St Ansgar Lutheran Church, London

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Sunday Morning

We invite you to join us for the following worship services:

Sundays
10:30 a.m. Worship service

Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and other locations in the church for
your use.

Washrooms will be available for use.

In the service: The service will be shown on the screen. The offering will not be gathered and presented, but there will be an offering plate at the back of the sanctuary where you can put your offering as you enter or leave. Pastor David distributes the communion wafers and an Assisting Minister distributes wine or grape juice in individual glasses.

We have coffee and fellowship time available again in Luther Hall after the service.

We will continue to evaluate our worship service procedures on a monthly basis.

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT, MARCH 9, 2025

St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, Outline for Worship (with Sermon)
Sunday, March 9, 2025 – First Sunday in Lent
ELW Holy Communion Setting 5

GATHERING

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, who forgives all our sin,
whose mercy endures forever.
C: Amen.

P: Let us return to God, confessing our sin in the assurance of God’s
abiding love.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Compassionate One,
C: you are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,
but our lives do not always reflect you and your love for the world.
We do not show others the tender compassion you have shown to us.
We do not welcome others with the radical hospitality you grant to
all people.
We oppress others, even though you have set us free again and again.
We squander the abundant gifts of the earth.
Transform our lives and guide us again in the way of the cross.
Amen.

P: Beloved in Christ, God’s arms are always stretched wide to welcome the
wandering ones home.
In ☩ Christ, our sins are forgiven. You have a place in God’s house forever.
C: Amen.

ENTRANCE HYMN – What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine (ELW #774)

GREETING
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you

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

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

A: 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.

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

A: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: Let us pray.
P: O Lord God, you led your people through the wilderness and brought them
to the promised land. Guide us now, so that, following your Son, we may walk
safely through the wilderness of this world toward the life you alone can give,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.

WORD

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
1 When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you
as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall
take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from
the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in
a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a
dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time,
and say to him, "Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come
into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 When the
priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of
the LORD your God, 5 you shall make this response before the LORD your God:
"A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived
there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation,
mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us,
by imposing hard labour on us, 7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD
heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The LORD
brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a
terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought
us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have
given me." You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down
before the LORD your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the
aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the
LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty –
2 you will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my stronghold,”
my God in whom I put my trust.”
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
and the Most High your habitation,
10 no evil will befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your dwelling.
11 For God will give the angels charge over you,
to guard you in all your ways.
12 Upon their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion cub and viper,
you will trample down the lion and the serpent.
14 I will deliver those who cling to me;
I will uphold them, because they know my name.
15 They will call me, and I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue and honour them.
16 With long life will I satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.

SECOND READING: Romans 10:8b-13
8b "The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word
of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus
is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one
confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one
who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction
between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all
who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall
be saved."

A: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
C: Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

GOSPEL
P: The Holy Gospel according to Luke 4:1-13
C: Glory to you, O Lord.

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the
Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was
famished. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command
this stone to become a loaf of bread." 4 Jesus answered him, "It is written,
'One does not live by bread alone.'" 5 Then the devil led him up and showed
him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him,
"To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over
to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will
all be yours." 8 Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.'" 9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed
him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, 'He will command his
angels concerning you, to protect you,' 11 and 'On their hands they will
bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"
12 Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to
the test.'" 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed
from him until an opportune time.

P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON
Pastor David is on vacation this week, visiting with family in Colorado.
This sermon was prepared by Rev. James Laurence, pastor of
First Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Albemarle, North Carolina.
Luke 4:1-13
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the prayers of our hearts,
always be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Strength, and our Redeemer.
AMEN

Imagine, for a moment, that the devil has decided to turn his attention to
you – to test you, tempt you, try to stop you from following Jesus. You are
a threat to the devil, after all. You are baptized, right? You are a follower
of Jesus. You are here, worshipping our Lord. The devil doesn’t like that.
So, imagine that he has decided to try to turn you from your faith. And he’s
going to approach you in three different ways, each way an attempt to try
and turn you away from God. Three ways that the devil thinks might work,
might tempt you to wander off the narrow way. What might those be for you?
They’re a little different for each of us. So what might yours be? Thinking
about that, and sincerely wrestling with that, is an important aspect of our
Lenten journey.
In today’s gospel reading (Luke 4:1-13), we find the devil doing this very
thing with Jesus. Testing Jesus, tempting him, during his forty days in the
wilderness. The devil is desperately seeking to stop Jesus from doing the
work that our heavenly Father sent him to do. And what is so helpful about
this reading for us is that we get to learn from Jesus how to deal with the
temptations that the devil confronts us with. The temptations will be very
different for us, of course. We are not the Son of God! But still, we can
learn from Jesus how to overcome whatever temptations we might face.
And his temptations actually turn out to be pretty universal, once we think of
them in that way.
Take the first temptation that Jesus faces. It’s a pretty basic and universal
one: It is about food. We’ve all had temptations involving food, I suspect.
But imagine going without food for forty days, as Jesus did. At the end of
those forty days, the devil approached Jesus and said to him, “If you are the
Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” That must have
been quite a temptation for Jesus. But what is this temptation, really? Is it
just to eat food? Or is it about more than that?
If you are the Son of God, the devil is saying, then use your divine power to
turn a stone into bread. This is a temptation to use his divine power for himself.
It is a temptation to do something for himself. Not for his heavenly Father.
Not for humanity. But for himself. And I suspect that the devil knows that if he
can get Jesus to think about himself, even just a little, then the devil has won.
Because there is no way that Jesus will be crucified for our sins, if he
begins thinking about himself in any way.
And there is something universal in this. Because once we decide to live
for ourselves, and not for God, even just a little, we have begun wandering
away from the faith. Because there is no way that we will do anything
sacrificial – for God or for others, if we are thinking about ourselves.
It doesn’t make any sense to do that.
So, when we are tempted in this way, how can we deal with it? What does
Jesus do? He answers with Scripture. He quotes Deuteronomy (Deut. 8:3)
to the devil: “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” And the devil
would know the next part of that verse: “But by every word that comes from
the mouth of God.”
We don’t live by bread alone. We don’t live for bread alone. Our lives are about
much more than eating and drinking and working and sleeping. They are
about the relationship with God that Jesus came to restore. That comes first,
Jesus is reminding us. And when we put that relationship first, then everything
else makes more sense. It becomes natural for us to make sacrifices in
our life for God – because our relationship with God is our highest priority.
And because we know what a sacrifice God’s Son has made for us.
How about the second temptation? The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms
of the world and said to him: “To you I will give their glory and all this authority;
for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then,
will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Now, think first about why this might have been tempting to Jesus.
The temptation isn’t to worship the devil, of course. The temptation for
Jesus is to take a shortcut to his goal – to agree to worship the devil so
that he could be given control of the world. And wouldn’t the world be a better
place if Jesus were in control?! Even if he had to make a deal with the devil,
the world would be better off if Jesus were in charge. Of course, Jesus is in
charge, but he chooses to rule the world not by force, but by love. And that
means that his will is not always done among us.
But what does this have to do with us? The devil isn’t offering us any deals
like this, right? We certainly can’t take control of the world, even if we think
we could do something positive for it. But aren’t we tempted to take control
of our little corner of the world? We know how to fix our little corner, right?
We know how to fix our family, or our friends, or our school or workplace.
There are things that we could do that would be so simple, right? And it
would fix them. We know it would! It really is a temptation sometimes.
But does it ever work?
When we take control of our little corner of the world, instead of trusting our
corner to God, it never works out. And it never works out for us for a very
simple reason: Unlike God, we can’t see the whole picture. And we aren’t
perfect. So it is always better to trust things to God.
When Jesus was offered this particular temptation, he answered the devil by
quoting Deuteronomy (6:13) again: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve
only him.” It is a matter of trust, isn’t it? Even for Jesus. Of trusting God with
our little corner of the world. Worshipping God, serving God, remembering
that God is in control, not us. We can talk to God about it, and we should.
We can join God in improving our corner of the world, and we should. But it
really is God’s world, even our corner of it. And our task is to worship, serve,
trust, and love. And leave the rest to God.
So, how about the third temptation? The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, and
placed him on the pinnacle of the temple; and this time, the devil tried using
Scripture on Jesus. The devil knows his Bible! So he quoted Psalm 91 to Jesus:
“Throw yourself down from there, for it is written, ‘‘He will command his
angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear
you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”
So, why would this be tempting for Jesus? Why would it be tempting for him
to throw himself down from the temple, and trust God’s angels to protect him
from getting hurt? Well, imagine how much easier it would have been for Jesus
to teach and preach, to gather disciples and to build the church, to do everything
that Jesus was doing in his years of public ministry, if he started with a splashy
miracle like this one. Everyone would have believed in him right away.
The Pharisees, scribes, tax collectors, fishermen. Everyone would have known,
right away, that this man truly is the Son of God. And Jesus could have
done a lot of good if everyone believed that right away.
In fact, wouldn’t it be great if Jesus did that today? Did something so amazing
in our world that everyone alive believed in him? I think it is pretty easy to
see why this would be tempting. But, again, we don’t have this temptation
in our life, do we? Not literally, of course. But aren’t there times when we
are tempted to let the ends justify the means? Aren’t there times when we
can see a shortcut to accomplishing something good, and it seems like it
might be worth it in the end, even if it’s not the best way to accomplish it?
But what Jesus is reminding us of today is that sometimes, it is better to do
something in the right way, and fail, than to do something in the wrong way,
and succeed. Success is not everything. Or, as Mother Teresa famously put it:
“God has not called me to be successful, but to be faithful.” We are called
to be faithful, and to trust the results to God. Jesus didn’t start his ministry
with a splashy miracle because he knew that it was not God’s will. It would
have been a shortcut, and it would have worked – and he would have been
successful, but he chose being faithful over being successful. And he invites
us to do the same.
Jesus faced three very real temptations before he began his public ministry.
The devil knew what he was doing. And the same is the case with us.
We will always be tempted to live for ourselves, to take control of our corner
of the world, and to focus on success rather than faithfulness. But Jesus
teaches us that through prayer and Scripture, and with the help of the
Holy Spirit, we can live for others, we can trust God with our corner of
the world, and we can be faithful.
But what about when we struggle with these things, as we all do? There is
one more very important thing that this story teaches us today: It teaches us
that Jesus overcame the devil – he won the battle – for us, and for our world.
In the wilderness, and on the cross, and everywhere in between, Jesus resisted
the devil’s temptations. He didn’t listen to Peter, who tried to convince him
to stay away from Jerusalem and certain death. He didn’t call on the army
of angels, who were eager to fight for him, even when the Son of God
was arrested. And even as he lay dying on the cross, Jesus refused to
save himself. It would have been as simple as turning stone into bread,
but he chose to die instead, to do his Father’s will.
Jesus didn’t turn the stone into bread, and he didn’t come down from the cross.
And because he didn’t, he defeated the devil, once and for all. We don’t
have to fear the devil anymore. Because Jesus has defeated him for us.
Which means that no matter what is happening in our lives, no matter the
temptations and trials and tests we might be going through, we can turn to
Jesus, and he will be there for us, to lead us and guide us all along the way.
Thanks be to God.
AMEN

Silence is kept for reflection.

HYMN OF THE DAY – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (ELW #505)

APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
A: Led by the Spirit, let us turn to God in prayer for the church, the world,
and all those in need.
A: God of our church, send forth your Spirit as we pray for our Bishops Susan
and Carla. Empower them with your wisdom to lead the church. We also pray
for the Thames Ministry area, especially Pastor Sylvia Swiatoschik and the
people of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Leamington. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Gracious God, speak your word anew among your church. Strengthen it
to withstand the temptation to turn inward in fear or complacency.
Embolden church institutions to turn from self-preservation toward the
self-giving love of Jesus. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Mothering God, speak the word of life into wilderness places and fertile fields.
Grant wisdom to your people, that we may quell the urge to strip lands of their
resources and instead preserve first fruits for future generations. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Almighty God, speak a word of wisdom to people in positions of power:
mayors, councils, and tribal leaders; legislators, judges, and juries; presidents,
and monarchs. Help them discern your voice and follow your guidance, resisting
the temptations of the evil one. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Steadfast God, speak words of courage to your people in the wilderness.
Protect migrants and refugees on perilous journeys, that they find safe refuge
and a portion in the bounty you have given humanity to share. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Loving God, speak gently to all who are alone. Bless lay ministers,
home communion teams, and others who attend to those who are
overlooked, vulnerable, or lonely, that all find belonging in your love.
We pray for all who are ill, especially Beth, Jean, Mary Margaret, Kristine,
Shirley, Karen, Debbie, Emma, Cathy, and those others who are in our
hearts. We also pray for the family and friends of Grace Henkel.
God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Merciful God, we pray for peace as war continues to rage in Ukraine and
in Israel and Gaza. Shelter all living in fear; protect those seeking refuge in
neighbouring countries; sustain families separated by the horrors of war; tend to
those who are injured; comfort all who mourn their dead. Direct your people into
the way of peace. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Living God, we give thanks for all the faithful who have crossed the threshold
from death to life. Guide us who are living to learn from their wisdom and follow
their example. God, in your mercy,
C: receive our prayer.

A: Receive the prayers of your people and draw all things together in your love,
in the name of Jesus, who leads us from death to life.
C: Amen.

PEACE
P: The peace of Christ be with you always.
C: And also with you.

OFFERING PRAYER
A: Gracious Provider, you set your immense treasures among us, opening
your heart to the world. As we prepare to feast on your bountiful love, deepen
our commitment to sharing these treasures with others, through our Saviour.
Jesus Christ.
C: Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.
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.

BLESSING
P: God our tender parent, God the crucified one,
God the reconciling Spirit, + bless you now and forever.
C: Amen.

SENDING HYMN - Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer (ELW #618)

DISMISSAL
A: Go in peace. Care for others as God cares for you.
C: Thanks be to God.

DISMISSAL HYMN – Go Now in Peace
Go now in peace, never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others, so all the world can see.
God will be there, watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.