Pentecost 12 -August 28, 2022

Theme: Looking Ahead

Prayer Before Worship: Lord, thank You for all Your promises to me. Help me to be confident and patient at the same time.

Hymn 244

Service of Word, front of hymnal, page 38

Prayer: Almighty & everlasting God,/ You are always more ready to hear than we to pray,/ & to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,/ forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,/ & giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask,/ except through the merits & mediation of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,/ / who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Haggai 1:2-14

The people always had too many things coming up to do. As they looked to the future, they insisted they didn’t have time to do what God said they ought to be doing.

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’” 3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” 5 Now this is whatthe Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” 7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” 12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God.

Hymn 755 (Gospel)

Gospel: Luke 12: 32-40

Jesus tells us do not be afraid for the kingdom is ours. We set our hearts on this promise as we prepare and patiently wait for our Lord’s return.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Hymn 442 (Gospel)

Sermon Text: Epistle: Rev 3:1-6

As believers we look ahead to being perfect with the LORD in eternity. That confidence must never lead us to be complacent & lethargic.

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Theme: What do you see when you look ahead?

Short term: We will be actively holding on to the truth Lord Jesus, as I look ahead, I see that apathy is very possible for me. Please continue to make me aware of the danger of losing what I have. Through Your Word and Spirit empower me to actively hold onto Your truth.
Long term: We will be with the LORD in perfection LORD Jesus, keep my ears open and listening to what the Holy Your Spirit says to me through the Bible so that I keep seeing what You see when You look ahead: me with You in perfection forever.

Apostle Creed, pg 41

Thankoffering

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

Prayer of the church, pg 42; Lord's Prayer

Hymn 349

Continue bottom of pg 43

Hymn 406 (Gospel)