St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901
website: stpaulsmanistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
Telephone: 231-299-1022
January 23, 2022 – Epiphany 3
Sunday Theme: Jesus Fulfills the Scriptures
Prayer Before Worship – Lord, I get impatient when I read the Old Testament. Too much history, poetry, ceremonial law, & stuff that isn’t applicable to me. Give me patience to mine the treasures in all Your Word.
Hymn 86 (Note “He comes the King Anointed (Messiah) vs 2)
Service of Word, front of hymnal page 38
Hymn 85:1 replaces “ O Taste and See"……….
Prayer: Almighty God,/ You sent Your Son to proclaim Your kingdom/ & to teach with authority. Anoint us with the power of Your spirit/ that we, too, may bring good news to the afflicted,/ bind up the brokenhearted,/ & proclaim liberty to the captive; through Your Son Jesus Christ our LORD,/ who lives & reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing)
Amen.
Old Testament Lesson: Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6, 8-10
The people eagerly desired to hear the Word of God, listened intently & praised God for His communication with them.
1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he
faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Hymn 85:2 (Note “deep in the prophets’ sacred page”)
Lesson: Acts 4:23-31
Opposed by societal leaders Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Hymn 85:3
Gospel: Luke 4:14-21
In the synagogue in Nazareth in Galilee, Jesus reads a prophecy from Isaiah about the promised Messiah & announces that He is the Lord’s Anointed, the fulfillment of prophecy.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Hymn 85:4
Sermon Text: Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Sermon
Theme: God gives us Epiphanies through
(Tells us something about Himself)
1. The creation 2. Our consciences 3. His Word
End of sermon prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us epiphanies/ through the creation and from our conscience. But most importantly/ thank You for Your Epiphany that come to us through Your Word. The epiphany that reveals Jesus to us. Amen.
Apostles Creed, front of hymnal page 41
Thankoffering
Prayer of the church, pg 42, Special Prayers, Lord's Prayer
Hymn 90 Continue page 43 Hymn 575