St. Stephen Lutheran Church And School

St. Stephen Lutheran Church and SchoolA member of the Church of the Lutheran Confession (clclutheran.org)320 Moorpark Way - Mountain View, California 94041-1600Pastor: Luke Bernthal Email: lbernthal@live.com Cell: (402) 389-2147Home: (650) 282-5752Church Office: (650) 964-5915 Church Website: sslcwest.orgTeachers: Kirsten Gullerud (Principal), Rebecca LilloSchool Office: (650) 961-2071School Website: ssls.orgOrganist: Sue Slattengren & Barb GullerudMarch 8, 2020 Lent 2We Welcome Our Visitors who are with us this morning.We hope that you are uplifted by the Gospel at our worship service.We invite you to join us every Sunday. Please sign our guestbook in the entry. Preparation for Worship: Read Psalm 73 (Lutheran Service Book or Pew Bible) Opening Hymn: 423 Jesus, Refuge of the WearyInvocationWe invoke (“call upon”) the name of the one true God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.P In the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.C Amen.Confession and AbsolutionWe come before our Holy God recognizing that we are sinful and daily need His forgiveness.P God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.C If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with oneanother, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.1LSB 423

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.C If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and tocleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:5, 7-9)P Let us pray C Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer:We confess that we are sinful by nature, and have sinned against You in ourthoughts, words, and actions. We have not loved You above all things. Wehave not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Have mercy on us, and, for thesake of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us our sins.P Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also forthe sins of the whole world. We are forgiven! With boldness and confidence wemay approach the throne to find grace to help in time of need. In the joy andpeace of forgiveness let us praise the Lord.(tune of “The Doxology”) Lord Jesus Christ, You set us free—Accept our thanks eternally!Forgiven through Your precious blood,We now are reconciled to God. Amen.Prayer of the DayP We pray:O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defendus from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts thatmay assault and hurt the soul. We pray this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.C Amen.2

Scripture ReadingTHE PASSION HISTORY OF CHRIST - Part 3(See booklet, “The Passion History of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to the Four Gospels”)L Here ends our Passion History reading.C Praise to You, O Christ.(tune of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” LSB 425 - Lyrics adapted from TLH 325 v. 5-6) A broken heart, my God, my King, Is all the sacrifice I bring.Look down, O Lord, with pitying eyeAnd save the soul condemned to die.Oh, may Your love inspire my tongue Salvation shall be all my song;And all my powers shall join to blessThe Lord, my Strength and Righteousness.Public domainApostles' CreedCWe boldly confess what we believe.I believe in God, the Father Almighty,maker of heaven and earth.And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.The third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy Christian Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.3W.S. p. 15

Hymn: 421 Jesus, Grant that Balm and HealingLSB 421Sermon Text: Matthew 26:57-68 (EHV)57Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, wherethe experts in the law and the elders were assembled. 58 Peter was following him ata distance and went as far as the courtyard of the high priest. He went inside andsat down with the guards to see how it would turn out. 59 The chief priests and thewhole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they couldput him to death. 60 They found none, even though many false witnesses cameforward. Finally two came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able todestroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood upand said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these men are testifyingagainst you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I placeyou under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!”64Jesus said to him, “It is as you have said. But I tell you, soon you will see the Sonof Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why dowe need any more witnesses? See, you have just heard the blasphemy! 66 What doyou think?” They answered, “He is deserving of death!” 67 Then they spit in his faceand punched him. Some slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hityou?”Sermon Theme: “Behold the Hidden Glory of the Cross”– It is Hidden in the Savior’s Rejection By His Own What is so shocking about the rejection of Jesus by the high priest, Caiaphas, andthe rest of the religious leaders?Application: How does their example serve as a warning for us?How does Jesus’ example inspire us?4

OffertoryLSB 956956 Create in MePublic domainOfferingWe offer our gifts to the Lord, remembering that He has first given to us that we might have to give to Him.Sermon Hymn: 420 v. 3-6 Thou Hast Borne the Smiting OnlyPrayer of the Church / Prayer RequestsLSB 420 v. 3-6We bring our prayers to God.Lord’s PrayerC 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.5

BenedictionThe blessing given by God for the blessing of His people (Numbers 6:24-26).P The Lord bless you and keep you.The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.The DoxologyLSB 805Public domainClosing Hymn: 547 The LambLSB 547Acknowledgments - Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House.AnnouncementsToday:Snacks & Teacher Call Meeting (Resumed from 2/23) – 11amSt. Stephen South (Rancho Cucamonga, CA): Worship – 6:30pmThis Week:Thursday - Sunday – CLC Grade School Basketball Tournament –Immanuel Lutheran High School - Eau Claire, WINext Sunday:3/15/20St. Stephen – West (Mt. View): NO Bible Class (Pastor in WI)Worship – 10amConducting Worship: BJ Lillo & Chris Holt6

St. Stephen – East Bay (Hayward): Worship – 1pmConducting Worship: Vicar Terry StringerNO Bible ClassMarch Elder & Usher: Chris Holt (Elder) & Brenton Horrillo (Usher)May our Savior Jesus richly bless your worship and personalmeditations on His Word during this season of Lent. Please continueto join us as we remember Christ’s suffering and death for our sins inour Sunday morning services.Please leave the booklets of the Passion History readings on the table in the churchentry. We will be using them during the services throughout the season of Lent.In Your Mailbox – 2020 St. Stephen Church Directory (extra copies are on entryway table)Snacks After Worship Service Provided by Julian and Tina Weinberger – In celebration oftheir moving to their home in Morgan Hill, Julian and Tina Weinberger are providing snacks in thefellowship hall after the worship service. Everyone is invited. Congrats, Julian and Tina!Teacher Call Meeting TODAY – After the Worship Service (resumed from 2/23) –We will be resuming our call meeting to call for a new teacher for next school year after theworship service TODAY. All voting members are encouraged to attend and participate in thisimportant meeting. The congregation is invited and encouraged to attend and share their inputas well.Letter from Principal Kirsten Gullerud –Dear members of St. Stephen Lutheran Church,This letter is to request a peaceful release from my call as teacher and principal of St. StephenLutheran School to pursue a relationship and a different path in Wisconsin. It has been a joy andprivilege to work alongside you in bringing the Word of God to children of the Bay Area. Myprayers will always be with the church and school - that the Lord would make clear His mission foryou as you go forward with the work He has laid before you.In His service, Kirsten Gullerud7

Southern California Worship – Tonight @ 6:30pm – New Location – Tonight at 6:30pm is ournext Southern California worship service and we will be meeting at a NEW LOCATION near theOntario Airport.One of our members was able to secure the conference room at his workplace for free so we aregoing to meet there this month and see if that will work well for us. Here is the address andparking info:Total Transportation & Distribution9278 Charles Smith Ave.Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730Parking & Entrance - Enter off of Charles Smith Ave. and park near the 1st set of doors youcome to off of Charles Smith Ave. (this is the entrance to the Total Transportation offices).CLC News – Pastor Matthew Hanel, St. Matthew, Dallas, TX has returned the call extended to himby Living Savior, Eden Prairie, MN.SSLS - CLC Grade School Basketball Tournament – Eau Claire, WI – Next Weekend –Our principal, Kirsten Gullerud (chaperone & fan), and Pastor Luke (assistant coach & chaperone)will be heading to Wisconsin on Thursday morning for the CLC Grade School BasketballTournament. Our school is joining with our other CLC schools from Washington to form the“West Coast Warriors.” The games can be viewed online at this eos (or go to ilc.edu and click on “Athletics”).Our schedule is as follows:Fri. 3/13 @ 3pm (vs. Markesan, WI)Sat. 3/14 @ 12:30pm (vs. Mankato, MN)Sat. 3/14 @ 8:30pm (vs. Michigan United)We’ll be returning again, Lord willing, on Sunday night (3/15).8

Immanuel Lutheran High School - Eau Claire, WI . Dear members of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, This letter is to request a peaceful release from my call as teacher and principal of St. Stephen . Eden Prairie, MN