon is entitled encourage one another grace mercy and peace from god our father and our lord and savior jesus christ amen but we do not want you to be uninformed brothers about those who are asleep that you may not grieve that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope you know saint paul here uh in thessalonica addresses the the roving and common concern for those who had already died the people were wondering and even grieving that those who had already died well would never see the light of day that is the return of the lord as if they missed the bus because they had already died and this brought great grief to those who were well mourning the death of a loved one and here saint paul imparts to them the most comforting word that in the midst of all this as we would see it as pagan thought concerning the finality of death saint paul delivers the life giving word saint paul gives the source of every blessing that even unto death there is christ his merit his work his sacrifice the comfort given in the outpouring of jesus's death and resurrection it always reminds me of of course lazarus right dead in the grave oh lord only if you had been here earlier the sisters had said and who is this jesus right he's the resurrection and the life and those who believe in him surely of course assurance will have life eternal life in his name that even unto death we hear the words of christ lazarus come out and there he came out rising from the dead this is our true hope i think in terms of what the people in thessalonica were facing was this idea of of grief right grieving with hope versus grieving without hope because without hope no hope at all what is death death is the end there is nothing else that is grieving with no hope and to live in this grief would what bring great terror the floodgates would open with sadness and suffering that without hope there's only only the looming reality of the opposite of hope and that is despair i mean even most famous philosophers would say that death is the end of everything yes to the human eye and for what and so it was for the people in thessalonica that they were wondering what would happen to those that had already died because it seemed to them that death was the end the eye test would prove it they've missed it they've already died so endful it was that they would miss out on the lord's return and this brought great grief to them grief that was rooted in the sentiment of it's over it's over and there's nothing else no hope no peace no comfort or death is death and while there's no way around it from the human standpoint well this is the common reaction that is grieving without hope because well in death is there hope and this is the encouragement of saint paul as he addresses the people that they ought not to grieve without hope that there is hope verse 14 for since we believe that jesus died and rose again even so through jesus god will bring with him those who have fallen asleep he gives them the true source of hope in the midst of despair now this is our word of encouragement for the evening the words of christ the work of christ his promise his hope for us that in his death and resurrection our savior has won the battle and the victory is ours even in death speaking of death we know what the lord said to the thief on the cross so today you will be with me in paradise another word of encouragement from our lord's mouth this is to our anticipation that even in these perilous times where the world is on edge surrounded by bar graphs and pie charts and line graphs predictions the numbers are rising the fear of death is real for many people and this is a reality of course in the fragility of our human flesh but do it all through it all there is hope through all things there is hope in christ the text reminds us that death is not the end but rather when we are connected to christ and his death and resurrection in the water and the word of holy baptism as dwayne is here there we know that eternal life is robed with us there in verse 17 we know that in our baptism we will always be with the lord yesterday today and tomorrow because the sacrifice at calvary the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world death where is your victory of death where is your sting because it is our lord who has rescued you and has given you hope hope is not found in man hope is found in our savior the one who died for you the big death so that not only would he reign victorious for you in the resurrection but that in his ascension he promised that he would return the same way he had left and thus so we will always be with the lord words of encouragement words that wipe away every moment of despair words that wipe away every doubt and worry and anxiety that washes away the teary eyes from terror and defeat knowing full well that our great encouragement is not resting on vapid platitudes or empty promises but rather in the encouragement of christ who has overcome all things who has overcome the world and the grave and your sin our savior who has uprooted sin death in the power of the devil by his very work for you this is your encouragement this is your hope no matter what is happening circumstances all these things your hope stays the same because your hope is christ because we know as we sang i know that my redeemer lives death is not the end of everything because we're always ready right we're always ready because our hope is in the alpha and the omega the first and the last we're not wondering whether he will return but we know in faith that he will and the tombs will shake as the soul and body reunite as we together both have died both that those who have died and those who are living will celebrate together the voice of the archangel and the trumpet sound from god emanating throughout caught up we will be in his almighty fortress eternally with him this is yours this is your hope this is your encouragement the landscape has been restored all by the blood of the lamb and thus as we confess to the end of time time and time again our faith in the apostles creed remember those words third article i believe in the holy spirit the holy christian church the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins what's the next part there the resurrection of the body that's you that's me we're confessing the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting that indeed on the last day he will raise me in all the dead and give eternal life to all believers in christ this is most certainly true this is what we are confessing these are the words that we encourage others with words of christ who reverses the curse giving you the greatest hope the hope that is unwavering the hope that restores you the hope that this world cannot give indeed the lord is our hopefulness and in him we are already there as we wait for the final culmination but until then you live in hope just as the word says to us this day we will always be with the lord we will always be with the lord all those who have preceded us and who have died we will always be with the lord and also for you we will always be with the lord why because neither life nor death nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor power nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of christ and the love of god in christ jesus this is your hope and it doesn't change because this hope is christ the greatest encouraging word that points to what will come amen may the peace of god which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in christ jesus amen please rise as you are able as we continue with him 805. [Music] let's continue on page 233 as we recite together the curie lord have mercy christ have mercy lord have mercy let us confess our faith in the apostles creed which is found in the back of your hymnal i believe in god the father almighty maker of heaven and jesus earth his only son our lord is conceived he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of god the father almighty and thence 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 in one voice let us 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 amen please be seated let's continue with the prayers are there any prayers we would like to ascend to this day all right i'm continued prayers uh for uh mary mary woodley's daughter linda she is going through chemo right now and uh continued prayers for chad danowski as he is on his last round of chemo continued prayers uh for those who have fallen and recovering for janelle and mary beck and continue prayers for kurt as well all right let us continue with our prayers of the evening lord god heavenly father send forth your son to lead home his bride the church but with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into his eternal wedding feast the same jesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god now and forever amen lord keep this nation under your care bless the leaders of our land that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to the other nations of the earth grant that we may choose trustworthy leaders contribute to wise decisions for the general welfare and serve you faithfully in our generation through jesus christ our lord amen lord god of hosts stretch forth your almighty arm to strengthen and protect those who serve in the armed forces of our country support them in times of war and in times of peace keep them from all evil giving them courage and loyalty grant that in all things they may serve with integrity and with honor through jesus christ our lord amen the father of mercies and god of all comfort our only help in time of need look with favor upon your servants janelle mary kurt linda and chad assure them of your mercy deliver them from the temptations of the evil one and give them patience and comfort in their illness if it is your will restore to health and give them your courage and hope lord this day we also pray for those who are traveling uh grant them your safety at this time to and from bless them and keep them safe and travel and and guard them from any further danger lord through jesus christ our lord amen oh god from whom come all holy desires all good councils and all just works give to us your servants that peace which the world cannot give that our hearts may be said to obey your commandments and also that we being defended from the fear of our enemies may live in peace and quietness through jesus christ your son our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god now and forever amen please rise as you are able let us bless the lord thanks be to god the grace of our lord jesus christ and the love of god and the communion of the holy spirit be with you all amen let us close with verses 5 to 8 hymn 461 as we continue on the same hymn here [Music] he is [Music] he is [Music] he lives and i shall conquer death he is [Music] is [Music] [Music] god's blessings to you all go in god's peace [Music] amen [Music] you

Channel: Faith Lutheran Church

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Keywords: worship service, christian, lutheran, church, moorpark, pentecost, sunday

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Length: 32min 42sec (1962 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 12 2020