Today’s Theme –

“Drowning Our Demons” 2013 Theme – “HIStory”

Epiphany 4 - January 27, 2013 (Early Service)

WELCOME… thanks so much for choosing to

worship with us today. If you need anything please

speak a pastor or one of the ushers.

SNACKS… please help yourself to some

refreshments before and after the service.

WORSHIP CARDS… if you are a first-time guest, or if you

didn’t get a chance to fill out a card on your last visit, please

take a moment to fill out one of our guest cards, then place

it in the offering plate after today’s sermon.

YOUR CHILDREN ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO

US… we have children’s coloring bulletins in the lobby on

the table. For your convenience please note we have

changing tables in the handicapped stalls in both restrooms.

We also have the Little Lambs Room off the lobby if you

would like more privacy with your child(ren).

THE LORD’S SUPPER… today’s worship includes the

celebration of the Lord’s Supper. If you have

never communed with us before, please read

through the Lord’s Supper insert.

If you need special arrangements for

communing, such as you are unable to come

forward or have health issues and are

concerned about drinking the wine, please

speak to the pastor before the service.

Prayer Board

Opening Prayer Pastor – O Lord, our Maker, Redeemer and Comforter, we

are assembled in Your presence to hear Your holy Word. We

ask You to open our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, so that

through the preaching of Your Word we may be taught to

repent of our sins, to believe on Jesus in life and in death,

and to grow day by day in grace and holiness. Hear us for

Christ’s sake. Amen.

Confession & Absolution of Our Sins Pastor – Dearly Beloved, when we

examine ourselves we find nothing in

us but sin and death – from which we

can never set ourselves free. But our

Lord Jesus Christ has had mercy on us

and for our sake became man – to

fulfill for us the will and law of God,

and suffered death and all that we by our sins

deserved. And so that we should more confidently

believe this and be strengthened in our faith and rely

on Jesus Christ alone as our Savior from sin, let us now

examine ourselves and make confession of our sins to

our Lord:

1> Do you sincerely confess that you have sinned

against God and deserve His wrath and punishment?

Then declare so by saying: “I do confess.”

You should so confess, for the Holy Scriptures declare:

“If we say that we have not sinned, we deceive

ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

2> Do you heartily repent of all your sins

committed in thought, word and action?

Then declare so by saying: “I do repent.”

You should repent as did the penitent

sinners: King David – who prayed for a

contrite heart; Peter – who wept bitterly;

the sinful woman, the prodigal son and others.

3> Do you sincerely believe that God, by grace, for

Jesus’ sake, will forgive you all your sins?

Then declare so by saying: “I do believe.”

You should so believe for God’s Word declares: “God

so loved the world that He gave His one and only-

begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should

not perish, but have everlasting life.”

4> Do you promise that with the help of the Holy Spirit

you will amend your sinful life?

Then declare so by saying: “I do promise.”

You should so promise, for Christ our

Lord says: “Let your light shine

before men that they may see your

good works and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.”

5> Finally, do you believe that

through me, a called servant of

God, you will receive the

forgiveness of all your sins?

Then declare so by saying: “I do believe.”

Upon your confession, by virtue of my office as a called

servant of the Word, I announce to you the grace of

God, and in the stead and by the command of our

Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace

be with you. Amen.

Prayer Pastor – Lord, save me! So often I am lost. So often I feel

as if I am all alone. So often I feel outnumbered. Lord,

without Your help I will perish.

Forgive me, Lord, for all the times

in my life when I thought I did not

need You. Forgive me for the many

times I tried to go it alone, only to

find that I was in over my head.

Forgive me for asking You for help

only after everything else failed.

Thank You, dear Jesus, for always being there for me

and saving me just when I needed it most! Amen.

Scripture Lesson Romans 6:1-14

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so

that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to

sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you

know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus

were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore

buried with him through baptism into death in order

that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the

glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 If we have been united with him like this in his death,

we will certainly also be united with him in his

resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was

crucified with him so that the body of sin might be

done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to

sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed

from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ,

we believe that we will also live

with him. 9 For we know that

since Christ was raised from the

dead, he cannot die again;

death no longer has mastery

over him. 10 The death he died,

he died to sin once for all; but

the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but

alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin

reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil

desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as

instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to

God, as those who have been brought from death to

life; and offer the parts of your body to him as

instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your

master, because you are not under law, but under

grace.

Confession of Faith (Nicene Creed)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and

invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

Begotten of His 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 is seated at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge both the

living and the dead;

Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord and Giver of life,

Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped

and glorified,

Who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy, Christian and Apostolic

Church,

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the Life

of the world to come. Amen.

Sermon Text Matthew 8:28-34

“Drowing Our Demons”

When he arrived at the other side in the region of the

Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from

the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one

could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son

of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to

torture us before the appointed time?”

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was

feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us

out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went

into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the

steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those

tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and

reported all this, including what had happened to the

demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went

out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they

pleaded with him to leave their region.

Prayer & Lord’s Prayer 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.

Gathering of the Thank-Offerings & Tithes

Celebrating the Lord’s Supper Please come forward as the usher directs.

Communion is offered in both forms, common and

individual cup. If you want to use common cup, do

not take an individual cup as it is offered and Pastor

will come back to you with the common cup. Those

using individual cups please place the empty cups in

the baskets when you are dismissed.

If you have never communed at Abiding Shepherd

before, please take time to read through the Lord’s Supper

insert before communing. If you have any questions about

these articles of faith or have been taught differently about

the use of the Lord’s Supper, please speak to the pastor

before taking communion.

Prayer of Thanks Pastor - Hear our prayer, O Lord, that the lips which

have praised You here may glorify You in the world,

that the eyes which have seen the coming of Your Son

may long for His return, and that all who have received

forgiveness through His true body and blood may be

restored to live a new and faith-filled life, through Jesus

Christ alone. Amen.

The Blessing

Closing Hymn (next page)

Closing Prayer Pastor - Lord, we offer to You our heartfelt thanks that

You have taught us what You would have us believe

and do. Help us, O God, by Your Holy Spirit, for the sake

of Jesus Christ, to keep Your Word in pure hearts, for

through it our faith is strengthened, our lives renewed,

and we are comforted in life and in death. Amen.

~ OUR MISSION ~

Bring them in! Lift them up! Send them out!

~ OUR VISION ~

Every Member in the Word! Every Member a Servant!

THANK YOU to those who helped serve us today ...

Music – Julie Palkowski

Usher – Gary Chamberlain

Hospitality Helpers – Herbst, Alward & Hamilton families

Flowers – Krause family (Sheryl’s birthday) CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK…

Today – 9:00 am - Worship Service with Communion

10:00 am - Social/Snack Time

10:10 am – Sunday School

10:45 am - Worship Service with Communion

12:00 pm – Lunch and Annual Meeting

5:30 pm – Small Group (at church)

6:00 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Ministry at Church

Monday – 7:00 pm – Contemporary Worship with

Communion

Wednesday – 7:00 am – Men’s Foxhole

10:00 am – Women’s Bible Study

6:00 pm - Family Education Night (FEN)

Next Sunday – 8:15 am – Choir Practice

8:45 am – Social/Snack Time

9:00 am - Worship Service

10:00 am - Social/Snack Time

10:10 am – Sunday School

10:45 am - Worship Service

12:00 pm – Small Group Facilitators’ Meeting

5:15 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Super Bowl Party

Next Monday – 7:00 pm - Contemporary Worship

Service

WE GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TODAY…

…for God’s gracious gift of Holy

Baptism. Wesley Gabriel Stanila will

be adopted into God’s Christian

family during the late service today.

Please be sure to congratulate the

family and help us celebrate with

cake after each service.