March 25th Midweek Service

INVOCATION & CALL TO WORSHIP

(Based on Job 19:23–27)
L: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.

L: Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,
C: That they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!

L: I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
C: And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.

L: I myself will see him with my own eyes, I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
ALL: I know that my Redeemer lives!

HYMN No 430

“My Song Is Love Unknown” (vss. 1 – 4 )

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION

L: Loving and merciful Father, when overcome by grief, like Job we wonder what happened to your love and your wonderful plan for our lives.
C: It feels as though our prayers fall on deaf ears.

L: Like Job, we begin looking for you to the east, to the west, to the north, and the south—the four points of the horizon and the compass—but you are nowhere to be found.
C: The darkness threatens to swallow us whole and we feel as though we are drowning in an ocean of divine silence.

L: Lord, then we are tempted to do something cheap or dirty,
C: Or something that will bring great shame upon us and those we love.
Have mercy on us, O God.

L: Hear the word of the Lord from Job 42:12, “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” Our God turns crucifixions into resurrections. What was dead is now alive and what was once defeat is now an everlasting triumph. Christ is alive. He forgives us all our sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: I know that my Redeemer lives!

HYMN No 430

“My Song Is Love Unknown” (vs 7)

PRAYER OF THE DAY

L: Let us pray. Merciful Father, empower us to believe that when you have tested us, we will come forth as gold, for you work all things together for our good and your everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT

Job 23:1-17
Then Job answered and said:

“Today also my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his seat!
I would lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth
more than my portion of food.
But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?
What he desires, that he does.
For he will complete what he appoints for me,
and many such things are in his mind.
Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
when I consider, I am in dread of him.
God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;
yet I am not silenced because of the darkness,
nor because thick darkness covers my face.

EPISTLE

2 Corinthians 5:14–21
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. L: This is the Word of the Lord.

GOSPEL

Luke 14:25-32
P: The Gospel according to St. Luke, the 14th Chapter
C: Glory to You, o Lord.

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN No. 752

“Be Still, My Soul”

MESSAGE

“Job: Blessed Be the Name of the Lord:Understanding How it All Works Together”
Senior Seminarian Brian Doel  (Job 23:1-17)

OFFERING

PRAYERS

L: Dear Father, you have reconciled us to yourself
through the bitter suffering and death of Jesus.
C: You have taught us our need for Jesus who is our Mediator and Messiah,

L: Our Redeemer and Friend.
C: Let him rule as our King.

L: Guide us as our Prophet.
C: And take away our sin as our High Priest.

L: Come what may we will live in him and cleave to him in faith forever.
C: For we believe that,

L: When you have tested us, we will come forth as gold.

+ Additional Prayers may be added here +

L: God of tender compassion, we believe that there’s a plan,
C: A divine plan,

L: A plan where all things are working for our good
C: And your glory.

L: And so we pray confidently in the name of Jesus Christ,
ALL: Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

(Matthew 6:9-13)
P: Remember us in Your kingdom, Lord, and teach us to pray:
All: 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.

BLESSING OF THE LORD

(Based upon Job 1:21)
L: The Lord gives,
C: And the Lord takes away,

L: Blessed be the name of the Lord.
C: Yes, blessed be the name of the Lord!

L: And so we go forth confidently in the name of our Lord,
C: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

HYMN No. 878

“Abide with Me” (vss. 1 & 4)
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if Thou abide with me.

SILENT PRAYER

With Job we say to you dear Savior,
“When you have tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Amen

Study for Next Wednesday

Read Job 38:1–11 and answer these questions:
1. Why do you think God waited so long to answer Job?
2. Job and his friends were curved in on themselves. How do these verses broaden their horizon? How do they give you perspective?
3. How has God spoken to you in your storms?