February 11 online worship

Preparations for Worship:

• Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
• Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
• This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
• Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
• Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
  “Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

CONFESSION OF SINS

The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you.

We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children.  But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment.  Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.  In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child.  But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love.  Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins.  By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever.  You are his own dear child.  May God give you strength to live according to his will. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, in the glorious transfiguration of your only-begotten Son, you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice that came from the bright cloud, you foreshadowed our adoption as your sons. In your mercy, make us co-heirs of glory with Jesus our King, and bring us at last to heaven; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

LESSON – 2 KINGS 1-12

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah was traveling with Elisha from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”  But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.  ³The sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from you?”  Then he said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”  ⁴Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here because the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”  But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.  ⁵Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from you?”  He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”  ⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”  But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.  ⁷Then fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood and watched them from a distance, while the two of them were standing at the Jordan. ⁸Elijah took his cloak, folded it together, and struck the water. The water divided to the right and to the left. Then the two of them crossed on dry land.  ⁹When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me for whatever I can do for you before I am taken from you.”  Then Elisha said, “Let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”  ¹⁰He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing. If you see me being taken from you, it will surely be yours. But if not, then it will not.”  ¹¹While they were walking and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire came and separated them. So Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. ¹²Elisha was watching and crying out, “My father! My father! Israel’s chariot and its charioteers!” Then he did not see him anymore. He grabbed his clothing, and he ripped it into two pieces.

LESSON – 2 CORINTHIANS 4:3-6

³But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing. ⁴In the case of those people, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from clearly seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is God’s image.

⁵Indeed, we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” is the same one who made light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

DEVOTION – MARK 9:2-9

CONFESSION OF FAITH

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.  From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

OFFERING

Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.

Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world.  Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Holy Father, with the appearance of Moses and Elijah at our Lord’s glorious Transfiguration, You reveal to us that the Law and the prophets are fulfilled in Him.

Send Your blessing upon all pastors and servants of Your Church, that their preaching and teaching would flow from this right understanding of Christ and His work for our eternal salvation.

Almighty God, grant faithfulness, humility and patience to the sheep of Your flock here at Risen Savior Lutheran Church.

Let us in our various vocations strive to love You and our neighbor in all that we say and do.

Heavenly Father, bless the families of Your Church, that parents would teach the faith to their children and that the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in all households.

Remember all expectant mothers, that they and their babies would be kept safe and healthy throughout their pregnancies.

God of all grace, look with compassion on those who are in need.

Grant them relief and comfort through the promise of sharing in eternal glory with Christ.

Heavenly Father, You revealed Your glory in the Transfiguration of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who tabernacled among us in the flesh. Open our eyes, that by faith we would see Him continuing to tabernacle among us here in the Divine Service.

Grant that we would heed Your admonition to “listen to Him” as He forgives and preserves us at the font, pulpit and altar.

Lord of the Church, we thank you for our synod’s strong ministerial education program that provides extensive training to our future pastors. We also thank you for the flexibility of the Pastoral Studies Institute, which trains men from other cultures to become pastors without leaving their communities. We praise you for providing a diversity of well-trained pastors proclaiming the gospel throughout the world.

We pray that many more people hear your good news of salvation, repent of their sins, and trust in Jesus.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember on this day the glorious manifestation of Your Son’s divinity on the Mount of Transfiguration. Teach us to listen to Jesus and ever fix our eyes on Him and His innocent suffering and death for our forgiveness. By Your grace and mercy, strengthen us to remain faithful in all circumstances of trial, temptation and persecution. Preserve us to the end, that we may die a blessed death believing in Your beloved Son with whom You are well pleased; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who taught us to 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.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

PRAYER

O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

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.

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