The Bulletin is at: 09-01-2019 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 09-01-2019 – Service
or the service is as follows:
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
September 1, 2019
THEME: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). We are urged to a path of humility, not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought and thinking of others before us. With this very purpose, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath and reveals the character of God’s patient and powerful love. We are invited to follow Christ’s own example and to be people of such love and humility that God is glorified and the mercy of God is exalted.
L: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
L: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires are known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
L: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
~Silence for reflection~
L: Most merciful God,
C: We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
L: God, our heavenly Creator, hears the prayers of all people and answers those prayers. Our prayer for forgiveness is answered in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who died for our sin that we might have new life. By the command of Jesus, I forgive you all of your sins—in the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, Have mercy.
P: For peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, Have mercy.
P: 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.
P: For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, Have mercy. Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord
C: Amen
THE HYMN OF PRAISE LBW pg. 81-82
P: This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
C: Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. Power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia. Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever, Amen. This is the feast of victory for our God, for the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia. Alleluia.
L: Let us pray. O Lord, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. Give to us the true humility of Your Son, Jesus, that we shed all arrogant and prideful ways that would condemn us and by Your grace learn to love and serve You above all and to love and serve our neighbor as Christ has loved us; through Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Proverbs 25:2-10
In pride you will be put to shame.
It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbled himself will be exalted.
One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
L: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON HYMN: “Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus” LBW 487
Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow his example pure,
Through a world that would deceive us and to sin our spirit lure,
Onward in his footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above,
Full of faith and hope and love, let us do our Father’s biding.
Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where you guide
Let us ever walk with Jesus and with patience bear our cross,
Joy will follow all our sadness; where he is there is no loss,
Though today we so no laughter, we shall reap celestial joy:
All discomforts that annoy shall give way to mirth here after.
Jesus, here I share your woe; Help me there your joy to know
Let us gladly die with Jesus. Since by death he conquered death,
He will free us from destruction, Give to us immortal breath.
Let us mortify all passion That would lead us into sin;
Then by grace we all may win Untold fruits of his creation.
Jesus unto you I die, There to live with you on high.
Let us also live with Jesus. He has risen from the dead
That to life we may awaken, Jesus since you are our head,
We are own living members; where you live, there we shall be
In your presence constantly, living there with you forever.
Jesus, if I faithful be, Life eternal grant to me.
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 born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
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 Christian Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And the life everlasting. Amen.
OFFERINGS GATHERED
We give our offerings as a sign of our lives given to the Lord in humble service.
L: In humility and faith we come, O Lord, before Your throne of grace, and we ask You to hear us for the sake of Your Son, Jesus, our Lord.
L: Take away the pride that would cut us off from Your grace and teach us the humility of faith that we serve You and delight in Your will here on earth and live in peace and love with all people. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Guard Your Church against such pride and raise up able and humble leaders that she may have faithful pastors and faithful servants to accomplish her mission, and faithful support to provide the resources to accomplish this work. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Guide us to look beyond ourselves and to behold the poor and those in need. Give us voices to speak on their behalf and give us generous hearts to supply their need from our abundance. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Guard the hearts of the mentally ill, give to the suffering relief, grant healing to the sick and those recuperating, and guard the dying in Your peace, (especially…), that all be healed according to Your will, sustained in their hour of need by Your grace, and kept to everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Give us a grateful heart for the gift of labor and for the fruits of our labors we enjoy. Give to the unemployed and the underemployed the work they seek, and guide us all to use well and wisely the resources this labor provides. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
L: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
DISTRIBUTION
“It is Well with My Soul” TOSB 106
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well (it is well) with my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, the trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul.
It is well (it is well) with my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t:
My sin not in part, but the whole
Is nail’d to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.
It is well (it is well) with my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be roll’d back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so,” it is well with my soul.
It is well (it is well) with my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
“Let Us Break Bread Together” TOSB 126
Let us break bread together on our knees;
Let us break bread 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 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.
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on help me stand;
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Thru the storm, thru the night, Lead me on to the light,
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near;
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall;
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
CLOSING SONG: “God of Grace and God of Glory” LBW 415
God of grace and God of glory,
On your people pour your pow’r;
Crown your ancient Church’s story,
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour
For the facing of this hour
Lo! The hosts of evil round us
Scorn the Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
Cure your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to your control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.
Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the gift of your salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Serving you whom we adore,
Serving you whom we adore.
DISMISSAL
P: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!