FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH (MISSOURI SYNOD) and I have not done those things which I should have done. Have St. Matthias, Apostle; 7th Day of Lent mercy on me, O Lord! Spare and restore me, according to the 24 February 2021 promises You have declared to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. For His ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may sake grant that I may live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the eat the with my disciples?’ [St. Mark 14.14] glory of Your holy name. ✠✠✠ Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and WE WELCOME YOU this evening. May our Lord bless our time ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto you, around His Word as we begin to meditate on His holy passion and and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I also today as we remember and Him thanks for the holy Apostle, St. forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son Matthias. and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. ✠✠✠ PSALMODY — O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise. Pre-service Prayers Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it The time before service is a time of prayer and preparation to receive was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. the Lord’s gifts of salvation. In addition to prayer, look over the Amen. [Psalm 51.15] readings and the words to the hymns during this preparation time. Honor and praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 134; antiphon: :1 ✠ P: In the Name of the Father and of the Son ( ) and of the Holy Behold, how good and pleasant it is Spirit. when brothers dwell in unity! C: Amen. Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, Confession And Absolution who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Dearly beloved! We have come together in the presence of God our Lift up your hands to the holy place heavenly Father, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have and bless the Lord! received at His hand, to set forth His most worthy praise, to hear His May the Lord bless you from Zion, holy Word, and to ask for ourselves and on behalf of others, those he who made heaven and earth! things that are necessary for our life and salvation. O come, let us Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it worship Him! Let us kneel and bow down before Him. Let us confess was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. our sins with penitent hearts, and obtain forgiveness by His infinite Amen. grace and mercy. Behold, how good and pleasant it is [Silence reflection and self-examination] when brothers dwell in unity!

Almighty and most merciful Father, THE WORD—INSTRUCTION I have strayed from Your ways like a lost sheep. I have followed the First Reading— Acts 1:15–26 ESV devices and desires of my own heart. I have offended against Your holy law. I have done those things which I should not have done, 15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company O Lord, have mercy on us. Thanks be to God. of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became Sermon— St. Mark 14. 10-16 a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17For he was numbered Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18(Now this priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed opportunity to betray him. And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the out. 19And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” And he sent two of his Field of Blood.) 20“For it is written in the Book of , disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to “‘May his camp become desolate, the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show and you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” “‘Let another take his office.’ And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from Where Is My Guest Room? the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from 1. Jesus asks each one of us us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his 2. Jesus Himself prepares it resurrection.” 23And they put forward two, Joseph called [Silence for meditation] Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in The Magnificat this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go [The song of Mary, Luke 1.46-55; versicle Psalm 141.2] Let my prayers be set before You as incense, to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. This is the Word of the Lord. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; O Lord, have mercy on us. Thanks be to God. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. The Reading Of Our Lord’s Passion—The Passover And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to This is the Word of the Lord. generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in world toward the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, the imagination of their hearts. Your Son, our Lord, Amen He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the Other collects lowly. O Lord God of compassion, stretch out Your hand and grant that all He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent the sick may be healed. Grant them to be counted worthy of health. away empty. Free them from sickness which lies upon them. Let them be healed in He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, the name of Your only-begotten Son. May His holy name be to them As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. a medicine for health and soundness, because through Him to You is Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it the glory and the strength in the Holy Spirit both now and to all the was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. ages of the ages. Amen [Serapion of Thumuis, + after 360] Amen. Almighty God and gracious Father, in Your mercy look on those whose increasing years bring them weakness, anxiety, distress, or THE PRAYERS loneliness. Grant that they may always know care and respect, Kyrie concern and understanding. Grant them willing hearts to accept help Kyrie, Eleison. Lord, have mercy upon us. and, as their strength wanes, increase their faith with the constant Christe, Eleison. Christ, have mercy upon us. assurance of Your love through Jesus Christ, their Savior. Amen Kyrie, Eleison. Lord, have mercy upon us. Remember, O Lord, all who in heathen lands are under instruction for Holy Baptism. Have mercy upon them and confirm them in the faith. Remove all the remains of idolatry and superstition from their hearts, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom that being devoted to Your law, Your precepts, Your fear, Your truths, come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day and Your commandments, they may grow to a firm knowledge of the our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those Word in which they have been instructed. And may they be found who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But worthy to become a dwelling of the Holy Spirit, by the washing of deliver us from evil; for Thine is the Kingdom and the power and regeneration for the forgiveness of their sins, through Jesus Christ the glory forever and ever. Amen. our Lord. Amen [St. Basil of Caesarea, 330-79] Merciful God, we humbly implore You to cast the bright beams of The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed by the doctrine of the blessed apostles, may walk in the light of Your truth and finally Collect of the Day: Let us pray: Almighty God, You chose Your servant attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Matthias to be numbered among the Twelve. Grant that Your Church, Amen ever preserved from false teachers, may be taught and guided by Gracious Father, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen Your ways higher than our ways and Your thoughts higher than our O Lord God, You led Your ancient people through the wilderness and thoughts. We do not understand the disregard for the work of Your brought them to the promised land. Guide the people of Your Church hands and the wanton destruction of human life that has taken place that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this through the atrocity of abortion. Bring an end to abortion, euthanasia and all other legal means to unjustly take life. Instill in Your people love for life as is pleasing in Your sight. Grant wisdom OFFERING—Although your offering cannot now be presented at the and strength of conviction to those who make, execute and altar as a symbol and token of your whole life of service and administer our laws, that they might protect the unborn, the aged dedication to the Lord, you can, on your way out, if you haven’t and all those whom they govern. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen. already done so, leave your offering in the basket that has been set Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank You, that of Your boundless out by the door. grace, for the sake of Your Son, You have given us the Holy Gospel, and have instituted the holy Sacraments, that through them we may have comfort and forgiveness of sin. We beseech You, grant us Your THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE FROM THE SYNOD: Holy Spirit, that we may believe Your Word; and through the holy 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil Sacraments day by day establish our faith, until we at last obtain prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist salvation, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen him, firm in your faith. Gracious Jesus, our Lord and our God, have mercy upon us now and at the hour of our death, and grant to us, Your servants, with all PRAYERS: Lord God, heavenly Father, because the evil enemy is others who devoutly remember Your blessed Passion, a holy and always slithering after us and prowling around like a roaring lion peaceful life in this world and through Your grace eternal glory in the trying to devour us, we pray that for the sake of Your Son, Christ life to come. Amen Jesus, You would give us the Holy Spirit and strengthen our hearts by O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just Your Word, so that the enemy may not prevail over us and that we works do proceed, give unto Your servants that peace which the may always remain in Your grace and in the end be saved. Amen. world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your ��� commandments, and also that we, being defended by You from the Bestow on us, we pray, O Lord, a spirit of always pondering on what fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; is right and of hastening to carry it out, and, since without you we through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns cannot exist, may we be enabled to live according to your will; with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen Amen. THE FEAST OF ST. MATTHIAS—24 February Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. [Psalm 103.1] HIS SYMBOLS: St. Matthias’ emblem has a Bible and The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (✠) and the love of God and the a battle-axe. The Bible identifies him as a great communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. preacher of the word, and the battle axe refers to Silent Prayer his martyrdom. He is said to have been stoned then ✠✠✠ beheaded. TELL THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS Another symbol of St. Matthias is dice. St. Luke records: “And STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: “If you have many possessions, make your they cast lots for them, and the lot fell gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give on Matthias, and he was numbered according to the little you have.” [Tobit 4.8] with the eleven apostles.” [Acts 1.26]. There is no mention of a St. Matthias among the lists of disciples or followers of Jesus in the Gospels. According to Acts 1, in the days following the Ascension of Jesus, Peter proposed to the assembled disciples, who numbered about one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the apostolate.

No further information about St. St. Matthias is to be found in the New Testament. There are various traditions about St. Matthias, some quite contradictory one from the other: ● According to Nicephorus (Historia eccl., 2, 40), St. Matthias first preached the Gospel in Judaea, then in Aethiopia (made out to be a synonym for the region of Colchis, now in modern-day Georgia) and was crucified in Colchis. A marker placed in the ruins of the Roman fortress at Gonio (Apsaros) in the modern Georgian region of Adjara claims that St. Matthias is buried at that site. ● The Synopsis of Dorotheus contains this tradition: o "St. Matthias preached the Gospel to barbarians and meat-eaters in the interior of Ethiopia, where the sea harbor of Hyssus is, at the mouth of the river Phasis. He died at Sebastopolis, and was buried there, near the Temple of the Sun." ● An extant Coptic Acts of Andrew and St. Matthias, places his activity similarly in "the city of the cannibals" in Aethiopia. ● Alternately, another tradition maintains that St. Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded ● According to Hippolytus of Rome, St. Matthias died of old age in Jerusalem.