New Life Ev. Lutheran Church Lake Zurich, IL

…rooted in the word, growing in faith, reaching out to our uprooted world.

Pastor Andrew Bauer (847) 438-5018 www.newlife-wels.org

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Third Sunday after the Epiphany January 26, 2020

A warm welcome to those who are visiting us today. You may hang your coat in the entry way of the church

or on the coat rack downstairs. The bathrooms are located in the basement of this building. Before you go home today, please sign our guest book located on the podium in the entry way. Also, refreshments are served in the basement after our service this morning. And we invite you to join us for something to eat and drink.

Our lower level is wired for sound. If you need to take your child out during the service, you won’t miss any of the sermon.

In the unlikely event of an emergency during this morning’s service, you can exit the building using the main entryway or the exit to the right of the chancel. Our building does have a fire alarm system which is wired directly to the fire department. Remember, we follow the “Run, Hide, Fight” response in an emergency. Before Service Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I have been blessed to recall the birth of Your Son. Now I am doubly blessed to watch Him carry out Your will. How humble He has become. My Creator has become Your servant on my behalf. Yet You have not left Your Son without a witness to His divinity. As Your church celebrates this season of Epiphany, may the accounts of Your allowing Your Son to display His glory and power instill in me a greater understanding that the man Jesus is also Your Son and true God. Amen.

Today’s Service: Divine Service 3, NPH, reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-800156 and under CCLI license #11327771. Today’s Theme: Jesus appears as the light that shines in the darkness. Dark places remain covered in the shadow of sin and unbelief. Now there are, however, bright places, too, and there you find God’s children. Jesus shines His light by preaching repentance and the good news of the nearing kingdom, and He invites us to follow Him to a life illumined by Him. Personal Preparation for Holy Communion: p. 156 in the front of the hymnal Pastor’s Welcome Opening Hymn: CWS 767 “The Lord Is My Light” Stand Invocation Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen.

Opening Sentences Psalm 45:6a; 50:6, 14–15 P: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. C: The heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is judge! P: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, C: and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. Confession and Absolution P: Let us now make confession of our sins to our gracious heavenly Father. C: Eternal God, we confess that by nature we are sinful people. We have transgressed Your Law in many ways, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not always been good friends, faithful neighbors, or caring family members. Our motives and thoughts have not always been pure. We deserve Your punishment now and for eternity. O God, in Your mercy forgive our sin and restore us to a full and joyful relationship with You through the merits of Jesus, our Lord. Direct our days by Your Holy Spirit, that we joyfully follow Your will and gladly obey Your commandments as Your redeemed people. Lord, have mercy on us. The Kyrie

Absolution P: In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. Be at peace. C: Thanks be to God. Amen.

P: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

The Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray.

Almighty God, You sent Your Son to proclaim Your kingdom and to teach with authority. Anoint us with the power of Your Spirit that we, too, may bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captive; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. Sit

The First Lesson: ISAIAH 8:19—9:2 ( Man cannot find his way through the darkness of the world except by inquiring of God. No spirit, no man, no other message brings light to those living in darkness. To the law and to the testimony! There you find the Word, the great light for those living in darkness. The story of Zebulon and Naphtali was one of suffering. These northern tribes bore the brunt of foreign attacks, most notably by Assyria. Adding insult to injury, the land had become Galilee of the Gentiles, a melting pot of resettled peoples and a hot bed of crass syncretism. It was a land covered by the darkness of gloom and unbelief. Though the people’s punishment was well deserved, it was not an end to itself, but a means to God’s end. God’s plan broke upon them as suddenly as light shining into the darkness when Jesus appeared and began to preach and teach. He fulfilled every one of Isaiah’s prophecies: He honored them with His presence; He gladdened them with His gifts; He freed them with His sacrifice for sin. 19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. 1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Verse of the Day: Alleluia. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing every disease. Alleluia. (Matthew 4:23 cf. NIV) Stand The Gospel Lesson: MATTHEW 4:12-23 (The light of the world appeared and began to cast its beams. Fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, the bulk of Christ’s ministry took place in Galilee of the Gentiles which had been so oppressed. Galileans were the first to see the light of God’s day breaking over the world. From that time on, Jesus began to preach, and we hear the first public words of Jesus Christ: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. With those words the Holy Spirit describes Jesus shining His light into the shadowed nooks and crannies of the world. From fishing boats to synagogues, from workmen to lame men, Christ cast a beacon of light into the darkened world around Him with His three-fold ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. The kingdom of heaven drew near and called God’s children to follow the light and live in the light.) 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (NIV 2011) P: The Gospel of our Lord. C: Praise be to You, O Christ. Nicene Creed We believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from

God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin

Mary, and became fully human. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Hymn of the Day: CWS 772 “When Jesus Came From Nazareth” The Sermon After the sermon, the congregation sings:

The Offering Stand The Prayer of the Church The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen. The Rite of Confirmation The Sacrament P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. (spoken) P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them up to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. C: It is good and right so to do.

P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, Lord our God. You call us to be Your people who hear the call of Christ and follow His light. Grant that we know the joy of discipleship in our lives. Grant that we receive the body and blood of our Lord here given as the bread of life and cup of salvation, which are a foretaste of the feast to come in Your eternal kingdom. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and praise, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. C: Amen.

The Words of Institution (spoken by the pastor) P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.

O Christ, Lamb of God

Sit Our Communion Practice

New Life Lutheran Church practices “close communion.” We ask that only members of New Life or other WELS or ELS churches partake of the sacrament. We ask our visitors to please respect our communion practice. The Distribution Hymn: CW 85 “O God from God, O Light from Light”

The Song of Simeon

Prayer of Thanksgiving P: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. C: And His mercy endures forever.

P: Let us pray. Blessed are You, almighty God, for by You we have been fed and nourished with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that we rejoice in the epiphany of our Lord and see in Him the fullness of Your divine presence. Grant us Your abiding peace each day of our lives as we await Your eternal kingdom. In the name of Jesus, our hope and comfort, we pray. C: Amen.

Blessing P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. C: Amen.

The Closing Hymn: CW 597 “May God the Father of Our Lord”

Announcements

Our Father’s Business in the Coming Week Cleaning this Week: LaPlante Today— Communion Service and Truman Dexter Confirmation at 9:30 AM

Sunday School, Adult Bible Class at 10:45 AM Fellowship Bowling Outing at Bowlero from 12:15 – 2:15 PM Confirmation Class at 6:00 PM

Friday—Men’s Bible Class at 11:30 AM Sunday— Worship Service at 9:30 AM Sunday School and Adult Bible Class at 10:45 AM NO Confirmation Class (Super Bowl Sunday) Volunteers are needed to bring something to eat and drink for fellowship on Sunday mornings. A new sheet has been posted for the new year. Thanks to those who have signed up. Today, let’s fill up February! Adult Bible Class will meet in the New Life Café this morning at 10:45 AM. Class is using the Growing in Grace catechism curriculum. Two weeks ago the church council approved going ahead with starting the work needed to begin a two-year-old preschool class. The class would be license exempt and operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM. New Life’s Annual Bowling Outing will take place TODAY from 12:15-2:15 PM at Bowlero (formerly the Brunswick Zone) in Deer Park. Cost is $8 per person which includes 2 hours of bowling, shoes, pizza and soda. A sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board in the lower level. Sign-up TODAY and plan to attend! The Branch Connection will be hosting a “Ladies Night Out” at the Lazy Dog Restaurant in Vernon Hills on Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30 PM. The Lazy Dog is located on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue just north of the intersection of Hwy. 60 and Milwaukee Ave. Sign up on the sheet downstairs and plan to spend an enjoyable evening with other ladies of New Life. Thanks to Holly LaPlante, Lori Dundore and Rachel Andrews for “manning” our preschool table this past week at the Ela Library Preschool Fair. Thanks also to John Lester for setting up and taking down the table display.

Our Faithfulness to God’s Word last Sunday: 49