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Confessions

Second ArticleCreed

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WORSHIP• L Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,• C have mercy and hear us.

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• •

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Worship - 2• C . I believe in God, the Father almighty, • creator of heaven and earth. • I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. • He was conceived by the power of the

• Holy Spirit

• and born of the virgin Mary. • He suffered under Pontius Pilate, • was crucified, died, and was buried. • He descended into hell.• On the third day he rose again. • He ascended into heaven, • and is seated at the right hand of the Father. • He will come again 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

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Worship - 3• L Show us your mercy, O Lord,• C and grant us your salvation.• L Clothe your ministers with righteousness.• C Let your people sing with joy.• L Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;• C for only in you can we live in safety.• L Lord, keep this nation under your care,• C and guide us in the way of justice and truth.• L Let your way be known upon earth;• C your saving health among all nations.• L Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten,• C nor the hope of the poor be taken away.• L Create in us clean hearts, O God,• C and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.• • L The Lord be with you.• C And also with you.

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Worship - 4• L We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, • that you have this day so graciously protected us. • We beg you to forgive us all our sins and the wrong which we have done. • By your great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of this night. • Into your hands we commend our bodies and souls, and all that is ours. • Let your holy angels have charge of us, that the wicked one have no power over us.• C Amen

• L Let us bless the Lord.• C Thanks be to God.• • L The + Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. • C Amen

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Experience 1

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Discussion & reflection:• The Ten Commandments: • The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household

• II. The Second Article: On Redemption • I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

• Q. What does this mean?

• A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent body -- His death! Because of this, I am His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as He is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is true.

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Discussion & reflection:• Jesus Christ

• 2nd Person of the Holy Trinity, Co-Equal, Co-Eternal

• And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. (Nicene Creed)

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Discussion & reflection:• Jesus Christ

• Born of the Virgin Mary

• Tortured, Crucified, Raised from the dead

• Will return to end history and rescue the saved!

• Right now…we wait with patience for the coming of our LORD!

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Discussion & reflection:• Romans 8:24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is

seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

• Ambrosiaster (366-384) “Patience is greatly approved of by God, for by daily waiting it desires the coming of the kingdom of God and does not doubt just because it delays.”

• Chrysostom (354-407) The name of patience belongs to hard work and to much endurance. But even this he grants to the one who hopes in order to comfort the weary soul.”

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Discussion & reflection:• We are dealing here with a simple yes/no, on/off proposition. Either there

is no God or there is.

• If there is no God then there is no Jesus, no heaven, no eternal consequence to our behavior, no reason to live.

• We could wait until our death and see if there really is a God, but then that would be too late.

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Discussion & reflection:• Or we could simply say, “It is not so much in the historical Jesus on which

my faith is based, but on the power of the Holy Spirit who guides me to my Lord and Savior Jesus through Word and Sacrament and charity.”

• Would you like to live in a world where this is no hope?

• Or in a world where seeing Jesus face to face is the hope that drives our life?

• DO YOU HOPE TO SEE JESUS?

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Discussion & reflection:• James 5: 7Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how

the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

• Cyril of Alexandria (315-386) “If God delays the punishment of sinners, waiting for them to repent, it is not because his character has changed, so that now he loves sin. Rather he is giving them time to repent.”

• Are we drowning in our sin or are we given life and love and hope and charity and gentleness and knowledge and wisdom because the Holy Spirit has been given to us?

• Rather than questioning whether Jesus really lived, maybe it is better to question whether we are really alive!

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Discussion & reflection:• How would you describe yourself? Are you primarily…

• Kind—Mean• Honest—Dishonest• Careful—Sloppy• Intelligent—Average—Below Average• Faithful—Unfaithful• Loving—Hating• Generous—Stingy• Hopeful—Despairing • Defending—Insulting• _ continue next slide

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Discussion & reflection:• Energetic—Lazy• Sensitive—Insensitive• Homebody—Always on the go• Self-Conscious—Not Self-Conscious• Happy—Sad• Popular—Loner• Churchy—Cultural• Caring—Unconcerned• _• Your answers describe someone Jesus loves!

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Discussion & reflection:• Job 19:25For I know that my Redeemer lives,

and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

• What is the difference between knowing and believing that your redeemer lives? Do you really know or do you believe that Jesus lives?

• If there is no Jesus then there is no Christmas or Good Friday or Easter , nor could you sing “Jesus loves me this I know.”

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Discussion & reflection:• Jesus shows us the grace and forgiveness of God.

• Without Jesus what would be our view of God?

• We believe that Jesus is close to us, especially in the sacrament of Holy Communion, in His body and blood.

• Just how close is Jesus to you in Holy Communion?