Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 8/14/22
TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
AUGUST 14, 2022
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FALLS CHURCH, VA
Sunday 10:00 a.m.
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE How Firm a Foundation Setting: David W. Music
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN #728 How Firm a Foundation
1 How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
2 “Fear not! I am with you, O be not dismayed,
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
3 “The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never, forsake!
4 “When through fiery trials your pathway will lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, will be your supply.
The flames will not hurt you; I only design
Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
5 “Throughout all their lifetime My people will prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hairs will their temples adorn,
Like lambs they will still in My bosom be borne.”
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION p. 203
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
KYRIE p. 204
Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy.
HYMN OF PRAISE – “Gloria in Excelsis” p. 204
1 To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill from God in heaven
Proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father;
Your holy name, we sing—
Our thanks for Your great glory,
Lord God, our heav’nly King.
2 To You, O sole-begotten,
The Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior,
You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus;
Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated
At God’s right hand on high—
3 For You alone are holy;
You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever,
Be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit
Alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory.
“Amen!” our glad reply.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Merciful Lord,
cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Jeremiah 23:16–29
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”
For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see and to hear his word,
or who has paid attention to his word and listened?
Behold, the storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
The anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and accomplished
the intents of his heart.
In the latter days you will understand it clearly.
“I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.
“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 119:81-88 (Read responsively)
My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?
The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.
All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
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.
SECOND LESSON Hebrews 11:17-31; 12:1-3
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand)
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 12:49-56
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 12th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
Well, that didn’t last long. Last week we heard beautiful and comforting words from Jesus assuring us of God’s great care. The words strengthened our faith and put us at ease – helping us overcome our anxieties and fears.
Today, however, the message is quite different. Today’s message is all about division – division coming from Jesus no less. This message is troubling to us and seems to raise our anxiety right back to where it was.
Part of us realizes that if we’re going to listen to Jesus, we need to hear everything he has to say – including those things which may be difficult to hear. Right?
At the same time, hearing those difficult things is hard. We’d rather avoid them.
Perhaps we could hold out some hope that Jesus’ words here aren’t really as hard or anxiety-inducing as we think. Jesus, we recall, often spoke in ways that were meant to provoke, sometimes even using hyperbole to catch our attention. Is that the case here?
Let’s examine this text further to find out.
The first thing for us to consider is context. Jesus’ words were said at a certain time and a certain place.
The immediate context is a fairly lengthy proclamation of Jesus to his disciples about being prepared for the end times. Among the words Jesus shared at that time are these: “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes” (v. 37) and “you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (v.40). Here Jesus urges people to be prepared because the end times will bring judgment.
Beyond this immediate context, words spoken earlier in the chapter also shed light on his meaning. These words made mention of things Jesus expects from his disciples – things that will mark them as ones who are awake and ready. He said: “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (8-10). Here Jesus indicates the importance of confessing faith in him and seeing his ministry as an action of the Holy Spirit.
One final thought about context. Jesus also spoke in the context of the prophets who had gone before him. In today’s first reading we heard one of those prophets, Jeremiah. Among the
things that Jeremiah said is this: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you’” (23:16-17). These words of Jeremiah remind us that our world needs real prophets and not false ones. Real prophets are ones who say difficult things, and not just what people want to hear.
Jesus was this kind of prophet. He didn’t preach “peace, peace where there is no peace” – to use another line from Jeremiah (6:14). He could speak of difficult things too – things like conflict and division. Jesus was definitely a prophet sent by God.
But Jesus is also more than a prophet. He is God himself. He is that one who will come again at an hour we do not expect, and the Master who expects his servants to be dressed and ready for service. He is the one, as we say in the Creed, who will “come again to judge the living and the dead.”
Knowing this should lead us to a sense of urgency. And that’s how Jesus’ words in today’s text should be understood. They tell people that the time is now. Jesus is doing something incredibly important. We are not to miss it. And we should not be deceived by the fact that not everyone will believe.
Notice that after Jesus tells of divisions and casting fire and great distress he then speaks of the times. “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
By speaking of “the present time,” Jesus was certainly indicating the culmination of his earthly ministry. At the point of this teaching, Jesus was well on his way to Jerusalem, and there in Jerusalem he would be arrested, tried, sentenced and crucified. Jesus refers to these events as his baptism – “I have a baptism to be baptized with,” he said. He used this word as indication of the ordeal – that it would be profound, life-changing and difficult.
Notice, too, that other words from today’s text also point to this culmination of his ministry. “I came to cast fire on the earth,” he said. Jesus’ death on the cross would cast fire – in that it would destroy the curse of death that had kept the earth and its people in bondage and strike a mighty blow against the evil presence that seemingly rules the world. Jesus would cast fire, too, by rising from the dead and by sending the Holy Spirit, moving people’s hearts to action.
The fire of Jesus’ death and resurrection would bring cleansing – like a baptism. And like fire, this work of Jesus would be powerful, visible and significant.
But would people take notice? Would they believe?
Here we should note that Jesus’ words in today’s text have meaning beyond just that particular time of his life on earth. They also speak with urgency to our day.
As we consider this, let’s return to that question about how anxiety-inducing his words are meant to be.
Jesus’ words can be seen as hyperbole in the sense that fire and division are not the only things Jesus brings. When Jesus says: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division,” he is not saying that he doesn’t give peace at all. Jesus spoke of peace plenty of times.
For instance, when Jesus healed people, he often said: “go in peace” (Mk. 5:34). And he told his disciples to “be at peace with one another” (Mk. 9:50). When he sent them out in mission, he gave them instructions to say: “peace to this house” (Lk.10:5). And as he was preparing to leave them, he said: “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (Jn.14:27) and “I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace” (Jn.16:33). The angels sang of peace to the world when Jesus was born (Lk.2:14). And Jesus was prophesied as the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6).
Jesus’ message in today’s text is simply a warning against thinking there will be peace at all times, or that Jesus is a peacemaker only. It is a warning against having too rosy a picture of what he is about.
Jesus is not just butterflies and rainbows. He is not just comfort and joy. Jesus makes demands of us and reserves the right to say hard things we’d rather not hear – things like pointing out our sin and demanding us to be faithful. Following Jesus will involve times of hardship and suffering.
Because of these difficult messages, some people will choose not to follow him. And this results in division.
This, then, is the reality of which Jesus speaks in today’s text. And now we know that his words here are not hyperbole only, or even mostly so. They are a straightforward and honest description of life. Not a preferred reality, but just the way things are.
In reading some comments on today’s text, I came across one by a pastor who told of a certain parishioner who confessed to him that she no longer liked Christmas. The pastor assumed that her troubles with the holiday came from all the work that comes with the season, or perhaps its commercialization, or perhaps because of some kind of loss. But no, this woman shared that the reason Christmas was so hard for her now was that it was the time her adult daughter came to see her every year, and her daughter had become very anti-Christian, and the holiday just highlighted the division between them.
What a sad reality. And what’s sadder still, is that this is not uncommon.
What’s a Christian person to do in such a case?
One thing we should do is mourn. Mourning expresses our feelings. And even more, mourning marks the situation as sad, which is important. For if it’s not a sad situation, then it’s seen as no big deal. And that would be in opposition to what Jesus has taught us – that unbelief is a very big deal.
Our Psalm today includes words of sadness that speak to this situation. They are words of fear too, expressed in the form of a prayer. The psalm says: “How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me!” (v. 84-86).
And this Psalm also points to a second thing we should do in the face of division – pray for perseverance. It’s difficult to live with division, and we need God’s help. The psalm expresses this need.
Many other scriptures do as well. Our reading from Hebrews today is one of these. It explains that we are surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses” – meaning those who lived the life of faith and now serve as an example for us. This cloud includes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab and many others. These are people who lived the faith and are living it still – in the full presence of God, secure in his heavenly home. These witnesses point, as clouds, to the higher place of God’s abode. They inspire us in our faith, helping us to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
A third and final thing that I suggest we do in living with division, is to be humble and careful when asserting our thoughts and beliefs. I arrive at this suggestion by virtue of Jesus’ statement to the crowd in today’s Gospel, where he said: “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
Let’s face it, interpreting the present time isn’t easy. There’s a lot going on. Who are we to have it all figured out?
But even more than this, we also have a problem with hypocrisy. Which Jesus calls out.
We claim to be Christian but struggle to live its teachings. We have trouble loving our neighbor. We have trouble following the commandments. We even, at times, have trouble believing the Gospel message.
And our hypocrisy is shown in other ways too. For instance, isn’t it true that sometimes our views on society’s issues are dictated more by our politics than by our faith? This happens because we feel a strong need to defend our vote or our party. And we get caught up in the great battles around these things – sometimes even enjoying them, or at least the camaraderie which comes from working together with a team.
As Christian people we must ask ourselves, are the divisions which we perceive really so clear? What about fellow Christians who hold different views than ours on a social issue? Are they on
the opposite side of a divide or are we together? And what about kind and moral people who happen to follow another religion?
Divisions are complex. Let’s be mindful of any hypocrisy on our part.
At the same time, as Jesus’ words today make clear, divisions will sometimes need to be noted. We shouldn’t pretend they don’t exist.
Even so, that doesn’t mean we have to see those who are divided from us as an enemy. Nor does it suggest that divisions should always keep people apart.
“Love one another,” said Jesus. And if there’s one thing our times need right now it is more love. You and I, who have been shown beautiful, extravagant, and enduring love from our Lord and Savior Jesus, are wonderfully equipped to share this.
Knowing this, what if that woman whose daughter was so anti-Christian saw her Christmas holiday in a new light? What if she saw it as an opportunity for mission?
She could start by mourning her loss and turning to God in prayer. There she would be reminded that God is still faithfully offering his great help. Christmas may be different, and Christmas may bring struggle too, but God is surrounding her with a great cloud of witnesses – those in her memories, those in her church, those joining her in prayer. These will sustain her in her time of challenge.
She could then use the season as a time to show extra love and care to her daughter – starting with the basic kindness, humility and decency that is appreciated by everyone, and including acts of service, care and compassion too.
From there, as opportunity presents itself, she could slowly express love through encouragement, invitation and maybe even proclamation, by sharing the goodness of God in Christ. Maybe these would lead to an opportunity to listen. Maybe they would lead to an opportunity to share. Maybe they would be rebuffed. But even in that, a gracious response can express the love of Christ.
Living in a world of division is difficult. We’d much rather have peace on earth. Divisions are always sad, and sometimes very threatening.
As Christians, let us be people who stand for our convictions and persevere in our faith – but doing so humbly, while also pursuing peace.
Living this way will not be easy. We won’t always be liked. And we’ll sometimes feel exhausted and spent.
But God will extend his help and care as we ask for it.
Help us, Lord Jesus. In his holy name. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY #655 (Stand) Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word
1 Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;
Curb those who by deceit or sword
Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son
And bring to naught all He has done.
2 Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow’r make known,
For You are Lord of lords alone;
Defend Your holy Church that we
May sing Your praise eternally.
3 O Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth;
Support us in our final strife
And lead us out of death to life.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
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 heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the spirit of Jeremiah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses, that in days of division our hearts would be strengthened to confess in word and deed the glory of God’s name, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the power of the Holy Spirit to overshadow the servants of God, that they may build up the Church of God on the eternal foundation of His Holy Word, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our nation and all those in authority, that our Lord God Almighty would behold our leaders in His mercy and replenish them by His grace; that all who receive the sword would bear it according to His Word – always inclining to His will and walking in His way; and that together we might lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who are celebrating, including Sam and Julia, and Charles and Lauren on the weekend of their weddings, for Erik and Sugar on the birth of their son Christian Frederickson, and for Lois on this the day of her birthday, that God would continue to bestow his blessing upon each of them, and that in our celebrations we would be grateful to the Lord God who gives such great gifts, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the sick and for all those in need, especially Victoria, Geraine, Ann, Sophia, Dolly, Melissa, Gloria, Norma, Trudy, Mary Ann, June, Peter, Wendy, Halle, Ron, Tawni, Reaghann, James, Christine, and those whom we name in our hearts… that God would grant healing to their bodies, endurance to bear up under trial, patience to await His deliverance and peace at the last, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For hearts that are grateful for our baptism into Christ and that prize the communion of saints above all other relations in this world, even as we give thanks for all we know and love and strive for the salvation of everyone, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In thanksgiving for the saints who have gone before us, that we who share with them the feast of heaven would also follow their way through death to eternal life; let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Hear us, most merciful Father, in these our humble requests, which we offer unto You in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS LSB 208
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
LORD’S PRAYER
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.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 210
1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
DISTRIBUTION MUSIC Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word Setting: Jon D. Viecker
NUNC DIMITTIS LSB 211
1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN #829 Christ the Eternal Lord
1 Christ the eternal Lord,
Whose promise here we claim,
Whose gifts of grace are freely poured
On all who name Your name;
With thankfulness and praise
We stand before Your throne,
Intent to serve You all our days
And make Your glory known.
2 Christ the unchanging Word
To ev’ry passing age,
Whose timeless teachings still are heard
Set forth on Scripture’s page;
Transform our thought and mind,
Enlighten all who read,
Within Your Word by faith to find
The bread of life indeed.
3 Christ the redeeming Son,
Who shares our human birth,
And by His death salvation won
For ev’ry child of earth;
Inspire our hearts, we pray,
To tell Your love abroad,
That all may honor Christ today
And follow Him as Lord.
4 Christ the unfading Light
Of everlasting day,
Our Morning Star in splendor bright,
The Life, the Truth, the Way;
That light of truth You give
To servants as to friends,
Your way to walk, Your life to live,
Till earth’s brief journey ends.
5 Christ the ascended King
Exalted high above,
Whose praise unending ages sing,
Whom yet unseen we love;
When mortal life is past
Your voice from heaven’s throne
Shall call Your children home at last
To know as we are known.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Christ the Eternal Lord Setting: Michael D. Costello
FLOWERS: “In celebration of Lois Lehrer’s birthday and all of God’s blessings she brings to us” By Wayne Lehrer and her sons, daughter, and grandchildren.
Those serving:
Saturday, August 13, 5:00 p.m.:
Greeter: Steve Berg
Reader: Norm Williams
Sunday, August 14, 10:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Michael Chamberlain
Comm. assist: Jill Hecht
Reader: Grace Chamberlain
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
How Firm a Foundation Text: A Selection of Hymns, 1787, London, alt. Tune: Genuine Church Music, 1832, WinchesterText and tune: Public domain
Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.Tune: Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert, 1543, Wittenberg, ed. Joseph Klug Tune: Public domain
Christ the Eternal Lord Text: Timothy Dudley-Smith, 1926 Text: © 1999 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93 Tune: Public domain