Worship Outline and Sermon

Worship Outline: November16, 2025 - Time after Pentecost (Service of the Word)

Introduction to the day

The end is near. There is no doubt about it. The warnings are dire. The tone of today’s texts is ominous. But the baptized know how to live in the meantime. The baptized are strengthened for the living of these days in word and sacrament. The baptized rally around the invitation of the apostle: “Do not be weary in doing what is right.”

Time for Quiet Reflection and Prayer

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

(*=stand, as able)

*Opening Song Rise Up, O Saints of God! (# 669)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQil4RTBXeU

Rise up, O saints of God!

From vain ambitions turn;

Christ rose triumphant that your hearts

With nobler zeal might burn.

Speak out, O saints of God!

Despair engulfs earth’s frame;

As heirs of God’s baptismal grace,

The word of hope proclaim.

Rise up, O saints of God!

The kingdom’s task embrace;

Redress sin’s cruel consequence;

Give justice larger place.

Give heed, O saints of God!

Creation cries in pain;

Stretch forth your hand of healing now,

With love the weak sustain.

Commit your hearts to seek

The paths which Christ has trod;

And, quickened by the Spirit’s pow’r,

Rise up, O saints of God!

*Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

*Canticle of Praise Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

(# 886, st. 1-3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZPHUrJvKe4

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer’s praise,

The glories of my God and king,

The triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,

Assist me to proclaim,

To spread through all the earth abroad

The honours of your name.

The name of Jesus charms our fears

And bids our sorrows cease,

Sings music in the sinner’s ears,

Brings life and health and peace.

(Text: Charles Wesley, alt. Music: Carl G. Gläser; arr. Lowell Mason. Text and music: public domain.)

*Prayer of the Day

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy. Embrace us with your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may live through what is temporary without losing what is eternal, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

First Reading: Psalm 98

In righteousness will the Lord judge the world. (Ps. 98:9)

1 Sing a new song to the Lord, who has done marvelous things,
whose right hand and holy arm have won the victory.
2 O Lord, you have made known your victory,
you have revealed your righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 You remember your steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
5 Sing to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the voice of song.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy before the king, the Lord.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it,
the world and those who dwell therein.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord, who comes to judge

the earth.
9 The Lord will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Hymn Earth and All Stars (# 731, st. 1,2, and 5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IqSuduqjAc

Earth and all stars!

Loud rushing planets!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Hail, wind, and rain!

Loud blowing snowstorm!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain:

God has done marvelous things!

I too sing praises with a new song!

Trumpet and pipes,

Loud clashing cymbals!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Harp, lute, and lyre!

Loud humming cellos!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain:

Knowledge and truth!

Loud sounding wisdom!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Daughter and son!

Loud praying members!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain:

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Some members of the Thessalonian community, because of their belief in the nearness of Christ’s return, had ceased to work, living off the generosity of other members of the community. The writer of this letter warns them bluntly that if they want to eat, they need to work.

6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister living irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not irresponsible when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living irresponsibly, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

*Gospel Acclamation (said)

Alleluia. Stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Alleluia. (Luke 21:28)

*Gospel: Luke 21:5-19

The Holy Gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.

As history moves toward God’s fulfillment there will be frightening signs and events. Before the end, believers will draw strength from their relationship to God and will be given the words they need to testify and to endure without fear.

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

*Hymn of the Day Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me

(# 767)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5RpGUTccXA

Lord, take my hand and lead me

Upon life’s way;

Direct, protect, and feed me

From day to day.

Without your grace and favour

I go astray;

So take my hand, O Saviour,

And lead the way.

Lord, when the tempest rages,

I need not fear;

For you, the Rock of Ages,

Are always near.

Close by your side abiding,

I fear no foe,

For when your hand is guiding,

In peace I go.

Lord, when the shadows lengthen

And night has come,

I know that you will strengthen

My steps toward home,

Then nothing can impede me,

O blessed Friend!

So, take my hand and lead me

Unto the end.

(Text: Julie von Hausmann; tr. ‘Lutheran Book of Worship’; © 1978, Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted with permission under OneLicense.net #A-714392. All rights reserved. Music: Friedrich Silcher, public domain.)

Offering (please be seated)

As the gifts are collected and brought forward, please join in singing:

Offertory Children of the Heavenly Father (# 781)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4qTnm24QKM

Children of the heavenly Father

Safely in his bosom gather;

Nestling bird nor star in heaven

Such a refuge e’er was given.

God his own doth tend and nourish,

In his holy courts they flourish.

From all evil things he spares them,

In his mighty arms he bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever

From the Lord his children sever;

Unto them his grace he showeth,

And their sorrows all he knoweth.

Though he giveth or he taketh,

God his children ne’er forsaketh;

His the loving purpose solely

To preserve them pure and holy.

(Text: Carolina Sandell Berg; tr. Ernst W. Olson. © 1925, 1953, Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted with permission under OneLicense.net #A-714392. All rights reserved. Music: Swedish folk tune, public domain.)

Offering Prayer

Lord of the harvest, we return to you a portion of what you have given to us. Multiply what we have gathered to bless all who are suffering and in need, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Prayers of Intercession

Gathered with one voice, we offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.

God of the generations, be with the leaders of your church, including our National Church Council, as they help us all proclaim the gospel. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

God of roaring seas, in a world of earthquake, famine, and plague, use your mighty power to nurture the land and all that lives upon it. Restore peoples and places experiencing natural disaster. Strengthen organizations who provide aid to any in crisis. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

God of victory, among quests for power, guide those in government, courts, law enforcement agencies, and the military. Turn us from war and violence to actions of care that build up the common good. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

God of healing, care for all who are ill, anxious, or in pain of any kind. Those we remember include … Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

God of the busy streets and the quiet corners, listen to our silent prayers ... Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

God of every age, we remember the saints with steadfast love and faithfulness … Confident in Christ’s victory over death, may we be inspired by the example of the faithful. Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.

We offer these and all our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your grace and unyielding love; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

*Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus 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.

*Blessing

The love of God the Sovereign strengthen you, God the Son save you, and God the Holy Spirit anoint you for the work ahead. The holy Trinity bless you ☩ and grant you a faithful and courageous heart now and forever. Amen.

*Sending Song You Servants of God (# 825)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv_FMTBL9PU

You servants of God, your Master proclaim,

And publish abroad his wonderful name;

The name all victorious, of Jesus extol;

His kingdom is glorious and rules over all!

Ascended on high, almighty to save,

Yet still he is nigh, his presence we have.

The great congregation his triumph shall sing,

Ascribing salvation to Jesus our king!

Salvation to God who sits on the throne!

Let all cry aloud and honour the Son.

The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,

Fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore and give him his right,

All glory and pow’r and wisdom and might,

All honour and blessing, with angels above,

And thanks never ceasing and infinite Love!

(Text: Charles Wesley, alt. Music: attr. Johann Michael Haydn. Text and music: public domain.)

*Dismissal

Go in peace, in our Saviour’s name.

Thanks be to God!

Sermon: November 16, 2025 - Time after Pentecost: Remembrance Sunday

Text: Luke 21:14-15

Many persons have several favourite passages in the Bible that provide comfort and hope. However, this reading from Luke doesn’t immediately come to mind. Instead of affirming that the Lord is our shepherd, or that one day we will fully know God even as God already fully knows us, or that all are one in Christ, Jesus here speaks of chaos, destructive change, and incredibly difficult times ahead for people of faith. Instead of being counted as one of God’s lambs, kept safely within the pen, it sounds more like those who believe are, as we hear from Paul, ‘sheep being led to be slaughtered.’

Images like this aren’t likely to attract loud crowds, expecting blessings and rewards for faith. There is no ‘prosperity’ gospel being preached here. So, then, why is this a traditional reading at the end of the church year? What is in these words of our Saviour that might offer hope to us sitting here today and thinking about the world outside these walls? What can Jesus offer to us in the midst of our reality, to have this end up on our list of favourite readings, even far down in the ranking?

The background of this reading today is only hinted at in the first verses. The disciples have been having a conversation admiring the temple, especially its stones and the magnificence and sense of permanence that they suggest. Jesus interrupts them to in effect say, ‘Not so fast. Nothing is so strong that it will not one day crumble. Even this time together of journeying and discipleship we are experiencing now and enjoying so much will come to and end. ‘No one will get through unscathed.’ (WP)

Kendra Mohn, a Lutheran pastor in Texas, observes in a recent column that whether we are people of faith or not, this faith-shaking reality of which Jesus speaks often seems not to have changed all that much even down to the present. So many times we can be tempted to ‘marvel at our own abilities as humans and often see the achievements of wealth and power as permanent, or at least as lasting—impenetrable’. Yet she argues that ‘the fragility in the text’ should, , cause us to ‘assume instability, persecution, and unfair systems’. We live ‘in a world where global and national news is available constantly with endless viewpoints on what it all means, where dire predictions of subsequent developments or assessments of decisions’ are all around us. We live amid ‘a sense of accelerated instability. We can even come to say, “I’m normally not an alarmist, but do you think [X, Y, Z] is possible?” (WP)

A commentator asked recently on the Church of Scotland website, ‘In the midst of the terrifying words of Jesus about wars, disasters and nations rising against nations, what are we to do with the reality that we see on our TV screens and as we perhaps indulge in doom scrolling on our phones? Not much in the present, and little more in history, has revealed ‘a satisfactory response to war, famine, natural disaster’, with or without the hand of God guiding those responding. Because of this, it is tempting ‘ to hope that these things won’t directly impact us and we can’ merely ride it out. We’ll be quiet, do nothing, and hope that that we can avoid, survive, whatever comes our way.

Yet rather than advising us to go hide in the bush, Jesus calls you and me to listen, to make space for Christ in our lives. It is in the waiting, in the listening, in the praying, that we give God a chance to speak to us, time to show us the way forward. Creator uses these moments to open our hearts and minds to the words and wisdom that will be necessary for us to live in faith and to share our hope. Creator promises to show you and me through the obstacles and minefields, until the promised day of God’s revelation comes.

In the midst of the destructive, fleeting, powers of this world, when we take time to be still, to wait, eventually we can hear Christ calling us, in the words of that same writer, into ‘the act of creating, of reconciling and peace-making, of showing love to those who might seek conflict or have a different agenda.’ Through God’s presence, we receive a voice, ‘we find ways of speaking to our faith and belief, in profound and meaningful ways that heal and unite’.

One of the songs for ‘End Time’ in the red book is ‘Soon and very soon’. In it Andrae Couch calls us to imagine the time to come when we will be with the king, when all that is temporary and destructive in this world will come to an end. So we can sing, ‘No more dying there’, ‘no more crying there’, we’re going to see the King.

This is the final promise of Jesus in our reading from Luke. In the meantime, Jesus calls us to listen, to hold on, and to be active, sharing the good news of Christ in ways that might only reach one or two people, or in ways that call out those powers that deny the love of God. In the midst of forces that can threaten us, overpower us, cause us to doubt, these words of Julie von Hausmann, sung often at Confirmation, can remain our response to Jesus today: ‘Lord, take my hand and lead me upon life’s way; direct, protect, and feed me from day to day. Without your grace and favour I go astray; so take my hand, O Saviour, and lead the way. \ Lord when the tempest rages, I need not fear; for you, the Rock of Ages, are always near. Close by your side abiding, I fear no foe, for when your hand is guiding, in peace, I go’.

We go in hope, into God’s world. Amen.

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