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October 29 & 30, 2017

Reformation Sunday

198 Westridge Avenue / Burlington, WI 53105 / 262-763-8229 / www.stjohnsburlington.org

Member of the W isconsin Evangel ical Lutheran Synod

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Reformation Sunday October 29 & 30, 2017

Today’s Focus: 500 Years of Grace This year we celebrate the quincentenary, or 500th anniversary, of

the Lutheran Reformation. When Luther nailed the 95 theses to the castle church door on October 31, 1517, he

sparked the revolution that would restore the truth of God's gospel to the church. God's grace is from eterni-

ty, but 500 years ago God's gracious gospel was rediscovered, after being obscured for many years by false

teachings. Now our hungry souls can freely dine on Jesus, the bread of life (Gospel), who invites us to a ban-

quet of his grace prepared for us in his word (First Lesson). By faith in the gospel of Christ we are justified

before God—declared not guilty of our sins—completely apart from works of the law (Second Lesson). Today

we celebrate 500 years of God's grace and thank God for all his blessings to us through the Lutheran Refor-

mation.

Opening Hymn “O God, Our Lord, Your Holy Word” CW 204 Please stand to sing the last stanza.

Liturgy Service of Word & Sacrament (CW pg. 26)

Invocation M: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with

you.

C: And also with you.

Confession & Absolution M: God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. There-

fore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.

C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my

thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I de-

serve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in

my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Welcome to worship today at St. John’s! May God bless you through his Word of grace

and give you the peace and joy that come only from Jesus.

Guests, we ask that you would do us the honor of completing a “Welcome to Worship”

card (found in the hymnal racks) and placing it in the offering plate later in the service.

Members, we ask that you would complete a “Welcome to Worship” card, as well.

Bathrooms are located in the church entryway to the left as you exit the sanctuary.

Nursery / cry room is located in the room (with the large glass windows) to the right as

you exit the sanctuary.

Large print materials are available from the ushers.

Hearing Loop technology is installed in the sanctuary. Hearing aids can be tuned to pick

up the church audio signal. A hearing device headset is also available from the ushers.

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M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacri-

fice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your

sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

The Reformation Solas—A Responsive Reading of Holy Scripture

Sola Gratia: By Grace Alone

M: In Jesus Christ we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the

riches of God’s grace, that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Eph 1:7-8).

C: But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much

more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to

the many (Rom 5:15).

Sola Fide: By Faith Alone

M: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus

Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we

rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Rom 5:1-2).

C: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of

God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).

Sola Scriptura: By Scripture Alone

M: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in right-

eousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17).

C: I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faith-

fulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word (Ps 138:2).

O Lord, Our Lord O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name in all the earth. Almighty God, merciful Father,

You crown our life with your love. You take away our sin; you comfort our spirit;

You make us pure and holy in your sight. You did not spare your only Son, but gave him up for us all.

O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name in all the earth.

O Son of God, eternal Word of the Father, you came to live with us; you made your Father known;

You washed us from our sins in your own blood.

You are the King of glory; you are the Lord! O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name in all the earth.

Prayer of the Day

M: Let us pray. Almighty God, through the preaching of your servants, the blessed Reformers, you

caused the light of the gospel to shine forth. Grant that we may faithfully defend it against all enemies

and joyfully proclaim it to the salvation of people everywhere to the glory of your holy name; through

your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and

forever.

C: Amen.

Be Seated

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First Lesson Isaiah 55:1-11 (pg. 1112)

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and

your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the

richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with

you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and com-

mander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will

come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with

splendor.”

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their

ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to

our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my

ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts

than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without wa-

tering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11

so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Psalm 46—Sunday “God is Our Refuge and Strength” Choir & Congregation The choir introduces refrain. The congregation repeats refrain and joins in singing the refrain as indicated.

Choir: Refrain

Choir & Congregation: Refrain

Verse 1: We will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea,

Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High

dwells. Refrain

Verse 2: Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Refrain

Verse 3: He makes wars cease; He breaks the bow and burns the shields with fire.

Be still, be still, be still and know that I am God.

The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. Refrain

Copyright © 2005 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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Psalm 46—Monday CW Pg. 84

Sung in unison.

Second Lesson Galatians 2:11-21 (pg. 1770) 11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before

certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back

and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision

group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of

them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles

to follow Jewish customs? 15 We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not jus-

tified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that

we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one

will be justified. 17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that

mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a law-

breaker. 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be

gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Stand

Festival Alleluia—Sunday The cantor introduces the refrain; the congregation repeats the refrain with the choir.

The choir sings the stanzas; the congregation repeats the refrain as indicated.

The congregation also joins in singing the refrain after the reading of the Gospel.

1. Your words give joy to my heart, your teaching is light to my eyes. Refrain

2. I hope in the Lord, I trust in God’s word. Refrain

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Verse of the Day—Monday

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel John 6:29-35 (pg. 1624) 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked

him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our an-

cestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from

heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the

bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us

this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Festival Alleluia—Sunday

M: This is the Gospel of our Lord.

C: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Response—Monday

M: This is the Gospel of our Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day “Though All Our Life” Music on Pg. 11 Sunday: Sung with the choir; the choir sings stanza 3.

Monday: Sung in unison. The congregation sings all the stanzas, including stanza 3.

Sermon—Galatians 2:11-21 Rev. Kirk Lahmann

“How Can I Be Justified Before God?”

Stand

Confession of Faith—from the Smalcald Articles Here is the first and chief article: that Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, was handed over to death for

our trespasses and was raised for our justification; and he alone is the Lamb of God, who takes away the

sin of the world; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Furthermore, all have sinned, and they are now justified without merit by his grace, through the

redemption that is in Christ Jesus by his blood.

Now because this must be believed, and may not be obtained or grasped otherwise with any work,

law, or merit, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us, as St. Paul says in Romans chapter 3:

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For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law; and also, that God

alone is righteous and justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

Nothing in this article can be conceded or given up, even if heaven and earth or whatever is transi-

tory passed away. As St. Peter says in Acts chapter 4: There is no other name given among mortals by

which we must be saved. And by his bruises we are healed.

On this article stands all that we teach and practice against the pope, the devil, and the world.

Therefore we must be quite certain and have no doubt about it. Otherwise everything is lost, and the pope

and the devil and whatever opposes us will gain victory and be proved right.

Dr. Luther prepared the Smalcald Articles as a personal confession in 1537. In 1580 this confession was added to the

Book of Concord, which contains the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Be Seated

Offering We ask that all worshipers would do us the honor of completing a “Welcome to Worship” card (found in

the hymnal racks) and placing it in the offering plate during the gathering of the offering.

Stand

Prayer of the Church M: Lord God, our Refuge and strength, our God of life and salvation: we praise you for the blessing of the

Lutheran Reformation, by which you preserved the truth of your word and reestablished your church

on the solid ground of the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, revealed through

Scripture alone.

C: We praise you for your grace, your great love by which you gave your Son over to death in payment

for our sin, and in which you forgive us daily.

M: Help us to treasure our Lutheran heritage of truth, hope, and grace, all of which is based on the saving

work of Jesus Christ.

C: We praise you for the Holy Scriptures, a sure guide and revelation of the truth.

M: On this 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, we thank you for the precious gospel message

which your servant, Martin Luther, defended so boldly and proclaimed so clearly.

C: Grant us a willingness to carefully defend your word and boldly proclaim it to our children, our

community, and our world.

M: Be with us as you have been with our forefathers. Keep us steadfast in our calling to preach repent-

ance and forgiveness of sin to all people.

C: Keep your little flock from error and apathy, and use us to lift high the cross of our Savior.

M: In mercy hear the prayers of all who call on you in any trouble, that they may have the joy of receiving

your help in their need.

C: Grant healing to the sick, and strengthen the faith of the suffering and the dying. Comfort them

with the assurance of your abiding presence and the hope of eternal life.

M: Hear us, O Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior, as together we pray,

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The Lord’s Prayer

C: 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 for-

give 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.

Preface M: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

M: Lift up your hearts.

C: We lift them up to the Lord.

M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

C: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

M: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual

blessing. He protects and preserves his Church in every age and gives us confidence to lift up our

heads and watch for Jesus with joy. Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of

our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and

thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever.

Sanctus Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of your glory.

You are my God, and I will exalt you. I will give you thanks, for you have become my salvation.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of your glory.

Words of Institution

M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he

broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do

this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying “Drink from it, all of you; this is my

blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever

you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: Amen.

Agnus Dei O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us your peace. Amen.

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Be Seated

Distribution Dear visitors: St. John’s Lutheran Church practices “Close Communion.” We

ask that only members of St. John’s, or members of a church in fellowship

with St. John’s, come forward for Communion. Our pastors would be happy

to discuss this with you after the service.

Distribution Hymns “O Lord, Look Down from Heaven” CW 205

“In Trembling Hands, Lord God, We Hold” CW 199

“Jesus, Priceless Treasure” CW 349

Stand

Thank the Lord

Thank the Lord and sing his praise. Tell ev’ryone what he has done.

Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name.

He renews his promises and leads his people forth in joy with

shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Prayer of Thanksgiving M: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in

the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and

that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored

to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Ho-

ly Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord the with gladness.

Blessing M: 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.

C: Amen. Amen. Amen.

Be Seated

Closing Hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” CW 200 Sunday: Congregation sings stanzas 1-2 and 4; choir sings stanza 3.

Monday: Sung in unison.

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Preacher Rev. Kirk Lahmann

Presiding Minister Rev. Daniel Waldschmidt

Organist Sarah Seelow

Senior Choir Director Sue Musgrave

Choir Accompanist Allison Sorensen

Cantor Anna Prange

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