Parish News for First Sunday in Lent

Invocabit—First Sunday in Lent, 18 February 2018

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God…”

St. Matthew 4.1-2

Jesus Does Battle in Our Place

In the Garden, man exalts himself to be a god in place of God (Genesis 3.1–21). He succumbs to the temptation of the devil, and eating of the forbidden fruit, he receives death. But in the sin-cursed wilderness, God humbles Himself to become man in place of man (St. Matthew 4.1–11). He does not eat but fasts and bears the onslaughts of the devil for us that we may be restored to life. Though outwardly Jesus appears weak, yet He comes in the name of the Lord of hosts. He draws from the five smooth stones of the books of Moses and slings the Word of God. The stone sinks into the forehead, and the enemy falls. In Christ we are victorious over the devil. Let us therefore not receive the grace of God in vain (2 Corinthians 6.1–10), but seeing that we have a great High Priest, let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain help in time of need.

SUNDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

INVOCABIT The First Sunday in Lent takes its name “Invocabit” from the first words of the Introit in Latin, “He shall call” (Psalm 91.15).

LENT is a good time to begin or increase participation in worship and catechesis. Invite your friends and family who have not been to Divine Service in a while, and resolve to attend each Sunday and Wednesday in Lent to receive Christ’s gifts in Preaching and His Supper.

LAUDS is the Church’s morning prayer, and is prayed Tuesday—Thursday at 9:30am. Increased prayer is one of the Lent disciplines. Join us as you are able.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER at @ielcth and on Instagram at @ielc_th.

SUNDAYS AVAILABLE FOR ALTAR FLOWERS There are still six Sundays available for Altar Flowers this year. Please sign up on the chart in the Narthex.

LENT MIDWEEK VESPERS is Wednesday at 7pm, with the theme “The Passover Prepared” on St. Matthew 26.1-35.

This week at Immanuel

To find out what’s going on at Immanuel this week, check out our Events calendar.

Prepare for Next Sunday

Genesis 32.22–32; 1 Thessalonians 4.1–7; St. Matthew 15.21–28

Hymns: 972 X 615 X 745 X 758 X 438 X 713

Order of Daily Prayer

L Make haste, O X God, to deliver me.

R Make haste to help me, O Lord.

     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

Psalm 91

Scripture Readings:

[S] from Divine Service

[M] St. Luke 9.28-62; Numbers 3

[T] St. Luke 10.1-22; Numbers 10

[W] St. Luke 10.38—11.13; Numbers 11

[Th] St. Luke 11.29-36; Numbers 12

[F] St. Luke 11.37-54; Numbers 13.1-25

[S] St. Luke 12.1-34; Numbers 13.26-33

Hymn of the Day or Month (LSB 656)

Catechism (bulletin)

Apostles’ Creed

L Lord, have mercy upon us;  R Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father

Collect of the Day (bulletin)

Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer

L Bless we the Lord.  R Thanks be to God.