11/18/2020 - Wednesday Vespers Full Worship Service

good evening uh welcome on this uh november 18th uh 2020 uh for those who are here uh god's blessings to you this day and those that are at home uh god's blessings to you as well as we continue on ever so watchful um as we continue to conclude the end of the church here our continued theme of of journeying through this faith and today how we as children of light children of day what that journey looks like as children of god and that is assuredly who you are so why don't we why don't we begin uh on page 229 the order of vespers please arise as you are able oh lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise make haste oh god to deliver me make haste help me o lord glory be to the father and to the son into the holy spirit as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever amen praise to you o christ hallelujah let's continue with our reading on page 300 and 26 concerning the sacrament of the altar [Applause] all right the sacrament of the altar as the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household what is the sacrament of the altar it is the true body and blood of our lord jesus christ under the bread and wine instituted by christ himself for us christians to eat and drink where is this written the holy evangelist matthew mark luke and saint paul write our lord jesus christ on the night when he is betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body which is given for you this too in remembrance of me and when you can give it thanks he gave it to them saying all of you this cup is what is the benefit of this eating and drinking these words given and shed for you for the forgiveness how can bodily eating and drinking do such great things certainly not just eating and drinking these words along with the body between you are the main thing of the term whoever believes in exactly what they said who receives this sacrament worthily fasting and bodily faith in preparations words given and said for you for the forgiveness of sins and anyone who does not believe these words foreign amen please be seated let us continue with our responsive reading of the psalm psalm chapter 90 verses 1 to 12. let's begin lord you have been our dwelling place in all generations [Music] you return man to dust and say return o children of man you sweep them away as with the flood they are like a dream like grass that is renewed in the morning for we are brought to an end by your anger by your wrath we are dismayed for all our days pass away under your wrath we bring our years to an end like a [Music] sight [Music] who considers the power of your anger and your wrath according to the fear of you glory be to the father and of the son and of the holy spirit as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever amen let's continue with him number 655 [Music] by the deceit or sword would rest the kingdom from your son and bring to not all he has done christ your power made known for you are lord of lords alone even your holy church that we may sing your [Music] and praises on earth let's continue with our reading this morning from this evening from thessalonians 5 verses 1 to 11 the day of the lord now concerning the times and the seasons brothers you have no need to have anything written to you for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the lord will come like a thief in the night while people are saying there is peace and security then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape but you are not in darkness brothers for that day to surprise you like a thief for you are all children of light children of the day we are not of the night or of the darkness so then let us not sleep as others do but let us keep awake and be sober for those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night but since we belong to the day let us be sober having put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation for god has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation through our lord jesus christ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing this is the word of the lord thanks be to god uh please rise uh for the response free on page 200 and 30. teach me your way o lord that 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 lent to my feet and a lie to my path glory be to the father and to the sun and to the holy spirit your word is a lamp to my feet amen please be seated the sermon for this evening is based on first thessalonians chapter 5 verses 1 to 11. the sermon is entitled children of light and children of day grace and peace from god our father and our lord and savior jesus christ amen we heard last week in 1st thessalonians chapter 4 a last week's sermon title during vespers was to encourage one another and what is the basis of that encouragement last week we talked about saint paul imparting the faithful at thessalonica um as they were grieving the death of those that were close to them believing that they had already died and that they were going to miss out on the return of the lord and of course saint paul comforts them with a promise that the dead will rise in christ and those who are alive will be caught up in the air with the lord for the lord will be with them always and this is the basis of what this encouragement is all about and now in chapter 5 saint paul describes the way in which christ will well return another word of encouragement that he will surely return it says in our scripture that you are fully aware right that the children of light children of day are fully aware of the return of the lord there's no doubt and that should be a great source of encouragement right but in that return saint paul goes into it a little bit more about how he would return and that is like a thief in the night we know neither the dane or the hour and thus we are to be watchful because like a thief in the night a thief does not announce his arrival right a thief doesn't say look i'm here let me in right they do not tell us beforehand but they arrive quickly swiftly and with great surprise and in the meantime as we walk in this faith as we wait in the now as we anticipate the not yet we are waiting with a watchful eye in the word just like we heard in our hymn today lord keep us steadfast in the word because there in the word we find ourselves don't you see there in the word we are defined by the grace of god and what he has given to us as children of light as children of day we know this because the word has shown us this verse 9. for god has not destined us for wrath that's not the will of god is it to destin us destin us for wrath but rather his will is to obtain for us to obtain salvation through jesus christ who did what died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him in other words we are no longer bound by darkness right we're not we're no longer held captive to the spiritual blindness and drunkenness that is at hand but rather in this life of faith the darkness has been lifted the blind eyes see no longer blurred by the dissipations of this world but now we are fully aware how by the body and blood that was set before us the sacrifice the light that came to this world to be our light so that we may become children of god children of light and children of day that our eyes are wide open to his very word his very promise however the world as saint paul describes it is caught up aren't they in in our text today they're caught up in false security and apathy indifference complacency in spiritual blindness because this is all about being of the dark about being of the night where spiritual sobriety and watchfulness has been replaced with complacency and even a false view of god i mean we see in our old testament texts this week uh in in the book of zephaniah and we remember those words i don't know if you remember them but it says i will punish the men who are complacent those who say in their hearts the lord will not do good nor will he do ill see that is a great confusion of man isn't it saint paul reminds us that as we await we are to be vigilant watchful in the faith because we know what's before us the devil never stops the flesh is tempted and how easy it is to close our eyes to god's word to being steadfast in his i word it's a reminder also to me quickly as i was going through this sermon is the book of uh numbers chapter 13 and 14. i think we went over this before sometime in our old testament bible studies but about the land of milk and honey the spies going out and surveying the land before they would go in and the spies came back and they described the land that was filled with many giants that would crush them like grasshoppers and many many people panicked they were afraid and they wanted to rebel against moses but see you know what's happening in this crisis it's how easily they close their eyes to the promise of god who already promised them that very land their eyes closed to the word and their eyes opened to the temporal and what is of man and this is the deception for all of us to live as if we are living in darkness with no light caught up in evil caught up in our idols entrenched in spiritual darkness as if we are in this dizzying drunkenness that falls in that rabbit hole which is never ending of of dissipation and the cares of this life choked in this word that parable of the sower and the thorns were choked by the things of this life and soon enough these cares of life become one the poison that distracts us from what truly defines us that is the grace of god do you see this in your life and saint paul calls us to be watchful to be awake you know when waiting it's it's difficult especially during these times we very well know what spinning the wheels and and complacency in lukewarm and wavering to and fro is like how easy our eyes wander and how easy they want to find their place in sleep and this is the problem of sin isn't it sin that prides itself in sleep not just any sleep but a sleep to the word because our eyes love to keep our eyes open to the captivating libations of this world assuming weakness that this world provides and we look at this world and say look we have all that we need peace and security lies in this land and in all humanity we think we have it all together it's all too clear to us that every puzzle piece is being put together and we have it we have nothing if this is the case because if we close our eyes to what truly defines us god's word there we know we're in great danger and when we say god's word this is not just any word but the word of christ for god has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation through our lord jesus christ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him these are the words that we need to hear the word that comes to us by the very gospel the good news the word made flesh this is the word that has opened your eyes by bearing your sin by standing in your place in your stead to shed his blood for you so that you are prepared you are ready because his sacrifice well is your gift or forgiveness and it's by this very word of christ that through all things let us fix our eyes right on the author and perfecter of our faith as we continue to walk and live by the spirit because it is his light the light of christ that even in the darkest hour at his crucifixion the darkness would not overcome him would it because jesus is the christ he is the light the son the messiah who is faithful bearing that cup of wrath upon himself for you every sin and shame grief and guilt sorrow and sadness for you jesus went to the cross to defeat and overcome all things including the worlds so that just as the sun rose from the grave there his light would follow the light of victory eternally for you the dawning of a new day the restoration for your soul and as we continue on this life of faith enduring in all that we're dealing with we await with hope faith and love hope faith and love that is rooted in the death and resurrection of our lord there is faith because of his promise indeed our faith is true because of his love he has indeed comforted you cleansing you of your conscience and giving you peace that this world cannot give because in him you live move and have your being as children of light and children of day this is who you are by what god has done for you right not nothing can overcome that that cannot be snatched away from you because this is who you are as god has called you to be his own by the blood of christ because we indeed as saint paul says right here we belong to the day let us be sober having put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation god has given you the great hope that no longer are we orphaned and wavered and caught up in the issues of this world but rather through all suffering through all enduring through all the spiritual attacks from the devil in the flesh we are not alone because we proceed in christ not just any helmet but the hope of salvation not just any faith but the faith that is christ not just any love but the love of christ that is salvation for you and thus in this object of faith hope and love we wait fully aware that he will return that we await in the resurrection we await in the robe of righteousness and holy baptism we wait in the manna from heaven his body of blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins and until his return whether we are asleep or alive his promise is for you that you are the children of light the children of day amen may the peace of god which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in christ jesus amen amen please rise as we continue with him number eight hundred and five [Music] god [Music] praised let's continue on on page 233 lord have mercy christ have mercy lord have mercy i believe in god the father almighty maker of heaven and earth and 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 sits at the right hand of god the father almighty and then she will come to judge the living and the dead i believe in the holy spirit the holy christian church the communion of saints 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 our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil in the power of the glory forever and ever amen amen please be seated are there any um prayers we would like to ascend to the lord this night chris my neighbor across across this street um suddenly her husband died on saturday night her name is karen he's a christian and norm was a wonderful loving man and he would always give me hugs after my husband died in the morning when i went for my walk so but he's with the lord now thank you all right all right let us continue on with the prayers this evening oh yes all right let us pray almighty and ever living god you have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in you dispel from us the works of darkness and grant us to live in the light of your son jesus christ that our faith may never be found wanting through the same jesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god now and forever amen merciful father through holy baptism you called us to be your own possession grant that our lives may evidence the working of your holy spirit in love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control according to the image your only begotten son jesus christ our savior lord in your mercy our prayer almighty god you gave your only begotten son to take our nature upon himself grant that we your adopted children by grace may daily be renewed by your holy spirit through jesus christ our lord amen almighty and everlasting god your son has assured forgiveness of sins and deliverance from eternal death strengthen us by your holy spirit that our faith in christ may increase daily and that we may hold fast to the hope that on the last day we shall be raised in glory to eternal life through jesus christ our lord amen almighty god lord redeemer king comfort us this day as we continue to pray for chris's neighbor karen who suddenly lost her husband this week or bless her in the promise of the resurrection grant her comfort in the midst of her heavy grief and lord grant her your peace through all things may your your hand be on her and and continue to comfort her by your words of promise knowing full well that you have given the promise of eternal life bless his family and all those who mourn and grant them your never-ending peace through jesus christ our lord amen 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 their hearts may be set to obey your commandments and also that we being defended from the fear of our enemies and live in peace and quietness through jesus christ your son our lord who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit one god now and forever amen amen please rise 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 amen let us close with him number 806 it is a short one so uh [Music] with a grateful heart give thanks to the holy one give thanks because he's given jesus christ his give son with a grateful heart give thanks to the holy one give thanks because he's given jesus christ his son and now let the weak say i am strong let the poor say i am rich because of what the lord has done for us and now let the weak say i am strong let the poor say i am rich because of what the lord has done for us amen go now in god's peace and serve in his name amen [Music] you

Channel: Faith Lutheran Church

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

Id: _7U2TtjO7Dg

Length: 36min 5sec (2165 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 19 2020