Preparing for Worship: Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany - February 12
God Calls Us to Worship Him
Hymn of Acclamation: "All People That on Earth Do Dwell"
All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; O praise Him Alleluia Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell. Come ye before him and rejoice. O praise Him O praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia Know that the Lord is God indeed; without our aid he did us make; O praise Him Alleluia We are his folk; he doth us feed, and for his sheep he doth us take. O praise Him O praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia O enter then his gates with praise; approach with joy his courts unto; O praise Him Alleluia Praise, laud, and bless his name always, for it is seemly so to do. O praise Him O praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia For why? The Lord our God is good; his mercy is forever sure; O praise Him Alleluia His truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure. O praise Him O praise Him Alleluia alleluia
O praise Him O praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia
God Graciously Renews Us in Christ
Confession of Sin
“Remember not the sins of our youth and our transgressions” “Remember us according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.” "For your name’s sake, O Lord, forgive our sin, for it is great.” (Psalm 25:6, 10)
Forgiveness of Sin through Christ
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:1-3)
Hymn of Assurance: "All I Have is Christ"
I once was lost in darkest night Yet thought I knew the way The sin that promised joy and life Had led me to the grave I had no hope that You would own A rebel to Your will And if You had not loved me first I would refuse You still But as I ran my hell-bound race Indifferent to the cost You looked upon my helpless state And led me to the cross And I beheld God's love displayed You suffered in my place You bore the wrath reserved for me Now all I know is grace Hallelujah all I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my life Now Lord I would be Yours alone And live so all might see The strength to follow Your commands Could never come from me O Father use my ransomed life In any way You choose And let my song forever be My only boast is You
Thanking God for What He Has Done
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, God until I declare your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?” (Psalm 71:18-19)
Giving Our Tithes and Offerings
Would you consider giving to the Thompsons? Justin and Blythe Thompson are former interns at Calvary that now serve as missionaries to the U.S. Army. The Thompson’s son, Wyatt, has a lesion on his brain that is consistent with ALD. Their doctors recommend that Wyatt receives a bone marrow transplant in Minneapolis. Your contribution would help with the travel and medical expenses for Wyatt's care. You may contribute to Calvary but designate it to the Thompsons so those monies get to them. For updates about Wyatt you may visit: caringbridge.org/visit/wyattthompson You may also contribute directly through the following:
Hymn of Affirmation: "On Eagle's Wings"
And God will raise you up on eagle’s wings Bear you on the breath of dawn Make you to shine as the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand
God Instructs Us through His Word
Genesis 41:1-57 (HCSB)
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, when seven healthy-looking, well-fed cows came up from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside those cows along the bank of the Nile. The sickly, thin cows ate the healthy, well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. After them, seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was only a dream.
When morning came, he was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I remember my faults. Pharaoh had been angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. He and I had dreams on the same night; each dream had its own meaning. Now a young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guards, was with us there. We told him our dreams, he interpreted our dreams for us, and each had its own interpretation. It turned out just the way he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”
Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it.”
“I am not able to,” Joseph answered Pharaoh. “It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows—ugly, very sickly, and thin—came up. I’ve never seen such ugly ones as these in all the land of Egypt. Then the thin, ugly cows ate the first seven well-fed cows. When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up. In my dream I had also seen seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, coming up on one stalk. After them, seven heads of grain—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind—sprouted up. The thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this to the magicians, but no one can tell me what it means.”
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads are seven years. The dreams mean the same thing. The seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven worthless, scorched heads of grain are seven years of famine. “It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt. After them, seven years of famine will take place, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will devastate the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows it, for the famine will be very severe. Since the dream was given twice to Pharaoh, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and He will carry it out soon. “So now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take a fifth of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Let them gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. Under Pharaoh’s authority, store the grain in the cities, so they may preserve it as food. The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine.”
The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as intelligent and wise as you are. You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “See, I am placing you over all the land of Egypt.” Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, clothed him with fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck. He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, and servants called out before him, “Abrek!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will be able to raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt without your permission.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah and gave him a wife, Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced outstanding harvests. Joseph gathered all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years and put it in the cities. He put the food in every city from the fields around it. So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it because it was beyond measure.
Two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine arrived. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest at On, bore them to him. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, meaning, “God has made me forget all my hardship in my father’s house.” And the second son he named Ephraim, meaning, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Then the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food. Extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. Pharaoh told all Egypt, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” Because the famine had spread across the whole country, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, for the famine was severe in every land.
God Feeds and Nourishes Us through His Supper
Communion Hymn: "Lamb of God"
You came from heaven's throne Acquainted with our sorrow To trade the debt we owe Your suff'ring for our freedom The Lamb of God in my place Your blood poured out my sin erased It was my death You died
I am raised to life
Hallelujah the Lamb of God My name upon Your heart My shame upon Your shoulders The pow'r of sin undone The cross for my salvation There is no greater love There is no greater love The Savior lifted up There is no greater love
God Blesses Us and Sends Us Out
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
