24 Pentecost November 12

PRELUDE “Days of Elijah” BASICS

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 70

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me.

Let those who seek my life be put to shame and confounded;

let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.

Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back because of their shame.

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;

let those who love your salvation say forever, "Great is the LORD!"

But as for me, I am poor and needy; come to me quickly, O God.

You are my helper and my deliverer; O LORD, do not tarry.

GATHERING SONGS “When Peace like a River” #785

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.

THE FIRST LESSON: Amos 5:18–24

Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD?

It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

THE SECOND LESSON: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Matthew 25:1–13

The holy gospel according to Saint Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying,

'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON “Hurry Up and Wait” Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “Soon and Very Soon” #439

RESPONSE TO THE WORD: CREED AND CONFESSION

In Christ, you have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

We believe in him and are marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14

Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.

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

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Build yourselves up on your most holy faith;

pray in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20

Keep yourselves in the love of God;

look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 21

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:

Everything old has passed away; behold, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17

God has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Therefore, let us be reconciled to God and to one another.

Silence for reflection and self examination.

Gracious God,

have mercy on us. In your compassion forgive us our sins,

known and unknown, things done and left undone.

Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve you in newness of life,

to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ,

strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.

Amen

THE LORD'S PRAYER

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

BLESSING

SENDING SONG “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” #834

SENDING

Beloved of God, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.