Ebenezer Lutheran Church

Ebenezer Lutheran Church Worship times are Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. Various Bible studies and groups throughout the week.

Ebenezer is, above all, a Christian church. We are best described as Lutheran, Confessional, Orthodox, Liturgical, Historical, Musical, Evangelical catholic (universal) and Scriptural. Our interests include: worship; mission, ministry to suffering people in the world and in Greensboro; music, visualarts and symbols; teen (youth), college, young adult, family and senior education and ministry; conc

ern for one another. We have a diversity of people, but are united in a common faith and worship around Christ our Lord.

09/06/2026

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18A)
Sept. 6, 2026

OLD TESTAMENT
Ezekiel 33:7–9

“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.”

EPISTLE
Romans 13:1–10

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

GOSPEL
Matthew 18:1–20

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man came to save the lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

09/06/2026

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18A)
Sep. 6, 2026

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the Church, that by our warning and witness sinners may come to repentance with faith, and so enjoy the forgiveness of their sins, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all Christians, that they may be steadfast and immovable in God’s truth, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all little ones, that they may be kept from sin and that their pastors, parents and teachers would teach them to trust in Christ’s forgiveness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who bear the sword, that they may bear it as God’s servants; and that under their peaceable governance Christ’s holy people may be guarded and directed in righteousness, quietness and unity, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the ill, grieving and lonely, that they may remember that the Good Shepherd, who loves them, seeks and saves the one lost sheep, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For childlike faith as we receive Christ’s body and blood, that it may strengthen us in faith toward God and in fervent love toward one another, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

O almighty God, we confess that we are poor sinners and could not give an answer if You should contend with us. Yet do we thank You with all our hearts that You have taken our guilt from us and laid it upon Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, who has atoned for it. Graciously sustain us in this faith. Govern us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may live according to Your will in love and service to our neighbors. Do not let us give way to wrath or revenge, and so incur Your wrath, but let us always find in You a gracious Father; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

09/06/2026

HYMN OF THE DAY
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 18A)
Sept. 6, 2026

"My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker" (LSB 820)

1. My soul, now praise your Maker!
Let all within me bless His name
Who makes you full partaker
Of mercies more than you dare claim.
Forget Him not whose meekness
Still bears with all your sin,
Who heals your ev’ry weakness,
Renews your life within;
Whose grace and care are endless
And saved you through the past;
Who leaves no suff’rer friendless
But rights the wronged at last.

2. He offers all His treasure
Of justice, truth, and righteousness,
His love beyond all measure,
His yearning pity o’er distress;
Nor treats us as we merit
But sets His anger by.
The poor and contrite spirit
Finds His compassion nigh;
And high as heav’n above us,
As dawn from close of day,
So far, since He has loved us,
He puts our sins away.

3. For as a tender father
Has pity on his children here,
God in His arms will gather
All who are His in childlike fear.
He knows how frail our powers,
Who but from dust are made.
We flourish like the flowers,
And even so we fade;
The wind but through them passes,
And all their bloom is o’er.
We wither like the grasses;
Our place knows us no more.

4. His grace remains forever,
And children’s children yet shall prove
That God forsakes them never
Who in true fear shall seek His love.
In heav’n is fixed His dwelling,
His rule is over all;
O hosts with might excelling,
With praise before Him fall.
Praise Him forever reigning,
All you who hear His Word—
Our life and all sustaining.
My soul, O praise the Lord!

09/05/2026

Our devotion today focuses on Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. This childless couple was surprised when the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, while he was serving as a priest in the temple, and announced that they would have a baby boy. Because of Zechariah’s age, he doubted the words of the angel and became mute until the prophecy was fulfilled. When their son was born, Elizabeth named the baby John, as instructed by Gabriel. Zechariah wrote on a writing tablet, confirming the name of the baby. At the same time, his mouth was opened, and he spoke, “His name is John.” He responded with the song the Benedictus, praising God for his promise of sending the Savior and prophesying that John would be Christ’s forerunner. “Zechariah and Elizabeth are remembered as examples of faithfulness and piety.” (p. 694)

Let us pray: "O God, who alone knits all infants in the womb, You chose improbable servants – old and childless – to conceive and parent the forerunner of Christ and, in so doing, demonstrated again Your strength in weakness. Grant us, who are as unlikely and unworthy as Zechariah and Elizabeth, the opportunity to love and serve You according to Your good and gracious will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.” Amen.

Prayer quoted from and description adapted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 693-694.

Image: “Zechariah Writes Down the Name of His Son,” Domenico Ghirlandaio’s fresco in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Florence. Public Domain.

09/05/2026

September 4th is the day the church commemorates Moses, the human author of the first five books of the Old Testament. He was born in Egypt while the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians. Since they were ordered to kill all their male children, Moses’ mother placed him in a basket in the Nile River to save his life. When Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby in the basket, she decided to raise Moses as her son. When he was eighty years old, God called him to the work of leading the Israelites out of Egypt toward Canaan. After God sent the ten plagues on the people of Egypt, the Pharaoh told the Israelites to leave his country. Once the first Passover was celebrated, Moses led the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, where God parted the waters to allow them to escape. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, but the people didn’t obey them. After the people’s disobedience, Moses led them for forty years of wandering in the desert. Moses was not allowed to enter the land of Canaan, although God allowed him to view it from a high mountain where he then died. Because he is such an important figure in the Old Testament, Moses appears with Jesus in the New Testament at the Mount of Transfiguration.

Let us pray: "Lord God, heavenly Father, through the prophet Moses, You began the prophetic pattern of teaching Your people the true faith and demonstrating through miracles Your presence in creation to heal it of its brokenness. Grant that Your Church may see in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the final end-times prophet whose teaching and miracles continue in Your Church through the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Amen.

Prayer and description quoted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 690-691.

Image: “Moses with the Ten Commandments” by Philippe de Champaigne. Public Domain.

09/05/2026

Gregory the Great lived in Rome at the end of the 6th Century. He served in the secular and sacred realms of his time. For several years he was the mayor of Rome, building up the city economically and politically. After he sold his properties and donated the proceeds to help the poor, he entered into church work. He became a priest and in 590 was elected to lead the Church in Rome. As Pope Gregory I, he introduced many changes in liturgical development including Gregorian chant. He emphasized the mission work of the church, encouraging missionaries to spread the Gospel into northern Europe and England. He established the Church Year Calendar still used by many Western churches yet today. He used his office to underscore the importance of pastoral care for congregation members by writing a book that became the standard for pastoral care until the twentieth century.

Let us pray: "Almighty and merciful God, You raised up Gregory of Rome to be a pastor to those who shepherd God’s flock and inspired him to send missionaries to preach the Gospel to the English people. Preserve in Your Church the catholic and apostolic faith that Your people may continue to be fruitful in every good work and receive the crown of glory that never fades away; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with the You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen.

Prayer and description quoted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 687.

Image: “Pope Gregory I”, Public Domain.

09/05/2026

The church remembers Hannah, the mother of Samuel, today. Hannah, a little-known woman from the Old Testament, is celebrated because of her fervor and persistence in prayer. The wife of Elkanah was barren to old age, but for years Hannah had prayed for a son. When God answered her prayers with a baby boy, she named him Samuel and promised to give him back to God. When Samuel was a young boy, she returned him for service to the house of the Lord at Shiloh where he was raised by Eli, the priest. Her prayer of thanksgiving was a song that foreshadowed the Magnificat, the Song of Mary centuries later. It begins with “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord.” (I Samuel 2: 1-10) “The name of Hannah derives from the Hebrew word for ‘grace.’ She is remembered and honored for joyfully having kept the vow she made before her son’s birth and offering him for lifelong service to God.” (p. 684)

Let us pray: "God the Father Almighty, maker of all things, You looked on the affliction of Your barren servant Hannah and did not forget her but answered her prayers with the gift of a son. So hear our supplications and petitions and fill our emptiness, granting us trust in Your provision, so that we, like Hannah, might render unto You all thankfulness and praise, and delight in the miraculous birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen.

Prayer and description quoted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 683-684.

Image: “Hannah Brings Samuel to Eli”, author unknown, Public Domain.

09/05/2026

“Joshua the son of Nun was the minister and successor of Moses, and the leader of the people of Israel who led them through the dry bed of the Jordan into the land of Canaan. He had the same name as our Savior, Jesus Christ [since in Hebrew ‘Joshua’ and ‘Jesus’ are the same name], and he was a type of Christ, who led the children of the promise of Abraham through the Jordan of this life’s troubles and of death into the restfulness of eternal life…. When Moses died, on the first day of the 2493rd year since the world’s creation, Joshua led the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, which was promised to their fathers. He won excellent and miraculous victories for God’s chosen ones. Having conquered the kings of Canaan, he distributed the land and finally died at the age of 110. In Hebrew his name is Yehoshua or Yosua, that is ‘Savior,’ ‘Helper.’ In Greek his name is Iesous or Iesus. – David Chytraeus.” (p. 680)

Let us pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, Your servant Joshua led the children of Israel through the waters of the Jordan River into a land flowing with milk and honey. As our Joshua, lead us, we pray through the waters of our Baptism into the promised land of our eternal home, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen.

Prayer and description quoted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 680.

Image: Joshua and the Fall of Jericho, illustration from a Bible card published 1901, Public Domain.

09/05/2026

Each Friday, find a weekly collect to include in your prayers as well as a relevant resource in the comments below. This week, pray for seasonable weather, especially for those whose lives and work depend on it, and for those who are most affected by extreme weather and natural disasters during the upcoming fall months.

For all the people of our land, especially those who rely upon sunshine and rain in due season, that our gracious God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, would open His hand to sustain and satisfy His creatures, and that He would defend and protect us from all calamity by fire and water, from pestilence and drought, from scarcity and famine, and from every other evil, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

08/30/2026

What can you give in exchange for your life? The answer is nothing. But here’s the glory of the cross: Jesus gave His life in exchange for your life. In fact, He gave His life in exchange for the life of the world. So, take up the cross that Jesus gives you. In Jesus, embrace your death to sin. You have nothing to lose and a whole life to gain. We are led in worship this day by Pastor Shayne Jonker with a message titled "Dying to Live." https://worshipanew.org/

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310 S Tremont Drive
Greensboro, NC
27403

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+13362725321

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