St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901
website: stpaulsmanistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
Telephone: 231-299-1022
March 6, 2022 - Lent 1
Theme: Jesus Defeats Satan
Prayer Before Worship - Please read IN THE MORNING prayer
beginning with “Grant us, O Lord,” on page 139 front of the hymnal.
Hymn 585 (Note vs 2:defend when dangers are at hand)
Common Service , front of hymnal, page 15
Prayer: Lord our Strength/ the battle of good & evil rages inside us and all around us,/ & our ancient foe tempts us with his deceits & empty promises. Keep us steadfast in Your Word, & when we fall,/ raise us up again/ & restore us through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.
Epistle: Hebr 4:14-16 We can be bold and confident about our relationship with God because Jesus successfully conquered every temptation for us.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hymn 440 Reflects thoughts of Psalm 91
Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
Jesus began His public ministry by battling and overcoming the temptations of the devil. He used the Word to defeat Satan
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’]” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Nicene Creed, front of hymnal, page 18
Hymn 541:1-5 (the guile and rage of Satan stay)
Sermon Text: Old Testament Lesson: Joshua 6 &7 selected verses Temptations to sin are all around us.
{6:16}[Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. (this means that everything was given over to the LORD often by totally destroying them) 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” {7:13}This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel.14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ 16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.
Theme: We are tempted to redefine God
1. He isn’t all knowing
2. He isn’t most important
3. He doesn’t punish sin
Prayer after sermon: LORD Jesus, thank You for conquering Satan’s temptations for me,/ covering me with your holiness. Please empower me to conquer Satan’s temptations/ so that my words and actions don’t disrupt my relationship with You.
Sing: Create in me.... pg 20
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, front of hymnal, page 125
Lord's Prayer, Continue pg 21
Distribution of Lord’s Supper to the members of St Peter's & other WELS or ELS congregations who by their membership have indicated they are qualified to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:27-29) & to express oneness in faith (1 Cor 10:17). If you are a guest today & haven’t yet had the chance to express your agreement with us & would like to receive the Lord’s Supper together with us in the future, please speak with Pastor after worship or during the week. We would be delighted to help you come to appreciate a “close” relationship with your Lord, with us and with our congregation
Hymn 447(reflects Gospel) during distribution
Continue page 24 front of hymnal
Hymn 541:6-7 (Your Word alone is our defense)