13 Sunday after Pentecost Bulletin

Date
August 30, 2020
Author
Don Bennett
Category
Bulletins

CREATED, SAVED AND GIFTED BY GOD, WE SEEK, SERVE AND SHARE JESUS CHRIST.

Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost August 30, 2020

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
901 East Stroop Road
Kettering, OH 45429-4688
(937) 298-0136

Introduction

The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the incurable wound of his suffering, yet finds in God’s words the delight of his heart. When Peter doesn’t grasp Jesus’ words about suffering, Jesus tells the disciples they will find their lives in losing them. Such sacrificial love is described by Paul when he urges us to associate with the lowly and not repay evil with evil. In worship we gather as a community that we might offer ourselves for the sake of our suffering world.
Lost and Found
In an age when self-actualization and “finding oneself” are high cultural values, it can be easy to see these tasks as a steady trajectory toward a fixed end, one that we can control.
Jesus says, on the other hand, that in order to find our life—our identity—we must seek to lose it. We are to identify with Jesus so completely that he becomes our identity. And here’s the ace-in-the-hole, the part that even our therapists and life coaches can accept: It’s not that we identify with Jesus in order to forget who we are—to forget the childhood that wasn’t perfect, the mistakes we made as teenagers, and the people we’ve hurt along the way. We identify with Jesus in order to remember who we are—children of God who are created by God.
So, what of Peter? He’s just been named the Rock and handed the keys to the kingdom. But he’s already trying so hard to protect this newfound identity that he forgets how he got it in the first place. It’s no wonder that when his hopes for the kingdom are threatened and Jesus talks about death, Peter is the one to say, “Hold up!”
Jesus diagnoses Peter correctly—he is clinging to his new self-understanding as “right-hand man” more than God. It’s his protectiveness and rigidity that earn him the name Satan, not his zeal.
When Jesus says that we must lose our lives, he’s not offering a formula. Jesus is asking for a willingness to accept something different from what we’ve planned or expected, a willingness for Peter to relinquish his understanding of what it means to be the Rock. It’s only this willingness to follow a meandering path and to give up our control over the outcome that results in the found life we all look for.

GATHERING

The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness.Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.

Silence is kept for reflection.

We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family. Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all. We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.

KYRIE

Have mercy on us, Lord, and hear our solemn prayer.
We come to hear your living word; is saves us from despair.
Have mercy on us, Christ, and wash away our sin.
Pour out your grace and make us whole that new life may begin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, make sin and shame depart.
renew us with your saving pow’r; create in us new hearts!

CANTICLE OF PRAISE

Glory be to God in heaven; peace, goodwill to all the earth.
Mighty God of all creation, Father of surpassing worth:
we exalt you, we adore you, we lift high our thanks and praise.
Saints and angels bow before you; here on earth our songs we raise.

Glory be to Christ forever, Lamb of God and Lord of love.
Son of God and gracious Savior, you have come from heav’n above;
on the cross you died to save us; now you reign at God’s right hand.
Hear our prayer; restore, forgive us; in your promise firm we stand.

Holy One we now acclaim you; Lord alone, to you we call;
Holy One in faith we name you, God most high, yet near to all:
Jesus Christ, with God the Spirit, in the Father’s splendor bright.
For the peace that we inherit, glory be to God on high!

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, we thank you for your Son, who chose the path of suffering for the sake of the world. Humble us by his example, point us to the path of obedience, and give us strength to follow your commands, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

WORD

God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.

FIRST READING – Jeremiah 15:15-21

Jeremiah’s delight in the word of the Lord is contradicted by the heaviness of God’s hand upon him and God’s seeming unfaithfulness. God’s tough love to Jeremiah says that if he repents, he will be allowed to continue in his strenuous ministry. Jeremiah is strengthened by the simple words: “I am with you.”

A reading from the book of Jeremiah.
O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult. Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts. I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; under the weight of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refus- ing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail. Therefore thus says the LORD: If you turn back, I will take you back, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth. It is they who will turn to you, not you who will turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING – Romans 12:9-21

Paul presents benchmarks for faithful relationships with Christians and non-Christians. Love is the unflagging standard of our behavior. When we encounter evil, we do not resort to its tactics but seek to overcome it with good. While Christians cannot control the actions and attitudes of others, we seek to live at peace with all people.

A reading from the book of Romans.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Alleluia! Lord and Savior: open now your saving word.
Let it burn like fire within us; speak until our hearts are stirred.
Alleluia! Lord, we sing for the good news that you bring.

GOSPEL – Matthew 16:21-28

After Peter confesses that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (16:16), Jesus re- veals the ultimate purpose of his ministry. These words prove hard to accept, even for a disciple whom Jesus has called a “rock.”

The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
From that time on, [after Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah,] Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

MESSAGE

SPECIAL MUSIC – NO Turning Back

I will follow you.
I will follow you.
No turning back,
no turning back.
No turning back,
no turning back.

This is my heart cry:
Though none go with me,
The cross before me,
the world behind me.

I will follow you.
(I have decided, I have decided.)
I will follow you.
(I have decided.)

No turning back,
no turning back.
No turning back,
no turning back.

This is my anthem:
My life for your fame;
My every move bring
glory to your name.

I will follow you.
(I have decided, I have decided.)
I will follow you.
(I have decided.)

No turning back,
no turning back.
No turning back,
no turning back.

The cross before me,
the world behind me;
I will follow,
I will follow.

No turning back,
no turning back.
No turning back,
no turning back.

APOSTLES’ CREED

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 power of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried;he descended into hell.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 INTERCESSION

Confident of your care and helped by the Holy Spirit, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.
Each intercession concludes: Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.

In the certain hope that nothing can separate us from your love, we offer these prayers to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CANTICLE OF THANKSGIVING – Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift ev’ry voice and sing till earth and heaven ring,
ring with the harmonies of liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise high as the list’ning skies,
let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;
sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chast’ning rod,
felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet
come to the place for which our parents sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered;
we have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;
thou who hast by thy might led us into the light,
keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee;
lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee;
shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand,
true to our God, true to our native land.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD

Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being.
For your Word of life, O God,
We give you thanks and praise.By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts: freedom from captiv- ity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you.
For your Word of life, O God,
We give you thanks and praise.Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love.
For your Word of life, O God,
We give you thanks and praise.Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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 tempta- tion, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

SENDING

God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.

BLESSING

Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. God, the creator, Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the comforter, bless you and keep you in eternal love. Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC – Day by Day

Day by day, your mercies, Lord, attend me,
bringing comfort to my anxious soul.

Day by day, the blessings, Lord, you send me
draw me nearer to my heav’nly goal.

Love divine, beyond all mortal measure,
brings to naught the burdens of my quest;

Savior, lead me to the home I treasure,
where at last I’ll find eternal rest.

Day by day, I know you will provide me
strength to serve and wisdom to obey;

I will seek your loving will to guide me
o’er the paths I struggle day by day.

I will fear no evil of the morrow,
I will trust in your enduring grace.

Savior, help me bear life’s pain and sorrow
till in glory I behold your face.

Oh, what joy to know that you are near me
when my burdens grow too great to bear;

oh, what joy to know that you will hear me
when I come, O Lord, to you in prayer.

Day by day, no matter what betide me,
you will hold me ever in your hand.

Savior, with your presence here to guide me,
I will reach at last the promised land.

Make a commitment to not only worship each week but also try to find a way to serve in the congregation and seek out a way to serve our community.

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD

UPCOMING COMMEMORATIONS

Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig, bishop, renewer of the church,
died 1872 Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Grundtvig was, with Søren Kierkegaard, one of the two great Danish theologians of the nineteenth century. As a pastor, he battled the prevalent idea that Christianity was more a philosophy than divine revelation. He wrote over a thousand hymns.