July 16, 2017 Sunday Service and Bulletin

The Bulletin is at: 07-16-2017 – Bulletin

The Service in PDF format is at: 07-16-2017 – 6th Pentecost

or the service is as follows:

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

July 16^th

AS WE GATHER: Many of us were brought up being told, “Don’t be a follower!” There is wise truth to that in regards to choices we make, especially as youth. But the Lord turns that idea upside down for all people of all ages. He tells us to be a follower! Yet not following out of peer pressure or compulsion but following where we know we are led to life, hope, and promise.

RINGING OF THE BELL

To prepare our hearts & minds for worship, we take a few moments in silence.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPENING BLESSING

P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER

P: Jesus says, “Follow me.”

C: Often we are not quick to follow, or we choose to go our own way.

P: Jesus looks at a lost world in need of witnesses and says, “Follow me.”

C: We look at this lost world in need of grace, and we hesitate and shy away.

P: Jesus knows the temptations and the decisions we face, and He says, “Follow me.”

C: We falter on the way, we follow the ways of this world.

P: Let us pray and silently confess our sins to God.

Silence for reflection

P: Lord God, You have called us to follow Your only-begotten Son, to learn from Him, to live and grow in Him, to tell others of Him, and to be faithful to Him.

C: We sin against You and one another in thought, word and deed. We have become enslaved to those things around us and have failed to live in the freedom You have won for us. For the sake of Jesus, forgive us; and give us the clear vision of following Him through the confusion of this world, and bring us by faith to the promise of everlasting life in Your presence.

P: Jesus says, “Follow me,” and we follow Him as forgiven people with grace to do His will. “For freedom Christ has set us free. Those who belong to Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE “Shine, Jesus, Shine”

Lord, the Light of Your love is shining

In the midst of the darkness shining;

Jesus, Light of the World, shine upon us.

Set us free by the truth You now bring us.

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine,

Fill this land with the Father’s glory;

Blaze, Spirit, blaze,

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river flow,

Flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light.

Lord, I come to Your awesome presence,

From the shadows into Your radiance;

By the blood I may enter Your brightness,

Search me, try me, consume all my darkness,

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine,

Fill this land with the Father’s glory;

Blaze, Spirit, blaze,

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river flow,

Flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light.

As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,

So our faces display Your likeness;

Ever changing from glory to glory,

Mirror’d here may our lives tell Your story,

Shine on me, shine on me,

Shine, Jesus, shine,

Fill this land with the Father’s glory;

Blaze, Spirit, blaze,

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, river flow,

Flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: Let us Pray…Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. We pray these things through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

Old Testament: Isaiah 55:10-13

God’s Word accomplishes His purposes.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall make a name for the Lord,

an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Epistle: Romans 7:1-13

Or do you not know, brothers–for I am speaking to those who know the law–that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

GOSPEL: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

The Word of the Kingdom as seed being sown

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

SERMON SONG – “Pass It On” TOSB 164

It only takes a spark to get a fire going

And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing

That’s how it is with God’s love

Once you’ve experienced it you spread His love to every one;

You want to pass it on.

What a wondrous time is spring when all the trees are budding

The birds begin to sing; the flowers start their blooming.

That’s how it is with God’s love

Once you’ve experienced it you want to sing it’s fresh like spring;

You want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend this happiness I’ve found

You can depend on Him, it matters not where you’re bound

I’ll shout it from the mountain top

I want my world to know; The Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

I’ll shout it from the mountain top

I want my world to know,

The Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

SERMON Pastor Terry Merrill

Sermon Part 1

Sermon Part 2

CREED

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 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 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

We offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us: ourselves, our time, our possessions.

OFFERTORY

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

P: We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have made us partakers of Your kingdom by faith. Keep us focused on the ultimate goal, that through witness and the working of Your Spirit many more may call upon Your name and rejoice in eternal true freedom with You, which has no end. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Fill us with all the spiritual gifts for service in Your kingdom: love toward You and for one another; the joy and peace of knowing we belong to You; patience, kindness, and goodness in our dealings with our neighbors; and faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our conduct. Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Help us not to let past, forgiven sins exercise any power or control over or between us; and enable us to live in peace and freedom in Your name and in the forgiveness of our sins. Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Guide and direct doctors, nurses, health-care workers, and first responders in our community that the sick and injured may receive Your healing, comfort and peace. Today we remember all those known and unknown to us in time of need, (especially…). Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: It is into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son, Jesus, our Lord.

C: Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts.

C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

LORD’S PRAYER

DISTRIBUTION

DISTRIBUTION HYMNS

“Great is Thy Faithfulness” TOSB 55

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not,

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. – Refrain

Refrain – “Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!”

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness mercy and love. – Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! – Refrain

Note – end of recording

“Just as I Am” TOSB 119

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that thy blood was shed for me,

And that thou bidd’st me come to thee,