Welcome To Grace Lutheran Church
Yorba Linda California
Weekend Service Schedule
Saturday Worship: 6:30 PM
Sunday Worship: 9:30 AM
Sunday School/Bible Study: 8:30 AM
Latest Weekend Services At Grace
God’s Plan for Our Salvation Involves Crosses
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Confession in the Cross
- The Cross of Christ
- The Crosses of Christians
SERMON TEXT: Mark 8:27-35
Jesus went away with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They told him, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others say one of the prophets.” “But who do you say I am?” he asked them. Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things; be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the experts in the law; be killed; and after three days rise again. He was speaking plainly to them. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But after turning around and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have your mind set on the things of God, but the things of men.” He called the crowd and his disciples together and said to them, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.
Bible Readings
FIRST LESSON: Jeremiah 38:1-13
Shephatiah son of Mattah, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had told the people when he said, “This is what the LORD says. Whoever remains in this city will die by sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes over to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life, and he will live. This is what the LORD says. This city will surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.” Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death because he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city. He is demoralizing all the people by saying these things to them. This man is not seeking the welfare of the people. He wants to hurt them.” King Zedekiah answered, “Very well. He is in your hands. The king cannot do anything to stop you.” So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They let Jeremiah down by ropes. There was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. Ebed Melek the Cushite, an official in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, Ebed Melek left the palace and said to the king, “My lord the king, everything that these men have done to Jeremiah the prophet is evil. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he is likely to die because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” Then the king gave orders to Ebed Melek the Cushite: “Take thirty men from here under your command and lift Jeremiah the prophet up out of the cistern before he dies.” So Ebed Melek took command of the men and entered a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothing from there, and he lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. Ebed Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” After Jeremiah did that, they lifted him up with the ropes and pulled him out of the cistern. After this Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
SECOND LESSON: 1 Peter 4:12–19
Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted in connection with the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or as a meddler. But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God in connection with this name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. Now if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, where will the ungodly sinner end up? So let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to their faithful Creator while doing what is good.
VERSE OF THE DAY: Romans 15:4
Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
GOSPEL: Mark 8:27-35
See Sermon Text
The Lord Opens Our Ears and Mouth
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Christian Education Sunday
- To Hear His Good News
- To Proclaim His Good News
SERMON TEXT: Mark 7:31-37
Jesus left the region of Tyre again and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis. They brought a man to him who was deaf and had a speech impediment. They pleaded with Jesus to place his hand on him. Jesus took him aside in private, away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. After he looked up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”) Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was set free, and he began to speak plainly. Jesus gave the people strict orders to tell no one, but the more he did so, the more they kept proclaiming it. They were amazed beyond measure and said, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Bible Readings
FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 35:4-7a
Tell those who have a fearful heart: Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God’s own retribution, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water.
SECOND LESSON: Acts 3:1-10
Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, an hour of prayer. A certain man who was lame from birth was carried there every day and placed at the temple gate, which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg for donations from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked them for a donation. Peter looked directly at him, as did John. Peter said, “Look at us.” So the man paid close attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I will give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered the temple courts with them, walking, jumping, and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God. They recognized him as the one who used to sit begging for money at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
VERSE OF THE DAY: Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
GOSPEL: Mark 7:31-37
See Sermon Text
Be Careful to Obey God’s Commands
Fifttheenth Sunday after Pentecost
- Great Blessings for Us
- Glory to God
SERMON TEXT: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
So now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances that I am teaching you, and carry them out so that you may live and so that you may enter the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving to you and take possession of it. 2Do not add to the word that I am commanding you, and do not subtract from it, so that you keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you.
6Keep them and put them into practice, because in this way your wisdom and your understanding will be recognized by all the people who hear about all these statutes; and they will say, “This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people,” 7because what other great nation is there that has a god as close to it as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on him? 8What other great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this entire law that I am presenting to you today?
9But guard yourselves and guard your whole being diligently, so that you do not forget the things that your eyes have seen and so that those things do not disappear from your heart all the rest of the days of your life. Make them known to your children and to your children’s children.
Bible Readings
FIRST LESSON: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
See Sermon Text
SECOND LESSON: James 1:17-21
Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, who does not change or shift like a shadow. Just as he planned, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creations. Remember this, my dear brothers: Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Certainly, a man’s anger does not bring about what is right before God. So after getting rid of all moral filthiness and overflowing wickedness, receive with humility the word planted in you. It is able to save your souls. Be people who do what the word says, not people who only hear it. Such people are deceiving themselves. In fact, if anyone hears the word and does not do what it says, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own natural face in a mirror. Indeed, he carefully looks at himself; then, he goes away and immediately forgets what he looked like. But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself to be religious but deceives his own heart because he does not bridle his tongue, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled in the sight of God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
VERSE OF THE DAY: Jeremiah 15:16b
Your words became a joy to me, and the delight of my heart.
GOSPEL: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
The Pharisees and some of the experts in the law came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. They saw some of his disciples eating bread with unclean (that is, unwashed) hands. In fact, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they scrub their hands with a fist, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions they adhere to, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches. The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead they eat bread with unclean hands.” He answered them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they were doctrines. “You abandon God’s commandment but hold to human tradition like the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” He called the crowd to him again and said, “Everyone, listen to me and understand. There is nothing outside of a man that can make him unclean by going into him. But the things that come out of a man are what make a man unclean. “In fact, from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual sins, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained immorality, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and make a person unclean.”
Welcome To Grace Lutheran Church
Grace Lutheran Church is a Christian church located in Yorba Linda, CA, We are a member of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). We believe that the Bible is the true word of God and the only guiding principle for the life of a Christian.
Our Mission
The mission of our congregation is to make disciples for Jesus Christ by sharing the gospel in God’s Word and sacraments. With the help of God, we will fulfill this mission through the following activities:
- glorifying and praising God through public worship services,
- teaching classes for all ages (to strengthen those who believe, to train (equip) members to lead exemplary Christian lives, and reach out to others).
- seeking the lost and the wayward,
- administering the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion,
- to help and encourage one another through fellowship activities,
- supporting one another (carrying each others’ burdens),
- finally, Grace Lutheran is a contributing member of a synod of churches (WELS). We do this to help to carry out Christ’s command to, “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Grace Events
Upcoming From The Grace Calendar
(See Full Calendar)
News & Announcements
Grace News & Events For The Week Of Sep 16 – Sep 22
Announcements PRAYER LIST • Judy Blaylock, melanoma • Rev. Seth and Ellie Bode, expecting a baby in January • Maeta Breese, injury, hospitalized and released • Anna and Tom Cooley, expecting in 2019 • Blake and Jackie Corry, expecting in September • Steve...
read moreGrace News & Events For The Week Of Sep 09 – Sep 15
THE LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY SOCIETY FALL RALLY is October 6, in North Hollywood. The guest presenter is Pastor Xing Yang, who serves our Hmong congregation, Faith Lutheran Hmong Mission Church, in Fresno. Come and learn about this fascinating culture, the Yang family, and the challenging work he and his family do.
read moreGrace News & Events For The Week Of Sep 02 – Sep 08
GRIEFSHARE is a grief recovery support group that will help individuals understand the journey of grief and move from mourning to joy. Thirteen sessions include living with grief, the journey of grief, the effects of grief, God’s prescription for grief, heaven, and other topics. Pastor Wagenknecht will host the GriefShare group on Thursday nights, 7 pm. Tell Pastor W if you will be able to participate!
read moreMessenger Of Grace
Messenger Of Grace – September
September 2018 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: The Bible contains abundant encouragement for parents to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven...
read moreMessenger Of Grace – August
August 2018 See "The Little Mermaid" FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: Join your friends on Friday, August 10, at Peppertree Park in Tustin for Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” The cast has been practicing in our fellowship hall since the beginning of July, and part of the...
read moreMessenger Of Grace — July
July 2018 BAPTISM Lutherans baptize babies because Jesus and the Apostles command it and hold out divine promises to all who are baptized. This statement might shock some of our Baptist, Methodist, Friends, and most Nondenom. friends. They do not agree. Jesus commands...
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