Wednesday March 19th, 2025 | Lent Midweek 2
In repentance we are compelled to take sin seriously. All people have inherited sin; it is the cause of our fallen condition. Human nature was created perfect, sinless, and at one with our Creator. “I’m only human” does not explain or excuse sin. When we seek where this deadly infection originated, we are directed by God’s Word to the reality of the fallen angel Satan and his minions. Satan is real. Temptation is real. Demonic activity is rampant and powerful. True repentance and faith require us first to admit that we are powerless on our own to defeat the devil. His grasp is too much for us.
PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH | The Hand of the Lord Who Casts Out Demons
Download Printable PDF BulletinToday’s Sermon Below
Use the scroll bar on the right side of the window below to read the service bulletin.
HYMN: #424 – O Christ, You Walked the Road
HYMN: #745 vs. 1,2,3 – In God My Faithful God
HYMN: #849 – Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
Pinnacle Lutheran Church
Lent Midweek 2
March 19, 2025
The Hand of the Lord Who Casts Out Demons
+ AS WE GATHER +
In repentance we are compelled to take sin seriously. All people have inherited sin; it is the cause of our fallen condition. Human nature was created perfect, sinless, and at one with our Creator. “I’m only human” does not explain or excuse sin. When we seek where this deadly infection originated, we are directed by God’s Word to the reality of the fallen angel Satan and his minions. Satan is real. Temptation is real. Demonic activity is rampant and powerful. True repentance and faith require us first to admit that we are powerless on our own to defeat the devil. His grasp is too much for us. Faith then looks to our Lord, who took sin and Satan seriously for us. By the bloody battle He waged on the cross, He has defeated the old evil foe for us. With His victory at hand, given to us by the hand of His ministers in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion, our hands are empowered now to wield the instrument of prayer. In that victory, we have the sure deliverance and salvation of the Crucified One, now risen and ascended and ruling for us from the right hand of the Father.
HYMN: #424 – O Christ, You Walked the Road
INVOCATION
P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES
Psalm 102:1, 25
P Hear my prayer, O Lord;
C let my cry come to You!
P Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
C and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
Psalm 91:1–2, 11
P He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
C will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
P I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
C my God, in whom I trust.”
P For He will command His angels concerning you
C to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 143:1–2
P Hear my prayer, O Lord;
C give ear to my pleas for mercy!
P Enter not into judgment with Your servant,
C for no one living is righteous before You.
PSALM Psalm 67
P Create in me a clean heart,O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
C Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your | steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my trans-gressions.
P Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me | from my sin!
C For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
P Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment.
C The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
P Behold, You delight in truth in the inward being, and You teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
C 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.
P Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Amen
OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 3:1–24
P The Old Testament Reading is from Genesis, the third chapter.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
16 To the woman He said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
17 And to Adam He said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it, ’cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
P O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE 1 Peters 5:6-11
P The Epistle is from First Peter, the fifth chapter.
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. 8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm,
P O Lord, have mercy on us.
C Thanks be to God.
HOLY GOSPEL Luke 9:37-43; 11:14-23
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the nineth and eleventh chapters.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
P 37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God. . . .
11:14 Now He was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test Him, kept seeking from Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN: #717 – Eternal Father, Strong to Save
SERMON: The Hand of the Lord Who Cast Out Demons 1 Peter 5:6-11
OFFERING
OFFERTORY LSB 159
OFFERING
PRAYER
P The Lord be with you.
C And with your spirit.
P Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank You that Jesus has acted by the finger of God to overthrow Satan and his tyranny. In times of temptation, grant us the strength to resist the devil and entrust ourselves in Your protection, which was won for us at the cross of Calvary; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
P Almighty God, You justify the ungodly and desire not the death of the sinner. We humbly ask You to assist us by Your heavenly aid and to shield us always from the evil foe. Grant that we may not be separated from You by any temptation but, trusting in Your mercy, may serve You without ceasing; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
P O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
P Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
P O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
LUTHER’S EVENING PRAYER
C I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
BENEDICAMUS and BENEDICTION
P Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
P The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
C Amen.
HYMN: #849 – Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
DISMISSAL
P Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE MUSIC
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Quarter 3. Copyright © 2022 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
