HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH
SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY
Sunday, February 20, 2021, 8:00 a.m.

Prelude

Greeting And Moment Of Fellowship

Entrance Hymn
Please stand for the last verse of the hymn.

The Church’s One Foundation	

Text: Samuel J. Stone, 1839–1900, alt.
Tune: Samuel S. Wesley, 1810–76
Text and tune: Public domain

P	In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C	Amen.

P	If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C	But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P	Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C	Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P	Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C	Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit	

P Awake! Why are you sleeping, | O Lord?*
C Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for- | ever!
P For our soul is bowed down | to the dust.*
C Rise up; come | to our help!
P O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have | told us,*
C what deeds you performed in their days, in the | days of old:
P you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you | planted;*
C you afflicted the peoples, but them you | set free.
P But you have saved us | from our foes*
C and have put to shame those who | hate us.
P In God we have boasted con- | tinually,*
C and we will give thanks to your name for- | ever.
P Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
C and to the Holy | Spirit;
P as it was in the be- | ginning,*
C is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
P Awake! Why are you sleeping, | O Lord?*
C Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for- | ever!
P For our soul is bowed down | to the dust.*
C Rise up; come | to our help!

Kyrie	

This Is the Feast	

Salutation and Collect of the Day
P	The Lord be with you.
C	And also with you.

P	Let us pray.
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully grant that by Your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C	Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading	Isaiah 55:10–13
10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
	and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
	giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
	it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
	and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12“For you shall go out in joy
	and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
	shall break forth into singing,
	and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
	instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
	an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

A	This is the Word of the Lord.
C	Thanks be to God.

Epistle	Revelation 5:1-14
	1Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
	6And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
	and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
	from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
	and they shall reign on the earth.”
11Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

A	This is the Word of the Lord.
C	Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse	

Holy Gospel	
P	The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the eighth chapter.

	4When a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to [Jesus], he said in a parable: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
	9And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”

P	This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sit

Fight the Good Fight	

Text: John S. B. Monsell, 1811–75, alt.
Tune: The Methodist Harmonist, 1821, New York
Text and tune: Public domain

Sermon     Pastor Matt Wallis

Stand

Apostles’ Creed
C	I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
     maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.
     The third day He rose again from the dead.
     He ascended into heaven
     and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
     From thence 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 T everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of the Church
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
After each portion of the prayers:
P	 Lord, in your mercy,
C	 hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude:
P	 Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C	Amen

Sit

Offering

Stand

Offertory	

Service of the Sacrament
Preface	

P	It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for what had been hidden from before the foundation of the world You have made known to the nations in Your Son. In Him, being found in the substance of our mortal nature, You have manifested the fullness of Your glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

Sanctus	

Prayer of Thanksgiving	
P	Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C	Amen.

The Words of Our Lord
P	Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Proclamation of Christ
P	As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C	Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P	O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

Lord’s Prayer
C	Our Father who art in heaven,
     hallowed be Thy name,
     Thy kingdom come,
     Thy will be done on earth
          as it is in heaven;
     give us this day our daily bread;
     and forgive us our trespasses
          as we forgive those
          who trespass against us;
     and lead us not into temptation,
     but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
     and the power and the glory
     forever and ever. Amen.

Pax Domini	
P	The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C	Amen.

Agnus Dei	

Sit

Communion Distribution
Holy Cross believes that the Lord’s Supper is a gift of Jesus to His church. The apostle Paul wrote, “Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” (I Corinthians 11:28-29). Out of loving concern for those that commune and from our understanding of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions, we request that those who commune here:

1. Be baptized Christians
2. Should have received special instruction on the essence and significance of the Lord’s Supper.
3. Are mature enough to examine themselves,  recognizing their sin and their need for God’s grace through this special means.
4. Profess the “real presence” of Christ in this sacrament, that is, confessing the true presence of Jesus’ body in the bread and His blood in the wine.

We request that all that come to the Lord’s Supper join us in acknowledging the preceding affirmations of our understanding of communion. Non-communing children may join their parents. They are asked to fold their hands for a blessing. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with the pastor after the service.

If you are unable to drink wine, the inner tray has alcohol free wine. If you are in need of gluten free bread, please speak with one of the pastors.

Stand

In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:

P	The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart T in peace.
C	Amen.

Thank the Lord	

Post-Communion Collect
A	Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C	Amen.

Benediction	

I Love Your Kingdom, Lord	

Text: Timothy Dwight, 1752–1817, alt.
Tune: Aaron Williams, 1731–76
Text and tune: Public domain

Words of Departure
P	  Go in peace and serve the Lord!
C	 Thanks be to God!

Psalm 84
8O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
	give ear, O God of Jacob!
9Behold our shield, O God;
	look on the face of your anointed!
10For a day in your courts is better
	than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
	than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
	the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
	from those who walk uprightly.
12O Lord of hosts,
	blessèd is the one who trusts in you!