Examine Your Faith and Pray: “God Strengthen Me.” 

Many years ago, a sailing ship wrecked one night on the rocks off the coast of England. The entire crew perished except for one lad whom the waves hurled high upon the jagged slope of a great ledge of rock.  There he managed to find a place of refuge from the storm. In the morning a search party discovered him, shaking from the cold and exposure to the elements. He was lifted to a rescue ship and brought safely to shore. After he had recovered, he was asked, “Didn’t you tremble out there on the rock in all that storm?” “Tremble?” He replied. “Sure, I trembled. But you know, the rock to which I clung never once trembled all night long.”

As Christians, that boy’s response might remind us of a hymn that assures, “On Christ the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” Christ is our Light in the darkness, our Warmth in the cold, our Comfort in sorrow, and our ever-present Help in all need. Although we may tremble at whatever besets us in life, He never moves.  He is the solid Rock on which we stand. With faith rooted and grounded firmly in Him, we do not fear.

But He must be the sole object of faith. His word must be the only thing to which we cling. If we make anything else the object of faith, we have no solid ground on which to stand in time and for eternity.

Many a faith is faulty, bereft of God. So much so that Jesus once asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Lk.18:8). How hard it was for the majority to accept Jesus in faith when He was on the earth. What will it be like at His return?

So, we must pray, Dear God, Strengthen Me. To do that we must Examine Our Faith to see where it lies. Many a faith is faulty. Such as 1. the earthly-minded faith; 2. the misguided faith; 3. the shallow faith; 4. the ignorant faith; 5. the weak faith.  But there is also 6. the strong faith, built only on the solid Rock of Christ and His word. It is the only object of faith that saves.

(1. The earthly-minded faith.)

Jesus wanted to guide people to it so that they would not find their hope in outward signs and wonders but only on His word. Notice how He did that in our text.  When this man approached Him for help, Jesus did not make a beeline straight to his house. He did not say, “Oh, we’ve got to get there right away!” Jesus took delayed and chastised the people for their earthly-minded faith. He told them, “Unless you people see miraculous sings and wonders, you certainly will not believe.”

An earthly-minded faith demands something to see. It is built on seeing, feeling, touching, observing outward, tangible proof. It is at the heart and core of the charismatic movement – the speaking in tongues, the miracle cures, the warm feeling inside. It needs evidence, proof before it is declared as authentic. So, it demands immediate help in earthly and in bodily matters as an answer to prayer. If God blesses with good health, earthly happiness, a successful business, and the like, it believes.

But what if the Lord withholds such gifts and tests? What if He appears to hide Himself from people or even fight against them? What if He visits all undertakings with sickness, poverty, failure, and lets all kinds of misfortune overtake them? Will they stand firm or lose all confidence? You see a hinting of it in this man at first.

He thought that Jesus must hurry.  He must come right now. He anxiously cries, “Lord, come down before my little boy dies!” Jesus must immediately reach the boy’s bedside, put His hands on him, and heal him before it’s too late. It’s a race against time. Any delay would be fatal. He believed that Jesus could heal, but had no faith, not even a thought that Jesus could also raise from the dead.

Earthly-mindedness puts Christ and His abilities in a time frame, our time frame. But if we trust that Christ can help and we go to Him with that hope and expectation, what does time have to do with anything? God is not bound by time – surely not our time. Examine Your Faith, dear friend.  See if it be earthly-minded,

(2. The misguided faith.)

…for such an earthly-minded faith will be misguided. Jesus wants people to be guided and find their hope not in outward signs and wonders, but in that which is solid ground – His word.  And that’s all He gave this man – His word.

In response to the man’s hurry-up-attitude-before-it’s-too-late, Jesus said, “Go. Your son lives.” It was a brief word that called for the man to simply trust Him, a simple word devoid of an outward display of any kind. But misguided faith finds it hard to cling to the simplicity of the Word because it’s not enough. It needs something more – a constant succession of signs. If they cease, the misguided faith will soon likewise cease. Not only is it earthly-minded, but it is misguided by things that don’t produce true faith.

For example, miracles don’t work faith. Scriptures tell us plainly, “Faith come by hearing the message, and the message comse through the word of Christ” (Ro.10:17). Miracles are signposts pointing us to Christ, telling us, “There is something special about Him.  Listen to Him!”

The story is told of a good woman whose daughter died from a painful disease. She came to her minister and said, “I fear that I have lost my faith in prayer.  I used to believe that anything I asked in the name of Christ, I would receive. When my child was sick, I besought God in all agony of desire for her recovery.  I believed that God would answer my prayer. When she died, I was stunned, not just because of my grief, but because it seemed that God failed me.  I still pray, but the old faith in prayer is gone.”

That good woman was a victim of misguided faith. She was led to substitute faith in prayer for faith in God. If faith is based on signs and wonders, things we can see or touch, or even on prayer as the power that does great things, then Christ and His word is no longer the object of our faith.  Then we do not live by faith but by sight. Then we find no assurance or comfort from Him when things do not go the way we prayed. Follow the Word and that alone.

If you aren’t guided in faith by the Word and only the words and eternal promises of God, then your faith will become 3. a shallow faith, 4. an ignorant faith, and as a result, certainly 5. a weak faith.  Such was the case originally with this royal official.

Think of what brought him to Jesus. It was a physical need, an emotional need, the need for Jesus’ help in curing his son.  Jesus had the power to help and cure.  But he did not at first see beyond the man Jesus to really know the One who had the power to help him. Jesus is not just a miracle worker; He’s the Savior from sin.  God uses our needs, even as here, to draw us to Himself as the blessed, eternal Helper, not just to have Him “do something” for us.

Jesus seeks to deepen our faith in Him in things that are eternal, the greater need for the healing of our weak and sinful souls – forgiveness, and the blessing of life eternal in our Savior.  Without Him and His words and promises of grace, we die eternally.

Without Him we totter on the brink of despair and eternal disaster. Can such faith, earthly-minded, misguided, shallow,  ignorant, and weak stand when the strain of life in this world hits it, when the devil with his evil desires fights against it, when human doubts and misgivings attack it, when disappointment confronts it, or opposition won’t let it rest? Examine Your Faith, dear friends, for such faith is soon threatened and trampled down, rolled over, and destroyed permanently if not for a gracious Savior who through His word and promises will not let a smoldering wick of faith be snuffed out. Indeed, He will use everything in order to lead us to…

VI. … a strong faith in Him and what He is. And that is the most comforting and exhilarating part of this account!

As the holy God who demands uncompromising understanding and loyalty from us to Him, He could lash out in judgment.  But He is our God of grace, mercy, and compassion.  He knows us in our weakness.  He is the Good Shepherd who came to seek and to save those who were lost. He did not come to destroy us in our frailties.  He is the Savior who by His Word will strengthen our earthly-minded, misguided, shallow, ignorant, and weak faith until it is sound, a strong faith in Him.  On Christ the solid Rock I stand.

Note, this man left upon hearing Jesus’ simple word of assurance that the boy lived. “The man took Jesus at His word and left.” He had to take Jesus at His word for that’s what Jesus gives. Faith in His word is “the power of God unto salvation to all who believe.” Trusting it he went home, and he and his whole household believed.

With such faith, dear friends, strengthened at the Savior’s word, we have the Rock upon which we stand in the present and at our time of death. Then, for the sake of His blood that purchased us on Calvary’s cross, we shall find eternal security with Him above.  It’s the promise of His Word to all who believe it.

And so, as we Examine our Faith, we pray: God Strengthen Us wherein true faith lies – only in the Word and the promises of Christ.  God grant it to us in faith for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.

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The 21^st Sunday after Trinity       October 20, 2024

A joint worship service of Peace and Zion Ev. Lutheran Churches

(Members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)

Peace LC , Marshfield: 300 E. Washington St.

Zion LC, Springfield, 4717 S Farm Rd 135 (Golden Ave.)

Peace Telephone: 417.468.6061    Zion Telephone: 417.887.0886       

  www.peacelutheran wels.church      www.zionluthchurch.com           

 Pastor’s cell phone: 417.693.3244     email: revelehmann@gmail.com

Welcome: We welcome you to this special joint service of our congregations today.  We encourage children to worship with us.  If you need to leave with your child, there is a quiet room off the entryway of the church. The rest rooms are located in the basement.  Visitors, please sign our guest book on the table outside the sanctuary.  We’re glad you are here and pray that in our worship the Lord grants you His peace.

U p o n    E n t e r i n g    G o d’ s    H o u s e

“How blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep His testimonies (Ps.119:1).

W h a t    T h i s    S u n d a y    i s    A b o u t

The Saved Face the End – Standing Firm in Faith. Faith in God’s Word and nothing but faith in the Word enables one to stand firm until Christ returns and ushers the saved into His Heavenly Kingdom.

As we move closer to the end of the world or the end of our individual lives here, we first of all need God’s forgiveness, for we have sinned against Him. That was the subject of our lesson two weeks ago.  We need the robes of Christ’s righteousness to clothe us at the heavenly wedding banquet.  That was the subject of our lesson last Sunday.  But we need more.  We need faith in the words and promises of God if we are to stand before Him, justified in the Last Judgment.

Faith was indeed found in the lessons the previous two Sundays.  But the intent of this Sunday’s lessons is to single out and stress faith’s vital importance and necessity. When we think of the end, toward which we are hastening each day, the fact that such faith is altogether essential becomes fully apparent.

To that end we pray:  Lord, keep Your household, the Church, in continual godliness, and set us free from all adversities that, under Your protection, we may follow and serve You in faith with true devotion, for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.

T h e   W o r d   o f   G o d   f o r   T o d a y

(The Lessons of the Day are from the Historic Pericope Series of the Christian Church.)

The Old Testament Lesson: 2 Samuel 7:18-29

After David became king and established Jerusalem as his capital, God promised to establish his house from which the Messiah would come. In faith David offered a prayer of gratitude, asking for continued blessings.

The Epistle Lesson:  Ephesians 6:10-17

Paul pictures the forces of evil against whom the believer must contend.  The devil utilizes them for his wicked purposes. Only the Lord gives strength to fight against them and gain the victory.  Therefore, in faith pull on God’s armor. It enables you to stand against the wiles of Satan.

The Gospel Lesson: John 4:46-54

Jesus heals a royal official’s son.  The man’s faith grows, becoming stronger and greater than when he first came to Jesus for help.  Such faith is trained to lay hold of Christ’s power through His word and His word alone. That word and faith in it enables one to stand firm in Him.

O u r   P r a c t i c e   o f   H o l y   C o m m u n i o n

 Out of deep love for the truth of God’s Word and precious souls, we follow the practice of Close Communion in our congregation.  This has been the practice of Christians for centuries and reflects the Bible’s teaching on unity of faith in the reception of the Supper (1 Cor.10:17).  It does not judge a person’s heart but anticipates agreement in that which God says.  Since we do not wish to put anyone in the position of declaring such agreement with us before study in the Word is possible, we ask that only those who are communicant members of this or another Wisconsin Synod or ELS congregation come to receive the Sacrament.

The Organist: Judy Bertoldie         The Preacher: Pastor Edwin Lehmann

 Point to Ponder: “Christians are more certain of that which they find in Holy Writ than of anything they have seen or heard, for God’s word alone is that on which our faith is built. For example, if every angel in heaven had passed before Luther and each one had assured him of the truth of God, he would not have thanked them for their testimony, for he believed without the witness of either angels or men.  He thought the Word of divine testimony to be more sure than anything that seraphim could say. Most of us are not so big as Luther’s little finger.  We have not so much faith in our whole souls as he had in one hair of his head.”

— CFW Walther on Faith that Is Built on the Word of God”

Outline of  Our Worship

 Lord, Hear Us

Opening Thoughts on the Service

The Entrance Hymn: #444

Order of Worship: pg.15     The Communion Service

(The Kyrie & Gloria in Excelsis pp.17-19 are not sung on Communion Sundays)

Prayer of the Day

Lord, Speak To Us:

2 Samuel 7:18-29

Ephesians 6:10-17

Choir: O God, Beyond All Measure

John 4:46-54

The Nicene Creed:  page 22

The Sermon Hymn: #381

Sermon: John 4:46-54     Examine Your Faith and Pray:  “God, Strengthen Me!”

Lord, We Respond:

The Offertory:  pg. 22

The Offering

The Prayers

Lord, Bless Us:

Holy Communion: pp.24-31

(Visitors: Please read Our Practice of Holy Communion above.)

Distribution Hymns: #370 & 448

Post Communion:  pg.29

Choir: The Lord Bless and Keep You

Pastor will usher you out at the pews.

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The Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity – Historic Series

Old Testament Lesson: 2 Samuel 7:18-29 – A Prayer of Thanksgiving

¹⁸ Then King David went and sat before the Lord and said: Who am I, Lord God? And what is my house that you have brought me to this point? ¹⁹ Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, Lord God. You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future. Is this the law for the man, Lord God? ²⁰ What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. ²¹ Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it. ²² Therefore, you are great, Lord God, because there is none like you. There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears.

²³ Who is like your people Israel, the one people on earth whom God went out to redeem for himself, to make them his people and to make a name for himself? You yourself did great and awe-inspiring things for your land in the presence of your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, in the presence of the nations and their gods. ²⁴ You established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever. You, Lord, became their God.

²⁵ Now, Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. ²⁶ Your name will be great forever. People will say, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you.

²⁷ You, Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, have whispered into the ear of your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the heart to pray to you this prayer. ²⁸ Now, Lord God, you are God. Your words are truth. You have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁹ Now, therefore, please bless the house of your servant, so that it will endure forever in your presence. For you, Lord God, have spoken. With your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 6:10-17 – Pull on the Full Armor of God.

¹⁰ Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the schemes of the Devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ For this reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to take a stand on the evil day; after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness fastened in place, ¹⁵ and with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace tied to your feet like sandals. ¹⁶ At all times hold up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. ¹⁷ Also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Gospel Lesson: John 4:46-54 – Jesus Heals a Royal Official’s Son.

⁴⁶ Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. In Capernaum, there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and heal his son, because his son was about to die. ⁴⁸ Jesus told him, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you certainly will not believe.”

⁴⁹ The royal official said to him, “Lord, come down before my little boy dies.” ⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus told him, “your son is going to live.” The man believed this word that Jesus spoke to him and left.

⁵¹ Already as he was going down, his servants met him with the news that his boy was going to live. ⁵² So he asked them what time his son got better. They told him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³ Then the father realized that was the exact time when Jesus had told him, “Your son is going to live.” And he himself and his whole household believed.

⁵⁴ This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did after he came from Judea into Galilee.

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version^® (EHV^®) © 2019

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Calendar  &  Announcements  for  Peace Evangelical  Lutheran  Church

Focus for the Year:  Never Grow Tired.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

 

Today Oct.20	Mon. Oct.21	Tues. Oct.22	Wed. Oct.23	Thurs. Oct.24	Fri. Oct.25	Sat. Oct.26	Next Sun. Oct.27
10:00 am Zion and Peace Joint Worship Service with Holy Communion on-line-Facebook Fish fry following the service Call Meeting afterwards     21st Sunday after Trinity			9 am Quilters & Bible Study   6 pm Choir Practice New Singers Welcome!				10:30 am Sunday School and Adult Bible Study. 11:30 am Divine Worship Service Brief Voters & WoP Meetings after the worship service; no potluck   22nd Sunday after Trinity

 

Those We Remember In Our Prayers: In the military: Josh Eckhardt; Colleen & Sonny Stevens; Raejean Lause; Julie Stevens; Kent Wilkerson; Wallace Fischer; Erna & Charles Brue; Debbie Otto; Ruth Wachholtz; Pastor Roger Neumann from Oskaloosa, IA; Verlane Phillips at home.

Fish Fry & Meeting  Following the service today the members of Peace invite everyone to stay for our annual Fall Fish Fry. We thank the men who caught, cleaned, and prepared the fish; the cookers who prepared the meal; and all others who helped in cleaning, set-up, and the bringing of other foods for us to enjoy.  We truly appreciate all your efforts.  Following the meal, we will hold our 8^th call meeting and invite everyone to stay. Next Sunday we return to our normal Sunday schedule.

Area Reformation Service From Beautiful Savior LC, Bella Vista, AR: “We are excited to host another area joint Reformation Service on Sunday, November 3rd at 5:00 pm. Pastor Ross Chartrand from the new mission in Bentonville, AR will be the guest preacher.  A supper will follow the service.  Your singers/choir are invited to be part of an area choir for this service, with a rehearsal at 4:30 pm.  See the letter on the bulletin board in the basement for the songs the choir will sing.  Please respond by October 20^th to your pastor if you will be attending. We are looking forward to celebrating God’s Word and faithfulness with you on November 3^rd.”

Women’s 4 Week Bible Study  On Thursday, November 31, at 9:30 am, Zion will hold a Thursday morning Neighborhood Women’s Bible Study on the Book of Ruth.  All women are invited to attend.

Calendar  &  Announcements  for  Zion  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church

 

Today Oct.20	Mon. Oct.21	Tues. Oct.22	Wed. Oct.23	Thurs. Oct.24	Fri. Oct.25	Sat. Oct.26	Next Sun. Oct.27
10:00 am Zion and Peace Joint Worship Service with Holy Communion on-line-Facebook Fish fry following the service Call Meeting afterwards   21st Sunday after Trinity				No Bible Class this week. Neighborhood Women’s BC starts next week			9 am Divine Worship Service on-line-Facebook Brief Voters Meeting after the worship service 9:15 am Fellowship & Bible Study   22nd Sunday after Trinity

 

Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Greg Miller; William & Laurie Moon; Libya, (Jodi Milam’s granddaughter); Barbara Long; Norine Richardson; Melissa Morlock-Jaeger; Liz Lisenby; Barbara Long; Pastor Roger Neumann from Oskaloosa.

Fish Fry & Meeting  Following the service today the members of Peace invite everyone to stay for their annual Fall Fish Fry. We thank the men who caught, cleaned, and prepared the fish; the cookers who prepared the meal; and all others who helped in cleaning, set-up, and the bringing of other foods for us to enjoy.  We truly appreciate all your efforts.  Following the meal, we will hold our 8^th call meeting and invite everyone to stay. Next Sunday we return to our normal Sunday schedule.

Area Reformation Service From Beautiful Savior LC, Bella Vista, AR: “We are excited to host another area joint Reformation Service on Sunday, November 3rd at 5:00 pm. Pastor Ross Chartrand from the new mission in Bentonville, AR will be the guest preacher.  A supper will follow the service.  Your singers/choir are invited to be part of an area choir for this service, with a rehearsal at 4:30 pm.  See the letter on the bulletin board in the basement for the songs the choir will sing.  Please respond by October 20^th to your pastor if you will be attending. We are looking forward to celebrating God’s Word and faithfulness with you on November 3^rd.”

Women’s 4 Week Bible Study  On Thursday, November 31, at 9:30 am, Zion will hold a Thursday morning Neighborhood Women’s Bible Study on the Book of Ruth.  All women are invited to attend.

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