Second Sunday of End Time – The Last Judgement November 8, 2020

Today’s Theme for Worship: Today’s lessons emphasize the Christian life as we expect Christ’s return.

Opening Hymn: 481 O God, Your Hand the Heavens Made

1 O God, your hand the heavens made And all that they contain;

The world appeared at your command, And in it now you reign.

The restless sea, the land, the sky Your handiwork declare;

The touch of your creative pow’r Is present ev’rywhere.

2 To us are given gifts divine; All talents you have sent.

Inspire us now to use them well Your kingdom to extend.

We hold each gift a trust from you Nor claim it as our own;

We gratefully acknowledge, Lord, All things are yours alone.

3 Deliver us from selfish aims; True stewards we would be.

Endow us with a deep desire To live unselfishly.

A full accounting we must give And see you face to face;

Let us approach your throne with joy, Supported by your grace.

P: The grace of our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

C: And also with you.

Confession of Sins

P: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

P: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.

C: Amen.

P: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

♬ Oh Taste And See

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Bless-ed are they who take re-fuge in him.

Your Word, O Lord, is e-ter-nal;

it stands firm in the heav-ens.

Your faith-ful-ness con-tin-ues for-ev-er.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Bless-ed are they who take re-fuge in him.

Prayer of the Day

P: Let us Pray.

Lord God Almighty, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit that we may always look forward to the end of this present age and to the day of your righteous judgment. Keep us steadfast in true and living faith and present us at last holy and blameless before you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: ♬ Amen.

First Lesson: Daniel 7:9,10

This short lesson is a vision of the “Ancient of Days” as he assembles the royal court for judgment.

⁹I continued to watch until thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days was seated.

His clothing was white as snow,

and the hair on his head was like pure wool.

His throne was flames of fire.

Its wheels were blazing fire.

¹⁰A river of fire flowed out from his presence.

Thousands upon thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court was seated,

and books were opened.

Psalm of the Day - Special Music Psalm 80 - Save Us and Restore Us

Congregation joins with Special Music on Refrain

O, Shepherd of Israel, awaken your might!

You who sit among the cherubim, shine forth your light.

You who lead Joseph like a flock with pow’r divine,

Refrain

Come to save us and restore us; cause your face to shine.

How long will your anger burn against our prayers?

You have fed us with and made us drink a river’s worth of tears.

Our enemies laugh at us; our neighbors deride.

Refrain

Come to save us and restore us; cause your face to shine.

O LORD, the vine you planted with your own hand

Had branches reaching to the sea and filling the land.

Now cut down, burned, and ravaged is your sacred vine.

Refrain

Come to save us and restore us; cause your face to shine.

LORD, let your hand be on the man of your right hand.

You have raised up for yourself the Son of Man.

Revive us and we will call on your name divine.

Refrain

Come to save us and restore us; cause your face to shine.

Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
In times of trouble, we arm and protect ourselves with the Word of God.

¹Concerning the times and dates, brothers, there is no need to write to you,²for you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³When people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will suddenly come on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will certainly not escape. ⁴But you, brothers, are not in the dark so that this day takes you by surprise like a thief, ⁵for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. ⁶So then let us not sleep like everyone else, but rather let us remain alert and sober.

⁷To be sure, those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹You see, God did not appoint us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are also doing.

C: ♬ Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus pictures the judgment as a man separating his sheep from his goats.
³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. ³⁶I was lacking clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or lacking clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’

⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you did not give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink. ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, lacking clothes and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not take care of me.’

⁴⁴“Then they will also answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or lacking clothes or sick or in prison and did not serve you?’

⁴⁵“At that time he will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ ⁴⁶And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

C: ♬ Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 419 vv. 1-4 If God Himself Be for Me

1 If God himself be for me, I may a host defy;

For when I pray, before me My foes, confounded, fly.

If Christ, my head and master, Befriend me from above,

What foe or what disaster Can drive me from his love?

2 This I believe, yea rather, Of this I make my boast,

That God is my dear Father, My friend who loves me most,

And that, whate’er betide me, My Savior is at hand

Through stormy seas to guide me And bring me safe to land.

3 I build on this foundation: That Jesus and his blood

Alone are my salvation, My true, eternal good.

Without him all that pleases Is valueless on earth;

The gifts I have from Jesus Alone have priceless worth.

4 He canceled my offenses, Delivered me from death;

He is the Lord who cleanses My soul from sin through faith.

In him I can be cheerful, Courageous on my way;

In him I am not fearful Of God’s great Judgment Day.

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607-76, abr.; tr. Richard Massie, 1800-87, st. 1-3, 6-7, alt.; unknown,

st. 4-5, alt.

Sermon

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Offering Prayer

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Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn: 419 vv. 5-7 If God Himself Be for Me

5 No sin can now condemn me Or set my hope aside.

Now hell no more can claim me; Its fury I deride.

No sentence now reproves me; No guilt destroys my peace,

For Christ, my Savior, loves me And shields me with his grace.

6 No danger, thirst, or hunger, No pain or poverty,

No earthly tyrant’s anger Shall ever vanquish me.

Though earth should break asunder, You are my Savior true;

No fire or sword or thunder Shall sever me from you.

7 My heart for joy is springing And can no more be sad,

’Tis full of joy and singing, Sees only sunshine glad.

The sun that cheers my spirit Is Jesus Christ, my King;

The heav’n I shall inherit Makes me rejoice and sing.

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607-76, abr.; tr. Richard Massie, 1800-87, st. 1-3, 6-7, alt.; unknown,

st. 4-5, alt.

Prayer and Blessing

P: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

P: Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe and do. Help us by your Holy Spirit to keep your Word in pure hearts that we may be strengthened in faith, guided in holiness, and comforted in life and in death, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: ♬ A-men.

P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace.

C: ♬ A-men, A-men, A-men

Closing Hymn: 214 Jerusalem the Golden

1 Jerusalem the golden, With milk and honey blest-

The sight of it refreshes The weary and oppressed.

I know not, oh, I know not What joys await us there,

What radiancy of glory, What bliss beyond compare.

2 They stand, those halls of Zion, All jubilant with song

And bright with many an angel And all the martyr throng.

The Prince is ever in them; The daylight is serene;

The pastures of the blessed Are ever rich and green.

3 There is the throne of David, And there, from care released,

The shout of them that triumph, The song of them that feast;

And they who with their leader Have conquered in the fight

Forever and forever Are clad in robes of white.

4 Oh, sweet and blessed country, The home of God’s elect!

Oh, sweet and blessed country That eager hearts expect!

Jesus, in mercy bring us To that dear land of rest;

You are with God the Father And Spirit ever blest.

Text: Bernard of Cluny, 12th century, abr.; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-66, alt.