Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
FEBRUARY 4, 2024
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies Setting: Ralph C. Schultz
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies LSB 873
1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true and only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise;
Triumph o’er the shades of night.
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
3 Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 203
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O Lord,
keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Isaiah 40:21-31
Do you not know? Do you not hear?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
who brings princes to nothing,
and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows on them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(8:00) PSALM 147:1-11 (Sung responsively)
(10:30) ANTHEM Jubilation Choir Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come Setting: Mark Bender
Arise, shine; for your light has come
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you
And nations shall come to your light
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Spirit
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you
SECOND LESSON I Corinthians 9:16-27
If I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
GOSPEL VERSE (Stand) LSB 205
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Mark 1:29-39
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 1st chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
Immediately [Jesus] left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
In our 32 years of marriage, Theresa and I have owned three homes. Our first home was in Richmond where I started my career as a pastor. Our second was in Vienna – purchased at the time we moved to this area. And the third is the home in which we live now, just down the road in Dunn Loring. Each of these homes holds a place in our hearts. We put a lot of effort into each of them. And made many good memories.
In the Gospel lesson just read we hear about Jesus going to Peter and Andrew’s home. Peter and Andrew were brothers who apparently lived together with their families under the same roof, which was not an uncommon thing in that day. Note, too, that Peter at this point is still known as Simon. His new name will be given him by Jesus in chapter three. I’ll go ahead and use the name Peter now – just as Mathew does when he tells this story.
While at Peter and Andrew’s house, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law from a fever. Whether Jesus had gone to Peter’s home specifically for this purpose or not is unclear from the text.
What is clear is that Jesus then gets put to work. At sundown – once the Sabbath is over – people start bringing others to him who needed healing. Mark describes the great crowd by saying: “the whole city was gathered together at the door.”
These people may or may not have heard about the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law. However, they certainly would have heard about Jesus casting out a demon earlier that morning in the Synagogue. In fact, many of them were probably there when it happened. This account was read as our Gospel lesson last Sunday.
Mark tells us that Jesus received the crowd by healing many who were sick and casting out many demons. We’re also told that Jesus would not let the demons speak, because they knew who he was, and Jesus was not yet ready for his identity to be revealed.
The text then goes on to tell us what happened the next day. But let’s stop here first to make two applications to our times.
First, the story just told should impress upon us how wonderful it is when Jesus comes to our homes. Peter and his family were blessed beyond measure when Jesus showed up at their house, and such is the case with us as well.
Jesus comes to our homes whenever we welcome him to be there. We welcome him by invoking his name in prayer, learning about him, singing about him, and displaying images of him and his work. Theresa and I have worked to make Jesus welcome in our home, and we believe that these efforts have blessed us greatly.
Let me say, too, that Jesus sometimes makes his way into our homes even without our intentions. These are the times his presence is realized through a surprise gift, person or occasion. Our home has often been blessed in this way too.
Jesus is present when his words are known and valued. And when his teachings are followed. Of all the things we do to make our homes comfortable, beautiful, and places of healing, making sure Jesus is known and welcomed there is by far the most important.
Secondly, this first part of today’s story should also remind us that just as people came to Jesus looking for help at that home in Capernaum, so will they also come to our homes looking for his help today. They will come to both our individual homes and our church home. Knowing this, we who have Jesus in our home should be ready for their arrival.
When we are known as a believer, people will seek out our help. They will want to know about the hope that we have. And they will inquire if we might have something we can share.
Certainly this is the case at the church. We know this because of our own story. You and I have come here looking for Jesus because we need help. And others will come here for the same reason.
Notice that today’s text mentions people being brought by others. “They brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons,” it says. Just like them, someone first brought us to the church as well.
Realizing this, we should now think about bringing others. I would say that today is a day for us to think very intentionally about this. There are people in our circles who would appreciate an invitation. And even if they don’t accept, they will be glad that we thought of them.
Let us remember, too, that the Holy Spirit is out there in the world issuing invitations as well. And these invitations are even stronger than ours. These invitations will draw people to seek out Jesus’ help. Our task is to be ready to receive them.
At church, this means being a congregation that notices new people and welcomes them. And by “congregation” I mean all of us, not just the assigned greeter for the day. All of us have an obligation to get to know one another and welcome those who are new in our midst.
But now let’s return to the narrative of today’s text.
After what must have been a very late night of serving, one would think Jesus might sleep in the next morning, or at least make plans to stay in town a while and continue his work. But Jesus did neither.
The next morning he arose early, while it was still dark, and went off by himself to a quiet place to pray. I’ve emphasized this action of Jesus in previous sermons, so I won’t say much about it now. But of course it’s obvious that starting off the day in prayer and making time for retreats with the Lord are both excellent ideas.
As to what happens next, when his disciples finally find Jesus, and tell him how everyone is looking for him, Jesus says: “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also.” And here we see that the people clearly wanted him to stay, but Jesus was ready to move on.
That’s because Jesus knew that a home, as wonderful as it is, was not a part of his calling. He would explain this later by saying: “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt. 8:20). Jesus needed to be on the road instead. He had a message to get out, and people to serve.
The same can be said of us. We are called to be witnesses of God’s grace, not just recipients. And just as the Son of Man came to serve, so also are we called to serve.
Therefore, maybe this text today is asking us to consider whether our love of home is getting in the way of our call to witness and serve. Yes, it’s good to put money and effort into our homes. But not at the expense of our outreach.
Here, again, we should be thinking about both our own homes and our church home.
Regarding our own homes, achieving a level of comfort that renews and sustains us is important. As is achieving beauty, which welcomes and delights. We should pursue these according to our need, and especially as these make it easier for people to come to our homes and find Jesus.
But home is not everything. Not when we are people with a calling. We are also to be out and about in the world. And the requirements of homes should never keep us from being people of mission.
The same is true for our church home. We have a very lovely home here at St. Paul’s. And we love to care for it, decorate it, add to it and show it off. We can be proud of this home. And we should be.
This can be said of the church’s people too – which is the greater definition of church. We love to be with these people, just as we love to be in this building. But just like Jesus, we also need to move on to other towns and preach.
In other words, we are to take our Christian faith outside of these walls and outside of these conversations and share it with the people we meet during the week. We are to see the needs of others and bring the power of Jesus to help and heal.
I noticed this two-pronged approach of both inside and outside our homes in a verse of today’s Psalm. Psalm 147:2 says: “The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.”
Jerusalem here can be thought of as our home, just like in the hymn: Jerusalem, My Happy Home. The Lord builds up this home. But he also goes outside of it to gather outcasts. These outcasts, who are outside the home for one reason or another, are the object of God’s mission.
In the snapshot Mark gives us of the early ministry of Jesus, we see him on the move. He cares for Peter’s family and has other families to care for as well. We are invited to see this ministry of Jesus as an act of restoration. Jesus is coming to the world and transforming it into his home, for his people.
This work of Jesus will take him to the cross, where he will find the outcast, the rejected, the shamed, the abusers, and the abused. And there, on the cross, he will take God’s punishment for all sin upon himself that he might bring God’s restoration to the farthest corners of the earth. Sinners and sufferers will all find a place in God’s Kingdom where they are welcomed home; not merely tolerated, not merely accepted, but forgiven and never forsaken. They will be welcomed home.
When people move in to a new house, the question that usually gets asked is: “are you getting settled?” Settling in always takes time – and we all know this. Yet how do we know when the “settling” has been achieved? Might it just be an ongoing process instead?
In the same way, whether you have been a member of this church home for many years or just walked in today to visit, know that we are all still in the process of settling in. For just as it takes time to settle into a new home, so also the Kingdom of God, begun in Jesus, has not been fully realized and will not be fully realized until Jesus returns. Until that time, we are all settling in.
We are brought into God’s Kingdom by baptism, but it takes time for us to settle in. And this reminds us that God’s ministry is not just limited to his work on Sunday morning. Nor is Christ’s Kingdom just a teaching to be understood. Rather, it is the world of our ordinary lives filled with God’s extraordinary love. Jesus extends his care to the smallest aspects of our existence. He can remove a fever and bless our making of a meal. He reaches from our churches to our homes and from our homes into our communities and, thereby, slowly reveals to the world what it means to have a Savior.
May God then bless us as we reach out with this message. And may we always find our true home in him.
In the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Hail to the Lord’s Anointed LSB 398
1 Hail to the Lord’s anointed,
Great David’s greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free,
To take away transgression
And rule in equity.
2 He comes with rescue speedy
To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy
And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying,
Were precious in His sight.
3 He shall come down like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
Spring in His path to birth.
Before Him on the mountains
Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness in fountains
From hill to valley flow.
4 Kings shall fall down before Him
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him,
His praise all people sing.
To Him shall prayer unceasing
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing,
A kingdom without end.
5 O’er ev’ry foe victorious,
He on His throne shall rest,
From age to age more glorious,
All blessing and all-blest.
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever—
That name to us is Love.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will 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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Dear Father, we give you thanks for sending Your Son Jesus Christ into our flesh to preach the Gospel and cast out the works of Satan, including the corruption of sin which we could not overcome. By Your Word, rescue us from every evil of body and soul, and keep us in the Gospel’s saving faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of the Church, give joy to Your servants on whom You have laid the necessity to preach the Gospel, that many would be saved in every nation and that together we may share in the blessings of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, give to all Christian homes the endurance that comes from Your Holy Spirit, that husbands and wives, parents and children may be disciplined and self-controlled in their duties, run their course in this life, and continue to the end in the holy Christian faith, ready to receive the imperishable wreath of eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, Creator of the world and its foundations, You hold sway over the powers of nature and the rulers of the earth. Graciously preserve our land, its produce and industry, and its leaders and people. Do not disregard us for our sins but renew us, that our lives may be peaceful, and our country governed according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, Your Son is the Great Physician of body and soul at whose hand demon, disease and every ill must turn away. We bring before You those in any need, especially Geraine, Ann, Sophia, Dolly, Norma, Brooks, Trudy, Mary Ann, June, Peter, Wendy, James, Russell, Rich, Tawni, Marvin, Yi, Linda and all those who mourn, and those whom we name in our hearts at this time…. Grant them help and healing according to your promises. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Father, where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation. Bring us in faith to Your Holy Sacrament, that the blood of Christ, which atoned for our sins, may strengthen us against every spiritual attack of the devil, turn us in love toward our neighbor, preserve us in body and soul to life everlasting, and make us whole. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
OFFERTORY VERSE O Living Bread from Heaven LSB 642
O living Bread from heaven,
How well You feed your guest!
The gifts that You have given
Have filled my heart with rest.
Oh, wondrous food of blessing,
Oh, cup that heals our woes!
My heart, this gift possessing,
With praises overflows.
✠ ✠ ✠
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE (Stand) LSB 208-210
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right, and salutary … Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS LSB 208
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
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.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 210
1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
DISTRIBUTION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
COMMUNION HYMN O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild LSB 546
1 O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
For sinners You became a child.
You came from heaven down to earth
In human flesh through human birth.
O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
2 O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
With God we now are reconciled.
You have for all the ransom paid,
Your Father’s righteous anger stayed.
O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
3 O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
Joy fills the world which sin defiled.
Whate’er we have belongs to You;
O keep us faithful, strong, and true.
O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!
BLESSING
NUNC DIMITTIS (Stand) LSB 211
1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding.
PRAYER
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Songs of Thankfulness and Praise LSB 394
1 Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David’s stem
In Thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
2 Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow’r divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
3 Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
4 Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heav’ns shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.
5 Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Present in Thy holy Word—
Grace to imitate Thee now
And be pure, as pure art Thou;
That we might become like Thee
At Thy great epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Songs of Thankfulness and Praise Setting: Robert Linn
FELLOWSHIP: Board of Property Management
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.
Greeter: Jim Easterly
Comm. assist: Dede Dixon
Reader: Dede Dixon
10:30 a.m.
Greeter: Aaron Siebrass
Comm. assist: Jill Hecht
Reader: Dan Buuck
Acolyte: Elise Yashar
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
642 O Living Bread from Heaven Text: Johann Rist, 1607–67; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt. Tune: Musae Sioniae, 1609, vol. 7, Wolfenbüttel, ed. Michael Praetorius Text and tune: Public domain
873 Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88 Tune: attr. Johann G. Werner, 1777–1822 Text and tune: Public domain
398 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed Text: James Montgomery, 1771–1854, alt. Tune: Leonhart Schröter, c. 1532–c. 1601 Text and tune: Public domain
546 O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild Text: Valentin Thilo, 1607–62, abr.; (st. 1): tr. Geoffrey W. Daisley, 1877–1939, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. Frieda Pietsch, 1904–82, alt.
Tune: Geistliche Kirchengesäng, 1623, Köln Text and tune: Public domain
394 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85, alt. Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93 Text and tune: Public domain
