Virtual Worship for January 31, 2021

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

PRELUDE

GATHERING

INTRODUCTION

In Psalm 111 God shows the people the power of God’s works. This points to the unique authority people sensed in Jesus’ actions and words. We encounter that authority in God’s Word, around which we gather, the Word that prevails over any lesser spirit that would claim power over us, freeing us to follow Jesus. 

GATHERING HYMN
Son of God, Eternal Savior (ELW 655)
Vocal: Adriana Samargia   Accompaniment: Robert Prester

Son of God, eternal Savior, source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us hallows all our human race,
You, our head who throned in glory, for your own will ever plead:
Fill us with your love and pity, heal our wrong and help our need.

As you, Lord, have lived for others, so may we for others live.
Freely have your gifts been granted, freely may your servants give.
Yours the gold and yours the silver, yours the wealth of land and sea;
We but stewards of your bounty held in solemn trust will be. 

Come, oh Christ, and reign among us, King of love and Prince of peace;
Hush the storm of strife and passion, bid its cruel discords cease.
By your patient years of toiling, by your silent hours of pain,
Quench our fevered thirst of pleasure, stem our selfish greed of gain. 

Text: Somerset Lowry, 1855-1932 
Music: Oude en Nieuwe HollantseBoerenlities en Contradansen, 1710; arr. Julius Rontgen, 1855-1932 

Please stand as you are able.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, whose voice is upon the waters,
whose mercy is poured out upon all people, whose goodness cascades over all creation.
Amen.

Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God. 

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,
you search us and know us. You are acquainted with all our ways.
We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—
our own sins and the broken systems that bind us.
We turn inward, failing to follow your outward way of love.
We distrust those who are not like us.
We exploit the earth and its resources and fail to consider generations to come.
Forgive us, gracious God, for all we have done and left undone.
Even before the words are on our tongues, you know them;
receive them in your divine mercy.
Amen. 

How vast is God’s grace! Through the power and promise of ☩ Christ Jesus,
our sins are washed away and we are claimed as God’s own beloved.
Indeed, we are forgiven. 
In the wake of God’s forgiveness, we are called to be the beloved community
living out Christ’s justice and the Spirit’s reconciling peace.
Amen. 

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.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Compassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son, our Savior. Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion, that all creation will see and know your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Please be seated. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

WORD 

THE FIRST READING
1 Corinthians 8:1-13

A reading from 1 Corinthians

Paul is concerned about some of the Corinthian Christians engaging in some very non-Christian behavior, and reminds them that Christians have a responsibility to each other that their behavior does not cause another to sin.

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.

4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall. 

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

PSALMODY
Psalm 111
(Read responsively.) 

1 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
 in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
        2 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
        4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
        6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of 
        the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
        8 They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is 
his name.
        10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a 
         good understanding. His praise endures forever. 

Please stand as you are able. 

GOSPEL
Mark 1:21-28 

The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord. 

21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. 

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

Please be seated. 

SERMON
Idols and Unclean Spirits
Pastor Brown 

HYMN OF THE DAY
We Are Called (ELW 720)
Vocal: Adriana Samargia   Accompaniment: Robert Prester 

Come! Live in the Light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God 

REFRAIN:
We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God. 

Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless, so hatred and blindness will be no more. REFRAIN 

Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one!
God will reign and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love. REFRAIN 

Text and music: David Haas, b. 1957 

Please stand as you are able. 

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need.

A brief silence.
The response to “Lord in your mercy,” is hear our prayer.

Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
 Amen. 

Please be seated.

 MEAL

OFFERING 

ANTHEM

You’ll Never Walk Alone, Rodgers and Hammerstein
Sung by Christine Frank 

OFFERING PRAYER

O God, receive these gifts as you receive us: like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide.
Nourish us anew in your tender care, and empower us in faithful service
to tend to others with this same love, through Jesus Christ, our saving grace. Amen. 

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING 

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

PREFACE 

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you,
Oh Lord, Holy Father, through Christ our Lord.
In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory; that, beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.
And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD

Blessed are you, oh holy God: you are the Light and Life of all.
By your powerful Word you created all things.
Through the prophets you called your people to be a light to the nations.
Blessed are you for Jesus your Son. 
He is your Light, shining in our darkness and revealing to us your mercy and might.
In the night in which He was betrayed… 

Remembering, therefore, his preaching and healing, his dying and rising,
and his promise to come again, we await that day when all the universe will rejoice in your holy and life-giving light.
By your Spirit bless us and this meal, that, refreshed with this heavenly food,
We may be light for the world, revealing the brilliance of Your Son.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit,
In your Holy Church, both now and forever.  
Amen. 

LORD’S PRAYER 

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. 

The gifts of God given for the people of God.

The Body and Blood of Christ, given and shed for you. 

 AMEN. 

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Let us pray. Almighty God, you provide the true bread from heaven, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Grant that we who have received the Sacrament of His Body and Blood may abide in Him and He in us, that we may be filled with the power of his endless love now and forever.
Amen. 

SENDING

BLESSING

Please be seated.
You will be dismissed by the ushers after the dismissal. 

SENDING HYMN
Shine, Jesus, Shine (ELW 671)
Vocal: Adriana Samargia   Accompaniment: Robert Prester

 REFRAIN:
Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy;
Send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light! 

Lord, the light of your love is shining, in the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us, set us free by the truth you now bring us.
Shine on me. Shine on me. REFRAIN 

As we gaze on your kingly brightness, so our faces display your likeness,
Ever-changing from glory to glory, mirrored here, may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me. Shine on me. REFRAIN

Text and music: Graham Kendrick, b. 1950

DISMISSAL

The worship has ended, now the service begins. Go in peace. Be the light of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE 

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