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March 26, 2023
Worship Theme
Christ is our cornerstone. This is not only the theme for our school but for our life because Jesus promises life even in death. One day Jesus will give your faithful dead back to you. Body and soul, living and walking in the new heaven and the new earth. How do we know Jesus can and will keep that promise? Because the Son of God descended into the darkness of death himself and emerged on Easter Sunday as the first fruit of the resurrection of all God’s people. Christ is our cornerstone for he satisfies our greatest need: life. God bless our worship.
Pastor Westendorf’s Welcome
10:30 Service
Preschool – God Loves Me Dearly – CW 583
1 God loves me dearly,
grants me salvation,
God loves me dearly,
loves even me. (Refrain)
Refrain
Therefore I’ll say again:
God loves me dearly,
God loves me dearly,
loves even me.
3 He sent forth Jesus,
my dear Redeemer,
he sent forth Jesus
and set me free. (Refrain)
5 Now I will praise you,
O Love eternal;
now I will praise you
all my life long. (Refrain)
Isaiah 62 & Grades K-8 – Cornerstone
Words & music by Edward Mote, et al
© 2011 Hillsong Music Publishing
CCLI License #2945277
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name
Christ alone,
Cornerstone
Weak made strong
In the Savior’s love
Through the storm,
He is Lord, Lord of all
When darkness seems to hide his face
I rest on his unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil
Christ alone,
Cornerstone
Weak made strong
In the Savior’s love
Through the storm,
He is Lord, Lord of all
He is Lord, Lord of all
Christ alone,
Cornerstone
Weak made strong
In the Savior’s love
Through the storm,
He is Lord, Lord of all
When he shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in him be found
Dressed in his righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
Invocation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Confession and Absolution
Children of God, God’s people in the days of the prophet Hosea believed confession and repentance could be achieved with nothing more than saying the right words and doing the right things. “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him,” they said.
The Lord however saw right through their insincere lip service. “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings,” said the Lord.
Therefore let us confess our sins not just with our mouth but also with our hearts that trust in Jesus’ life and sacrifice for forgiveness.
Today, O Lord, we make confession not just with our lips but our hearts as well. Forgive us when lip service was all the service we rendered to you. Forgive us for being so consumed with our self interests we found no time to read and study your word. We are sorry and ask you to forgive us when we have refused to be taught by you, our faithful Teacher. O Lord, you are my Cornerstone in whom I put my hope for my forgiveness.
Why are you downcast? Why are so disturbed? Christ is our Cornerstone. He is your Savior and God. He has not forgotten you. He is going to Jerusalem to be betrayed, condemned, mocked, flogged, and crucified to give his life as a ransom for many. Your Savior has served you by winning forgiveness, life and salvation. All your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Isaiah 62 & Grades K-8 – The First Song of Isaiah – CW 810
Chorus
Surely it is God who saves me,
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense,
And he will be my Savior.
Chorus
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
From the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say,
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name.
Chorus
Make his deeds known among the peoples;
See that they remember that his Name is exalted
Sing the praises of the Lord,
For he has done great things,
And this is known in all the world.
Chorus
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion,
Ring out your joy,
For the great one in the midst of you
Is the Holy One of Israel.
Chorus (twice)
The Word
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray.
Eternal God and Father, help us to remember Jesus, who obeyed your will and bore the cross for our salvation, that through his anguish, pain, and death we may receive the forgiveness of sins, victory over the grave, and finally inherit eternal life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
First Reading – Proverbs 2:1-6
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding –
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Second Reading – Colossians 3:1-12, 16
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation – John 11:25
I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me will live, even though they die.
Gospel – Matthew 7:24-29
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ!
In Christ Alone – CW 510
1 In Christ alone my hope is found;
he is my light, my strength, my song;
this cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all;
here in the love of Christ I stand.
2 In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
fullness of God in helpless babe;
this gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones he came to save.
Till on that cross, as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied;
for ev’ry sin on him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.
3 There in the ground his body lay,
light of the world by darkness slain;
then bursting forth in glorious day,
up from the grave he rose again!
And as he stands in victory,
sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
for I am his and he is mine,
bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this is the pow’r of Christ in me;
from life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from his hand;
till he returns or calls me home,
here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
Sermon – Colossians 3:1-12, 16
Christian Education – It’s a Matter of Life and Death
Prayer
Father, since we have been given adoption as your children by your Spirit, we cry out to you.
As we wait for you, send your Holy Spirit to us, that by his power we put to death the misdeeds of the body and find newness of life in you.
Send your Holy Spirit to those who are dead in sin, who do not know you or who have not heard your Word. Put your living Word on our lips and call them to life. Send your Spirit on our students and teachers, and fill them with your wisdom and blessings. Give them devotion to their studies. Lead them to share with others what they have learned about your great love to our world, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Your Son Jesus knew suffering, and he offered up prayers and petitions to you, Father. Strengthen those who suffer injustice, who are being treated badly by others, falsely accused, or suffer for no reason of their own. Give them patient endurance, tested character, and hope in you.
Your Son calmed Mary and Martha in their distress by declaring to them that he is the Resurrection and the Life. Strengthen the faith of all who are distressed and assure them of your love and power. Bring healing in your time.
Heavenly Father, in your unfailing love look on those who live in this world of sin and death. Let your Son’s Word of life bring new life to those who hear. At the end of time, let his voice go out to call all your people to life again with you, where there will be no more mourning or crying or pain; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Offering
We Believe
Newsboys
© Integrity Worship Music
CCLI License 2945277
In this time of desperation
When all we know is doubt and fear
There is only one foundation
We believe, we believe
In this broken generation
When all is dark you help us see
There is only one salvation
We believe, we believe
Chorus
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And he’s givin’ us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that he conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And he’s comin’ back again
We believe
So let our faith be more than anthems
Greater than the songs we sing
And in our weakness and temptations
We believe, we believe
Chorus
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And he’s givin’ us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that he conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And he’s comin’ back again
Let the lost be found,
and the dead be raised
In here and now
let love invade
Let the church live loud,
our God we’ll say
We believe, we believe
And the gates of hell
will not prevail
For the pow’r of God
has torn the veil
Now we know your love
will never fail
We believe, we believe
Chorus
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And he’s givin’ us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that he conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And he’s comin’ back
He’s comin’ back again,
He’s comin’ back again
We believe, we believe
Prayer
Blessed Lord, you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning. May we so hear them, read, learn, and take them to heart that, being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word, we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.
His Mercy Is More – CW 579
Soloist – Refrain
Congregation
1 What love could remember no wrongs we have done?
Omniscient, all-knowing, he counts not their sum;
thrown into a sea without bottom or shore,
our sins they are many, his mercy is more.
2 What patience would wait as we constantly roam,
what Father so tender is calling us home!
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor;
our sins they are many, his mercy is more. (Refrain)
Refrain
Praise the Lord! His mercy is more!
Stronger than darkness, new ev’ry morn;
our sins they are many, his mercy is more!
3 What riches of kindness he lavished on us;
his blood was the payment, his life was the cost.
We stood ’neath a debt we could never afford;
our sins they are many, his mercy is more. (Refrain 2X)