The livestream may be found here.
ST. STEPHEN, DEACON AND MARTYR
The color red, used for the paraments and vestments on a martyr’s feast day, is reminiscent
of the blood of those who lost their lives for Christ, but also the fire of the
Holy Spirit which inspired their fearless witness.
OLD TESTAMENT: The role of a prophet is to speak
God’s word to his people, whether or not God’s people listen. Here Zechariah
the prophet warns the people against idolatry; but those in authority stone him
to death so that they may not lose their power. Zechariah puts his trust in the
God who sees all and who will render judgment.
NEW TESTAMENT: Today’s excerpt from Acts skips a
large section of Scripture in which Stephen re-tells the story of Israel,
putting emphasis on the unfaithfulness and idolatry of the people. Instead of enticing
his hearers with comforting words, he wants to shock them into realization that
they are acting in the same manner as those faithless ones in Israel’s past.
However, he would well have known that the same fate that befell Zechariah could
easily befall him, and this is what happens. Stephen’s last words resemble
Zechariah’s invocation of God’s seeing eye, but more importantly, they echo Jesus’
own cry from the cross: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they
are doing’ (Luke 23:34).
GOSPEL: Jesus warns his disciples that
persecution will be the lot of those who bear witness to him. Just as the
innocent and the prophets from A to Z (Abel to Zechariah) were killed, so will
some of his disciples be killed. But when people see the coming of the Son of
Man, and say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the Name of the Lord!’, all will
rise to be judged. We pray, with Stephen, that God’s judgment is merciful and
that many who have sinned in ignorance will be received together with the
saints.
OPENING MUSIC
Good Christian Friends,
Rejoice
I.
Robert B. Smith
II.
Paul Manz
Stand
XHYMN
Good Christian
Friends, Rejoice Green LBW 55
with heart and soul
and voice;
give ye heed to what
we say:
Jesus Christ is born
today;
ox and ass before him
bow,
and he is in the
manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
2 Good Christian
friends, rejoice
with heart and soul
and voice;
now ye hear of
endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born
for this!
He has opened
heaven's door,
and we are blest
forevermore.
Christ was born for
this!
Christ was born for
this!
3 Good Christian
friends, rejoice
with heart and soul
and voice;
now ye need not fear
the grave;
Jesus Christ was born
to save!
Calls you one and
calls you all
to gain the
everlasting hall.
Christ was born to
save!
Christ was born to
save!
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
KYRIE ELEISON
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
HYMN OF PRAISE
C Lord
God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship you,
we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of
the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away
the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated
at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are
the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P The
Lord be with you.
C And
also with you.
Grant
us grace, O Lord, that like Stephen we may learn to love even our enemies and
seek forgiveness for those who desire our hurt; through your Son, Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
Amen
CALL TO THE WORD
God sent prophets to
bring the people back to the Lord. 2
Chron. 24:19
Let us hear the Word of the Lord.
Sit
FIRST READING 2 Chronicles 24:17-22
17Now
after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to
the king; then the king listened to them. 18They abandoned the house
of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the
idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19Yet
he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified
against them, but they would not listen. 20Then the spirit of God
took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the
people and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments
of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he
has also forsaken you.” 21But they conspired against him, and by
command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the
Lord. 22King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada,
Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he
said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
HYMN By All Your Saints
in Warfare Green LBW 177
Stanzas 1, 7, 3
1 By
all your saints in warfare,
for
all your saints at rest,
your
holy name, O Jesus,
forevermore
be blest!
For
you have won the battle
that
they might wear the crown;
and
now they shine in glory
reflected
from your throne.
St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr
2 Praise
for the first of martyrs
who
saw you ready stand
to
help in time of torment,
to
plead at God’s right hand.
They
share with him who, steadfast,
in
death their master own,
on
earth the faithful witness,
on
high the martyr’s crown.
3 Then
let us praise the Father
and
worship God the Son
and
sing to God the Spirit,
eternal
Three in One,
till
all the ransomed number
fall
down before the throne,
ascribing
pow’r and glory
and
praise to God alone.
SECOND READING Acts 6:8—7:2a, 51-60
8Stephen,
full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9Then
some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called),
Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up
and argued with Stephen. 10But they could not withstand the wisdom
and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11Then they secretly instigated
some men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and
God.” 12They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the
scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before
the council. 13They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never
stops saying things against this holy place and the law; 14for we
have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will
change the customs that Moses handed on to us.” 15And all who sat in
the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the
face of an angel. 7:1Then the high priest asked him, “Are these
things so?” 2aAnd Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to
me…
51“You stiff-necked people,
uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just
as your ancestors used to do. 52Which of the prophets did your
ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the
Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53You
are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not
kept it.” 54When they heard these things, they became enraged and
ground their teeth at Stephen. 55But filled with the Holy Spirit, he
gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand
of God.
56“Look,’’
he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God!” 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout
all rushed together against him. 58Then they dragged him out of the
city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of
a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out
in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said
this, he died.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
Stand
VERSE Matthew
5:10 Setting by Richard Hillert
Alleluia. Blessed are
those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 23:34-39
The
Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.
C Glory
to you, O Lord.
Jesus said:
34“Therefore
I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and
crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to
town, 35so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on
earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of
Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36Truly
I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. 37“Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to
it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers
her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38See, your
house is left to you, desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see
me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
The Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise
to you, O Christ.
Sit
SERMON
Stand
X Hymn of the DaY
The Son of God Goes
Forth to War Green LBW 183
a
kingly crown to gain.
His
blood-red banner streams afar;
who
follows in his train?
Who
best can drink his cup of woe,
triumphant
over pain;
who
patient bears his cross below--
he
follows in his train.
2 The
martyr first, whose eagle eye
could
pierce beyond the grave,
who
saw his master in the sky
and
called on him to save.
Like
him, with pardon on his tongue
in
midst of mortal pain,
he
prayed for those who did the wrong--
who
follows in his train?
3 A
glorious band, the chosen few,
on
whom the Spirit came,
twelve
valiant saints; their hope they knew
and
mocked the cross and flame.
They
met the tyrant’s brandished steel,
the
lion’s gory mane;
they
bowed their necks the death to feel--
who
follows in their train?
4 A
noble army, girls and boys,
with
men and women saved,
around
the Savior’s throne rejoice,
in
robes of light arrayed.
They
climbed the steep ascent of heav’n
through
peril, toil, and pain.
O
God, to us may grace be giv’n
to
follow in their train!
CONFESSION OF
FAITH
The pastor
and people confess the faith of the Church in the words of the Nicene Creed.
X At the words
‘For us and for our salvation,’ and continuing through ‘and was made man,’ a solemn
bow is appropriate to praise the incarnation of our Lord.
We believe in one God,
the
Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven
and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We
believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the
Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
X For us and for our salvation
he came down
from heaven;
by the power of the
Holy Spirit
he became
incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man. X
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered
death and was buried.
On
the third day he rose again
in
accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into
heaven
and
is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to
judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom
will have no end.
We
believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and
the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is
worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the
prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for
the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of
the dead,
and the life of
the world to come. Amen
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
For the
whole Church: that by the example of Stephen, Christ’s people may be given grace
both to tirelessly serve others and to fearlessly witness to your truth. Lord,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For this
congregation, signed with the name of Stephen: give us your grace to live out in
our time and place the call to witness and serve. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For the
enemies of the Gospel and the persecutors of the faithful: that, like Paul,
they may be forgiven and turned from their hatred, and be moved to praise the
One who sits in glory at the right hand of the Father. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For those
who are persecuted for the name of Christ: that you would keep them in faith
toward you and love toward even their enemies. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Receive, in
this time of grace, our intercessions and supplications:
For our bishop and pastors, hear
our prayer.
For those who serve as deacons in the church, hear our prayer.
For all who administer the gifts of the
Church to the poor,
hear
our prayer.
For the peace of the world, hear
our prayer.
For the President, the Congress, and the courts, hear
our prayer.
For good government and domestic tranquility, hear our prayer.
For all who protect, heal, and serve others, hear our prayer.
For all who are in need, hear
our prayer.
For those who have lost faith, hear our prayer.
For the sick, the friendless, the grieving,
the
anxious, and the despairing, hear
our prayer.
The pastor reads the names submitted for prayer.
The people may offer silent or spoken intercessions and
thanksgivings.
Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our prayer.
God our Father,
we give you thanks for Stephen, proto-martyr and proto-deacon; for Paul the
Apostle, and for all who bore witness with their lives to the Son of Man, who
came as a child and now reigns at your right hand until he comes to judge the
living and the dead. In that day receive us as humble and repentant sinners, that
we may sing your praises with all the saints in glory. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Into your
hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your steadfast love,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also
with you.
The people exchange a sign of peace
with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
OFFERTORY
Psalm
31:6-7, 16, 20 Setting by Richard Hillert
I trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad for your steadfast love. Let your face shine on your
servant; save me in your steadfast
love! In the covert of your presence you hide them from the plots of the
wicked; you hold them safe under your shelter from the strife of tongues.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Hear us, O Lord Jesus Christ,
from your dwelling place,
from
the glorious throne of your kingdom, and come and cleanse us.
You are seated on high with the Father,
and you dwell also with us here, although
unseen.
By your
mighty hand render us worthy to receive in holy communion
your
spotless body and your precious blood.
Amen
GREAT THANKSGIVING
C And
also with you.
P Lift
up your hearts.
C We
lift them to the Lord.
P Let
us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It
is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is indeed right
and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and
praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever-living God. In the wonder
and mystery of the Word made flesh
you have opened
the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory; that, beholding
the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see. And
so, with Stephen and Paul, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we
praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Heaven and earth are full of
your glory.
Hosanna in the
highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the
highest.
The
pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:
Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father:
Endless is your mercy and eternal your reign.
You have filled
all creation with light and life;
heaven
and earth are full of your glory.
Through Abraham
you promised to bless all nations.
You
rescued Israel, your chosen people.
Through the
prophets you renewed your promise;
and,
at this end of all the ages, you sent your Son,
who
in words and deeds proclaimed your kingdom
and
was obedient to your will, even to giving his life.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our
Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke
it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take
and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and
gave it for all to drink, saying:
This
cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and
for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from
this cup
we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Therefore, gracious Father, with this bread and cup
we remember the life our Lord offered for us.
And, believing the witness of his resurrection,
we await his coming in power
to share with us the great and promised feast.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Send now, we pray, your Holy Spirit,
the spirit of our Lord and of his resurrection,
that we who receive the Lord's body and blood
may live to the praise of your glory
and receive our inheritance with all your saints in
light.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Join our prayers with those of your servants
of every time and every place,
and unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our
great high priest
until he comes as victorious Lord of all.
all honor and glory is yours,
almighty Father, now and forever. Amen
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using the words he gave
us.
Christ is in our midst.
By the power of the
Spirit,
we pray to his
Father, saying:
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 Matthew
6:9-15
The One who was born in Bethlehem
and who sits at the right hand of God
comes to us now in bread and wine.
Thanks be to God.
We adore Christ with the words of
the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).
Lamb of God, you take away the
sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the
sin of the world; grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation
of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the
Lord’s Body and Blood who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, who commune in their home churches, and who believe
that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under
the forms of bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
The
communicants will be invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not
come forward until the pastor directs you to come forward, do not approach all
the way to the table until the pastor has retreated.
When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ,
given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed
for you,’ drink the wine. Please take
the plate and the glass(es) and place them on the table that is indicated.
XDISTRIBUTION HYMNS
Choir Anthem
Beyond Christmas
Text// Fred Pratt Green
Music/ W.J. Kirkpatrick
Setting by Alfred V. Fedak
There’s snow on the mountain and ice on
the pond;
The angels are home
now in the back of beyond;
The shepherds have
left us; the heavens are dumb;
There’s no one to tell us why Jesus has
come.
The tree droops its
needles a sign we must go;
But the long road to
Egypt is covered in snow;
And wherever we
travel the food will be dear:
Who knows what’s before us this coming New Year?
But God’s in his heaven, and Jesus has come
To show every sinner
they’re welcome back
home,
To be this world’s Savior from hunger and fear,
And give us new
courage to face the New Year.
What Child Is This Green LBW 40
1 What child is this,
who, laid to rest,
on Mary's lap is
sleeping?
Whom angels greet
with anthems sweet
while shepherds watch
are keeping?
This, this is Christ
the king,
whom shepherds guard
and angels sing;
haste, haste to bring
him laud,
the babe, the son of
Mary!
2 Why lies he in such
mean estate
where ox and ass are
feeding?
Good Christian, fear;
for sinners here
the silent Word is
pleading.
Nails, spear shall
pierce him through,
the cross be borne
for me, for you;
hail, hail the Word
made flesh,
the babe, the son of
Mary!
3 So bring him incense,
gold, and myrrh;
come, peasant, king,
to own him.
The King of kings
salvation brings;
let loving hearts
enthrone him.
Raise, raise the song
on high,
the virgin sings her
lullaby;
joy, joy, for Christ
is born,
the babe, the son of
Mary!
When all have received, the
congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.
The body and
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen
you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
My own eyes have seen the
salvation
which you have
prepared in the sight of every people:
A light to
reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel. Glory 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
We give you thanks, Almighty God, that you have refreshed us through
the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you
would strengthen us, through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love
toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
BENEDICTION
May the Holy Spirit fill you this day and always,
so that you may tell of the good news of Christ in
word and deed.
Amen
Almighty
God, Father, XSon, and Holy Spirit,
bless you now and forever.
Amen
XCLOSING HYMN It
Came upon the Midnight Clear Green LBW 54
1 It came upon the
midnight clear,
that glorious song of
old,
from angels bending
near the earth
to touch their harps
of gold:
"Peace on the
earth, good will to all,
from heav'n's
all-gracious king."
The world in solemn
stillness lay
to hear the angels
sing.
2 Still through the
cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings
unfurled,
and still their
heav'nly music floats
o'er all the weary
world.
Above its sad and
lowly plains
they bend on hov'ring
wing,
and ever o'er its
babel sounds
the blessed angels
sing.
3 And you, beneath life's
crushing load,
whose forms are
bending low,
who toil along the
climbing way
with painful steps
and slow:
look now, for glad
and golden hours
come swiftly on the
wing;
oh, rest beside the
weary road
and hear the angels
sing!
4 For lo! The days are
hast'ning on,
by prophets seen of
old,
when with the
ever-circling years
shall come the time
foretold,
when peace shall over
all the earth
its ancient splendors
fling,
and all the world
give back the song
which now the angels
sing.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!
THIS WEEK FOR
THE FAITH FAMILY Sun/ Dec 26 Choir rehearsal 9:30 AM WORSHIP 10:30 AM Prayer at the Close of the Day (livestream) 9:30 PM Fri/
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve Worship
7:30 PM Sat/
Jan 1 NA Meeting 11 AM Food Bank WORSHIP 6:30
PM Sun/
Jan 2 Choir rehearsal 9:30
AM WORSHIP 10:30 AM Food Bank Prayer at the Close of the Day (livestream) 9:30 PM
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright
2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg
Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
Common Worship: Times and Seasons,
material from which is included here, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council
2006 and published by Church House Publishing.
St Stephen Lutheran Church
55 Forsythe Road
Pittsburgh PA 15220
(412) 279-5868
office@ststephenpittsburgh.org
Saturday Evening
Worship – 6:30 pm
Sunday Morning
Worship –10:30 am
