The First Sunday in LentFebruary 21, 2021

When God Suffers: God Overcomes All Obstacles for Us

elcome! Thank you for joining us for worship this morning. We gather for worship so that we can receive from God the good news of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus is at the center of

our faith and our lives. Without him we have nothing. With him we have everything. W

Restrooms are located in the entryway and in the fellowship hall.

THE SEASON OF LENTThe Church’s Lenten worship is muted and quiet. For centuries, the Church has omitted her most jubilant songs of praise during this season of repentance. “Alleluia” is not used until Easter. The Song of Praise is omitted to reflect the somber nature of the season. Note, however, that the Sundays are designated as Sundays in Lent, not Sundays of Lent. The Sundays themselves are not considered part of the forty days but are islands of refreshment in our Lenten walk.

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP

Jesus is the all-powerful, conquering God and yet chose to conquer through suffering for us. Readings from John further emphasize this incredible idea that God will give his Son, and that God will suffer and die. Today in our worship we see that even in his suffering, Jesus gives us victory after victory.

PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP

Heavenly Father, some days I feel like a failure, especially when I fail you and give into temptation. But today you tell me I am a conqueror and that you have given me complete and total victory. And so I can have a peace in my life found nowhere else. Thank you for the victory through your perfect life for me, resisting a life of temptations for me, and defeating Satan through your perfect love. Remind me today that I really am victorious. Amen.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSMinister: Pastor Dan Schroeder

Pianist: Karen Adams

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3461 Merle AveModesto, CA 95355

(209) 551-0563www.stpetermodesto.org

LENT GATHERING RITE

Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen.

M: If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, C: no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.

M: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; C: they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

M: “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; C: I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

M: He will call on me, and I will answer him; C: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” Psalm 91:9-12, 14-16

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CONFESSION OF SINS

M: O Lord,C: I, a poor, miserable sinner, plead guilty before you of all my sins. I have lived as if you did

not matter and as if I mattered most of all. Your name, O Lord, I have not honored as I ought; my worship and prayers have faltered. I have not let your love persuade me and so my love for others has failed. There are those whom I have hurt and those whom I have failed to help. My thoughts and desires are soiled with sin. I am sorry for all of this and I beg you for your grace to forgive me all my sin and grant me your Spirit to amend my sinful life.

ABSOLUTION

M: Our heavenly Father received the sacrifice of our Lord and raised him from death on the third day. His Holy Spirit has worked faith in our hearts so that we may trust him to give us all we need. Scripture promises that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 8:9

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.

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PRAYER OF THE DAY

M: The Lord be with you.C: And also with you.

M: Let us pray. Lord our strength, the battle of good and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word, and when we fall, raise us up again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

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THE WORD OF GOD

FIRST LESSON Genesis 22:1-18

God gives Abraham a test to show the incomprehensible level of trust God calls us to put in his promises.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.2Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”3Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”8Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

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12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (NIV)

M: The Word of the Lord.C: Thanks be to God!

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SONG RESPONSE The Battle Belongs to the Lordbased on 1 Samuel 17:47

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SECOND LESSON Romans 8:31-39

See your God for who he is: an almighty conqueror who gives the victory to us.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

M: The Word of the Lord.C: Thanks be to God!

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NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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HYMN OF THE DAY A Mighty Fortress Is Our GodChristian Worship #200

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SERMON Mark 1:12-15“Jesus Overcomes All Obstacles for Us”

At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV)

MY CHRISTIAN LIFE – ALL OBSTACLES OVERCOME //Thankful that Jesus’ victory of a perfect life, his resisting temptations, and defeating Satan was all for me, I want to ...

o Pick an area of my life where I can now live differently because Jesus, “graciously give us all things.” In a part of my life temptations lurk. But I want it to change, and with his help it can.

o List some of the many things Jesus has done for me in love, since “nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ.” I can use the list in my personal prayers during the week.

o Read the other gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ being tempted by Satan. Jesus used the Word to defeat Satan. What passages will I use to send Satan away during my personal temptations?

o Other: ___________________________________________

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

OFFERING

The members of St. Peter Congregation have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests at St. Peter are welcome to participate in the offering but need not feel obligated to do so. Offering plates are set up along the walkways. If you wish to leave an offering, you can do so as you leave worship this morning.

Another option is to text an offering to (833) 948-2171. Text in the dollar amount. If you haven’t signed up, you will receive a text asking you to do so. After signing up, you will not have to do that again. Simply text the dollar amount to the phone number listed.

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PRAYER OF THE CHURCH & LORD’S PRAYER

M: Strong Son of God, you took upon yourself our humanity, facing the same needs and pressures and challenges which are part of our daily living, tempted in every way as we are.

C: We praise you that while you lived among us you walked in perfect obedience and resisted every occasion to be less than holy.

M: O Jesus, sweet perfection, we give in so easily to Satan and to his subtle promises. We become the victims of his gentle persuasion with so small resistance. He seems to want so little.

C: Only you are strong to resist his temptations.

M: You declare, “It is written,” and Satan flees. Teach us the power of your Word. Remind us that Satan cannot stand before the blinding glare of your Father’s revelation. Keep us aware that the Evil One who seems so powerful and assured is swiftly routed with one small reference to your holy will.

C: We are not weak and helpless before him after all. We have your strong Word to defeat the Tempter.

M: You and you alone deserve our worship. Put the old evil foe behind us, too. C: Frustrate his efforts to mislead us.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow.

M: Look upon your church, O Lord, here and in every place, and grant that we and all who bear the name of Christ may daily offer up to you the acceptable sacrifices of repentance, thanksgiving, and loving obedience.

C: Hear our prayer and by your mercy grant our petitions for Christ’s sake. Amen.

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.

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THE SACRAMENT

St Peter Lutheran Church practices close communion. We invite confirmed members to come forward to partake of the Sacrament. Thank you for your consideration.

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 good and right so to do.

M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who brought the gift of salvation to all people by his death on the tree of the cross, so that the devil, who overcame us by a tree would in turn by a tree be overcome. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join in their glorious song:

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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.”

M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.C: Amen.

O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD

DISTRIBUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

We ask that you maintain a 6 ft. distance from individuals or family groups. As an individual or family group, please proceed to the side aisle near the piano to pick up the elements for communion on the table. Come to the center of the courtyard and stand before the worship leader and he will say to you, “The body of Christ, given for you. The blood of Christ, shed for you.” Proceed toward the opposite side of the courtyard to dispose of the cup in the basket. You may then take your seat. A dismissal will be spoken to the group after the last person has communed.

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SONG OF SIMEON

THANKSGIVING

M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.C: And his mercy endures forever.

M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this Holy Supper. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen

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.

The following were reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-706579Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY

What does your life look like living in God’s kingdom? Kingdom living finds clear directions and encouragement in the Bible. With an ear to the Word, eyes on a connection to Christ, and with minds considering what we can do more of or differently, we’ll understand what it means to “Seek First the Kingdom.” Join us for the study held in the fellowship hall at 9:00am on Sunday mornings. It is also available to be viewed on our Livestream page: livestream.com/stpetermodesto

Time in God’s Word During the WeekLadies’ Bible StudiesThe ladies are meeting on Wednesdays. We will next meet on March 3 in the fellowship hall at 3:00pm and are studying the topic “Characters of the Bible”. All ladies are welcome to attend.

Tuesday Evening Bible Study Digging Deeper: God So Loved the World. Using the book God So Loved the World by Lyle Lange as a textbook, we explore and apply Christian Doctrine. We meet in the fellowship hall at 7:00pm, with seating that has social distancing. We also broadcast the classes on the Zoom app.

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday Christianity 101 A Bible basics class that meets Mondays and Thursdays at 3:00pm, in the fellowship hall, and Tuesdays at 1:00pm on the Zoom app

Attendance This Past WeekSunday worship on February 14

50 in attendance 21 signed in online with Welcome Worshiper Cards 25 total views on Livestream and Zoom

Ash Wednesday worship on February 17 33 in attendance and 10 online

In all Bible Studies: 32 in attendance

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Notes and News for February 21, 2021

Worship ScheduleSundays at 10:00am

Livestream at 10:00am

MISSION STATEMENT:As people saved by God’s undeserved love, we want

to share the Word of forgiveness and tell of

Jesus Christ. Remembering Jesus’ love, we seek to strengthen and

serve each other and our neighbors daily, acting

through faith in our Lord Jesus, as guided by the

Holy Bible.

Pastor Daniel Schroederdan7schroeder@gmail.com

Cell: (619) 852-2440

3461 Merle Ave.Modesto, CA 95355

(209) 551-0563

www.stpetermodesto.org

This Week in Our Prayers for Judy Ledermann, whose health is declining and may go to heaven soon for Arne Conrad, who had heart bypass surgery this past week for Gina Machado, who is dealing with cancer issues for Esther Gonzalez, who is recovering from cancer surgery for Marlene Miller, who will soon be undergoing surgery on her hand for ongoing health concerns: Gloria Johnson, Briana Price, Barbara Price, Felisha Gonzalez,

Esther Hassan, Inez Olssen, David Harrah for protection for those serving to protect our nation for peace in our nation, safety of lives, and an end to the current pandemic

Teen Group Kickoff – TODAY!Calling all high schoolers! Today, February 21, 6:30-7:30pm, we will have a kickoff and planning get-together for teens to help plan for what would like to learn about, what we want to do to serve, and what we want to do for fun. This group is aimed at those who are in high school at this time. Pastor Schroeder and Kelli Johnson are heading this up. Hope to see you there!

Lenten Suppers Services – Wednesday, February 24We will be having Lenten Suppers this year at 5:30pm before our midweek Lent worship services, which start at 6:30pm. Tina Funk has offered to head up this project. She is offering to cook dinners each week. They will be in to-go containers. She is asking for help from a few ladies to make up the dishes in the styrofoam to-go boxes that people can then come through and pick up. Prepackaged plastic silverware with a napkin and salt and pepper will be provided. As the food is being cooked and served, those doing so will wear masks and gloves to provide ease of mind for everyone. 

For planning, please make a reservation of how many adults and children we will need meals for at this website: http://bit.ly/meal0224 A suggested donation of $5 per family will be asked to help defray the costs of food and added supplies needed. If you’d like to help, please contact Tina Funk at (805) 296-2503 or email her at: tinam.funk@yahoo.com’

Midweek Lent Services – The Hands of the PassionWhen we consider Jesus and the people around him in his Passion, we can’t help but think of their hands—the hands that beat their breast, accepted money for betrayal, petulantly swung swords, pointed in accusation, beat and disavowed, praised, washed, were pierced, and offered eternal life. In short, we can’t help but think about how we sinners have had the same sinful hands of those who surrounded Jesus in his Passion, and how Jesus our Savior has touched us with his hands of grace. Our services continue this Wednesday, February 24, at 6:30pm, and look at “Hands of Betrayal.” Worship will be in the courtyard.

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News and Upcoming Events

Connect Groups Starting (March-May session)Wanting to begin a Connect group at St. Peter? We are starting another round of our Connect groups at St. Peter. The main purpose of Connect groups is to knit the people of St. Peter together so that they might share their lives as God’s Word directs them to. Sharing of one’s life can certainly happen in a Bible study. But it can happen in other ways as well. In the times we’ve experienced recently with COVID, we can probably relate how important it is for us to be connected with others. Thus, we have three types of Connect groups.

* Study groups—meets to study, discuss, and apply God’s Word (in person or Zoom)* Service groups—identifies ways to serve the church or specific people or groups * Social groups—meet to enjoy recreational fellowship (in person or Zoom)Brief training will be provided to help plan for a Connect group. See Pastor Schroeder for help. Leading a group is not hard. It’s for a three-month time period (March-May). Give it a try! If you’ve never started one, but had wanted to, here’s your chance. We will have a Connect Groups Fair after worship Sunday, February 28, for signing up.

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