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November 19 & 20, 2017

Third Sunday of End Time

Saints Triumphant

198 Westridge Avenue / Burlington, WI 53105 / 262-763-8229 / www.stjohnsburlington.org

Member of the W isconsin Evangel ical Lutheran Synod

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Third Sunday of End Time Saints Triumphant

November 19 & 20, 2017

Today’s Focus: A Preview of Paradise Saints Triumphant is an occasion for us to really think about

what heaven will be like. All God’s saints (believers in Jesus) look forward with eager anticipation to that day

when God will welcome us into our eternal home. After we die, someday we will be raised to life, and we

will "be with the Lord forever" (First Lesson). But we don't know when God will call us home, so we need to

be ready and wise, because our heavenly Bridegroom Jesus could return at any time (Gospel)! Today God

describes the beauty of heaven and shares with us, his saints, a preview of Paradise.

Opening Hymn “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying” CW 206 Please stand to sing the last stanza.

Liturgy Service of the Word (CW pg. 38)

Invocation M: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with

you.

C: And also with you.

Confession & Absolution

M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children.

But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our

sins to him and plead for his mercy.

C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned

against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray:

Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my

guilt.

M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our

Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you

strength to live according to his will.

C: Amen.

Welcome to worship today at St. John’s! May God bless you through his Word of grace

and give you the peace and joy that come only from Jesus.

Guests, we ask that you would do us the honor of completing a “Welcome to Worship”

card (found in the hymnal racks) and placing it in the offering plate later in the service.

Members, we ask that you would complete a “Welcome to Worship” card, as well.

Bathrooms are located in the church entryway to the left as you exit the sanctuary.

Nursery / cry room is located in the room (with the large glass windows) to the right as

you exit the sanctuary.

Large print materials are available from the ushers.

Hearing Loop technology is installed in the sanctuary. Hearing aids can be tuned to pick

up the church audio signal. A hearing device headset is also available from the ushers.

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

Oh, Taste and See Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are they who take refuge in him.

Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues forever.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are they who take refuge in him.

Prayer of the Day M: Let us pray. Almighty God and Savior, you have set the final day and hour when we shall be deliv-

ered from this world of sin and death. Keep us ever watchful for the coming of your Son that we may

sit with him and all your holy ones at the marriage feast in heaven; through Jesus Christ, your Son,

our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

Be Seated

Anthem—8:00 “Sing Out With Joy” Grades 3 & 4

Refrain: Sing out with joy to the Lord. He gave us his saving word.

Come, let us worship and praise him!

Sing out with joy, clap your hands. Sing to the Lord, shout, “Amen!”

Come, let us sing praise to God!

Though we were living in darkness, though we were lost in sin,

Jesus has made us his children. With joy let us praise his name! Refrain

Though we may grow weak and weary, though we may feel afraid,

Knowing the Savior who loves us brings joy none can take away! Refrain

Though we may grieve for a moment, though we may weep and mourn,

Jesus will come as he promised, and our grief will turn into joy! Refrain

Written by Sarah Siegler (Shoreland Lutheran High School)

Anthem—10:30 “Every Day I Will Bless You” Senior Choir I will extol you, my God, O King, and I will bless your name forever.

Every day, I will bless you.

I will extol you, my God, O King, and I will bless your name forever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.

One generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts.

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First Lesson 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (pg. 1798) 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that

you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose

again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to

the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certain-

ly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud

command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise

first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to

meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with

these words.

Psalm 84—Sunday The choir introduces the refrain; the congregation repeats the refrain.

The choir sings the stanzas; the congregation repeats the refrain as indicated.

1. How lovely, Lord, is your dwelling place; I long to be in your house.

My heart and soul sing out for joy, sing out to the living God. Refrain

2. Even the sparrow finds a home, the swallow build a nest.

Yes, there at the altar they care for their young, O Lord, my King and my God. Refrain

3. Happy are they who dwell in your house, who praise you all the day long,

And happy are they who journey to Zion, who enter the presence of God. Refrain

4. O Lord, I long to be in your house, if only for a day,

For one day is better than a thousand elsewhere, O Lord, my King and my God. Refrain

5. The Lord is a sun, the Lord is a shield; no need the Lord will withhold.

O happy are they who trust in the Lord, whose trust is in God alone. Refrain

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Psalm 84—8:00 & Monday CW Pg. 96

Sung in unison.

Stand

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 (pg. 1511) M: This is the Gospel of our Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to

meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but

did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bride-

groom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang

out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their

lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “ ‘No,’ they

replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for

yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who

were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came.

‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Be Seated

Hymn of the Day “For All the Saints” CW 551 8:00 & Monday—Congregation sings all the stanzas.

10:30—Congregation sings stanzas 1, 3, & 8. Choir sings stanzas 2 & 5.

Sermon—Matthew 25:1-13 Rev. Daniel Waldschmidt

“Be Ready for the Party!”

Stand

Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the vir-

gin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into

hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the

right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the

dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of

sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Be Seated

Offering We ask that all worshipers would do us the honor of completing a “Welcome to Worship” card (found in

the hymnal racks) and placing it in the offering plate during the gathering of the offering.

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Stand

Prayer of the Church M: Lord of eternity and King of saints, all the heavens adore you. Saints and angels sing before you.

C: We too join them to praise your majesty.

M: You clothe us with garments of splendor. You bless us with grace and mercy in this life and eternal

glory forever. What undeserved love you show us!

C: We thank you, Lord, that you have made us your saints.

M: Encourage us by your gracious promises. Forgive our failures to live as you desire. Strengthen the

faith of all who are weak and wandering.

C: Give us power to live as your faithful people.

M: Your saints will triumph forever in new heavens and a new earth. The sound of weeping and crying

will be heard no more. We anticipate with joy an eternity of perfect fellowship with you.

C: Be with us as we work and witness for Christ, so that many more people can join us before your

throne.

M: Lord of life, the day is coming when you will come down from heaven with the voice of the archangel

and the trumpet call of God. On that glorious day, the saints triumphant will rise in bright array,

clothed in your perfect righteousness.

C: Give us strength until that day when we will share fully in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer C: 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.

M: Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe and do. Help us by

your Holy Spirit to keep your Word in pure hearts that we may be strengthened in faith, guided in

holiness, and comforted in life and in death, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with

you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

Blessing M: 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. Amen. Amen.

Be Seated

Closing Hymn “Jerusalem the Golden” CWS 728 (pg. 8)

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Cover artwork by Ian M. Welch. © Ian M. Welch. All rights reserved.

Preacher Rev. Daniel Waldschmidt

Presiding Minister Rev. Kirk Lahmann

Accompanist Sarah Seelow

Senior Choir Director Sue Musgrave

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