Manuscript for the service on Sept 20

 + 15^th Sunday after Trinity +

 

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

 

INTROIT   Psalm 86

Incline your ear, O Lord, and  answer me,
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious;
turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maid-servant.
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.
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
save your servant, who trusts in you—you re my God.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P .

O Lord, we implore You, let Your continual pity cleanse and defend Your Church; and because she cannot continue in safety without Your aid, preserve her evermore by Your help and goodness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

C Amen.

 

 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS LSB 187

P Glory be to God on high:

C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

 

 

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING 1 Kings 17:8–16

⁸Then the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], ⁹“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” ¹¹And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” ¹³And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the Lord the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” ¹⁵And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

 

EPISTLE Galatians 5:25—6:10

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

¹Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵For each will have to bear his own load.

⁶One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. ⁸For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ⁹And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹⁰So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

 

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the sixth chapter.

 

 

²⁴[Jesus said:] “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

 

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

 

NICENE CREED

C I believe in one God,

     the Father Almighty,

     maker of heaven and earth

          and of all things visible and invisible.

 

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

     the only-begotten Son of God,

     begotten of His Father before all worlds,

     God of God, Light of Light,

     very God of very God,

     begotten, not made,

     being of one substance with the Father,

     by whom all things were made;

     who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

     and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

     and was made man;

     and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

     He suffered and was buried.

     And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

          and ascended into heaven

     and sits at the right hand of the Father.

     And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

     whose kingdom will have no end.

 

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

     the Lord and giver of life,

     who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

     who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

     who spoke by the prophets.

     And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,

     I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

     and I look for the resurrection of the dead

     and the life T of the world to come. Amen.

 

 

Sermon

 

Matthew 6 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them (vs. 26). 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these (vs 28 & 29).  

You have been invited by your friend and Savior Jesus Christ, to pause for a moment. Put away all thoughts of money and debts. Stop for now thinking of income and losses, of balances and net worth. Take a break from all those anxious thoughts. Put them out of your mind and consider the birds of the air. Our heavenly Father feeds them. 

No other preacher, theologian, or philosopher in all the history of the world has ever been able to say it so well. Every human being, all over the world, of all generations can benefit from this: Pause for a moment and look at the birds of the air. Consider the lilies of the field. See God at work all around. He cares for His creation. So it is for you to remember that. Hear these sure words of Jesus and keep them.  

If you are prone to anxious thoughts -- and I know that many of you listening are -- Learn these words of Jesus by heart. Print these words out and tape them to your bathroom mirror or your desk top, so you see them again later. Pause again. Look at the birds. Consider the lilies. If God takes care of them, why would you worry that He won’t take care of you, O you of little faith?  

Doesn’t it sting a little to hear Jesus say that, “O you of little faith”? This is a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is talking to the disciples. He’s not talking to the crowds. He’s not talking to the world. He’s talking to disciples, His followers, Christians. Why would Jesus say of them (or of people like us) that we have a little amount of faith? These are disciples who, within a few years would be in heaven. But at this moment they are living on earth and thinking too much as if all that matters is the stuff of earth. They rely on what their eyes see too much. They rely on their faulty reason too much. They live with their fears too much.  

Their eyes see the troubles of this world. Their faulty reason takes in all the sights of pestilence, and violence, and poverty and weakness, and rumors of wars and economic collapse, environmental catastrophes. And their faulty reason uses only what can be noticed in this world and so it breeds fear and anxiety. So the Lord has to once again, speak out. Stop. Take a pause. Look at the birds. Consider the lilies. Believe in the care of your heavenly Father. Believe it. There’s so much more going on than what we can see right now. 

If your anxious thoughts get out of control, if you have an old bad habit of suffering troubles that haven’t even come your way yet, if you worry when you should believe, you have to admit it. You are one of those of little faith. Go ahead and admit it. Admit that it’s a sin. Realize you have sins of thought, word and deed. This is a sin of thought. 

And then look again at Jesus’ words. Remember Jesus words. You can believe Jesus words. Your heavenly Father takes care of you, and that includes even up to the point of forgiving you all of your sins of thought, word and deed. The Heavenly Father certainly does that; He put His Son on the line to do so. 

Here’s a crude example, but it might help. None of us here can see viruses. Perhaps we’ve seen electronic images of them. But even that is far removed from our personal perception. We only see the symptoms. We’ve been told about them from professionals, whom  we expect to be knowledgeable and honest. So we believe in viruses. Further, we’ve heard instructions about how we should treat viruses. And our lives have been changed by that instructions. If you can do all that, for some germ you can’t see, but you’ve been warned about, then you had better also take to heart what Jesus your Lord says is so. And change your thought patterns, your behavior and your course of life, because of what Jesus tells you.

Here’s a better example, because it comes from the Bible. You reap what you sow. “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8). If all your attention is on the flesh and the earthly matters pertaining to the flesh, you end up disappointed, eternally disappointed. If you give attention to the things of the Spirit, you’ll have eternal life. The Spirit puts faith in your soul, as you hear Jesus’ words. The Spirit, from baptism on, dwells with the believer constantly, guiding, comforting assuring of the love and patient care of God, Father, Son and Spirit. 

God takes care of you. Moment by moment, day by day, and on into eternal life God takes care of you. These present worrisome troubles are not worth worrying about. God is taking care of us for eternal life because of Jesus who lived, died and rose again, all so you could trust Him when He says, God takes care of you. Amen. 

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

 

Heavenly Father, be gracious to us, Your baptized children, for temptations and anxieties surround us. Gladden our souls with the good news of Your Son’s perfect life and sacrificial death for our salvation. Strengthen us in the faith, and fill us with Your Spirit, that we might trust in You for all things temporal and eternal. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, show Your abundant mercy to all those whom You have called to preach Christ and Him crucified. According to Your gracious will, grant faithful pastors to all vacant congregations, and restore to service those pastors without a congregation to serve. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, grant opportunities for honest and faithful labor to all, especially to the unemployed, and give us all contentment and joy as we carry out our daily tasks. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, grant wisdom to the president, the Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States; to the leaders of our states and localities; and to the rulers of the world, that they would seek peace, promote life and protect the weakest among us. Guard and protect those who serve in our armed forces and emergency services, that they may serve with integrity and return home safely. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, give ear to our prayers for the sick, the suffering, the lonely, the shut-in, the depressed, the dying and all those in any need. Be merciful and gracious to them, and strengthen them in their trials. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, grant that all who partake of Your Son’s body and blood in the fellowship of this altar today would do so in repentance and faith, and to their abundant blessing. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Heavenly Father, according to Your will, and in Your time, You call Your children to rest from their labors. Receive our thanks for those who have gone before us in the faith, and grant that we, who walk as yet by faith, may join them in their holy rest, until that day when You raise us incorruptible and immortal. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C Amen.

 

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

 

750 IF THOU BUT TRUST IN GOD TO GUIDE THEE

1 If thou but trust in God to guide thee
    And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength, whate’er betide thee,
    And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

 2 What can these anxious cares avail thee,

    These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
    O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

 3 Be patient and await His leisure

    In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate’er thy Father’s pleasure
    And His discerning love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

4 God knows full well when times of gladness

    Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
    And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

5 Nor think amid the fiery trial

    That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
    Must surely be of God preferred.
Time passes and much change doth bring
And sets a bound to ev’rything.

 6 All are alike before the Highest;

    ’Tis easy for our God, we know,
To raise thee up, though low thou liest,
    To make the rich man poor and low.
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

 7 Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,

    Perform thy duties faithfully,
And trust His Word; though undeserving,
    Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook in need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Text: Public domain

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book

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.

Sunday School for September 20

 

Prayers, Readings and a Sermon for the 14th Sunday after Trinity

 

Manuscript for the Service on September 13

INVOCATION

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

C Amen.

 

INTROIT      Psalm 84

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord.
Blessèd are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
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.
Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

 

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O Lord, keep Your Church with Your perpetual mercy; and because of our frailty we cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

 

 

913 O HOLY SPIRIT, ENTER IN

1 O Holy Spirit, enter in,
And in our hearts Your work begin,
    Your dwelling place now make us.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine,
Around and in us brightly shine,
    To joy and gladness wake us
        That we may be
    Truly living,
    To You giving
        Prayer unceasing
And in love be still increasing.

 

2 Give to Your Word impressive pow’r,
That in our hearts from this good hour
    As fire it may be glowing,
That in true Christian unity
We faithful witnesses may be,
    Your glory ever showing.
        Hear us, cheer us
    By Your teaching;
    Let our preaching
        And our labor
Praise You, Lord, and serve our neighbor.

 

3 O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
Let Your dear Word, in doubt and strife,
    In us be strongly burning
That we be faithful unto death
And live in love and holy faith,
    From You true wisdom learning.
        Your grace and peace
    On us shower;
    By Your power
        Christ confessing,
Let us see our Savior’s blessing.

Text: Public domain

 

 

 

EPISTLE Galatians 5:16–24

¹⁶But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

 

HOLY GOSPEL

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the seventeenth chapter.

 

 

¹¹On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance ¹³and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” ¹⁴When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. ¹⁵Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

 

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 everlasting. Amen.

 

 

SERMON

Throughout those few years that our Lord Jesus walked across the dirt of this earth, he touched countless thousands of lives.  Every once in a while there was an encounter that was especially noteworthy and so it was recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament at the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  These things were written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing we may have life in his name.

In Luke 17, Jesus heals ten men from their leprosy and the healing is described in terms of salvation, mercy, faith and worship.  This is for us to learn more about our Savior and Lord and to see our own healing and salvation.  

So starting at the beginning of this little story about one event in Jesus life, we read,   “On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. [12] And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance [13] and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."”

“Have mercy on us.” This has become the prayer for countless people throughout the ages. Sick, poor, miserable, helpless people continually cry to the Master to have Mercy.  The Christian Church has incorporated this into our liturgy because it is the best and most basic prayer the sinner can make when seeking help for his sins.

Leprosy is a nasty disease.  Curable now, back then it took a very special miracle. And such miracles were rare.  So Leprosy ruined your life.  It ultimately ended your life.  

These lepers stood at a distance and lifted up their voices to holler for help.  That was the way it had to be.  To keep the sick from infecting the healthy, they had to stay at a social distance from everyone not infected. This meant isolation from friends, family, co-workers and here even at a distance from the one they knew as Jesus, Master -- The one who could have mercy and help them.

They had nothing else. No jobs, no health, almost no life. They had no opportunity for anything better. What else is there to say than to repeat the prayer of so many others who realize they are in a hopeless situation.  “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

That is the first and best step of faith, to cry out to the one who can help us, the one who has mercy to give. To give up trying to fix all your problems on your own. To admit that you need the Lord’s mercy. Indeed, this ought to be our continuous prayer, as long as we remain in this earthly broken life.

Usually when we start to think about all of our problems, we don’t realize that our problems are actually much worse than we realize.

We have a sickness, a leprosy of sin, inherited from our forefathers, multiplied by our own weaknesses and bad choices.

This disease of sin has lots of symptoms.  When we complain about our problems, usually we are just talking about the symptoms:  hurt feelings in relationships, failures in work, finances and life, pains of the body and anguish of the mind, disease disability and death – these are all results of the bigger problem that we must acknowledge and address.  Sin

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is the one who has just the kind of mercy we are looking for. By His death on the cross, He conquered the dreaded deadly disease of sin. Now He lives on high and gives out His mercy on those who cry to Him for help and mercy.

When we look to him for help for that problem, we begin anew the path to salvation and faith mapped out for us in the leper’s story here in Luke 17

Jesus told the lepers. "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.  

Cleansed  -- I’d like to suggest that this could be applied to us as well. When Jesus sent them to the Priests, He was sending them to the temple in Jerusalem, to the service of God’s house. There the Priests were trained to give a diagnosis of skin disorders, which were contagious and called for mitigation. Which were passable. And so the priests could declare these lepers healed and allow them to return to their families, their work, their lives.

But beside this, the priests also offered up prayers for the people, sang the Psalms of hope and promise and carried out the sacrifices that brought people forgiveness and favor from God.

In our times, the service of God’s house, the Liturgy, Word and Sacraments, likewise bring us the forgiveness and favor of God. Through the Word of God, sung in hymns, and read and preached, and through the Sacrament, as through means, God blesses His people, saves them, cures them from the nasty and terminal disease of sin.

For those 10 lepers, Luke writes, “As they went they were cleansed.”

What a great miracle for these 10 men.  Our cleansing is an even greater miracle.  Cleansed by baptism, you have a salvation that is eternal. You have a new and glorious life.

So the 10 lepers called out for mercy and help, Jesus healed them.  Happy ending? Not quite.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; [16] and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. [17] Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? [18] Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

Only one was worshipping Jesus, thanking Jesus.

Imagine what it must have looked like, this Samaritan man, rushing with the others to get to the temple and get the clean bill of health and the ticket back to society. He must have looked back over his shoulder. Remembering Jesus, he has a pause, asks himself, maybe I should have said something. This will only take a moment.

That there is a second miracle. Even greater than the healing. He believed Jesus was his Savior. In faith, he worshipped Jesus. Faith is a miracle. We shouldn’t be surprised when we see people reject the Lord and refuse His Word. That’s natural. We should be happily surprised every time we see someone pray, someone give thanks and praise the Lord. That’s extraordinary. That’s a miracle that can only come from the Holy Spirit of God.

We keep praying to our heavenly Father that His kingdom would come -- His kingdom of faith. We pray that people would have their attention turned around to see that their only help is in the name of the Lord and that they, and each of us, would turn to Jesus and worship Him now and forever. Amen.

 

 

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

 

Almighty God, we give You thanks for the innumerable blessings You have bestowed on us, especially for the revelation of Your will and grace in Jesus Christ, Your Son. Preserve for Your Church the pure doctrine of Your saving Word, raise up pastors to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Christ’s name, and fill all Your baptized children with Your Spirit and His fruits. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P In Your mercy, remember the enemies of Your Church. Grant them repentance and amendment of life, that they would know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and be joined to the communion of Your saints. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P To all those who have returned to school, give diligence in their studies, respect toward their teachers, and a desire to grow in knowledge. Keep students, teachers and staff safe from every danger. Bless especially the schools, universities and seminaries of our Synod. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P We give thanks for our president, for our national and state governments, and for our judges, and we pray that they would defend and protect life from the womb to the grave. We give thanks also for all those whose duty it is to protect and serve in our communities. Watch over them as they carry out their duties, and protect them — and us — from violence and every ill. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P We implore You to visit the sick, the suffering, the homebound, the grieving and all who stand in need. Whatever their trials, have mercy on them, and comfort them with the knowledge that nothing can separate them from the love You have for them in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

 

P Although we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, we ask that You would grant them all to us by grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

 

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 give you peace.

C Amen.

 

790 PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation!
    Let all who hear
    Now to His temple draw near,
Joining in glad adoration!

 

2 Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
    Have you not seen
    All that is needful has been
Sent by His gracious ordaining?

 

3 Praise to the Lord, who has fearfully, wondrously, made you,
Health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you.
    What need or grief
    Ever has failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade you.

 

4 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
    Ponder anew
    What the Almighty can do
As with His love He befriends you.

 

5 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
    Let the Amen
    Sound from His people again;
Gladly forever adore Him!

Text: Public domain

 

 

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. 

Sunday School for September 13

 

Readings, prayers and a sermon for the 13th Sunday after Trinity

 https://youtu.be/eS8pKzkcU54

Manuscript for the Service on September 6

 The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

L In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

L Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what You have promised, make us love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

606 I LAY MY SINS ON JESUS

1     I lay my sins on Jesus,
    The spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all and frees us
    From the accursèd load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus
    To wash my crimson stains
Clean in His blood most precious
    Till not a spot remains.

2     I lay my wants on Jesus;
    All fullness dwells in Him;
He heals all my diseases;
    My soul He does redeem.
I lay my griefs on Jesus,
    My burdens and my cares;
He from them all releases;
    He all my sorrows shares.

3     I rest my soul on Jesus,
    This weary soul of mine;
His right hand me embraces;
    I on His breast recline.
I love the name of Jesus,
    Immanuel, Christ, the Lord;
Like fragrance on the breezes
    His name abroad is poured.

Psalm 32

1Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2Blessèd is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

5I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

6Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 7You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

10Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. 11Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Gospel READING Luke 10:23–37

23Turning to the disciples [Jesus] said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

25And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

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 everlasting. Amen.

SERMON

In Luke 10:36 Jesus asks “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

With this question, Jesus would have us consider who is our neighbor and how do we treat them.

We, faithful people of God regularly confess our sins of thought, word and deed. Sins against God. Sins against our neighbor. What we have done. And what we have left undone.

Done and undone. The sins that we have done, the sins of commission, that is the sins we commit, these are often the sins that come to mind first. But then there are these things that we have left undone, the sins of omission, what we omit to do. These things are more likely to turn into life-long regret. We all have some regret-filled thoughts that start out like, “I shoulda. . . .“

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a well-known illustration of the sins of omission. The Priest and the Levite didn’t do any harm to the poor man who was beaten half to death along the side of the road. They didn’t actively hit him, steal from him, speak evil to him or about him. They committed no sins of commission as far as we can see from the Biblical account. But they both are guilty of a grand example of a sin of omission. They “shoulda” helped the poor guy out in his moment of need. They “shoulda” done something, “shoulda” cared more, “shoulda” loved more.

Moments come and go and when you’ve missed the opportunity, all that you are left with is regret and guilt. People will say, “I wished I would have told her how I felt about her before she left.” or “I feel so cowardly - I shoulda spoken up.” or “Things could have been so different now, if only I’d have stepped up.” These are just a few examples, but I’m sure you, listener, have your own.

Bill Gates was interviewed on National Public Radio ten or so years ago. He has created what is said to be the world’s largest charitable foundation. Not so long ago he changed our computers for the better. Now by contributing to health-care and relief in poorer parts of the world, he wants to change lives for the better. The radio interview was about his foundation’s work to provide vaccines for infants, especially in Africa. Toward the end of the program the interviewer asked him, “You describe learning from your mistakes and failures. What have you learned from the most?” Gates admitted that the task of providing vaccines to those who need them turned out to be much more difficult than he first realized. He said it this way, “Now we’re trying to catch up . . . But every year that goes by that you don’t get these vaccines out, you can measure it in terms of hundreds of thousands of children who die.” [Talk of the Nation, with Neil Conan, January 25, 2010]

We all have regrets. No matter how much we do, there’s still going to be lots that we haven’t gotten to yet. If we help one, we miss another. Even billionaires cannot do everything they should. How many of us have said something like, “Well if I had a billion dollars, I could do a lot of good. I would help out lots of people. I would do great things for God and my fellow human beings.” From Gates example, and his talk of the lives of hundreds of thousands of children, it would seem that the bigger your intentions, the greater the regret.

We daily fail to do enough. We often omit to do things and sooner or later we regret not doing what we “shoulda”.

As you meditate on the story of the Good Samaritan, you will hear Jesus say, “Go and do likewise.” The unexpected and kind actions of the Samaritan toward this stranger are the guide for you to determine who your neighbor is and how you will treat them.

As you meditate on the story of the Good Samaritan, it will probably bring to mind some regrets. To properly overcome regrets, it’s not enough to just try harder next time, because there will always be other new regrets. And eventually we will all run out of time to do what we “shoulda.”

As you meditate on the story of the Good Samaritan, let the words of Jesus bring you closer to Him. That’s what His words do. A parable like this one shows you how much you need Jesus.

Remember in last weeks Gospel reading, when the people standing around when Jesus healed the blind man said, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear, and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:37). Jesus is the One who has done all things well. No regrets there. Not only did Jesus never commit a sin. He never omitted what He should have done. He helps all. Cares about all. Loves all.

When he does all things well, we are the beneficiaries. He picks up us, who have fallen, we who have been beaten by sin, death and the devil. He heals our wounds, with the balm and precious oil of his graciousness. Because He was wounded for our sins of commission and sins of omission, we are forgiven, by his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53).

In Jesus’ parable the Good Samaritan brings the injured man to an Inn and appoints the innkeeper to care for him. In our times the good Lord is doing something similar. He has provided his church as a place for convalescence and healing of guilty consciences. He appoints the pastor to care for the fallen ones he picks up. The pastor is here for you to talk, to listen, and to apply the saving medicine of the Gospel of Jesus.

Don’t remain down in the dumps with regrets and guilt. Hear what your Savior has to tell you. He tells you to pray daily, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. He tells you continually, “I forgive you all your sins.” Amen.

+ PRAYER +

O Lord, deliver us from pandemic and pestilence, from disaster and danger, and from a sudden death, that kept in faith, we may be preserved through this mortal life and in death be received into the arms of Your mercy and into the blessed rest of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, be present among Your people to serve us with the gifts of Your grace, and grant that we may receive them with joy. Give to us faithful pastors and church workers who will minister to us in Your name and strengthen our faith and life together as Your baptized people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, give to us good and honest leaders who will govern according to Your Word and will. Give us grace, that we may not fail to pray for those who lead us and to act as good citizens and good neighbors to one another. Give peace to the nations, and bring an end to violence, prejudice and racism. Guide us to know and respect all life, from the infant in the womb to the youth beginning maturity, and from the mature to the aged. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, You send rain upon the earth and turn the seeds into plants rich with fruit for harvest. Accept our thanks and praise for Your continued goodness in providing a good harvest and food for all. Give us wisdom so that we may use Your resources wisely and extend Your care to those in need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, You urge us to give special care and guidance to the young and those new to the faith. Give us grace, that we may not lead them into temptation or sin but guard their faith by making known to them the full counsel of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, You are the strength of the weak, the healing of the sick, the comfort of those who grieve and the peace of those near death. Hear us on behalf of all the members of our congregation who are ill, quarantined, or in any distress that they may be sustained in their afflictions, comforted in life and death, and delivered to everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, You have given the day for work and the night for rest. Bless all honest labor and industry, artists and artisans, and those in caring professions. Keep us in humility, and guard us against pride and arrogance. Give to us a spirit of generosity, that we may share with others the blessings that flow from our labors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear us, O Lord, who cry to You in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom with the Spirit, You are one God and one Lord, now and forevermore. Amen.

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

L Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

BENEDICTION

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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

702 MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

1     My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
    Savior divine.
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
    Be wholly Thine!

 

2     May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart;
    My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
    A living fire!

 

3     While life’s dark maze I tread
And griefs around me spread,
    Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
    From Thee aside.

 

4     When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
    Shall o’er me roll,
Blest Savior, then, in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
    A ransomed soul!

Text and tune: Public domain