CREATED, SAVED AND GIFTED BY GOD, WE SEEK, SERVE AND SHARE JESUS CHRIST.
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
February 7, 2021
10:30 am
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
901 East Stroop Road
Kettering, oh 45429-4688
(937) 298-0136
Introduction
In Isaiah it is the one God who sits above the earth and numbers the stars—it is that God who strengthens the powerless. So in Jesus’ healing work we see the hand of the creator God, lifting up the sick woman to health and service (diakonia). Like Simon’s mother-in-law, we are lifted up to health and diakonia. Following Jesus, we strengthen the powerless; like Jesus, we seek to renew our own strength in quiet times of prayer.
Where the Crowd Is
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?” So begins the prophet Isaiah’s marvelous declaration (Isaiah 40:21, 28).
People were stirring in Capernaum, Simon Peter’s seaside fishing town. Apparently the whole city knew and heard; why else, at day’s end, would all the houses have emptied out leaving fish to be cleaned, floors to be swept, children to be bathed, wheat to be ground, and goats to be milked, so people could huddle at his door?
In the morning, crowds were again on the move, this time near the deserted place where Jesus was in prayerful retreat. Apparently everyone knew and heard; why else, at such an hour, would people in neighboring towns have delayed breakfasts, postponed boat launchings, put off opening markets, set aside filling lamps, put down mending, to go searching for him?
Some years ago, theologian Douglas John Hall wrote a provocative book, Waiting for Gospel. Its cover pictures an individual standing alone in an open field, looking down, waiting. The book presents a critique and reminder for the church: whole cities, neighboring towns, are crowding doors, searching deserted places for good news, for gospel. But is the church sharing the gospel?
Isn’t someone always selling snake-oil solutions for shriveled hearts, beachfront on a desert seashore, joy from a pill? What are we to believe? Who are we to listen to? When pandemic wobbles the globe, seas rise and economies fall, depressions blossom and hopes wither; when people starve in the shadow of mountains of rotting food, artificial intelligence baits kitchen table wisdom, virtual relationships land knockout blows to authentic community, and “mass” is the prefix to “incarceration,” “migration,” and “destruction”—which door are we to crowd? Where are we to search?
Have we not known? Have we not heard? Good news draws a crowd; the gospel is found in Jesus!
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. 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.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.
Amen.
GATHERING SONG – Forever
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King;
His love endures forever!
For he is good, he is above all things;
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise.
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
His love endures forever!
For the life that’s been reborn,
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise,
Sing praise, sing praise.
Forever God is faithful, Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us, Forever, forever!
From the rising to the setting sun,
His love endures forever!
And by the grace of God, we will carry on.
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise,
Sing praise, sing praise.
Forever God is faithful, Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us, Forever, forever!
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.
FIRST READING Isaiah 40:21-31
The Judeans in exile have a good reason to be hopeful: the one who will bring them to free- dom is the God who created the world, the God who subdues the rulers of the earth and gives strength to those who are weary.
A reading from the book of Isaiah.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in;
who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
God entrusted Paul with the responsibility of bringing the gospel to diverse people. Hence the focus of Paul’s ministry is not his own rights or privileges as an apostle but the privilege of serv- ing God by freely sharing the good news of Christ with others.
A reading from the book of 1 Corinthians.
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL Mark 1:29-39
Everywhere Jesus goes, many people expect him to set them free from oppression. Every- where he goes, he heals them and sets them free. Disease, devils, and death are running for their lives. The forces that diminish human life are rendered powerless by Jesus.
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
MESSAGE Pastor Jamie Vannoy
SPECIAL MUSIC – “On Eagles Wings”
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
who abide in this shadow for life,
say to the Lord:
“My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!”
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
and famine will bring you no fear;
under God’s wings your refuge,
with faithfulness your shield.
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand.
You need not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day;
though thousands fall about you,
near you it shall not come.
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand.
For to the angels God’s given a command
to guard you in all of your ways;
upon their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of his hand;
and hold you,
hold you in the palm of his hand.
APOSTLES’ 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 power of the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need.
A brief silence.
Each intercession concludes:
Let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
MEAL
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right and good that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise to you, holy God, mighty and immortal, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this day broke the bonds of death, opening to us the way of everlasting life and giving us a foretaste of the feast to come.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Beloved: here is bread; here is wine. Here is Jesus. Come and be fed.
Amen.
HOLY COMMUNION
TABLE BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and always keep you in God’s grace.
Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Christ Jesus, at this table we have feasted on your very life and are strengthened for our journey. Send us forth from this banquet nourished in body and in spirit to proclaim your good news and serve others in your name.
Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
God the creator strengthen you; Jesus the beloved fill you; and the Holy Spirit the comforter keep you in peace.
Amen.
SPECIAL MUSIC – “I Love To Tell the Story”
I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story,
because I know it’s true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else would do.
I love to tell the story;
’twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story:
how pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet!
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own holy word.
I love to tell the story;
’twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
I’ll sing the old, old story
that I have loved so long.
I love to tell the story;
’twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Be the light of Christ.
Created, saved and gifted by God; we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, thanks be to God!
Make a commitment to not only worship each week but also try to find a way to serve in the congregation and seek out a way to serve our community.
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD
UPCOMING COMMEMORATIONS
Cyril, monk, died 869; Methodius, bishop, died 885;
missionaries to the Slavs Sunday, February 14, 2021
These two brothers from Thessalonika, Greece, were monks and were sent to bring Christianity to the Slavic people. In the course of their work they created a written language, inventing the Cyrillic
alphabet for it, and translated the Bible and the liturgy.
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22920.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.