AUDIO: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday February 18, 2024
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Old Testament Reading — Genesis 22:1–18
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Epistle Reading — James 1:12–18
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first chapter
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Free Lenten Daily Devotions Available in the Narthex
Forty-seven daily devotions that repeatedly build on Psalm 41 and supporting Scripture passages that together paint a picture of how David's words are now your reality through Christ and your Baptism. These devotions, starting with Ash Wednesday and concluding on Easter Sunday, are meant to be used with the Lenten Preaching and Worship Series Be Gracious to Me.
About the Theme
Be Gracious to Me centers around Psalm 41 where God’s grace wells up and King David exults God, tracing the flow of divine grace from the source to its believers. He watches the current flow and spring forth in the lives of all believers through Baptism. Discover how Christ’s sufferings are your sufferings, and more importantly, how David’s words in Psalm 41 have become your reality through Christ. In the day of trouble, the Lord delivers you. The Lord protects you and keeps you alive. You are called blessed in the land.
Bulletin: Sunday February 18, 2024
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THIS WEEK AT ZION:
Saturday February 17
No Events Scheduled
Sunday February 18
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
6:00 p.m. - LCMS Youth Gathering Kick-Off meeting for teens & parents
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Monday February 19
6:00 p.m. - 1st Year Confirmation Class
6:30 p.m. - Faith Bell Choir Practice
7:00 p.m. - 2nd Year Confirmation Class
Tuesday February 20
6:15 p.m. - Grace Bell Choir Practice
6:30 p.m. - Adult Choir Practice
Wednesday February 21
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Communion & Bible Study
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Communion (No Bible Study)
Thursday February 22
6:00 p.m. - Adult Confirmation Class
Friday February 23
No Events Scheduled
Saturday February 24
No Events Scheduled
Sunday February 25
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Lutherans for Life
On Jan 18-20th, several Zion youth and their parents made a trip to Washington DC for the national March for Life, as well as the Lutherans for Life (LFL)/Youth4Life (Y4L) Conference held before and after the March itself. Around 200 youth and adult leaders attended the LFL- sponsored event. Session topics included: "Bearing Witness to the Sanctity of Life with Courage & Compassion", "Created Male & Female", and "Finding Joy in the Midst of Brokenness". It was a wonderful experience for all involved!
College Care Packages a Success
Thank you for your contributions to the college care packages!
Last fall, thanks to your generous contributions, we were able to fill nine boxes with snacks, gift cards, and advent devotions … one for each of the college/graduate students in our congregation. It’s always a nice feeling to be remembered from home. We will be collecting again for the Lenten care package mailings in late January. Thank you for your support.
Cheryl Debowski
College Care Package Coordinator
VIDEO: Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024 - Complete Service
View the Bulletin for Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes and Communion
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes and Communion
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative
Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.
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Old Testament Reading -- Joel 2:12–19
Epistle Reading -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the sixth chapter
AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024
View the Bulletin for Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes and Communion
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes and Communion
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative
Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.
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Old Testament Reading -- Joel 2:12–19
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O LORD,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples, ‘
Where is their God?’”
Then the LORD became jealous for his land
and had pity on his people.
The LORD answered and said to his people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations
Epistle Reading -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the sixth chapter
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.