St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

February 18, 2024 Lent 1 Rethinking Trials, Tests, and Temptations

WELCOME

HYMN 420 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”

(Please stand for last stanza)

SERVICE OF THE WORD - pages 38-44

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

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.

(Sing) Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Genesis 22:1-18

God gives Abraham a test which will demonstrate who Abraham loves and trusts most.

1Some 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. 5 He 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.” 6 Abraham 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 f or 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. 9 When 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. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 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.”13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a r am caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So 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.” 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven

a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I 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, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

SECOND LESSON: Romans 8:31-39

The proof of God’s love is not that he removes all our trouble. The proof of God’s love is that he gave us his Son. If he did that, nothing can separate us from God’s love.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither 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.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

It is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” NOTE: During Lent the Alleluia response is not sung.

GOSPEL: Mark 1:12-15

Sometimes we fail to stand firm in trial or temptation. But by grace the kingdom of God is still ours because Jesus, as our substitute, perfectly overcame all of Satan’s temptations.

12At 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!”

HYMN 124 “Savior, When in Dust to You”

SERMON: Genesis 22:1-18

“The Testing of Your Faith”

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 41

RESPONSIVE PRAYER: Lent - page 125

LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN 304 “Jesus Sinners Does Receive”

PRAYER - page 43

C: Amen. (sung)

BLESSING - page 443

C: Amen. Amen. Amen. (sung)

HYMN 428 “Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me”

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

Guests, please sign the Guest Book in the entryway.

MIDWEEK LENTEN WORSHIP IN SCOTTVILLE this

Wednesday at 1:30 pm. Lunch is served at 12:30 pm.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.