March 15, FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT - OCULI

 

WELCOME FRIENDS IN OUR LORD JESUS.  As our doors to God’s House were open to you today, may your hearts also be open to hear and apply His Word, that we might serve Him, our Savior Jesus Christ.  VISITORS… we are glad to have you with us.  If you desire a call from Pastor Suehring please contact him at 715-851-1151.

 

The Gospel is also the basis for the Lord’s Supper, which we celebrate again today.  In this Sacrament, Christ Jesus is truly present with his body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins.  In joyful obedience to the teachings of the Scriptures, St. John, and the congregations of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod practice “closed communion” with those who share our outward confession of the faith.  We ask guests who wish to commune to speak with the pastor before the service.

 

Order of Service – pg. 184 LSB         

            

HYMNS: 423, 642, 622, 809, 918

Scripture Lesson:
First Reading: Exodus 16:2-21, “Bread from Heaven”
Epistle Reading: Galatians 4:21-31, “Example of Hagar & Sarah”
Gospel: John 6:1-15, “Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

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THIS WEEK AT ST. JOHN

TUESDAY: Elders Meeting 6 pm
Council Meeting 7 pm
WEDNESDAY: Bible Study 9:30 am
Lenten Communion Service 5:00 pm St. John, Tigerton
Lenten Service 6:30 pm St. John, Caroline
SUNDAY (3/15): Communion Service at Immanual, Caroline 7:30 am
Communion Service at St. John, Tigerton 9:00 am
Worship Service at St. John, Caroline 10:30 am
CCBC Classes 10-11 am

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Prayers for strength and healing for Bonnie Brandt, Betty Kriesel, Bert Lehman, Jim Retzlaff, Virginia Kauffman, Carl Kriesel, Amber Selle, Cindy Polley, Maggie Huss, Judy Smith, Mike Kielblock, Karen Jensen, Sandy Vollmer, Marilyn Koepke, Don Wolff, Leah Lehman, Keith Alft Sr., Kathy Hintz, Clarence Natzke, Bentley Koepke, Tully Tauferner, and Judy Schroeder.  Pray for all who are in nursing homes or shut-ins. NOTE: If there are any names you wish to have added or taken off, please let Sarah know.  ALSO: If any of our members are in the hospital, please let Pastor know.  Hospitals no longer notify us.  Thanks.

 

LENTEN SOUP SUPPER sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of church. 

 

FUNERAL HELP sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of church.  

 

FISH FRY sign-up sheet is on the table in the back of church.

 

Wanta’s Floral is offering Easter plants again this year.  Information is on the bulletin board in the Narthex.  Please let Sarah or Jon know before March 20th, so the order can be made. 

 

Zion in Embarrass presents a soup to go dinner.  118 Church St.  Will be held March 8th from 11-1.  Soups include Chicken Noodle, Chili, Pea Soup.  Cost $8 a quart.

 

Theda Care is looking for volunteers in the Hospice Program.  Information is on the bulletin board in the Narthex.

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH Wittenberg is hosting a trip to the Ark Encounter & Creation Museum. Seats are filling fast. For more information see the bulletin board in the Narthex.

 

Tigerton Hometown Hero banner applications are available at Tigerton Main Street or contact Jon or Sarah Knaup. To qualify you must be active military or honorable discharge, have lived or currently live in 54486 zip code, and served in a branch of the US armed forces.  Cost is $150 a banner.

 

LIFE THOUGHTS FROM LUTHERANS FOR LIFE - The world tells us to avoid suffering at all costs, even justifying murder (abortion, suicide, assisted suicide) on the grounds that death can be used to avoid further suffering. However, St. Paul reminds us that instead of trying to avoid suffering through death, we “can rejoice in our sufferings” (Romans 5:3), knowing that God uses our suffering to increase our hope in Him and bring us to everlasting glory. Therefore, when suffering comes, “let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker (Psalm 95:6), entrusting ourselves into the hands of the One who “died for us” (Romans 5:8).

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Third Sunday in Lent- Oculi
Introit: Psalm 25:15-16, 1-2, 17-18, 20- Speak responsively

My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the
net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust, let me not be put to shame; let not my
enemies exult over me.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.
Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
Oh, guard my soul and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
The Gloria in Excelsis is omitted during the season of Lent
Collect of the Day
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who
have gone astray from Your ways, and bring them again with penitent
hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable
truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and
forever. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Exodus 8:16-24
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff
and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the
land of Egypt.’” 17  And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with
his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man
and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of
Egypt. 18  The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but
they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19  Then the
magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's
heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had
said. 20  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and

present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to
him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21  Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms
of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your
houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of
flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22  But on that day I will
set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no
swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in
the midst of the earth. 23  Thus I will put a division between my people
and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.” 24  And the Lord
did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and
into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land
was ruined by the swarms of flies.
Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4:32–5:9
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God
in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved
children. 2  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for
us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3  But sexual immorality
and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you,
as is proper among saints. 4  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk
nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be
thanksgiving. 5  For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is
sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater),
has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6  Let no one
deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath
of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7  Therefore do not
become partners with them; 8  for at one time you were darkness, but
now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9  (for the fruit
of light is found in all that is good and right and true).
Tract: Psalm 123:1-3a- Speak responsively
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, so
our eyes look to the LORD our God until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us.
Gospel Reading: Luke 11:14-28
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had
gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15  But some of
them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,”
16  while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
17  But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom
divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
18  And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom
stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19  And if I cast
out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?
Therefore they will be your judges. 20  But if it is by the finger of God
that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods
are safe; 22  but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes
him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.
23  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather
with me scatters. 24  “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person,
it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it
says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25  And when it
comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26  Then it goes and
brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and
dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
27  As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and
said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at
which you nursed!” 28  But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear
the word of God and keep it!”