The Fourth Sunday After Epiphany - Online Worship - January 29, 2023
Lord of Life LIVE - The Third Sunday After Epiphany
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Sunday Worship - The Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
”A New Sign…Is Only The Beginning”
Sunday, February 5, 2023, 9:30am
Join us for our first Lord of Life LIVE on YouTube!
Faith Quest meets during worship!
All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.
Gathering in Glory & Grace
Holy Spirit
Torwalt
There’s nothing worth more
That will ever come close
No thing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your Presence Lord
I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
In Your Presence Lord
refrain:
Holy Spirit
You are welcome here
Come flood this place
And fill the atmosphere
Your glory God
Is what our hearts long for
To be overcome
By Your presence Lord
Your presence Lord
(repeat refrain)
A New Epiphany is Only the Beginning in God’s Grace & Light
based on Psalm 111
Friends, today trust anew, the Holy Spirit truly welcomes us here, and everywhere; God’s grace and a new Kingdom break forth and are only the beginning, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the congregation. Great are his works. Let us hold fast to The Kingdom of God, and take delight in him.
Dear People of God: The Lord is full of honor and majesty, and his righteousness endures forever. Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we have failed to trust the Lord, and to hold fast alone, to the Kingdom of God.
(silence for reflection)
Friends: God’s grace is fulfilled in these words: Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. A new Kingdom awaits, breaking forth, and it is only the beginning! Believe anew, live anew, thanks to the One who forever changes your hearts!
Song of Grace Anew
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
The Lord has shown us the power of his mighty works. He is faithful and just. A new Kingdom breaks forth; God is trustworthy and true. This is only the beginning to so much more!
People of Faith: The Lord has sent you his redemption. By the Holy Spirit, we will see again God alone is truly holy. A new Kingdom is only the beginning, for our wisdom begins with the One who forever changes our hearts!
Song of Grace Anew
Change My Heart, O God
Espinosa
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart O God
May I be like You
Almighty and loving God, bless us to trust anew in your light and grace. Give us a new epiphany today. Change our hearts, to believe your new Kingdom is only the beginning. By your Spirit, we see your foolishness is greater than our wisdom; we see what true devotion requires; we hold fast to your blessings and grace, which come to us in ways so new and different from this world. Trusting alone in your Light and your Kingdom, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
New Testament Lesson
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
Song Anew in Spirit
Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
Manley
refrain:
Spirit Spirit of gentleness
Blow through the wilderness
Calling and free
Spirit Spirit of restlessness
Stir me from placidness
Wind wind on the sea
vs. 1
You moved on the waters
You called to the deep
Then you coaxed up the mountains
From the valleys of sleep
And over the eons
You called to each thing
Awake from your slumbers
And rise on your wings
(refrain)
Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
based on Hebrews 11-12:2
Long ago witnesses wrote words to proclaim Jesus as the treasured bright new light, The True Epiphany, fulfilling the coming of the promised Messiah, that his power and grace were only the beginning for the Hebrew Christians considering returning to Judaism. Let us boldly share our faith using these same words.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. ...Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. ...Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Amen.
Faith Quest meets following today’s Children’s Message!
A New Kingdom … Is Only the Beginning
MICAH 6:1-8; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-31; MATTHEW 5:1-12
How do you do, when things go differently than expected? You have done all you can to prepare, you put plans in place, thought you had a good idea what was coming, suddenly you are blind sided. Times like this surprise us. When all goes better than planned, we are blessed beyond all we imagined! Celebrate this epiphany in The Beatitudes today: God’s grace ushers in a blessing so different from what we had planned, we are blind sided and blessed, we are graced in a new Kingdom, a new Kingdom that is only the beginning to so much more!
1. The Beatitudes, God’s grace, The Kingdom of God, are so different from all we imagine; blessing us with only the beginning to so much more!
Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12
A. The Beatitudes are so different from our way of thinking, from this world, so different from all we thought we knew!
B. God’s grace is so different from our way, so different from this world, so different from all we thought we knew!
C. The Kingdom of God is a new Kingdom, so different from our way, from this world, from all we thought we knew!
D. The Kingdom of God is a new Kingdom, a new Kingdom that is only the beginning to so much more!
2. God blesses us with new epiphanies, each and every day, which are so different from what we know, what we planned for, what we thought was coming. God’s grace blind sides us, surprises us, blesses us, saves us, with a new Kingdom, a new Kingdom that is only the beginning to so much more!
Matthew 5:1-12
Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.
Song Anew in Light & Grace
There is None Like You
LeBlanc
refrain:
There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart
Like You do
I could search for all eternity long
And find
There is none like You
(repeat)
vs. 1
Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes from Your hands
Suffering children are safe in Your arms
There is none like You
(refrain)
... as we pray to you, Jesus,
Give us a new epiphany, give us a new beginning, in your light and your grace.
All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Holy Communion will take place during our service. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.
For those worshiping with us in person, we receive communion through intinction; that is, you will receive the bread, the host, then dip into the glass of choice, either a red wine in the chalice closest to the host, or in a light colored non-alcoholic grape juice. All are welcome.
We also offer gluten free and pre-packaged options. Please take these options before arriving at the host to receive a blessing.
The Words of Institution
In the night in which he was betrayed our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
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.
Songs During Holy Communion
Revelation Song
Riddle
Worthy is the
Lamb who was slain
Holy holy is He
Sing a new song
To Him who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat
(repeat)
refrain:
Holy holy holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You
Filled with wonder
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power
Breath and living water
Such a marv’lous mystery
(refrain)
The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace this day, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ, the Lord of life. Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace, as you are blessed with only the beginning in every epiphany of God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ! In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us go in the peace of Christ, celebrating the love of God, and serving the Lord of life.
Thanks be to God!
Going Anew in Light & Grace
Build Your Kingdom Here
Gilkeson
vs. 1
Come set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again
Increase in us we pray
Unveil why we’re made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls
Holy Spirit come invade us now
We are Your church
We need Your pow’r
In us
vs. 2
We seek Your kingdom first
We hunger and we thirst
Refuse to waste our lives
For You’re our joy and prize
To see the captives’ hearts released
The hurt the sick the poor at peace
We lay down our lives
For heaven’s cause
We are Your church
We pray revive
This earth
refrain:
Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here we pray
vs. 3
Unleash Your kingdom’s pow’r
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength
And love of Christ
We are Your church
We are the hope on earth
(refrain)
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Today we celebrate The Fourth Sunday After Epiphany “A New Kingdom … Is Only The Beginning!” Faith Quest, Sunday School meets today!
Next Sunday, February 5, we celebrate The Fifth Sunday After Epiphany, 9:30 a.m. “A New Sign … Is Only The Beginning!” Faith Quest, Sunday School meets next Sunday!
As we continue to share the ministry God places in our care, we are seeking more volunteers! You can access details and ways to sign up on our website and Facebook page! Thank you!
Friends, today as always, all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion.
For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the sanctuary. Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org
We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new ways for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love and grace!
Acknowledgments for today’s service include:
Litany Trusting A New Epiphany Is Only The Beginning In God’s Grace & Light, written based on Psalm 111. “Spirit, Spirit Of Gentleness,” © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) and With One Voice Hymnal Supplement, © 1995 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia; and Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Prayer of The Day,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, & Benediction based on the LBW. “Holy Spirit” © 2011 JesusCulture, CCLI #6087919 “Change My Heart, O God” © 1982 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing CCLI #1565 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “There Is None Like You” © 1991 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, CCLI #674545 “Revelation Song” © 2004 Gateway Create Publishing CCLI #4447960 “Build Your Kingdom Here” © 2011 Thankyou Music CCLI #6186078 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.