St. Matthew Lutheran Church

3620 Red Rose Farm Road, Baltimore, MD 21220

Saturday, February 27, 2021 @ 6pm

Conference Call Service in the Octave of Invocavit/the Saturday in week 1 of the Lenten Season

Order of Service:

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Dialogue

Opening Hymn – LBW # 91“Savior, When in Dust to You”

Salutation & Prayer

Psalm # 22:22-30

Scripture Lessons – Genesis 16:7-15 & Mark 8:27-30

Sermon

Gospel Canticle

Apostle’s Creed

Prayers of the Church

Lord’s Prayer

Luther’s Evening Prayer

Closing Hymn – LBW # 100“Deep Were His Wounds”

Benediction & Dismissal

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Welcome and Announcements           (Pastor John)

 

Opening Dialogue       Versicles         (delivered by Pastor Bill Wallace and responses by Lee Dobry)

Pastor Bill Wallace: Behold, now is the acceptable time;

Lee Dobry: now is the day of salvation.

Pastor Bill Wallace: Turn us again, O God of our salvation,

Lee Dobry: that the light of your face may shine on us.

Pastor Bill Wallace: May your justice shine like the sun;

Lee Dobry: and may the poor be lifted up.

 

(Pastor Bill Wallace: Our opening hymn is hymn # 91, “Savior, When in Dust to You”, from the LBW)

 

Opening Hymn  LBW # 91 “When in Dust to You” (sung by Pastor Bill Gies & Darlene Ramsey)

 

Salutation & Prayer    (delivered by Pastor Bill Wallace and responses by Lee Dobry)

Pastor Bill Wallace: The Lord be with you.

Lee Dobry: And also with you.

Pastor Bill Wallace: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Lee Dobry: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Pastor Bill Wallace: Let us pray…Eternal and Immortal God, only you are able to transform the hopelessness of a shameful death into the hope and promise of eternal life. Show us the way to stand firm in the promise of eternal life through all of life’s trials and tragedies; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

 

Psalm               Psalm # 22:22-30                    (recited by Darlene Ramsey)

The psalmist proclaimed the steadfast love of God for the afflicted. Nothing goes unnoticed by the Lord, especially those who are in trouble or pain. The Lord never hides his face from those who need him. This is cause for praise and worship of the Lord Most High; it is fitting to tell all generations about his righteousness.

 

22Praise the Lord, you that fear him; stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob’s line, give glory. 23For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them; but when they cry to him he hears them. 24My praise is of him in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him. 25The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: “May your heart live forever!” 26All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. 27For kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules over the nations. 28To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust fall before him. 29My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him; they shall be known as the Lord’s forever. 30They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn the saving deeds that he has done. (This is the word of the Lord, thanks be to God.)

 

Scripture Reading      

Old Testament Reading from Genesis 16:7-15                  (read by Lee Dobry)

Sarai seeks alternative means for fulfilling God’s promise. When God provides a son to Hagar, discord and strife arise because of jealousy and pride. How often our own households and marriages are torn asunder when we devise ways and means that god has not commanded! Consider how willing our Lord was to submit Himself to everything the Father willed, even when that meant suffering at the hands of evil men and dying in their place. He has seen your suffering and has taken it upon Himself. By His dying and His rising, He makes sure the God who sees all is now graciously disposed toward you.   

 

7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

 

13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. (This is the word of the Lord, thanks be to God.)

 

Gospel Reading from Mark 8:27-30                       (announced by Lee Dobry and read by Pastor Bill Wallace)

(Lee Dobry): The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 8th Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.

 

(Pastor Bill Wallace):

For the first time in Mark, one of the Twelve recognizes Jesus as the Christ, God’s Anointed One. How slow we are and how dull is our understanding of Jesus’ divinity! We see and yet do not see. And so it is that Jesus graciously continues revealing Himself to us through Word and Sacrament. His Spirit works in us the faith that claims, “Jesus is the Christ”.      

 

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. (This is the word of the Lord, thanks be to God.)

 

Sermon            (delivered by Pastor Bill Wallace)

 

Gospel Canticle  (sung by Pastor Bill Gies & Darlene Ramsey)

 

Apostle’s Creed          (lead and recited by Pastor Bill Wallace)

God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith:

 

I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

Prayers of the Church             (from the LBW pg. 168-173, sung and responded by Pastor Bill Gies and Darlene Ramsey)

 

The Lord’s Prayer       (recited by Pastor Bill Wallace)

Let us pray together the prayer our Savior taught us: 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.

 

Luther’s Evening Prayer         (recited by Pastor Bill Wallace)

Hear our petitions, O Lord, as we receive the forgiveness of sin through repentance, and salvation in Jesus Christ through faith, let us pray…Lord Jesus, precious Savior, who went all the way to the cross to redeem us, lost and condemned creatures, graciously look upon us in the Lenten season, and let us find cleansing and healing in Your precious blood. Our transgressions caused You the agony of the garden. Our sins nailed You to the accursed tree. You were forsaken so that we would not be forsaken throughout all eternity. Make us see the awfulness of our sin and then Your wonderous love that would not let us die.

 

Grant that we may ponder day after day upon Your passion. Let nothing distracting take our thoughts from You. Draw us closer that we might find in You forgiveness and peace.

 

Bless this Lenten season in our many Lutheran congregations. Grant to the pastors grace to proclaim Your glorious passion with consecrated hearts, that all who hear this message of reconciliation may love You more and more. Abide with our households, and let sin have no domain over us. As we ponder anew Your death for my transgressions, make us bold to live to You today and tomorrow and forever. Amen.

 

(Pastor Bill Wallace: Our closing hymn is hymn # 100“Deep Were His Wounds” in the LBW.)

 

Closing Hymn LBW # 100“Deep Were His Wounds” (sung by Pastor Bill Gies and Darlene Ramsey)

 

Benediction & Dismissal        (lead by Pastor Bill Wallace and responses by Lee Dobry)

(Pastor Bill Wallace): The blessing of God Almighty, the wisdom and power of Christ Jesus, and the light of the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.  

(Lee Dobry): Amen.

(Pastor Bill Wallace):  Go in peace. Remember the suffering and poor.  

(Lee Dobry): Thanks be to God!