Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
August 21, 2022
10:30 a.m.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
901 East Stroop Road
Kettering, OH 45429-4688
(937) 298-0136
Introduction
Remember the Sabbath day. Call the Sabbath a delight. This is the Lord’s day, and the Lord will do for us what the Lord does: feed us, forgive us, help and heal us. Rejoice at all the wonderful things God is doing.
A Good Time for Liberation
Luke tells us that Jesus had such compassion for an ailing woman that he healed her without waiting. It’s hard to imagine what it was like for her to be bent over for eighteen years. Anyone who has known back pain knows how debilitating it can be. The image of her stooped over is quickly transformed when she is healed, is liberated from her ailment, and stands up straight. She is set free from pain and social isolation. She spontaneously praises God. How could she not?
Some people present with Jesus and the woman did not celebrate or praise God. They com- plained that Jesus’ timing was bad. It was the Sabbath day. Sabbath is a holy gift from God given for God’s people to have rest, to be free from the burdens of labor, and to enjoy life in community with one another and God. Some thought restrictions against doing work meant it was a bad time for healing. They failed to see that as good as Sabbath-keeping is, there is never a bad time for healing. It is always the right time to liberate people from whatever disease and oppression keeps them bent over and suffering.
Luke’s message is that Jesus comes to bring God’s liberation for the poor, oppressed, sick, and sinful. Through mercy granted unconditionally, a new world is formed in Christ where it is always a good time for healing and liberation. Just as Jesus lifted up the woman bent over in pain, God lifts up the lowly and humble to give them life and liberty.
God surprises us with grace that comes even when we think it can’t be the right time. Whether it is God claiming us in Christ through baptism, or granting healing from disease, or lifting up people bent over from marginalization, it is always the right time. How could we not offer our spontaneous praise as we are lifted up by such good news?
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. 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.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
GATHERING SONG “Morning Has Broken”
Morning has broken like the first morning;
blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!
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
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
for this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, mighty and immortal,
you know that as fragile creatures surrounded by great dan- gers, we cannot by ourselves stand upright. Give us strength of mind and body, so that even when we suffer because of human sin, we may rise victorious through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.
FIRST READING Isaiah 58:9b-14
God promises those who have returned from exile that where justice and mercy prevail, the ruins will be rebuilt and light will rise in the darkness. It is a day for new beginnings.
A reading from the book of Isaiah.
If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you continu- ally, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING Hebrews 12:18-29
Using images of Moses, the writer presents a striking vision of the new covenant of God made possible in Christ. There is no longer fear; only awe in the new promise in Christ into which we are invited.
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews.
You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL READING Luke 13:10-17
Jesus heals a woman on the sabbath, offering her a new beginning for her life. When challenged by a narrow reading of the sabbath command, Jesus responds by expanding “sab- bath work” to include setting people free from bondage.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, im- mediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY “God Is Here!”
God is here! As we your people
meet to offer praise and prayer,
may we find in fuller measure
what it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in the world around us,
all our varied skills and arts
wait the coming of the Spirit
into open minds and hearts.
Here are symbols to remind us
of our lifelong need of grace;
here are table, font, and pulpit;
here the cross has central place.
Here in honesty of preaching,
here in silence, as in speech,
here, in newness and renewal,
God the Spirit comes to each.
Here our children find a welcome
in the Shepherd’s flock and fold;
here as bread and wine are taken,
Christ sustains us as of old.
Here the servants of the Servant
seek in worship to explore
what it means in daily living
to believe and to adore.
Lord of all, of church and kingdom,
in an age of change and doubt,
keep us faithful to the gospel;
help us work your purpose out.
Here, in this day’s dedication,
all we have to give, receive;
we, who cannot live without you,
we adore you! We believe!
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
Trusting in God’s extraordinary love, let us come near to the Holy One in prayer.
A brief silence.
Each intercession concludes:
Merciful God,
receive our prayer.
Receive the prayers of your children, merciful God, and hold us forever in your steadfast love; through Jesus Christ, our holy Wisdom.
Amen.
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.
DIALOGUE
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 our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. You comforted your people with the promise of the Redeemer, through whom you will also make all things new in the day when he comes to judge the world in righteousness. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
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.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection. We look with hope for his coming.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Holy God, we long for your Spirit. Come among us. Bless this meal. May your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light. Bring the gift of peace on earth.
Come, Holy Spirit.
All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel, Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High, one God, now and forever.
Amen, amen. Amen, 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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
In Christ’s presence there is fullness of joy. Come to the banquet.
COMMUNION
The body of Christ, given for you. The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Amen.
LAMB OF GOD
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
COMMUNION HYMN “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)”
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul.
Worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning,
It’s time to sing your song again.
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,
Let me be singing when the evening comes.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul.
Worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
You’re rich in love, and you’re slow to anger.
Your name is great and your heart is kind.
For all your goodness, I will keep on singing;
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul.
Worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
And on that day, when my strength is failing,
The end draws near, and my time has come;
Still, my soul will sing your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul.
Worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul.
Worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul;
I’ll worship your holy name.
I’ll worship your holy name.
Lord, I’ll worship your holy name.
TABLE BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and always keep you in God’s grace.
Amen.
SONG AFTER COMMUNION: The Canticle of Simeon
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled. My own own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of ev’ry people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Life-giving God, through this meal you have bandaged our wounds and fed us with your mercy. Now send us forth to live for others, both friend and stranger, that all may come to know your love. This we pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
The God of peace, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you, comfort you, and show you the path of life this day and always.
Amen.
SENDING “Forever”
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King;
His love endures forever!
For he is good, he is above all things;
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise.
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
His love endures forever!
For the life that’s been reborn,
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise,
Sing praise, sing praise.
Forever God is faithful,
Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us,
Forever, forever!
From the rising to the setting sun,
His love endures forever!
And by the grace of God, we will carry on.
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise,
Sing praise, sing praise.
Forever God is faithful,
Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us,
Forever, forever!
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Love your neighbor.
Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah, thanks be to God!
“W + 2” = Worship Plus Two
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
Bartholomew, Apostle
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Mentioned as one of Jesus’ disciples in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Bartholomew’s name is replaced in John’s gospel by Nathanael, leading many to believe that the two are different names for the same person. Little is known about his work, though some traditions place him later in India or Armenia.
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22920.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.