Sunday Feb. 26, 2023 - Order of Worship at 11am - Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Atlanta, GA USA

First Sunday in Lent – February 26, 2023

The Order of Worship at 11:00 am

As always, we pray that worship at Redeemer is a blessing for you, even as your participation blesses us, whether we are gathering in the name of Christ in-person or online. As you are comfortable, we encourage you to sing the hymns and to sing or speak the congregational portions of the liturgy in bold type.

At this time, the wearing of face coverings onsite is optional and left to personal preference. Knowing that individuals and families have varying needs at this time, the balcony is reserved as a mask-required area.

If you are worshipping online, please use the links available on the viewing page to let us know that you are worshiping, to submit any prayer requests, to let us know if you need help or are available to help a neighbor, and to continue giving financially to support the ongoing ministries of Redeemer.

This bulletin contains content protected by copyright and is provided only for you to participate in worship. Please delete or destroy any physical or digital copy of the material following the service.

PRELUDE Invocation

Michael W. Joy

The Carillon Ringers (born 1955)

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS GATHERING

The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection.

Standing HYMN 504

A Mighty Fortress

1

February is Black History Month, dedicated to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. The Black History Month 2023 theme, “Black Resistance,” explores how "African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings," since our nation's earliest days.

2

During Black History Month, we change our weekly confession to focus on the sin of racism. Lament is a way for us to recognize the harm caused by racism. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). God’s grace in Christ frees us for the difficult work of recognizing and lamenting racism and the way this sin has too often silenced or ignored the contributions of people of color.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

We are all part of one body in Christ, called to act with equity, fairness, and justice. God’s saving love creates grace-filled spaces within us and within our relationships. God’s saving love calls and leads us toward rooting out the racism that continues to infect the body.

Kneeling or seated

Within the whole human family, people of color have experienced both interpersonal aggression and structural oppression instead of abundant life. We recognize and lament the harm racism has caused. We cry out to you, | hear our lament, O God.

We have assigned the notion of race to human beings created in God’s own divine image. We have judged God’s beautiful diversity by our flawed and artificial standards. We cry out to you, | hear our lament, O God.

We have used language and images in ways that equate black and dark with dirt and sin, and that fail to welcome the treasures of darkness in God’s good creation. We cry out to you, | hear our lament, O God.

When one part of the body of Christ hurts, the whole body hurts. As we listen to people who are harmed by racism. We call to you, | open our hearts, O God.

As we reflect on our daily interactions with people and communities of color

We call to you, | open our hearts, O God.

As we labor to create a loving and safe community for our siblings of color. We call to you, | open our hearts, O God.

Holy and merciful God, as your people we recommit ourselves to loving one another as you have loved us. We pray in the name of the one who has made us one, Jesus Christ our Lord. | Amen.

3

Standing 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.

KYRIE

Children’s choir, cantor

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.

The Hymn of Praise is omitted during the penitential season of Lent.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

The Lord be with you. | And also with you.

Lord God, our strength, the struggle between good and evil rages within and around us, and the devil and all the forces that defy you tempt us with empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your word, and when we fall, raise us again and

4

restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. | Amen

A pastor will come through the congregation to receive prayer request cards. If you are worshiping online, please use the Prayer Request button underneath the live feed.

WORD

God speaks to us in scriptures read, sung and preached. Seated

CHILDREN’S SERMON

THE FIRST READING Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

Charissa Schultz, lector

Human beings were formed with great care, to be in relationship with the creator, creation, and one another. The serpent’s promise to the first couple that their eyes would be opened led, ironically, to the discovery only that they were naked.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Word of God, word of life. | Thanks be to God.

The Seraphim Choir; Alan Boda, violin (1822-1890)

5

ANTHEM O Lord, Most Holy César Franck

THE SECOND READING Romans 5:12-19

Through Adam’s disobedience, humanity came under bondage to sin and death, from which we cannot free ourselves. In Christ’s obedient death, God graciously showers on us the free gift of liberation and life.

Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Word of God, word of life. | Thanks be to God.

6

Standing GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Sung by the Choir

One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Repeat Acclamation

THE HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus experiences anew the temptations that Israel faced in the wilderness. As the Son of God, he endures the testing of the evil one.

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

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to You, O Christ.

Seated

SERMON

Standing

HYMN 319 O Lord, Throughout These Forty Days

Pastor Mark H. Larson

7

APOSTLE’S CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.* On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

8

Kneeling or seated

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Sustained by God’s abundant mercy, let us pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

You alone are God. Sustain your church in times of wilderness. Give vision and wisdom to bishops, their staff, and all entrusted with the ministry of administration (especially). Counsel all who faithfully lead your people into the future.