St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901
website: stpaulsmanistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
Telephone: 231-299-1022
Festival of the Ascension of our Lord
May 29, 2022
Prayer Before Worship - Lord Jesus, sometimes I wish You hadn’t ascended and withdrawn your physical presence on this earth. I would like to see You as Your first disciples did. Remind me this evening of the benefits for me of Your ascension.
Hymn 174
Common Service, hymnal, pg 15
Hymn 169 replaces “Glory be to God”
Prayer: LORD Jesus, King of glory,/ on this day You ascended far above the heavens/ and at God's right hand You rule the nations. Leave us not alone, we pray,/ but grant us the Spirit of truth/ that at Your command and by Your power/ we may be Your witnesses in all the world; /for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,/one God, now and forever. (Sing) Amen.
Lesson: Exodus 14:21-31
Our ascended Lord Jesus uses His almighty power to control nature for our benefit as the LORD used His almighty power to rescue his people at the Red Sea.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Hymn 171:1-3
Epistle: Revelation 19:11-16
Our ascended Lord Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who uses His power to rule over His enemies and uses His Word to rule in the hearts of His people.
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
Hymn 171, verses 4-6
Gospel - Luke 24:44-53
44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of
Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." 45 Then he opened their minds
so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." {50} When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. {51} While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. {52} Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. {53} And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God
Apostles' Creed, front of hymnal, page 19
Hymn 173
Sermon Text: Psalm 110
The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2 The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.
4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind:“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”5 The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.7 He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.
Theme: The One sitting at the LORD’s right hand
1. Is still working for us (priest)
Hebr 9:28 Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins.
Heb 10:10 We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebr 10:14 By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Prayer: LORD Jesus. Thank You for still working for me now. Thank you for still being my priest throughout my life. Thank You for still working for humans as our Intercessor-Mediator-Defense Lawyer until Judgment Day. Thank You for ascending into heaven and repositioning yourself at God’s right hand so You can do that.
2. Has a job for us (Zion)
Prayer: LORD Jesus. thank You for giving me a job. Thank You for qualifying me for the job by arraying me in holy splendor and causing me to be born anew like dew. Thank You for equipping me for the job by placing into my hands the Scepter of Your Word. Thank You for ascending into heaven and repositioning Yourself at God’s right hand so that You can extend Your rule through me. 3. Will be the Winner
Matt 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more question
Prayer: LORD Jesus. thank You for giving me a look a the future.. Thank You for reminding me that You will crush all Your and my enemies on the Last Day. Thank You for using that reminder to motivate me to go on with life amidst its hardships and attacks. Thank You for ascending into heaven and repositioning Yourself at God’s right hand so that You will on Judgment Day be the winner and so will we.
(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 Hymn 170, Continue with Lord’s Prayer
Hymn 174
Continue pg 25
Hymn 175