Christ Lutheran Church
7801 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79423-1805
Phone:  806-799-0162; Fax:  806-799-2273
E-Mail:  christlutheran@nts-online.net

Worship & Preparation
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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

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Sunday Worship Services are held at 10:00 A.M.

"Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."  (Luke 11:28)

Holy Communion is celebrated the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.

In keeping with His teaching that whoever takes the body and blood "unworthily" (that is, in unbelief) receives it to his harm rather than to his good, Jesus of Nazareth invites to the Sacrament all who:

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believe they are a sinner, are repentant of their sin, and desire power to live a more Godly life; and

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confess that with the bread and the wine, they receive His true body and true blood for the forgiveness of sin, power for the new life, and the gift of eternal salvation.

PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP, February 26, 2012
First Sunday in Lent

The Scriptures are filled with images of Christ long before we get to His incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection.  Think of the image of Abraham and his son, Isaac.  The father is ready to give up his one and only son - the son of promise.  But which father - are we talking about Abraham or the heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus?  Today, we begin with one story of temptation that has become the prelude to another story - the story of Jesus.  The Gospel lesson tells us how our Lord Jesus was Himself tempted like we are, in every way, and yet is found faithful.  We do not face temptation alone but in Christ whose strength is made perfect in our weakness and whose grace is our courage under duress.  Today, we pray that God may find us faithful when we are put to the test and that God will rescue us with His forgiveness when we fail.

OLD TESTAMENT:   Genesis 22:1-18 (The Lord asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, and Abraham shows his trust in God.)

22 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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 I am, 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. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 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.” 13 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. 14 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.”

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 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, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

EPISTLE:  James 1:12-18 (God indeed tempts no one but we are tempted by our own desires, soiled and tainted with sin.)

12  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. 13 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. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17  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. 18  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:  Mark 1:9-15 (Jesus is driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan and the time is fulfilled for the Kingdom of God to be at hand.)

The Baptism of Jesus

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12  The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13  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.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14  Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

 


Altar at Easter, 2011

If you are unable to attend worship services, you may wish to hear our sermons on-line and/or worship services at other LCMS Churches across the country.  www.lutherandevotionalcorner.info contains a compilation of those.

Background music is "Beautiful Savior", presented by the Christ Lutheran Church Choir, January 29, 2012

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