Reformation Sunday Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Appleton, Wisconsin October 25, 2020 Mission Statement Prince of Peace Lutheran Church is a family of Christians Growing in Faith and Reaching out in Love Welcome to God's House which is the spiritual home of all who worship today, wherever you may be. Part of Prince of Peace Church's mission statement says that we are "a family of Christians." Because God has made us family, we are together, even though we are physically separated, to receive the Lord's strength, comfort and peace. Christ, our brother, is with us, and his presence will change us. As new people, we leave this time of worship to live our daily lives in the world as ambassadors for Christ. Go, but remember to come home. See you next Sunday! The Glass Cross on the Altar is unique. There are only 3 of these handmade crosses in the world. The other two are in congregations with whom we share our ministry. One is on the altar of Kopano Lutheran Church in Mogwase, South Africa and the other is at the Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche Hermannstadt in Sibiu, Romania. These Lutheran churches are ministry partners with us with whom we have shared visits, resources and mutual support. Each Sunday as we gather in worship under this common cross, we are reminded of our faith in our Savior, Jesus the Christ, whose Spirit unites peoples of different countries, races, cultures and histories under His benevolent love. Worship Leaders Preaching Minister Roger McQuistion Presiding Minister Jennifer DeNetz Musicians Sondra Joten Jeff Sheffler Amy Fazel Reader Greg Grunert Technical Support Nathan Jansen Dan LaPorte 1 Reformation Sunday October 25, 2020 ELW denotes the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal P-Pastor C-Congregation GATHERING MUSIC Be My Home Handt Hanson & Paul Murakami (Based on Psalm 46) WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS P Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, who creates, redeems, and sustains us and all of creation. C Amen P Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Silence is kept for reflection. P Faithful God, C have mercy on us. We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We turn from your loving embrace and go our own ways. We pass judgment on one another before examining ourselves. We place our own needs before those of our neighbors. We keep your gift of salvation to ourselves. Make us humble, cast away our transgressions, and turn us again to life in you through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen P God hears the cries of all who call out in need, and through his death and resurrection, Christ has made us his own. Hear the truth that God proclaims: Your sins are forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ. Led by the Holy Spirit, live in freedom and newness to do God’s work in the world. C Amen GATHERING SONG A Mighty Fortress Is Our God ELW 504 A mighty fortress is our God, a sword and shield victorious; he breaks the cruel oppressor's rod and wins salvation glorious. The old satanic foe has sworn to work us woe! With craft and dreadful might he arms himself to fight. On earth he has no equal. No strength of ours can match his might! We would be lost, rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, whom God himself elected. You ask who this may be? The Lord of hosts is he! Christ Jesus, mighty Lord, God's only Son, adored. He holds the field victorious. Though hordes of devils fill the land all threat'ning to devour us, we tremble not, unmoved we stand; they cannot overpow'r us. Let this world's tyrant rage; in battle we'll engage! His might is doomed to fail; God's judgment must prevail! One little word subdues him. 2 God's Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes, who fear it; for God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child, or spouse, through life be wrenched away, they cannot win the day. The kingdom's ours forever! Text & Music: Martin Luther 1483-1546 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-703841. All rights reserved. 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. KYRIE 3 CANTICLE OF PRAISE 4 PRAYER OF THE DAY P Let us pray. C Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age. Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial, defend them against all enemies of the gospel, and bestow on the church your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen FIRST READING Jeremiah 31:31-34 The renewed covenant will not be breakable, but like the old covenant it will expect the people to live upright lives. To know the LORD means that one will defend the cause of the poor and needy (Jer. 22:16). The renewed covenant is possible only because the LORD will forgive iniquity and not remember sin. Our hope lies in a God who forgets. 31The days are surely coming, says the LORD, will put my law within them, and I will write it on when I will make a new covenant with the house their hearts; and I will be their God, and they of Israel and the house of Judah. 32It will not be shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach like the covenant that I made with their ancestors one another, or say to each other, “Know the when I took them by the hand to bring them out of LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33But forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no this is the covenant that I will make with the more. house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I R Word of God, word of life. C Thanks be to God. 5 SECOND READING Romans 3:19-28 Paul’s words stand at the heart of the preaching of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders. No human beings make themselves right with God through works of the law. We are brought into a right relationship with God through the divine activity centered in Christ’s death. This act is a gift of grace that liberates us from sin and empowers our faith in Jesus Christ. 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, speaks to those who are under the law, so that 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He may be held accountable to God. 20For “no human did this to show his righteousness, because in his being will be justified in his sight” by deeds divine forbearance he had passed over the sins prescribed by the law, for through the law comes previously committed; 26it was to prove at the the knowledge of sin. 21But now, apart from law, present time that he himself is righteous and that the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. 27Then attested by the law and the prophets, 22the what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of apart from works prescribed by the law. God; 24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, R Word of God, word of life. C Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION GOSPEL READING John 8:31-36 P The Holy Gospel according to St. John. C Glory to you, O Lord. Jesus speaks of truth and freedom as spiritual realities known through his word. He reveals the truth that sets people free from sin. Matthew 21:23-32 31Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, saying, ‘You will be made free’?” 34Jesus answered “If you continue in my word, you are truly my them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not truth will make you free.” 33They answered him, have a permanent place in the household; the son “We are descendants of Abraham and have never has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by you free, you will be free indeed.” P The Gospel of the Lord. C Praise to you, O Christ. 6 SERMON CHANGING THE RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME! Pastor Roger McQuistion HYMN OF THE DAY Thy Strong Word ELW 511 Thy strong word did cleave the darkness; at thy speaking it was done.