Immanuel Church Windows Worship Service
September 15 & 16, 2018
Today our service is based around the 12 stained glass windows in our sanctuary. These windows tell the story of God’s love and salvation. When the old 1881 church was built, it did not have stained glass. But in 1940, these windows were dedicated in the old church, and in 2007 they were placed in our new church building. We pray that God will speak to us through them today to encourage and strengthen our Christian faith.
We read in Isaiah 6:1-3: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on His throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with 6 wings: With 2 wings they covered their faces, with 2 they covered their feet, and with 2 they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.”
We worship the Triune God as we sing: #507, vv. 1, 4
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our songs shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God I three persons, blessed Trinity!
Let us take a moment of silence to ponder and confess our sins to our God.
We read in John 1:29: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We further read Revelation 5:11-14: Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Let us sing Hymn #550.
Your only Son, no sin to hide, But You have sent Him from Your side To walk upon this guilty sod, and to become the Lamb of God. O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God! O wash me in His precious blood, My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Your gift of love they crucified, They laughed and scorned Him as He died: The humble King they named a fraud, And sacrificed the Lamb of God. O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God! O wash me in His precious blood, My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
I was so lost, I should have died, But You have brought me to Your side To be led by Your staff and rod, And to be called a lamb of God. O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God! O wash me in His precious blood, My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
We read Philippians 2:5-11: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on death, and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Also, we read Revelation 2:10 where Jesus urges us: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.””
Let us now sing verse 1 of #664.
Fight the good fight with all your might; Christ is your strength and Christ your right. Lay hold on life, and it shall be Your joy and crown eternally.
Reading from I John 1:7-9: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
We sing of this truth in #563, vv. 1, 3
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head.
Lord, I believe Thy precious blood, Which at the mercy seat of God Pleads for the captives’ liberty, Was also shed in love for me.
In Matthew 26:26-28, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Super, which we also observe this day.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
In Holy Communion, Jesus nurtures our faith and strengthen our souls with His true body and His true and precious blood. In anticipation of our communing at the Lord’s altar today, we sing hymn 637, vv. 1,3.
Draw near and take the Body of the Lord, and drink the holy blood for you outpoured; Offered was He for greatest and for least, Himself the victim and Himself the priest. Come forward then with faithful hearts sincere, And take the pledges of salvation here. O Lord, our hearts with grateful thanks endow As in this feast of love You bless us now.
We join in singing #709, vv. 1,5
The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am His And He is mine forever.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight; Thine unction grace bestoweth; And oh, what transport of delight From Thy pure chalice floweth!
The Gethsemane story is told in Matthew 26:36-46
Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.” When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still resting and sleeping? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!”
We sing the first verse of #436.
Go to dark Gethsemane, All who feel the tempter’s power; Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn from Jesus Christ to pray.
baptized into the Christian faith that day. We read in Acts 2:37-39:
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
We should remember our baptism every day and also recall how it affects our daily life. Paul writes in Romans 6:3-4:
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Hymn #590, vv. 1-2 speaks of the blessings of Baptism.
Baptized into Your name most holy, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I claim a place, though weak and lowly, Among Your saints, Your chosen host. Buried with Christ and dead to sin, Your Spirit now shall live within.
My loving Father, here You take me To be henceforth Your child and heir. My faithful Savior, here You make me The fruit of all Your sorrows share. O Holy Spirit, comfort me When threatening clouds around I see.
A bursting pomegranate, like this one, is a symbol of Easter, where Christ burst forth from the tomb with the promise that because He lives, we shall live also.
Scripture speaks of this triumph also in Romans 4:25-5:2. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
One of our favorite Easter hymns is #461, I Know That My Redeemer Lives. Let’s sing verses 1, 2, and 7.
I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, He lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living head.
He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save; He lives all-glorious in the sky; He lives exalted there on high.
He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death; He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.
Let us continue with hymn #571, vv. 1, 3.
God loved the world so that He gave His only Son the lost to save, That all who would in Him believe Should everlasting life receive. God would not have the sinner die; His Son with saving grace is nigh; His Spirit in the Word declares, How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs.
So Jesus tells us in this story that there will always be hypocrites (weeds or tares) among the true believers (wheat) in Christ’s church. Our job is not to weed out the weeds, but rather to nurture the wheat for an abundant harvest for our Lord.
We now sing # 892, vv. 1-2
Come, ye thankful people, come; Raise the song of harvest home. All be safely gathered in Ere the winter storms begin; God our Maker, doth provide For our wants to be supplied. Come to God’s own temple, come; Raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God’s own field, Fruit unto His praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, Then the full corn shall appear. Lord of harvest grant that we Wholesome grain and pure may be.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, : “The righteous will live by faith.”
Let us celebrate that great salvation by singing Luther’s famous hymn: A Mighty Fortress #656, vv. 1, 3
A mighty Fortress is our God, A trusty shield and weapon; He helps us free from every need That hath us now o’ertaken. The old evil foe Now means deadly woe; Deep guile and great might Are his dread arms in fight; On earth is not his equal.
Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us, We tremble not, we fear no ill; They shall not overpower us. This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him.