7th Sunday in Pentecost Bulletin

7th Sunday in Pentecost Bulletin

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

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
July 19, 2020

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

Introduction
It is an age-old question: why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harvest. With Paul, we long for the day that all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us, we humbly place our hope in the promises of God, and from the Lord’s table we go forth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy.

Impossible Purity
Maybe you have bought or been offered bottled water recently. Did it say “purified” on it? Did you assume that meant the water was totally pure? What if you learned that bottled water, even purified, always has some contaminants in it? Would you still drink it? You probably did.
Jesus’ parable of the weeds among the wheat reminds us of our desire for purity. It is tempting on first reading the parable to immediately ask ourselves, So, who is a weed and who is wheat? We might wonder if the people we don’t like much are weeds. We might also be anxious to know whether we are wheat, children of the kingdom. Sorting it all out now and purifying the field would make things simpler.
Except everything in the parable says we don’t get to sort things out! Surprisingly, Jesus lowers our sense of urgency to sort out good from bad in life. Jesus says it is better to live with ambiguity, better to accept impurity, than to try so hard to clean everything up now. Why? Because we risk great harm to others in trying to obtain a level of purity we can never have in this life.
The desire for purity, especially among religious persons, can be strong. For some, this means getting rid of people who fail to live up to certain moral standards. For others, it means judging people based on who we label them to be. But total purity never exists in nature, nor in humanity as a whole, nor in any single person.
Rather than worrying about whom to get rid of, with Jesus’ help we trust that we are children of the kingdom by God’s grace. We are included. When we know we are included and loved, we don’t need to worry about another’s status. That’s for God to worry about. We are free to love others and ourselves, and to let God sort out the rest.

GATHERING

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

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Pastor Jamie Vannoy

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Amen.
Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sin.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Reconciling God,
we confess that we do not trust your abundance, and we deny your presence in our lives. We place our hope in ourselves and rely on our own efforts. We fail to believe that you provide enough for all. We abuse your good creation for our own benefit. We fear difference and do not welcome others as you have welcomed us. We sin in thought, word, and deed. By your grace, forgive us; through your love, renew us; and in your Spirit, lead us; so that we may live and serve you in newness of life. Amen.

Beloved of God, by the radical abundance of divine mercy we have peace with God through Christ Jesus, through whom we have obtained grace upon grace. Our sins are forgiven. Let us live now in hope. For hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC

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
Gathered in peace, gathered in peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
For peace from above and for the saving power of God, let us pray. Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
For peace in the world, for the Church,for the unity of all, let us pray. Lord, have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
For this holy place, and for all who gather here in praise, let us pray. Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Amen.

CANTICLE OF PRAISE
This is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory for our God! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb once slain, whose blood was shed to give freedom for all. Power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and blessing; come give glory to Christ!
Yes, this is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory for our God! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!
Sing out with joy, all people of God! Join in the hymn of creation! Blessing and honor, glory and might to God and the lamb forevermore!
Yes, this is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory for our God! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!
This is the feast of praise and rejoicing, for the Lamb, the one who was slain, will come forth now and begin God’s reign! Sing all you people, sing Alleluia!
Yes, This is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory for our God! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!

** PRAYER OF THE DAY
Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your children with firmness and compas- sion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
6

WORD

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


FIRST READING – Isaiah 44:6-8
God claims the right to sole rule, because God announces things that actually do happen, while supposed divine opponents remain silent. God is Israel’s redeemer, that is, the best brother or sister they ever had.
A reading from the book of Isaiah.
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING – Romans 8:12-25
For Paul, true spirituality means that we experience the reality of the Spirit, which enables us to pray as God’s children, keeps us in solidarity with creation, and gives us unseen hope that God will liberate us and creation from bondage to death and decay.
A reading from the book of Romans.
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life! Alleluia. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Jesus tells a parable about the co-existence of good and evil in this world. God’s judgment will remove all evildoers and causes of sin, but not until the end of human history.
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

MESSAGE – Pr. Jamie Vannoy

SPECIAL MUSIC

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.

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.

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