4 Epiphany January 28
CALL TO WORSHIP PSALM 111
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are your works, O LORD, pondered by all who delight in them.
Majesty and splendor mark your deeds, and your righteousness endures forever.
You cause your wonders to be remembered; you are gracious and full of compassion.
You give food to those who fear you, remembering forever your covenant.
You have shown your people the power of your works in giving them the lands of the
nations.
The works of your hands are faithfulness and justice; all of your precepts are sure.
They stand fast forever and ever, because they are done in truth and equity.
You sent redemption to your people and commanded your covenant forever; holy and
awesome is your name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who practice this have a good understanding. God's praise endures forever.
GATHERING SONG “Let the Whole Creation Cry” #876
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
full of compassion and mercy, abounding in steadfast love.
Amen.
Trusting God’s promise of forgiveness, let us confess our sin against God and one another.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
Eternal God our creator,
in you we live and move and have our being.
Look upon us, your children, the work of your hands.
Forgive us all our offenses, and cleanse us from proud thoughts and empty desires.
By your grace draw us near to you, our refuge and our strength;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
In the mercy of almighty God, Christ died for us while we still were sinners;
and for his sake, God ☩ forgives you all your sins.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Compassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion, that all creation will see and know your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
THE EPISTLE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as in fact there are many gods and many lords--yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL HYMN “Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil ” #512
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Mark 1:21–28
The holy gospel according to Saint Mark. Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus and his disciples] went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching — with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “What is This?” Pastor Phil Wold
HYMN OF THE DAY “God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind” #400
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Living together in trust and hope we confess:
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.
THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. 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.
THE SERVICE OF PRAYERS FOR HEALING
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
Let us pray for all who suffer, all in pain or grief or any kind of affliction…
O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!
Let us pray for recovery from sickness, that God may grant healing and wholeness…
O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!
Let us pray for healing in our communities, between nations, among peoples, within families…
O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!
Let us pray for all those who depend upon our prayers…
O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!
A reading from Saint Luke: When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. (Luke 4:40)
Father in heaven, for Jesus’ sake, send your Holy Spirit upon your servants, drive away all sickness of body and spirit; make whole that which is broken; deliver us from the power of evil; and preserve us in true faith, to share in the power of Christ’s resurrection and to serve you with all the saints now and evermore. Amen
THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
NOISY OFFERING
THE 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
BLESSING
SENDING SONG “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” #886
SENDING
Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE