Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (LCMS)

Cain

AS WE GATHER

Who is the son of Adam? When Adam and Eve held their firstborn son, Cain, in their arms for the first time, perhaps they wondered, “Who is this son?” After all, following their sin, the Lord God promised salvation from Eve’s offspring (Genesis 3:15). Could this baby boy be that Savior from sin and death? Not yet. Instead, Cain becomes the first murderer and spills the blood of his brother, Abel. Thankfully, a greater Son of Adam would fulfill the promise of a Savior. This Son would be held in the arms of another couple—Mary and Joseph. This Son would allow His very own blood to be shed for the salvation of Adam, Eve, and all their descendants.

Scripture Readings, Prayers and Sermon

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P     Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C     It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P     Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who sent Your only begotten Son not to shed another’s blood out of anger or jealously, but for His own blood to be shed out of compassion and love. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

C     Amen.

PSALM 141 LSB, p. 245

C     Let my prayer rise before You as incense,
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

P     O Lord, I call to You; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to You.

C     Let my prayer rise before You as incense,
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

P     Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.

C     Let not my heart incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.

P     But my eyes are turned to You, O God;
in You I take refuge.
Strip me not of my life.

C     Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise before You as incense,
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 5:17–26
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Pastor Jonathan Bontke

SERMON TEXT: Genesis 4:1-16

SERMON:

PRAYER

P     During this season of Advent, we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” True Son of Adam,
C     come, Lord Jesus.

P     True Son of Abraham,
C     come, Lord Jesus.

P     True Son of David,
C     come, Lord Jesus.

P     True Son of God,
C     come, Lord Jesus.

P     True Son of Man,
C     come, Lord Jesus.

P     That we might receive adoption as sons,
C     come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

BENEDICTION                                                                                           Psalm 146:5

P     Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
C     whose hope is in the Lord his God.

P     The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
C     Amen.

ADVENT MIDWEEK 1

+ Word +

FIRST READING Genesis 4:1–16

A reading from Genesis, the fourth chapter.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, You have driven me today away from the ground, and from Your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

SECOND READING Romans 5:12–17

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

LITANY

P     In peace, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For [names of synodical and district presidents], for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For [name of president or monarch], for all public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

P     For . . . [additional bids for prayer may be inserted here] . . . let us pray to the Lord:
C     Lord, have mercy.

The prayers then continue:

P     For the faithful who have gone before us and are with Christ, let us give thanks to the Lord:
C     Alleluia.

P     Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Silence for individual prayer may follow.

P     Rejoicing in the fellowship of the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord:
C     To You, O Lord.

P     O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C     Amen.

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.

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Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (LCMS)