Good morning and welcome to Morrison Zion Lutheran Church. Our mission is to glorify God as we gather around the Gospel. We grow in that Gospel and also go to others with that Gospel.
Today is a special Sunday where we speak about those very things; our Mission Statement, what it means to be a Christian church, what it means to be Christians in this world. We are going to do that through song, through our band and choir. We are also going to be looking at the different parts of our logo. We have a new logo for the church and it is going to share our mission; what it means to be a Christian. We hope you can learn from that and be blessed by that and take this as what it means to be a part of Morrison Zion and to be a Christian in the world.
We will have different parts from the band and choir singing. Also the congregation will sing. There will be a few meditational thoughts on some Scripture in three different parts.
There is one thing in the Service Folder, In Christ Alone, Hymn 2, is repeated as Verse 1.
We are excited for this service and thankful for all the work that the choir and band did for this service.
Stand
M: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
Confession of Sins:
M: God so loved the world that while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ was given to die for us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God promises to heal us and forgive us. Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and one another.
Silence for personal reflection
M: Jesus invites you: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
C: We have come to the Lord’s house wearied by our work and burdened by our problems.
M: Isaiah said of the Savior: “A bruised reed He will not break,” (Isaiah 42:3) and again: “He was bruised for our iniquities…by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
C: We have come bruised by the actions of others and bruised by our repeated falls into sin.
M: Isaiah says that God the Father sent Jesus “to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives…to comfort all who mourn.” (Isaiah 61:1-2)
C: We come broken in spirit because we cannot pay for our wrongs, broken in heart because we long for the peace of forgiveness.
Words of Forgiveness:
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given His only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Because of Jesus’ atoning work, God assures us in the Bible:
C: “As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
M: He says, “I will forgive their wickedness and I will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:24)
C: “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 2:7)
M: After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit…
C: If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven.” (John 20:22, 23)
M: Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: May the God of Hope fill us with joy and peace in believing. Amen.
Be Seated
Part One: Fortress and Foundation
Our first section that we look at is a Fortress and Foundation. The focus is from Psalm 46. Whenever people start building, what do they start with? You can’t just put up strong walls without having a foundation. We know that you could have the strongest cement, the strongest steel walls, but if you didn’t first make that strong foundation, it’s not going to last very long. It’s going to be on shifting ground and it just won’t last. If that foundation you build is built too quickly and there are cracks that form, you’re still going to run into trouble. It’s not going to last very long.
We know as Christians we have the strongest foundation and the greatest refuge and strength in this life. There are so many things that people put their hope in. They build their foundation on these things and they are always changing. In fact, these things are quite deceiving. We know there are so many things that promise us security but they really fall short.
So as we look to our God, we want to see that we can build our foundation on Him, on His Words that never change, on Him, who says that He is the same today, yesterday and forever. Why is that important?
Everything around you changes. There are a lot of fear and doubt and worry about the things that go on in the world. But when you have that foundation and as you look at our logo, you can see that mount, Mount Zion. That’s our name. We are built on this solid foundation of Zion. Then on top is a fortress, a refuge and strength. This was one of the psalms that my wife and I used for our renewal of our wedding. The pastor preached on this because in our life, as we hear Psalm 46, what are you going to hear about? You’re going to hear about how the world is in turmoil, how the mountains are quaking. Everything shakes and it feels like there is no hope. But we have our fortress, our strength, our foundation. So we never have to fear, no matter what we face, no matter what there might be coming in the world.
So we begin with that solid foundation, that strength, that salvation that comes from our Lord, His Word, and the promise that He is always there and will protect us.
Reading and Meditation Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. (NIV)
Congregation: God So Loved the World So that He Gave CW 391:1-2
God Is Our Refuge and Strength: Choir
God is our Refuge and Strength, therefore will not we fear,
Though the earth be removed, and though the waters roar and be troubled,
God is our Refuge and Strength.
A mighty Fortress is our God, A trusty Shield and Weapon,
He helps us free from ev’ry need, that hath us now o’ertaken,
He standeth ever near, He calmeth all our fear,
He helps in every need, He is the Lord indeed,
Our God shall reign forevermore.
The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge,
Therefore will not we fear.
A Helper mighty is our God, a Tower of strength ne’er failing.
He triumphs o’er all earthly power, o’er ills of life prevailing,
He overcometh all, He saveth from the fall,
His skill and pow’r are great, he all things did create,
Our God shall reign forevermore. Amen!
Foundations of Faith: Choir
Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the head and cornerstone,
Chosen of the Lord and precious, binding all the Church as one;
Holy Zion’s help forever, and her confidence alone.
To this temple where, we call You, come, O Lord of hosts, today.
With Your faithful loving kindness, hear Your people as they pray;
And Your fullest benediction shed within its walls always.
Upon the Rock the Church shall stand, God’s people now restored;
A living house of love and grace, the temple of the Lord!
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord.
She is His new creation, by water and the Word.
From heav’n, He came and sought her to be His holy bride.
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.
Laud and honor to the Father. Laud and honor to the Son.
Laud and honor to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One;
One in might and One in glory, while unending ages run.
All laud and honor be to God!
Congregation: God So Loved the World So that He Gave CW 391:3-4
Part Two: Cross and Crown
We Preach Christ Crucified: Junior Choir
We preach Christ crucified, he died for me.
God sacrificed himself for my eternity.
He paid the cost of my sin-filled life.
His resurrection is my victory!
The death of Christ on a cross of wood,
Saving souls from death, is not understood
Without faith in Christ and his saving Word
Bringing life from what was dead.
Refrain
What is a tool used for torture and death
Is an instrument of God’s love and grace.
Jesus gave himself for me willingly,
Fully crushed the pow’r of sin.
Refrain
Congregation (sung): In Christ Alone CWS 752:1
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
Reading and Meditation: John 14:1-7
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (NIV)
Have you ever taken a trip or vacation and had no idea where you were going and you didn’t know the way? How did that go? When you plan a trip and vacation, you usually plan your destination. You figure out where you are going to go. Then the next thing you do is plan the way and how you are going to get there.
Think about work. You always set your plans/goals, what you want to accomplish, and then the next step is to figure out how you are going to do that. How are we going to get to our goals? How are we going to accomplish what we want to do? What is the way to get there?
If you don’t have one of those, if you don’t have the way to get there, of if you don’t have the end in sight and know what you are trying to accomplish, you are going to run amuck with one of those. You might have a way, but if you don’t know when you’re there, that’s not going to go very well. If you have the end in mind but you can’t figure out a way to get there, you’re going to be lost.
As Christians, we have both the way and the end in sight. We know what they are and how to get there. In our logo, we’ve tried to make that clear. In the center, the focus of the logo is the Cross. That’s how you get up that hill/mountain into the Fortress. That’s exactly what Jesus said in our Reading. “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He is the way. The Cross is the way.
What does that mean for us? It has meaning for us because of what the Cross is for Jesus. The Cross is where He went to pay for the sins of the whole world. That means He died for YOU and for EVERYONE out there. Our sins are washed clean. We are redeemed. He went to the Cross to show His love and to wipe all those sins away. He is the way.
But the Cross also means that, as He said to His disciples, we too will carry a cross. It’s not for us to earn anything but as Christians, we know that there is a cross for us to carry. And we get to proclaim His Cross to the world. The Cross is everything for Christians. We proclaim Christ to the world. Why? It’s the way; the way to what?
On the top of the logo you’ll see this Light. What is special about that is there are seven rays. Seven represents perfection or heaven. If you look, those Lights kind of represent a Crown; the Crown of glory that believers will receive in heaven. Again, the reminder is that in this life we won’t always have glory. It’s a world filled with sin that we live in. It is broken and we commit sins and sins are committed against us, and we’re going to carry this cross so we aren’t always going to look the most amazing. But did you hear in our Reading what it’s all about?
Jesus said He is going to go and prepare a place for you. His Father’s house has many rooms. That Crown of glory, that mansion of heaven is in store for you, and Jesus has prepared the way for you. It’s all by grace. It’s all by His work, so you can know that you always have a purpose and you always have the end in sight. You know that Jesus is the way. He is the truth that so many struggle to find today. And He gives us life; life not just here, today, but life eternal. Amen.
Congregation (sung): In Christ Alone CWS 752:2
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
This I Know!: Choir
Who can comprehend the mind of God?
Who can understand His ways?
Nothing in life seems certain on the journey through earthly days.
I have questions that go unanswered;
There are things I do not understand.
But my Father knows what is best for me, according to His plan.
This I know, I have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for me.
This I know, He died at Calv’ry to pay sin’s debt that I might be free.
Then He arose in glorious splendor to take His rightful place.
And someday soon I’ll see His face, this I know!
This I know, that in my Savior I have an anchor firm and sure.
This I know, His love and mercy will forevermore endure.
Soon I’ll enter heaven’s glory and walk on streets of purest gold.
And on that day I will behold Him, this I know!
So I will trust in the Lord, I will not be shaken,
He will fight the battle for me.
His is the glory and the power forever,
His is the victory.
This I know, I have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for me.
This I know, He died at Calv’ry to pay sin’s debt that I might be free.
Then He arose in glorious splendor to take His rightful place.
Someday soon I’ll see His face, for He saved me by His grace.
Yes, the Father loves me so. This I know!
Part Three: Light and Sound
Reading and Meditation: John 1:1-9
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. (NIV)
When you are out and about, what gets your attention? Think of ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks. What do they use? They use Lights and Sound. You see those sirens. You hear them. The flashing lights and sirens get your attention. It’s something that we notice and we say “Something is going on.”
When Jesus came into the world, it says that He was a Light in darkness. I don’t think we have to explain what it means that our world is filled with darkness. We feel it all around us. We experience it. We feel it inside of us. Our sinful nature, sin, death, it’s all around us. We know what we face, but we know that there is hope. We know that Jesus is the Light of the world. He brings truth and hope to us, who dearly need it.
On our logo, the Light that is that Crown is also representing the Light that God gives through Jesus. He is the Light of the world. He gives us hope and peace and forgiveness. Not only is He the Light, but did you notice what it says about John? He came to witness about that Light. That’s what we do as well. God says that He makes us a Light on a hill, like a city on a hill that shines, that people can see.
So we go out and we preach the good news. We tell people about God’s love and forgiveness, and we also love one another. We even love our enemies and we forgive when others wouldn’t forgive. This is a Light to the world. As we testify, we also sing His praises.
This is one thing that we love to do at Morrison Zion, as you see with our great band and our great choir. We wanted to emphasize that in our logo and our mission as well. In the mountain on our logo you will see some little textures. Those represent either piano keys or organ pipes. As we go out, we preach the good news, but we also get to sing His praises. Think of some of the things that connect you most to the Gospel. Those songs that you sing as a child and those songs that you remember that are part of your heart.
So today we are a Light to the world. The Light that Jesus gives. But also, we get to sing His praises today and every day and one day, with Him eternally. Amen.
The Light of The World!: Choir
Jesus is the Light of the World, Hallelujah!
Jesus is the Light of the World and we will follow Him.
When there is trouble, no need to go astray.
He will shine. Yes, He will shine.
Jesus will help you find your way.
He will shine. Yes, He will shine.
Take His hand, He will lead.
You’ll know that Jesus is your Savior, He has set you free.
Keep Him in your life and let Him shine!
When there is darkness, no need to be afraid.
He will shine. Yes, He will shine.
Jesus will bring a brighter day.
He will shine. Yes, He will shine.
Follow Him, strong and true.
Look at what the power of His love can do.
Keep Him in your life and let Him shine! Hallelujah!
Jesus is the Light of the World!
When In Our Music God Is Glorified: Choir and Junior Choir
When in our music God is glorified,
And adoration leaves no room for pride,
It is as though the whole creation cried:
Alleluia!
How often, making music, we have found
A new dimension in the world of sound,
As worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!
So has the Church in liturgy and song,
In faith and love, thru centuries of wrong,
Borne witness to the truth in every tongue,
Alleluia!
And did not Jesus sing a Psalm that night
When utmost evil strove against the Light?
Then let us sing, for whom He won the fight:
Alleluia!
Congregation joins on last verse
Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always:
Alleluia!
Offering
Chorale and Scherzo: Band
Stand
Prayer of the Church
Lord’s Prayer
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.
Benediction
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
C: Amen.
Be Seated
Congregation: God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage CW 293
Postlude
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus: Band
Good morning. I thank you all for being with us today. Thank you to all our guests and visitors who are with us as well. Also those who joined us on our livestream; we ask you to let us know that you worshipped with us. It is a joy to be with you today.
A special thanks to our Band, our Junior Choir and also our Choir. It’s a great blessing and joy to be able to proclaim God’s good news, the message of what it is to be a Christian, and the mission of our church today. Thank you and have a blessed day!
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7.) Amen.
Thanks to Jonathan Mayer at Scapegoat Studio for his work on designing our logo. scapegoatstudio.com