The Bulletin is at: 07-15-2018 – Bulletin
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EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
July 15, 2018
AS WE GATHER…When Amos speaks God’s Word to Israel, they do not want to hear it. Amos is told to prophesy elsewhere. John the Baptist’s message of repentance landed him in Herod’s prison and, eventually, in the grave. Speaking God’s Word is not always easy. It often meets resistance and sometimes even violence. As you gather with fellow hearers of God’s Word, consider how you have been resistant to God’s Word. Which portions have you chosen to skip over? Consider how you might better hear and speak God’s Word this week.
OPENING WORDS Psalm 145
P: I will exalt you, O God my king, and bless your name forever and ever.
C: Every day will I bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
P: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; there is no end to his greatness.
C: One generation shall praise your works to another and shall declare your power.
P: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great kindness.
C: The Lord is loving to everyone and his compassion is over all his works.
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
C: Lord, we need Your mercy. In this hour, help us to see our sin and pain and pray for a fresh start. Help us to see the shortcomings in our lives and look to You for the answers to our problems. Give us a new vision of what life can be like. Teach us to hope, to love, to give and to have faith. Lord, we need Your mercy.
Silence
P: Our God has heard the cries and felt your pain and has had mercy on us. God has seen our need and provided for our salvation; seen our condition and provided the solution; seen our heart and given us a Savior. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sin is no longer the weight that holds us down. We are free to live in victory, free from the sin of our self deceit and free from Satan’s power. Praise God for goodness.
C: Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE: “The Solid Rock”
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seem to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
P: Let us Pray…….God of glory, Father of love, peace comes from you alone. Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Amos shows the crookedness of the people with the plumb line.
This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass by them;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,
“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.’”
And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
John the Baptist is put to death.
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’shead. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
SERMON HYMN: “You are my All in All”
You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek.
You are my all in all.
Seeking you as a precious jewel,
Lord, to give up, I’d be a fool,
You are my all in all.
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame.
Rising again, I bless Your name.
You are my all in all.
When I fall down, You pick me up.
When I am dry, You fill my cup.
You are my all in all.
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your Name
C: I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
And was born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate.
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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.
We offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us–ourselves, our time, our possessions.
OFFERTORY
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
P: For pastors, teachers, missionaries, and all who proclaim God’s Word, that God would embolden them to speak His word of repentance and forgiveness, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For those who struggle to believe in Christ’s unwavering love, that the victory won by the risen Christ would pierce their darkness of doubt and despair, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For all the rulers of the world, that God would turn their hearts to His will of mercy, peace, and justice, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For those who are sick and recovering, (especially…..), that they rely on the steadfast love and faithfulness of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For those who celebrate special occasions and answered prayers, (especially…), that their joy be a witness to the goodness of God, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your promise to hear us.
C: Amen.
“I’ve Got Peace Like River”
- I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
- I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean,
I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.
- I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain,
I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.
“Let Us Break Bread Together”
- Let us break bread together on our knees,
Let us break bread togeter on our knees;
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me!
- Let us drink wine together on our knees,
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me!
- Let us bow ’round the altar on our knees,
Let us bow ‘round the altar on our knees;
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me!
- Let us praise God together on our knees,
Let us praise God together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me!
“Great Is the Lord”
Great is the Lord,
He is holy and just,
By His power we trust In His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true,
By His mercy He proves He is love.
Great is the Lord, and worthy of glory,
Great is the Lord, and worthy of praise.
Great is the Lord, now lift up your voice,
Now lift up your voice:
Great is the Lord
Great is the Lord
Great is the Lord,
He is holy and just,
By His power we trust In His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true,
By His mercy He proves He is love
Great are you Lord,
And worthy of glory
Great are you Lord, and worthy of praise.
Great are you Lord,
I lift up my voice,
I lift up my voice:
Great are you Lord!
Great are you Lord!
P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.
C: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “Let All Things Now Living”
Let all things now living A Song of thanksgiving
To God the Creator triumphantly raise,
Who fashioned and made us, Protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God’s banners are o’er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night,
Till shadows have vanished And darkness is banished,
As forward we travel from light into light.
His law He enforces, The stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit, obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, The rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim Him divine.
We too should be voicing Our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song let us raise
Till all things now living Unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, hosanna and praise!”
P: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.