*Worship for Sunday September 27, 2020*
Preservice Music
Welcome to Worship & Prayer Concerns
Flowers on Sept. 27 are given by Jack and Kathy Besant in honor of their 50th Wedding Anniversary
Praise Song: “Seek Ye First” (2x)
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, alleluia.
Confession & Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, who creates, redeems, and sustains us and all of creation.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. (Silence is kept for reflection.)
Faithful God, have mercy on us.
We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We turn from your loving embrace and go our own ways. We pass judgment on one another before examining ourselves. We place our own needs before those of our neighbors. We keep your gift of salvation to ourselves. Make us humble, cast away our transgressions, and turn us again to life in you through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God hears the cries of all who call out in need, and through his death and resurrection, Christ has made us his own. Hear the truth that God proclaims: Your sins are forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ. Led by the Holy Spirit, live in freedom and newness to do God’s work in the world. Amen.
Greeting
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
ALL: And also with you.
Hymn “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” ELW# 886
1. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and king, the triumphs of his grace!
2. My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad the honors of your name.
3. The name of Jesus charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease, sings music in the sinner’s ears, brings life and health and peace.
4. He speaks, and list’ning to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray: God of love, giver of life, you know our frailties and failings. Give us your grace to overcome them, keep us from those things that harm us, and guide us in the way of salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
*We Hear from God’s Word*
First Reading: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 (Ezekiel challenges those who think they cannot change because of what their parents were and did, or who think they cannot reverse their own previous behavior. God insistently invites people to turn and live.)
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? 3As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die. 25Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live. Word of God! Word of Life! ALL: Thanks be to God!
Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-13 (As part of a call for harmony rather than self-seeking, Paul uses a very early Christian hymn that extols the selflessness of Christ in his obedient death on the cross. Christ’s selfless perspective is to be the essential perspective we share as the foundation for Christian accord.)
1If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Word of God! Word of Life!
ALL: Thanks be to God
Praise Song: “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” ELW# 172
Halle, halle, hallelujah, Halle, halle, hallelujah,
Halle, halle, hallelujah, Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
The Holy Gospel Matthew 21:23-32 (After driving the moneychangers out of the temple (21:12), Jesus begins teaching there. His authority is questioned by the religious leaders, who are supposed to be in charge of the temple.)
L: The Holy Gospel of Matthew chapter 21 and I read in Jesus name. All: Glory to you, O Lord (Reading of the Text)
23When [Jesus] entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.” The Gospel of the Lord. ALL: Praise to you O Christ!
Children’s Message: “Jesus Loves the Little Children”
Sermon
HYMN: “Take My Life, That I May Be” ELW #583
Refrain: Take my life, that I may be consecrated, Lord, to thee; take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
1. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love; take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee. (Refrain)
2. Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold; take my intellect and use ev’ry pow’r as thou shalt choose. (Refrain)
3. Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my King; take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee. (Refrain)
4. Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine; take my heart, it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne. (Refrain)
Statement of Faith: Apostles’ Creed ELW page 105
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
Prayers of the People
Drawn together in the compassion of God, we pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.
A brief silence.
In all the world, give your church unity. Inspire all the baptized with the mind of Christ. Where the church is powerful and where it struggles, shape us with humility and obedience so that your love may be at work in us. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Your Son took on all of bodily life in our world, even to death. Preserve and keep your creation, O God. Mend and redeem places that are polluted and damaged, so that all of creation confesses you as Lord. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Turn the nations toward life. Where our ways are unfair, give us new hearts and new spirits. Where sin permeates our cultures and institutions (especially), change our minds and teach us to trust your authority. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Our lives are yours, O God. Relieve the suffering of those who are ill in body, mind, or spirit. Defend the lives and welfare of children who are abused or neglected, hungry or exploited, bullied or lonely. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Turn this congregation away from our own interests toward the interests of others. Fill us with your compassion and sympathy. Bless ministries of care in our community (especially); make us into signs of your mercy and justice for our neighbors. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
Thank you for those who have gone into the kingdom ahead of us—tax collectors and prostitutes, likely and unlikely, obedient and slow to learn. By their witness, teach us to confess Jesus Christ as Lord in life and in death. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
All these things and whatever else you see that we need, we entrust to your mercy; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Share an expression of the Peace of the Risen Lord!
*We Give Our Tithes and Offering*
Offering & Special Music & Announcements
Prayer of Blessing
Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. You have set before us these gifts of your good creation. Prepare us for your heavenly banquet, nourish us with this rich food and drink, and send us forth to set tables in the midst of a suffering world, through the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Communion Song #483 vs.1 & 2
Leader: Here is Bread. Here is wine. ALL: Christ is with us, he is with us.
Leader: Break the bread, taste the wine. ALL: Christ is with us here.
ALL: In this bread there is healing, in this cup is life forever. In this moment, by the Spirit, Christ is with us here.
Leader: Here is grace. Here is peace. ALL: Christ is with us, he is with us.
Leader: Know his grace, find his peace. ALL: feast on Jesus here.
ALL: In this bread there is healing, in this cup is life forever. In this moment, by the Spirit, Christ is with us here.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION (in the night in which he was betrayed…)
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Communion Song #483 vs.3
Leader: Here we are, joined in one. ALL: Christ is with us, he is with us.
Leader: We’ll proclaim till he comes. ALL: Jesus crucified.
ALL: In this bread there is healing, in this cup is life forever. In this moment, by the Spirit, Christ is with us here.
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
*We Gather At The Table of The Lord*
We Share in the Meal
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Communion Blessing
Hymn “The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve” ELW# 551
1. The Spirit sends us forth to serve; we go in Jesus’ name to bring glad tidings to the poor, God’s favor to proclaim.
2. We go to comfort those who mourn and set the burdened free; where hope is dim, to share a dream and help the blind to see.
3. We go to be the hands of Christ, to scatter joy like seed and, all our days, to cherish life, to do the loving deed.
4. Then let us go to serve in peace, the gospel to proclaim. God’s Spirit has empowered us; we go in Jesus’ name.
BENEDICTION Leader: Go in peace. ALL: Remember the poor!
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