https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwaKoZnY7Ws

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY – January 21, 2024

God calls us to proclaim His Word to all people!  His Word of Judgment and His Word of forgiveness!

  ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS

700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016

Pastor Dan 1-(920)-341-2025 – shepherdatzion@gmail.com

 Guests.  Welcome to Zion.  We are glad to have you with us.  Please sign our guestbook located in the Narthex.  About Holy Communion:  We welcome to the Lord’s Table all who have repented of their sins and seek to amend their sinful life; all who believe that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the bread and the wine; and all who believe that through the words “given and shed for you” forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given.  If this is your confession and you are a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, then come with a thankful heart and join us.   If you are a visitor and would like to commune, please talk with Pastor Dan before the service.  To help in preparing to receive Holy Communion open the front cover of the Burgundy hymnal or turn to pages 329 & 330.  Gluten free wafers are available, please talk with an Elder or Pastor before the service if you would appreciate them.  

 AS WE GATHER – Jonah did not want to proclaim God’s message of repentance to the people of Ninevah because he did not think they should be forgiven.  God gave Jonah a second chance to do His will and when Jonah did God’s will, the people turned from their sin and God relented from His judgment.  The time of Christ’s second coming is closer day by day and we are called to proclaim the same message to all people in the world we live, whether we think they should be forgiven or not!  It is the message of our God who wants all people to repent, be forgiven and live with Him in heaven.  Christ calls us to be His disciples, to be fishers of men, throwing out His net of Law and Gospel to all people, so that HE, He can bring them to faith through the Holy Spirit.

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

 Hymn “”             LSB 

Invocation – In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.      Amen.

Opening Sentences  Psalm 113 – Praise the Lord!  Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!       Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!       The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!           He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.

 Confession and Absolution – Hearing the Word of God, we are called to confess our sin, trusting in the one true God who is faithful and just and who will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed.  Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.  By Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His sake forgives us all our sins.  To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God and has promised them his Holy Spirit, He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.  Grant this, Lord, unto us all.  Amen

Kyrie                                                                 LSB 186

Hymn of Praise – Gloria in Excelsis                                                         LSB 187

Salutation – The Lord be with you.      And also with you.

Prayer of the Day – Let us pray. Gracious God, though not deserved, You continue to call to us as Your people as You came to Jonah with another opportunity of sharing Your message.     Though not deserved, You showed mercy to the city of Nineveh through their repentance and You continue to show mercy to us.  Continue to grant us the gift of a bold and confident faith in You, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.     Amen.

 Old Testament Reading   Jonah 3:1–5, 10    (Jonah goes to Nineveh.)

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.  Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.  Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey.  And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”  And the people of Nineveh believed God.  They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Psalm           Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.     He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.      For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.            He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.       On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.      Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.       Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.      For you will render to a man according to his work.   For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.      

 Gradual                                                Psalm 117:1–2a; 96:8

 Praise the LORD, all nations!  Extol Him, all peoples! 

For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.      Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts!

 Epistle   1 Corinthians 7:29–35    (Faithful living with time given)

 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.  From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.  For the present form of this world is passing away.  I want you to be free from anxieties.  The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.  But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided.  And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit.  But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.  I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

Verse            Mark 1:15 –   Alleluia. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel           Mark 1:14–20    (Jesus calls the first disciples.)

The Holy Gospel according St. Mark, the first chapter.       Glory to You, O Lord.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”  Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.  And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.  And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.     This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to You, O Christ.

 Nicene Creed – I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life X of the world to come.    Amen.

Hymn  “‘Come, Follow Me,’ the Savior Spake”      LSB 688

Sermon

Prayers of the Church

The Lord’s Prayer – 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.

We Gather our Tithes and Offerings

X Service of the Sacrament X 

 Preface   2 Timothy 4:22 –  The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  Lift up your hearts.  We lift them to the Lord.  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface –  It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, who since the beginning of time has been present and continues to bless us in this time.  Prepare our hearts with true repentance as we receive Your gracious giving of the forgiveness of sins in this Supper.  Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

Sanctus                                                                           LSB 195

Prayer of Thanksgiving – Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created, as You turned Your wrath away from the people of Nineveh through their repentance, You have turned Your wrath away from us through the cross of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.  Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.            Amen.

The Words of Our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

Proclamation of Christ  1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 22:20

As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.      Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.     

Pax Domini                                                                     LSB 197

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

Agnus Dei                                                                     LSB 198

Distribution Hymns:

 “What Is the World to Me”                                         LSB 730

“O Christ, Our True and Only Light”                          LSB 839

“Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good”                    LSB 819

Nunc Dimittis                                                                LSB 199

Post-Communion Thanksgiving – We give thanks to You, gracious Father, that Your grace is timeless and Your mercy is for all people.  As we heed the call of Christ and follow Him`, strengthen us in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.     Amen.

 Benediction      Numbers 6:24–26 –   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and X give you peace.   Amen.   

Hymn  “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”                 LSB 733