+ 16th Sunday after Trinity +
544 O LOVE, HOW DEEP
1 O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
Beyond all thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals’ sake!
2 He sent no angel to our race,
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame,
And to this world Himself He came.
3 For us baptized, for us He bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp He knew;
For us the tempter overthrew.
4 For us He prayed; for us He taught;
For us His daily works He wrought,
By words and signs and actions thus
Still seeking not Himself but us.
5 For us by wickedness betrayed,
For us, in crown of thorns arrayed,
He bore the shameful cross and death;
For us He gave His dying breath.
6 For us He rose from death again;
For us He went on high to reign;
For us He sent His Spirit here
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.
7 All glory to our Lord and God
For love so deep, so high, so broad;
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forevermore.
Text: Public domain
INVOCATION
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
INTROIT Psalm 86
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
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.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
P O Lord, we pray that Your grace may always go before and follow after us, that we may continually be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING 1 Kings 17:17–24
17After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
EPISTLE Ephesians 3:13–21
13So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
HOLY GOSPEL Luke 7:11–17
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the seventh chapter.
11Soon afterward [Jesus] went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
APOSTLES’ CREED
C 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 T everlasting. Amen.
SERMON
From life to death Luke 7:11-17
11 Soon afterward Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.
Try to imagine this scene. Picture in your mind what it was like in the town called Nain that day.
Two crowds of people come together at the entrance to the town:
· One, Jesus and all his followers; the other, the funeral procession of a young man who had died.
· Jesus’ group was on the way into the city. The funeral group was on the way out of the city.
· One crowd was in grief from learning that this young man had died leaving his mother, a widow, destitute. The other crowd was all excited and expectant for more because they had seen how the wonderful miracles of Jesus, they had high hopes he’d do even greater things.
· One crowd was headed up by death. One crowd was headed up by the Lord of life.
There is good news for all of us in this passage from Luke’s Gospel – Good news for all of us who must in one way or another come face to face with death. There’s good news for us who are following behind Him who holds the power of life and death in his hands.
Hear again verse 13. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
You know, you’re not really supposed to tell someone that. If you have a chance to speak to a widow woman at the death of her only son, you probably shouldn’t say, “Don’t weep.” Unless you’re going to fix it. Unless you’re going to do something to take her tears away. You can’t tell a person “don’t weep.” Unless you’re Jesus.
For the rest of us, we weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Sadly, realistically, there are times when you ought to let a sad person be sad.
Yes it might sound as though it were a compassionless thing for Jesus to say to her, “Do not weep.” But as the events play out, we see in that command to her, a promise just about to be fulfilled.
14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
That’s how Jesus did it. No flash of lightning. No magic potion. No glitz or glamour. He just said the word, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
That’s how Jesus gives life. That’s how the Lord gives all good things to His creation -- Through His gracious, good word. That’s how the Lord gave you life.
The good word of Jesus was spoken to each of us who have been baptized, much like when Jesus spoke to the dead young man.
Because of sin, you were dead in trespasses – spiritually dead. Then the word of the Lord was applied to you, with water and you became alive, born again.
It’s the Lord’s word alone. No flash of lightning. No magic potion. No glitz or glamour.
Some will think little of baptism because you don’t see anything spectacular happen. Some of you even slept through yours. But baptism saves you not because of what you see with your eyes, but because of what you hear in your ears and believe in your soul. Jesus says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” Jesus said it, and it’s so.
15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[d] gave him to his mother.
That’s a nice touch there. Jesus gave him to his mother. That young man was rescued from death so he could serve his Lord by serving others. This miracle was not just for his own good, but for the good of others. Jesus gave him to his mother.
You have been saved, rescued from sin, death and the power of the devil in order that you can do some great things. “That you may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness.” And you will serve him by loving you mother, and husbands loving your wives, and wives honoring your husbands, and teachers, blessing your students. And so forth.
We, much like that young man in Nain have been given our new life from the Lord when He speaks His life giving word. Now our lives are lived in service to Him, in love to our neighbor.
16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
Among the crowds there was a growing understanding and faith in Who this man was. “A great prophet” they said, that is one who preached the word of God that powerful word of God that changed lives, changed destinies, changed death to life.
“God has visited his people!” they said. And they were on to something there. We say that same thing. God has visited his people. He comes and checks in on us, as it were. In love for us, He cares enough to visit the oppressed, the dying, the troubled, the scared, yes even the sinner. He comes to visit with His patient yet firm words of repentance and then His miraculous gospel of forgiveness for the sake of Jesus.
17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
And so it would go that the reputation of Jesus would continue to spread. Some would marvel at His wonderful miracles and seek to know more. Some would scoff at the rumors, reject His Gospel and wish Him dead.
And after he was dead, and after He the Lord of life, rose again to eternal life, He charged His disciples and all of us who would follow Him to continue to spread that report in our churches, in our homes, in our love for each other and the world for His sake.
Amen.
OFFERTORY LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Almighty and most merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give You thanks for all Your goodness and tender mercies, especially for the gift of Your dear Son and for the revelation of Your will and grace. Implant Your Word in us that, with good and honest hearts, we may keep it and bring forth the fruits of faith.
We humbly implore You to rule and govern Your Church throughout the world. Bless all those who proclaim Your truth that we may be preserved in the pure doctrine of Your saving Word and that faith in You may be strengthened, love toward others increased, and Your kingdom extended. Send forth laborers into Your harvest, and sustain those whom You have sent that the Word of reconciliation may be proclaimed to all people and the Gospel preached in all the world.
Grant health and prosperity to all who are in authority, especially to the president and congress of the United States, the governor and legislature of this [state/commonwealth], and to all those who make, administer, and judge our laws. Grant them grace to rule according to Your good pleasure for the maintenance of righteousness and the hindrance and punishment of wickedness, that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.
According to Your good pleasure, turn the hearts of our enemies and adversaries that they may cease their hostilities and walk with us in meekness and in peace.
Comfort, O God, with Your Holy Spirit all who are in trouble, want, sickness, anguish of labor, peril of death, or any other adversity. Grant courage and steadfastness especially to those who suffer for Your name’s sake that they may receive and accept their afflictions in the confidence that You will acknowledge them as Your own.
Although we have deserved Your righteous wrath and punishment, yet, we ask You, O most merciful Father, not to remember the sins of our youth nor our many transgressions. Out of Your unspeakable goodness and mercy defend us from all harm and danger to body and soul. Preserve us from false doctrine, from war and bloodshed, from plague and pestilence, from all calamity by fire and water, from hail and tempest, from failure of harvest and from famine, from anguish of heart and despair of Your mercy, and from an evil death. In every time of trouble, show Yourself a very present help, the Savior of all, especially to those who believe.
Cause all needed fruits of the earth to prosper that we may enjoy them in due season. Give success to the Christian training of the young, to all lawful occupations on land, sea, and air, and to all pure arts and useful knowledge, crowning them with Your blessing.
Receive, O God, our bodies and souls and all our talents, together with the offerings we bring You, for by His blood Your Son has purchased us to be Your own that we may live under Him in His kingdom.
These and whatsoever other things You would have us ask of You, O God, grant us for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your only Son, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
LORD’S PRAYER
C 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.
BENEDICAMUS
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
BENEDICTION
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen.
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 © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
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