SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Fruit of the Spirit-Goodness July 27, 2014 11:00 AS WE GATHER Jesus does not explain the parables in today s Gospel. Although most commentators identify the hidden treasure and pearl of great price as the Kingdom of God, what if we are those treasures? Moses told the people before they entered the Promised Land, The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession. Then we see Jesus as the one finding us and giving up all that He has for us, as indeed our Lord gave His very life so that we might be with Him forever. These are comforting words for everyone baptized into Christ. We can be sure that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. RINGING OF THE BELLS - We Prepare our hearts and minds for worship PRE-SERVICE Instrumental Music WELCOME OPENING SONGS Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing LSB 686 Come Thou Fount of ev ry blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise, While the hope of endless glory Fills my heart with joy and love, Teach me ever to adore Thee; May I still Thy goodness prove. Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand ring from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood. Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I m constrained to be; Let that grace now like a fetter Bind my wand ring heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love. Here s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above. Oh, that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face; Clothed then in the blood washed linen, How I ll sing Thy wondrous grace! Come, my Lord, no longer tarry; Take my ransom d soul away; Send Thine angels soon to carry Me to realms of endless day. Great Are You Lord Wood/Rueger The beauty of Your majesty displayed for all the world to see. Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder? The glory of Your holiness, the mercy of Your faithfulness. Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder? 1
CHORUS: We sing, Great are You, Lord. For we adore You. Lift up Your name, and fall before You. We stand in awe and sing, Great are You, Lord. We lift up our voice. We sing, Holy, holy! Hallelujah! to the one and only. Forevermore, we'll sing, Great are You, Lord! Through endless ages, You will reign. Yet ev'ry season, You're the same. Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder? The pow'r of Your redeeming plan, grace that offers life to man. Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder? CHORUS Great are You, Lord. Is it any wonder we sing? Great are You, Lord. Is it any wonder we sing? Great are You, Lord. Is it any wonder? Great are You, Lord. Is it any wonder? Great are You, Lord. Is it any wonder? Great are You, Lord. We sing, Great are You, Lord! Sing, Great are You, Lord! Sing, Great are You, Lord! Sing, Great are You, Lord! CCLI License No. 219979 SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM OF LIVIA CAROLINA FUHRMANN LSB 268 CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Matthew 28:19b (18:20) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8 9 Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [John 20:19 23] Amen. 2
OPENING SENTENCES (Galatians 5:22-23) Men: Men: Men: Men: All: But the fruit of the Spirit is: love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control against such things there is no law. HYMN OF PRAISE The Fruit of the Spirit AGPS 225 CHORUS: For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control for such there is no law. Have you seen my Lord on the cross so high? Do you know His name? Do you hear His cry? Father, here s my love. Father, take my love, as the tree bears fruit for you? Have you seen His face and the look He gave To the dying man He alone would save? Sinner, here s my love. Sinner take my love, as the tree bears fruit for you. CHORUS CHORUS Can we answer Him? Can the heart reply? How to follow Him as we live and die! Jesus, here s our love. Jesus, take our love, as the tree bears fruit for you. CHORUS SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY The Lord be with you. And also with you. 3
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY Heavenly Father, though we do not deserve Your goodness, still You provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge Your gifts, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Please Be Seated) OLD TESTAMENT Deuteronomy 7:6 9 (God chooses His people out of love.) [6] "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. [7] It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, [8] but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. [9] Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. EPISTLE Romans 8:28 39 (For those who love God, all things work together for good.) [28] And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. [29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. [31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 13:44 52 (Three parables of the Kingdom.) The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Thirteenth chapter. Glory to You, O Lord. 4
[44] "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. [45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, [46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. [47] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. [48] When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. [49] So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous [50] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [51] "Have you understood all these things?" They said to him, "Yes." [52] And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, O Christ. (Please Be Seated) CHILDREN S TIME SONG OF THE DAY In The Hands Of God Frankenstein/Furler/Taylor We have raised our hopes and our cities high We have followed fragile dreams But only One could take the measure of our goals And we've stumbled over the trials of life And we've wrestled the unseen But only One can calm the storm inside our souls CHORUS: In the hands of God we will fall Rest for the restless and the weary hope for the sinner In the hands of God we stand tall Hands that are mighty to deliver giving us freedom When our strength gave way to the weight of guilt 'Til we strained for ev'ry breath Only One could lift our shame and make us well And when all is finished - and we face the fearsome pow'r of death Only One has overcome the gates of hell CHORUS You're amazing, You're amazing, You are You're amazing, You're amazing, You are And we praise You, Lord for what Your hands have done You're amazing, You're amazing, You are CHORUS, REPEAT BRIDGE CCLI License # 219979 SERMON PRESENTATION BY PILGER, NEBRASKA SERVANT TEAM 5
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. For a love for God and His Word, because He has first made us His treasured possession for the sake of Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For joy and contentment in our vocations, that we might find fulfillment in our callings, willingly serve those whom God entrusts to our care and know that He works all things for good for those who love Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For those who are burdened by sickness and affliction [especially ], that they might await healing and deliverance with the firm conviction that nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. Special Petitions through Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen. (Please Be Seated) GATHERING OF OFFERINGS OFFERTORY Oh, How Good It Is The Gettys Oh, how good it is when the fam ly of God dwells together in spirit, in faith and unity. Where the bonds of peace, of acceptance and love are the fruits of His presence Here among us. REFRAIN: So with one voice we ll sing to the Lord; and with one heart we ll live out His Word. Till the whole earth sees the Redeemer has come For He dwells in the presence of his people. Oh, how good it is on this journey we share, to rejoice with the happy and weep with those who mourn. For the weak find strength, the afflicted find grace, when we offer the blessing of belonging. REFRAIN Oh, how good it is to embrace His command to prefer one another, forgive as He forgives. When we live as one, we all share in the love of the Son with the Father and the Spirit. REFRAIN CCLI #219979 Used by permission 6
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT PREFACE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise. THE WORDS OF OUR LORD LSB 162 Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me. In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. Matthew 26:26 28; Mark 14:22 24; Luke 22:19 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23 25 PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST LSB 162 As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. LORD S PRAYER LSB 162 Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray: 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. Matthew 6:9 13 PAX DOMINI The Peace of the Lord John 20:19 LSB 163 The peace of the Lord be with you always. Amen. (Please Be Seated) 7
DISTRIBUTION SONGS You Are the Way Sczebel Dead in transgressions and sins Without God, without hope in this world Then the glorious light of Your gospel broke in. The Father stood up from His throne, Opened His arms as He called out my name. Grace irresistible drew me Opened my eyes to see. CHORUS: You are the way, You are the truth, You are the life, Jesus The only way, the only truth, You are my life, Jesus. You are the source of new life, The giver of every good thing. Withholding nothing You lavish Your kindness on me. You emptied Yourself, became poor Humbled and poured out to death. Now highly exalted above all, Your name alone can save. CHORUS You are the way, the truth, the life Sing 3X You are the way the truth... CHORUS CCLI #219979 Used by permission Think About His Love Harrah BOB 222 Think about His love, think about His goodness, Think about His grace that s brought us through. For as high as the heavens above, so great is the measure of our Father s love. Great is the measure of our Father s love. REPEAT Great is the measure of our Father s love. CCLI #219979 Used by permission DISMISSAL BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24 26 LSB 166 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 give you peace. Amen. 8
CLOSING Awesome Is The Lord Most High Pierce/Tomlin/Reeves/Abel Great are You Lord mighty in strength, You are faithful, and You will ever be. We will praise You all of our days, It's for Your glory we offer ev'rything. Raise your hands all you nations, shout to God all creation, How awesome is the Lord most high. Where You send us, God, we will go. You're the answer we want the world to know. We will trust You when You call our name. Where You lead us we'll follow all the way. Raise your hands all you nations, shout to God all creation, How awesome, is the Lord most high. We will praise You together, for now and forever. How awesome is the Lord most high. Hallelujah, hallelujah, how awesome is the Lord most high. Hallelujah, hallelujah, how awesome is the Lord most high. Raise your hands all you nations, shout to God all creation, How awesome, is the Lord most high. We will praise You together, for now and forever. How awesome is the Lord most high. X2 Hallelujah...... Hallelujah......Hallelujah. CCLI #219979 Used by permission POSTLUDE Instrumental Music Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Part 3. Copyright 2014 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 9