St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660
website: StPaulsManistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
phone: 231-299-1022
November 26, 2023 Christ the King Sunday Lord, keep us joyful in Christ our King!
May Christ the Lord bless your worship.
WELCOME
HYMN 370 – please stand for last stanza
COMMON SERVICE - page 15
PRAYER OF THE DAY:
Lord Jesus Christ, by your victory you have broken the power of the evil one. Fill our hearts with joy and peace as we look with hope to that day when every creature in heaven and earth will acclaim you King of kings and Lord of lords to your unending praise and glory; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
(Sing) Amen.
FIRST LESSON: Ezekiel 34:11-16,23,24
Since the time of David, Israel had called her kings “shepherds.” Rejoice in the Christ the King who shepherds his flock day by day!
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice…. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.
SECOND LESSON: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 If the story of Christ ended on Good Friday, there could be no joy at all. Rejoice in ChristtheKing who will conquer all our enemies!
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[a] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
VERSE OF THE DAY:
Alleluia. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Alleluia. (Sing) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 27:27-31
Joyful? How can this reading make us rejoice? Rejoice in Christ the King who came as our sacrifice.
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
HYMN 216
SERMON: Matthew 27:27-31
We Have Joy in the Sorrow of Our King
Sermon written by Circuit Pastor John Eich
APOSTLES’ CREED - page 19
PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN 351
PRAYER - page 25
HYMN 341
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 our Guest Book in the entryway.
CHURCH TREE TRIM
– after church today, please stay and help.
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE
– Saturday, December 2, from 12 noon – 2 pm
SERVING YOU TODAY:
• Adult Bible Class: Danny Wrzesinski
• Sunday School: Sharon Spencer
• Worship Leader: Matt Keson
• Hymnsoft Player: Chris Wrzesinski
• Sermon written by Circuit Pastor John Eich – read by Danny Wrzesinski
Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved.
All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.