LUTHERAN CHURCH The Heart of Christ in the Heart of the City – APRIL 1, 2021

WELCOME Pastor Jason Adams Thank you for worshiping at home with us. This resource is meant to help us all share in worship even though we can’t be together in person. If you’re able, you may also want to join us online. We’ll be live streaming this order of worship at 9:00am on Sunday at www.facebook.com/reformationlasvegas

As we continue to adapt to the decline in COVID-19 and adjust office procedures and worship schedules, we want to hear from you. Please be assured that communications to the church office will be received and answered as quickly as possible. If you or someone you know is in need of help, you can always email [email protected] or call 702-732-2052. You can also reach Pastor Jason’s cell phone at 702-443-0582.

PRELUDE What Wondrous Love Is This American Folk Hymn

CALL TO WORSHIP P Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. C Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”

P In worship on this night, we testify to God’s love shown perfectly in Christ. C We recommit ourselves to love one another as a community of faith.

P O taste and see that the Lord is good! C Come, let us worship the Lord!

HYMN Around You, O Lord Jesus Hymn #468

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Friends in Christ, in this Lenten season we have heard our Lord's call to struggle against sin, death, and the devil—all that keeps us from loving God and each other.

This is the ministry to which we were called at baptism.

God never wearies of forgiving sin and giving the peace of reconciliation. On this night let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor, and enter the celebration of the great Three Days reconciled with God and with one another. Silence is kept for reflection. P Most merciful God, C we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we

have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

P God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. C Amen.

GREETING P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY Divine Servant, You gave up all the power of the universe to serve humanity in the body of one who would endure great suffering. By your ultimate sacrifice you taught us how to serve. Make us grateful servants of the people of the earth, and feed our souls with your holy meal, for the sake of the one who held back nothing to give us everything, Jesus Christ our savior. Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley Traditional Spiritual

LENTEN ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL The Gospel according to Luke 22:1-27: Glory to you, O Lord. 1Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. 3Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it." 9They asked him, "Where do you want us to make preparations for it?" 10Listen, he said to them, "when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11and say to the owner of the house, 'The teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" ' 12He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there." 13So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

14When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 20And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

21But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. 22For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!" 23Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this. 24A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

P The Gospel of the Lord. C Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON “The One Who Serves” Pastor Matt Metevelis

HYMN OF THE DAY Go To Dark Gethsemane Hymn #347 PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

PEACE P The peace of Christ be with you always. C And also with you.

Pass the peace in the comments! Post an emoji or comment as we share the peace of Christ! THE OFFERING All that we have belongs to God, and we give faithfully in gratitude for God’s abundance, as a practice of discipleship, and to serve the needs of those around us. Our mission to bless and serve our neighbors matters now more than ever. You can give your offering online to Reformation at www.reformationlasvegas.org

Using the Give+ App (simply giving) on your smart phone: 1. Download the free mobile app from the App Store or Google Play by searching for “GivePlus.” 2. Locate our church by ZIP code (89104) or name. 3. Donate! or by mail to: Reformation Lutheran Church 580 E. Saint Louis Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89104

Thank you for your generosity!

OFFERTORY And Can It Be That I Should Gain T. Campbell OFFERING PRAYER P Let us pray. C maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: ourselves, 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, who teaches us to pray…

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.

PSALM (to be read during the Stripping of the ) Psalm 88

O LORD, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, 2 let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry. 3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I am like those who have no help, 5 like those forsaken among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. 6 You have put me in the depths of the Pit, in the regions dark and deep. 7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. 8 You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a thing of horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 9 my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call on you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the shades rise up to praise you? 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness? 13 But I, O LORD, cry out to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 O LORD, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me? 15 Wretched and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am desperate. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your dread assaults destroy me. 17 They surround me like a flood all day long; from all sides they close in on me. 18 You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me; my companions are in darkness.

STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR As linens, paraments, banners and books are removed from the worship space, the congregation may sit in reflective contemplation. When the Pastors depart with the Lectern Bible, the worship is ended.

TONIGHT’S WORSHIP TEAM

Worship Assistants: Patt Burton

Reader: Kent Larson

Altar Guild: Dana Russell

Stripping of the Altar: Pastor Jason and Pastor Matt and Members of Reformation

Good Friday

Reformation Lutheran Church

Good Friday 6pm Online Worship Bishop Deborah Hutterer, preaching Sunday, April 4th *Holy Communion at both services 7:30am SonRise Worship in the courtyard 9:00am Easter Sunday worship Edwins Hall 10:15am Easter Egg Hunt

Reformation Lutheran Church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.