Worship Notes for Pentecost 9 (Commemoration of Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr)

Thursday after Pentecost 8

August 7, 2014

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the Commemoration of Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr. At this point I usually add a little bit about the commemoration, however I will not this week because I plan to tell his story in the sermon, “Facing Life’s Storms.” The appointed lessons for Sunday are Job 38:4-18, Romans 10:5-17 and Matthew 14:22-33. The text for Sunday’s message is Matthew 14:27.

For our liturgy Sunday we will use setting 4 of the Divine Service (page 203). With the introduction of Lutheran Worship back in the eighties the terminology “Divine Service” was introduced into the Missouri Synod for Communion Services. I think the reasoning is to accent the gifts of God we receive. So, as Sunday is a “Divine Service,” it is a communion service where we receive the gifts of God in both word and sacrament. As a communion service we have an opening hymn, sermon hymn, closing hymn, and distribution hymns. Sunday’s hymns will be, Opening hymn: “How Wide the Love of Christ” (LSB 535); Sermon hymn: “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” (LSB 575); Closing hymn: “Abide, O Dearest Jesus” (LSB 919); and our Distribution hymns will be “For Me to Live Is Jesus” (LSB 742); “The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord” (LSB 634) and “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee” (LSB 632).

It is always a good idea to prepare oneself for the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:28), but this is especially true when using setting 4 as it affords less time for preparation in the actual service. Psalm 38 is one of the many Psalms that is of real value for meditation as one prepares for the Lord’s Supper. I recommend spending some time pondering it before Sunday.

This marks the second week we will be singing “How Wide the Love of Christ” (LSB 535). I posted a Bible study last week based on its words and the biblical passages that informed the writing of the hymn. This week I posted a Bible study based on the words and biblical passages that informed the writing of our sermon hymn, “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” (LSB 575). While both studies are on this main page, it might be easier to find them by going to the “Bible Studies Based on Hymns” page and clicking on the link. The “Bible Studies Based on Hymns” page link can be found on the right-hand side of this blog, near the top, with all the other “pages.” The Bible studies are listed by hymn number.

Below is a video of our closing hymn, “Abide, O Dearest Jesus” sung in something like a “Contemporary Christian Music” style. It is just one fellow on a guitar. Guitar buffs will recognize the instruments as an Ovation.

Our Sunday morning Bible hour begins at 9:00 am. We are in the fourth and last chapter of Ruth. Everyone is welcome.

What now follows is first a summary of Sunday’s lessons, provided by the LC-MS, and then the actual lessons.

Christ the Crucified Comes to Save Us by the Word of Faith

The Lord who “laid the foundation of the earth” (Job 38:4) is the Author and Giver of life who governs all things by His Word. His wisdom and power are beyond our understanding, except as He reveals Himself in the incarnate Word, Christ Jesus. He has “entered into the springs of the sea” and “walked in the recesses of the deep” (Job 38:16), and He draws near to us in mercy. We have been “a long way from the land, beaten by the waves,” and tossed about by hostile winds (Matt. 14:24). In our mortality and sinful unbelief, we do not always recognize the Lord Jesus. But as we cry out in fear, He speaks tenderly to us: “Do not be afraid,” and He reaches out His hand to save us (Matt. 14:27, 31). “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13), and now we call upon Him in faith, because we have heard “through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (Rom. 10:8).

Job 38:4-18

⁴        “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

                   Tell me, if you have understanding.

⁵         Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

                   Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶         On what were its bases sunk,

                   or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷         when the morning stars sang together

                   and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸         “Or who shut in the sea with doors

                   when it burst out from the womb,

⁹         when I made clouds its garment

                   and thick darkness its swaddling band,

¹⁰        and prescribed limits for it

                   and set bars and doors,

¹¹        and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

                   and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

¹²             “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

                   and caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³        that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,

                   and the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴        It is changed like clay under the seal,

                   and its features stand out like a garment.

¹⁵        From the wicked their light is withheld,

                   and their uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶        “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,

                   or walked in the recesses of the deep?

¹⁷        Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

                   or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

¹⁸        Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

                   Declare, if you know all this.

Romans 10:5–17

⁵         For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴        How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? ¹⁵And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Matthew 14:22-33

²²        Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. ²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. ²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

²⁸        And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” ³¹Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³²And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Some Quick Notes:

• Our Circuit Forum will be at Mt. Olive, Irmo, this coming Saturday (9^th). Our representatives are Wayne Mabb and Kitty Rickert.

• The Board of Evangelism will meet Sunday following our worship service.

• Our “Jesse’s Supplies” drive will wrap-up this coming Tuesday, August 12. We will pick-up the supplies left out by the church’s neighbors and deliver them to Jesse Boyd Elementary School on Wednesday. This is one way we at Lamb of God walk in harmony with our neighbors and express the three-fold emphasis of our Synod, “Witness, Mercy, and Life Together.”

• Our Summer Series, “Resolving Everyday Conflict,” has only one meeting left. It has been a very good series and an expression of our “Life Together.”

Well, I pray we will see you Sunday morning.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John Rickert