Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.

Second Sunday after Pentecost
June 6, 2021 – 10:30 am

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

Introduction

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Jesus makes this observation in light of charges that he is possessed. He is possessed, not by a demon, but by the Holy Spirit. We who have received the Holy Spirit through baptism have been joined to Christ’s death and resurrection and knit together in the body of Christ. Those with whom we sing and pray this day are Jesus’ family. With them we go forth in peace to do the will of God.

Protective Detail?

The crowd gathering around Jesus today is not entirely friendly. Some are attacking him as having “gone out of his mind” (Mark 3:21). The scribes accuse him of being demonic. His family tries to restrain him. They see the hostility, perhaps feel the danger. They love Jesus and do not want to see him harmed.

As is his habit, Jesus responds with wit and wisdom. The passage ends with Jesus surrounded by a crowd that seems safer. His family approaches again, and they hear a tough, dismissive word: those who do the will of God are my family. Scripture is consistent in its witness that the will of God is the path to life. Jesus does not need to be protected; he is working to bring the gift of life into the world in a new way.

How often do we find ourselves trying to protect Jesus? Maybe you have had a fight about faith with a family member. Maybe you avoid an acquaintance because of challenging conversations about beliefs. Maybe you have “agreed to disagree” because politics and faith have proved too divisive. Maybe you have experienced the split of a congregation or a church because of differences of opinion about how the gospel calls us to live.

From the book of Acts to present-day denominational struggles, church debates have often been about two sides claiming to be right about Jesus. We stand our ground and resist or demand change. In this we find a mixture of protecting ourselves, protecting our faith, protecting our understanding of Jesus, protecting Jesus.

In today’s story Jesus reminds us he does not need protection. He is not going to get it on the cross. Instead, he wishes life for us, dies to make life for us, lives to make life for us. All of this so we can live to help make life for others.

GATHERING

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

PRELUDE

WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

GATHERING HYMN

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 for praise, let us pray. Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.

SONG OF PRAISE

This is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory of 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 of our God!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!

Sing out with joy, all the people of God!
Join in the song of creation!
Blessing and honor, glory and might
to God and the Lamb for evermore!

Yes, This is the feast! Come and celebrate the victory of 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 of our God!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! This is the feast!

PRAYER OF THE DAY

All-powerful God,
in Jesus Christ you turned death into life and defeat into victory. Increase our faith and trust in him, that we may triumph over all evil in the strength of the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

WORD

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

FIRST READING Genesis 3:8-15

Immediately after Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, they hide from God. Neither takes responsibility for their sin, instead blaming each other, the snake, and even God. The curse on the snake was understood as a messianic prophecy by the early church, who associated Eve’s “offspring” with Christ.

A reading from the book of Genesis.
[Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, be- cause I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Life in the present is transitory and cannot compare with the eternal home God has prepared for us. So we do not despair no matter what life might bring because we know that as God raised Jesus from the dead, God promises to bring us into eternal life.

A reading from the book of 2 Corinthians.
Just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

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

GOSPEL Mark 3:20-35

In response to charges that he is possessed, Jesus wonders aloud how anyone who is demon-possessed can cast out demons. Those who do the will of God are possessed by the Holy Spirit, siblings of Christ.

The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.

[Jesus went home;] 20and the crowd came together again, so that [Jesus and the disciples] could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY

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

Let us come before the triune God in prayer.

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

We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your abiding grace.
Amen.

Meal

God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

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 and good that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise to you, holy God, mighty and immortal, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who on this day broke the bonds of death, opening to us the way of everlasting life and giving us a foretaste of the feast to come.

And so with the Church on earth and 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, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, Holy God, from the rising of the sun to its setting, we bless your holy name. You set creation’s table with the bounty of your goodness and satisfy the needs of every living thing. You gather the peoples of the earth to feast on your promise and your presence made known to us in your Son, Jesus.

In the night in which he was bretrayed, 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 to all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgviness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.

As often as we share this meal, we proclaim his death unitl he comes:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come,
Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon these gifts and this company, making us one in Christ Jesus. Through him all glory and honor is yours, gracious Father, with your Spirit, both now and forever.

Amen, amen, Alleluia!
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

Christ has set the table with more than enough for all. Come!

HOLY COMMUNION – Receiving the Lord’s tangible presence.

The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Each person may respond: Amen.

Communion Statement ~ If you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is your Savior and Redeemer and would like to receive Holy Communion, then come forward to receive the elements. If you would just like to come forward and receive a blessing, then you may do that also.

NOTE: We invite everyone to come forward for Holy Communion. If you have a gluten allergy, gluten-free wafers are available upon request when receiving Communion. Also, if you prefer not to receive wine at Communion, apple juice is available upon request.

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 your peace, grant us your peace.

COMMUNION HYMN

REFLECTION DURING COMMUNION

As we prepare to receive the sacrament today, may we quietly take this time to center our- selves on Christ, and the amazing gifts of grace and forgiveness that we have been given. As we receive the body and the blood of our Lord, let us reflect upon His sacrifice. Finally, may we take this time to ask the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts, and then to work in us and through us in the coming days.

TABLE BLESSING

The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and always keep you in God’s grace.
Amen.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Jesus, Bread of life,
we have received from your table more than we could ever ask. As you have nourished us in this meal, now strengthen us to love the world with your own life. In your name we pray. Amen.

SENDING

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

BLESSING

The blessing of God, who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us, be upon you now and forever.
Amen.

SENDING HYMN

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. You are the body of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
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

Seattle, chief of the Duwamish Confederacy, died 1866
Monday, June 7, 2021
Noah Seattle led a coalition of tribes, and convinced them to live peacefully with encroaching white settlers. When he became a Roman Catholic, he held morning and evening prayer with his tribe. The city of Seattle is named for him.

Columba, died 597; Aidan, died 651; Bede, died 735; renewers of the church Wednesday,
June 9, 2021
These three monks from the British Isles helped keep the light of learning alive during the Middle Ages. Columba founded three monasteries off the coast of Scotland. Aidan was a pastor who led people to works of charity. The Venerable Bede was a Bible translator, historian, and hymnwriter.

Barnabas, Apostle
Friday, June 11, 2021
Barnabas was not numbered among the twelve apostles, but the book of Acts gives him that title. After Paul was converted to Christianity, Barnabas welcomed him to Jerusalem, and later the two traveled together on missionary journeys.

From Sundays and Seasons.com.
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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 Curches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.