Matins for Ember Wednesday – December 16, 2020

Service Bulletin:   https://85j442.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ember-Days-Advent-Matins-12-16-18-19-2020b.pdf
Psalms:  https://85j442.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ember-Days-Advent-Psalms-2021-Bulletin-black.pdf

Hymn “The Advent of Our God” LW 12, TLH 68
Order of Matins, Lutheran Worship p. 208
Office Hymn “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord” LW 240, TLH 307
Psalm 24, 50, 85, 19 (See Insert)
Readings:  Isaiah 2:2-5, Isaiah 7:10-15 , St. Luke 1:26-38
Sermon “Christ’s Testament” Luke 22:20 and 1 Cor 11:25
Benedictus, LW p.217
The Prayers
Service ends
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –>   Facebook Live
PDF documents are available at trinityh.org under the tab “Sermons.”

Matins for St. Lucy, Martyr – December 13, 2020

Service Bulletin:   St.-Lucy-Martyr-Matins-Dec-21.pdf
Psalms:  Advent-1-First-Vespers-Psalms-2020.pdf
Sermon:  SRM1957-Married-to-Christ.pdf

0:00  Versicles, Venite, Lutheran Worship p. 208
3:10   Office Hymn “The Advent of Our God” LW 12, TLH 68
5:25   Psalm 24, 50, 85 (See Insert)
19:50 Readings:  Proverbs 8:22-35, 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 11:1-2; Matthew 13:44-52
25:00  Sermon “Married to Christ” 2 Corinthians 11:2  (length 12:05 minutes)
37:05  Te Deum, LW p.214
40:00  The Prayers
43:20  Service ends

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –>   Vimeo St Lucy

Divine Service for Advent Three – December 13, 2020

Service Bulletin:  Advent-Three-Divine-Service-for-Online-12-13-2020.pdf
Printed Sermon:  SRM1956-The-Strong-Are-At-Times-Weak.pdf

0:00  Hymn “The Advent of Our God” LW 12, TLH 68
2:20   Service Begins
7:00 Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, St. Matthew 11:2-11
14:40  Hymn “O People, Rise and Labor” LW 25
18:15  Sermon “The Strong Are At Times Weak” St. Matthew 11:6 (length 14:00 minutes)
32:15  “Create in Me…” LW p.143
33:15  The Prayer of the Church
38:40  Communion Liturgy
47:35 Communion Hymns:
“Hark! A Thrilling voice Is Sounding” LW 18, TLH 60
“O Lord, We Praise You” LW 238, TLH 313
56:00  Service ends

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –> Vimeo Advent Three
Note: The Bible class was also recorded and will be available at trinityh.org.

Miriam’s Sunday School Study Class #7: Creation of Man and Woman – Dec 13, 2020

Today’s class examines the second Old Testament account, as we look at the creation of mankind. (Genesis 2:4-25).
Handout 1:  Text-for-Gen-2.pdf
Handout 2: Passages-for-Gen-2.pdf

Note 1: A Divine Service was also video recorded and is available at trinityh.org, under the tab, Sermons
Note 2: This is the audio only post.  The vimeo video is also available.   Click here –> Vimeo Video for #7
–Pastor Michael D. Henson, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
–PDF documents are available at trinityh.org under the tab “Bible Studies.”

Before Reading Holy Scripture 3

LORD JESUS, our King, Light and Life, illumine, waken, strengthen my heart through Thy power and Holy Word to everlasting life. Glory, laud and honor be unto Thee, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (Oremus, 1925, p.27).

#3 The Word of God is Persecuted Ruthlessly By Many

It is the nature of the divine word to be heartily received by a few, but to be persecuted ruthlessly by many. Wolves and bears and lions do not persecute it, but men do, all men do, Christ says. Is it any wonder, then, that the world is full of people, that is, full of persecutors of Christ? What is the world other than people? But the word makes gods of men, as Psalm 71 [82:6] says, “I have said, you are gods, children of the Most High, all of you.” Christ himself interprets this statement in John 10 [:34, 35], saying, “Scripture calls them gods to whom the word of God came.” And in John 1 [:12], “To those who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” Thus it ever remains true that men persecute God’s word and God’s children.  (Luther’s Works, v.43, p.62)

Picture:  At the end of the rays coming from the dove are the seven branches of the lampstand with three roundlets designating the first 21 articles of the Augsburg Confession.
One: XVI, XVII, XVIII
Two: X, XI, XII
Three: IIII, V, VI
Four: I, II, III
Five: VII, VIII, IX
Six: XIII, XIIII, XV
Seven: XIX, XX, XXI

[All of the pictures for this year’s posts are from an etching entitled “Augsburg Confession” by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) and found in the Royal Collection Trust.]

Divine Service for Advent Two – December 6, 2020

Service Bulletin:  Advent-Two-Divine-Service-for-Online-12-6-2020.pdf

0:00  Hymn “The Advent of Our God” LW 12, TLH 68
2:00   Service Begins
6:30 Readings: Malachi 4:1-6, Romans 15:4-13, St. Luke 21:25-36
14:10  Hymn “O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide” LW 32
16:50  Sermon “Hearts Weighed Down” St. Luke 21:34 (length 13:40 minutes)
30:30  “Create in Me…” LW p.143
31:20  The Prayer of the Church
35:05  Communion Liturgy
43:35 Communion Hymns:
“Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending” HS98 #802 (different tune LW #15)
“Jesus Crist, Our Blessed Savior” LW 237, TLH 311
53:00  Service ends

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –> Vimeo Advent Two
Note: The Bible class was also recorded and will be available at trinityh.org.

Miriam’s Sunday School Study Class #6: Jesus in the beginning and before the foundation of the world

Today’s class continues to examine the first Old Testament account, as we look at Jesus in the beginning and before the foundation of the world. (Genesis 1:1-2:3).
Handout 1:  Text-for-Genesis-1-.pdf
Handout 2:  Creation-Love-of-God.pdf

Note 1: A Divine Service was also video recorded and is available at trinityh.org, under the tab, Sermons
Note 2: This is the audio only post.  The vimeo video is also available.   Click here –>  Vimeo Video for #6

–Pastor Michael D. Henson, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
–PDF documents are available at trinityh.org under the tab “Bible Studies.”

#74 Not the Person of the Preacher, But the Truth of the Teaching

The holiness of the word and the purity of doctrine are powerful and sure, so that even if Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate, the pope, Harry, or the devil himself preached it, or baptized truly (purely, without addition), they would still receive the same, pure word and the true, holy baptism, for there must always be hypocrites and false Christians in the church and a Judas among the apostles. Again, the impurity of doctrine that is not or is without God’s word is such a poisonous evil that even if St. Peter, indeed, an angel from heaven, were to preach it, he would nevertheless be accursed, Galatians I [:8]. Therefore those who teach, baptize, or distribute the sacrament falsely cannot be or remain in the church, as Psalm 1 [:5] says. For they act not only against the life the church must endure—particularly when it is hidden—but also against the doctrine that must gleam and shine in public to be a guide for life. This has been taught from the beginning, as St. John says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us” [I John 2:19], and, “They are in the church but not of the church”; or, “In number but not in merit,” and the like. Accordingly, we draw this distinction: not all are Christians who pretend to be Christians. But when there is disagreement in doctrine, it becomes quite evident who the true Christians are, namely, those who have God’s word in purity and refinement. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.218-219)

#71 The Church Must Teach God’s Word Alone

Now the purpose of all this is to show that the church must teach God’s word alone, and must be sure of it. The church is the pillar and bulwark of the truth, built on the rock, and called holy and irreproachable [Eph. 2:21]. Thus one rightly and truly says, “The church cannot err, for God’s word which it teaches cannot err.” But whatever else is taught or whatever is not with certainty God’s word, cannot be the doctrine of the church, but must be the doctrine, falsehood, and idolatry of the devil. The devil cannot say (since he is a liar and the father of lies), “God says this.” But, as Christ says in John 8 [:44], he must speak ex propriis, “from and of himself,” that is, he must lie; and so, without God’s word, all his children speak from and of themselves, that is, they must lie. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.217)