Download - Catch Me Sermon
Today’s Theme – “Catch Me!”
Final Trinity Theme –
“What have we learned about
Our Amazing God?”
Trinity 24
Sunday, November 18, 2012
WELCOME… thanks so much for choosing to worship with
us today. If you need anything please speak to a pastor or
one of the ushers.
CONTACT INFORMATION…
Phone – (608) 839-3770
Email – [email protected]
Website – www.abidingshepherd.org
Facebook – Like us @ www.facebook.com/abidingshepherd
Twitter – follow us @ http://twitter.com/abidingshepherd
SNACKS… please help yourself to some
refreshments before and after the service.
WORSHIP CARDS… if you are a first-time
guest, or if you didn’t get a chance to fill out
a card on your last visit, please take a
moment to fill out one of our guest cards,
then place it in the offering plate after
today’s sermon.
FOR YOUR CHILDREN… we have coloring bulletins in
the lobby on the table. There are changing tables in the
handicapped stalls of each restrooms. Please also feel free
to make use of the Little Lambs Room off the lobby if you
would like more privacy with your child(ren).
Prayer Board (early) & Prayer Sheets (late)
Opening Prayer
Pastor – O Lord, our Maker, Redeemer and
Comforter, we are assembled in Your
presence to hear Your holy Word. We ask
You to open our hearts by Your Holy Spirit,
so that through the preaching of Your Word
we may be taught to repent of our sins, to believe on
Jesus in life and in death, and to grow day by day in
grace and holiness. Hear us for Christ’s sake. Amen.
How Firm A Foundation
How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
In ev'ry condition, in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea --
The Lord, the Almighty, your strength e'er shall be.
"Fear not, I am with you. Oh, be not dismayed,
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
"When through the deep waters I call you to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow,
For I will be with you your troubles to bless
And sanctify to you your deepest distress.
"Throughout all their lifetime my people shall prove
My sov'reign, eternal, unchangeable love,
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still on my shoulders be
borne."
Confession & Absolution of Our Sins
Pastor - Our dear Lord invites us to come
before Him and make confession of our
sins. He has promised pardon and
peace for all who repent and trust in His
forgiveness. Trusting in His mercy, let us
humbly confess our sins. I ask you in the
presence of God who knows our hearts:
Do you confess that you have sinned,
and do you desire the Lord’s forgiveness?
If so then answer: “I DO”
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has
redeemed you from all your sins by His
perfect life and His sacrificial death on
the cross?
If so then answer: “I DO”
Upon your confession, by virtue of my
office as a called and ordained servant of
the Word, I announce to you the grace of
God, and in the stead and by the
command of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive
you all your sins in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you. Amen.
Gloria
Glory be to God the Father,
Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit,
Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory, While eternal ages run!
Prayer for the Day Pastor – Heavenly Father, You have made us. You take
care of us. You guard and keep us. You give us eternal
life through the gift of faith. So why do we so often
struggle to trust You? Why do we find reasons to doubt
You? Why do we, at times, run away from You?
Lord, You know the weakness and darkness of our
sinful hearts. Forgive us our small faith and bless us with
an ever-increasing trust in You as our amazing God.
Amen.
We learn from the Scriptures
2 Kings 5:1-15b Now Naaman was commander of the army of the
king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his
master and highly regarded, because through him the
LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant
soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken
captive a young girl from Israel, and she served
Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my
master would see the prophet who
is in Samaria! He would cure him of
his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to his master and
told him what the girl from Israel
had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the
king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of
Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of
silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of
clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel
read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman
to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore
his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring
back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me
to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick
a quarrel with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of
Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message:
“Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come
to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his
horses and chariots and
stopped at the door of
Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent
a messenger to say to him,
“Go, wash yourself seven
times in the Jordan, and
your flesh will be restored
and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought
that he would surely come out to me and stand and
call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand
over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not
Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better
than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in
them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in
a rage.
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My
father, if the prophet had told you to do some great
thing, would you not have done it? How much more,
then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and
be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down
and dipped himself in the Jordan
seven times, as the man of God
had told him, and his flesh was
restored and became clean like
that of a young boy.
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to
the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I
know that there is no God in all the world except in
Israel.
Matthew 18:1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus
and asked, “Who is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child and had him
stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell
you the truth, unless you change and
become like little children, you will never
enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore,
whoever humbles himself like this child is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Confession of our Faith (Apostles’ Creed)
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And 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 shall 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.
Oh, For A Faith That Will Not Shrink
Oh, for a faith that will not shrink
Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of poverty or woe,
That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chast'ning rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain
Can lean upon its God,
A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without,
That, when in danger, knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt,
That bears unmoved the world's dread frown
Nor heeds its scornful smile,
That sin's wild ocean cannot drown
Nor Satan's arts beguile,
A faith that keeps the narrow way
Till life's last spark is fled
And with a pure and heav'nly ray
Lights up the dying bed.
Lord, give us such a faith as this,
And then, whate'er may come,
We'll taste e'en now the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.
Sermon - Luke 18:15-17 - “Catch Me.” People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have
him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they
rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him
and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do
not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not
receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never
enter it.”
Prayer & 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.
Gathering of the Thank-Offerings & Tithes
Shawl Blessing Ceremony
Closing Hymn (next page)
Closing Prayer Pastor - Lord, we offer to You our heartfelt thanks that
You have taught us what You would have us believe
and do. Help us, O God, by Your Holy Spirit, for the sake
of Jesus Christ, to keep Your Word in pure hearts, for
through it our faith is strengthened, our lives renewed,
and we are comforted in life and in death. Amen.
All Depends On Our Possessing
All depends on our possessing
God's abundant grace and blessing,
Though all earthly wealth depart.
They who trust with faith unshaken
In their God are not forsaken
And e'er keep a dauntless heart.
He who to this day has fed me
And to many joys has led me
Is and ever shall be mine.
He who ever gently schools me,
He who daily guides and rules me,
Will remain my help divine.
Many spend their lives in fretting
Over trifles and in getting
Things that have no solid ground.
I shall strive to win a treasure
That will bring me lasting pleasure
And that now is seldom found.
Well he knows what best to grant me;
All the longing hopes that haunt me,
Joy and sorrow, have their day.
I shall doubt his wisdom never
As God wills, so be it ever --
I to him commit my way.
THANK YOU to those who helped serve us today...
Music – Mark Hoenecke
Ushers – Karow family
Hospitality Helpers – Reason, Finger, Speidel families
CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK…
Today – 8:45 am – Social / Snack time
9:00 am – Worship
10:00 am – Social / Snack time
10:10 am – Sunday School / Choir Practice
10:45 am – Worship
6:00 pm – WOMEN’S ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT
6:00 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Ministry
Monday – 10:00 am – Staff Meeting
7:00 pm – Contemporary Worship
Wednesday – 7:00 pm – THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE
Next Sunday
8:45 am – Social/Snack Time
9:00 am – Worship Service with Communion
10:00 am – Social / Snack Time
10:10 am – Sunday School / Choir Practice
10:45 am – Worship Service with Communion
5:30 pm – Hecht / Cleven Small Group
6:00 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Ministry
Next Monday – 7:00 pm – Worship with Communion
~ OUR MISSION ~
Bring them in! Lift them up! Send them out!
~ OUR VISION ~
Every Member in the Word!
Every Member a Servant!