Manuscript for Trinity 20

 + October 25, 2020 +

 

INVOCATION

 

INTROIT Psalm 48:1, 9–11; antiphon: Liturgical Text

The Lord is righteous in all he has | done to us,*
for we have not obeyed his com- | mandments.
Glorify your name, | O Lord;*
and deal with us according to your great | mercy.
Great is the Lord and greatly | to be praised*
in the city of our God, his holy | mountain.
We have thought on your steadfast love, | O God,*
in the midst of your | temple.
As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends | of the earth.*
Your right hand is filled with | righteousness.
Let Mount Zion | be glad!*
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your | judgments!
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
The Lord is righteous in all he has | done to us,*
for we have not obeyed his com- | mandments.
Glorify your name, | O Lord;*
and deal with us according to your great | mercy.

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P O Lord, grant to Your faithful people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve You with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 55:1–9

¹“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.

⁶“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

 

EPISTLE Ephesians 5:15–21

¹⁵Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, ²⁰giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

 

HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 22:1–14

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-second chapter.

C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

 

¹Again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, ²“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, ³and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ⁴Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ ⁵But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ⁷The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ¹⁰And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ¹²And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

 

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.

 

720 WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT

1 We walk by faith and not by sight,
    No gracious words we hear
From Him who spoke as none e’er spoke,
    But we believe Him near.

 

2 We may not touch His hands and side,
    Nor follow where He trod;
But in His promise we rejoice
    And cry “My Lord and God!”

 

3 Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
    And may our faith abound
To call on You when You are near
    And seek where You are found.

 

4 For You, O resurrected Lord,
    Are found in means divine:
Beneath the water and the Word,
    Beneath the bread and wine.

 

5 Lord, when our life of faith is done,
    In realms of clearer light
We may behold You as You are,
    With full and endless sight.

Text: Public domain

 

 

 

The Greatest Invitation

Matthew 22:8-10

 Then [the King] said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. [9] Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' [10] And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Let's look at a few things from this parable that Jesus told in the Gospel reading today.  It starts this way:  Matthew 22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,

Again, throughout this section of his Gospel, Matthew records several parables that Jesus told.  They are all stories that Jesus used to describe the Kingdom of Heaven.  He=s telling these parables to the chief priests and the Pharisees in the temple in Jerusalem.  Matthew 22:2  "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,

This isn=t the only place in Scripture where the Kingdom of Heaven is described as a banquet, a feast, a royal celebration.  Consider the Old Testament reading today from Isaiah. It’s this hearty invitation to come, eat and drink. This banquet is beyond the earthly cares and troubles of money and lack. It’s the gracious provision of God in heaven, giving grace to us sinners.

And this banquet is part of the marriage festivities for the King's Son.  The King represents God Almighty.  His Son is of course, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. The bride, as we can see in many other places in Scripture as well, is the church C all those people God has chosen and for Whom the Son gave His life for --  cleansing her with His blood so that she would be a blameless and spotless, pure and wonderful bride worthy of the her groom.

Matthew 22:3-4

    and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. [4] Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.'

What a wonderful invitation!  The greatest invitation.  What a wonderful thought it is to realize that you are invited to this great celebration.  The Kingdom of Heaven is not a duty.  It=s not a chore to be a part of it.  It=s a great privilege.  Rejoice that you've been invited.

Our God=s invitation is simple, and yet powerful  everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast. Everything is ready.  It=s all set. The candles are lit.  The music is playing.  The food is on the table.  The wine is poured.  

As Jesus was on the cross, His dying words were "It is finished!  It is accomplished.  Everything is ready.  All that the entire world needed for its salvation was accomplished right there when the Son of God died on the world=s behalf.  Everything is ready for salvation.  All that is left is for the invitations to be sent out and accepted.

That=s why this invitation is so great!  It's all been taken care of.  It's all ready.  No strings attached.  The King just says, "Come and get it."  Well, He of course, uses a more Kingly choice of words than that.  

So when Jesus tells this parable, it has to be just amazing to everyone who hears it that there could possibly have been some who said no thank you to an invitation from the King to attend the wedding banquet for His Son.  

Then we listen further.  Matthew 22:5-7

    But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, [6] while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. [7] The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

The Jews were being described here.  They were the ones chosen by God first to come to His party, but they shrugged their shoulders, and even worse, they killed the prophets who had come to them bearing the invitation.

Such a wonderful invitation.  Such weak excuses. Work in the field, affairs of business.  Human beings have such an unhealthy attachment to the things that are seen and tangible -- so much so that all too often these things get in the way of things that are unseen and spiritual.  That's not to say that we should (or that we can) completely avoid the material concerns of this life.  We do have to be about our business.  But it may never get in the way of us hearing the invitation that the King has for us.

At this point we all need to ask ourselves what is the business that would distract us from accepting the invitation to the King's Banquet.  Each of us needs to carefully examine our lives and our priorities to see if there is any way in which we are like those who are so consumed with their mundane affairs that have no time for the King and what He has to offer them.

Can an entire church fall into this pit?  Can an entire congregation get so wrapped up in the taking care of field and business?  Can the business of church become the priority so that the members of the congregation neglect to consider the banquet that they are invited to? Can an entire nation, an entire culture get so wrapped up in the troubles at hand in this present moment that all forget the eternal reward or the eternal punishment that lays ahead?

This parable shows the many ways in which the people of God=s Kingdom can be negligent towards His call.  But this parable also shows how faithful God is in sending and re-sending that invitation:

Matthew 22:8-10

    Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. [9] Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' [10] And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Our Lord does not get discouraged that some reject His invitation.  He just keeps on sending it out again.  

So our Lord invites us sinners to come into His presence.  To sit with Him at His table.  To enjoy the festivities of the marriage feast of His Son.

A Matthew 22:10

    And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

You know, that=s a neat sentence.  What=s the guest list made up of?  Just good people?  Our Lord has room in His banquet hall for all kinds of people. He takes in the good and the bad.  The bad He takes in and makes good out of them.  He gives them new garments to wear that make them worthy to be at the banquet and sit at His table.

The feast that we celebrate when we gather here in this place is called a foretaste of the feast to come.  In this meal we come at the King's invitation.  He said, "do this in remembrance of me."  It is His party.  It is the great wedding feast. So even in the midst of some of the most difficult times of this life, we can remember that we are an invited part of that wonderful feast.

Just listen to that invitation folks!  Listen at what a wonderful description it is of the blessings we will get from the Lord as we sit at His table and enjoy His company.  

Your Lord graciously invites you to come to Him, to come to His house, to come to His Kingdom, to come to the feast He has prepared with you in mind. 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

P Having confidence in our justification by grace through faith and having access to the Father in Jesus’ name, let us turn our hearts in prayer on behalf of ourselves, the Church and all people according to their needs.

O almighty God, You have shown Your faithfulness by raising up those in every generation who call Your Church to repentance and renewal. Continue to raise up voices in our own day who herald the truth of Your Word and proclaim the faith in purity and truth against all enemies. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Merciful Lord, Your Word has been the light and salvation throughout the ages. Help us to bring Your grace to those in darkness, and grant them freedom through the forgiveness of their sins. Bless the missionaries serving far and near and the new congregations they establish in Your name. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P God of power and might, You have established governments and the order of law for the protection of all people and to preserve the freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth. Grant to our President Trump; our Governor Reynolds; the Congress of these United States; and the legislature of Iowa wisdom, humility and integrity, that all may enjoy true justice and the protection of life from its conception to its natural end. Lord, in Your mercy,

 

P Holy and gracious God, Your power is revealed chiefly in showing mercy to those in need. Give to the sick healing, to the troubled peace, to the grieving comfort and to the dying peace. Hear us first on behalf of _____________ and those we name in our hearts before You. According to Your gracious promise, grant patience to those in tribulation and trial. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, You have given great gifts to Your people and provided resources to provide for their own needs and for the poor. Bless the agencies and programs of Your Church by which Your people give aid and support to those in need. Help us to provide gainful employment to all people, that they may enjoy the fruits of their labors and honor You with the works of their hands. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P O faithful Lord, throughout the ages You spoke hope through the prophets until that day when You delivered up Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. Bless those who are just learning the Gospel, and bless us with the desire to know and keep Your Word. Encourage Your people to avail themselves of the grace of confession and absolution so that they may forgive one another and live in the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Almighty God and Father, we pray You to grant us all good things that will benefit us in body and soul and to prevent anything harmful to us or to our salvation. Teach us to live in contentment with Your will and purpose and in the freedom You alone supply to serve You with all our heart, mind, body and soul; all these things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

 

LORD’S PRAYER LSB 162

P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

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 LSB 202

A Bless we the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

BENEDICTION LSB 202

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.