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

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 13, 2022
10:30 a.m.

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

Introduction

Blessings and curses abound on the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. We would do well to listen closely to whom the “blessed ares” and the “woe tos” are directed and to find our place in the crowd among those who desire to touch Jesus. The risen Christ stands among us in the mystery of the holy supper with an invitation to live in him and the power to heal us all.
Shoulder to Shoulder
While Matthew recalls Jesus’ teachings commonly called “the Beatitudes” as shared from a mountaintop, Luke situates today’s similar gospel lesson on a level plain. The plains are a place of great exposure—in the sense not only of how far one can see toward the horizon, but also of the harsh exposure to the elements without trees or hills to block the wind or shield one from the sun. On the plain, it can feel like everything has been laid bare; nothing can remain hidden for long. And true to the setting, much is exposed in this story. The rich and the poor, the joyful and the suffering, the hungry and the full are placed side by side. There is no hiding the inequality and injustice of the world.
Jesus’ stark words reach across the page and the years to call us, the church, to examine our hearts, our relationships, and even our society. A level plain invites us to look our neighbors in the eyes, to hear their stories, to see their humanity. It forces us out of our bubbles, our social media echo chambers, and our circles of people who look like us and see the world in the same ways we do. A level plain flattens our hierarchies and forces many of us to face our privilege and our complacency in the systems of injustice that pervade our world.
But the good news is that this level plain is also a place of transformation and healing. It is where we come to meet Jesus, shoulder to shoulder with people we might least expect or with those we would be least likely to choose. It is where Jesus’ gaze meets us, inviting us to partici- pate in God’s new creation unfolding among us. And this new creation takes seriously the cries of the poor and the oppressed until inequalities have been erased, God’s mercy and justice reign, and all gather together as equals at God’s banquet table.

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 “Open Now the Gates of Beauty”

Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
where my soul in joyful duty
waits for God who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessed is this place,
filled with solace, light, and grace!

Gracious God, I come before thee;
come thou also unto me;
where we find thee and adore thee,
there a heav’n on earth must be.
To my heart, oh, enter thou,
let it be thy temple now!

Here thy praise is gladly chanted,
here thy seed is duly sown;
let my soul, where it is planted,
bring forth precious sheaves alone,
so that all I hear may be
fruitful unto life in me.

Thou my faith increase and quicken,
let me keep thy gift divine;
howsoe’er temptations thicken,
may thy word still o’er me shine
as my guiding star through life,
as my comfort in all strife.

Speak, O God, and I will hear thee,
let thy will be done indeed;
may I undisturbed draw near thee
while thou dost thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows;
here is balm for all our woes.

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

Living God,
in Christ you make all things new. Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

WORD

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

FIRST READING Jeremiah 17:5-10

These verses compose a poem that is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings (17:5-11) that contrast two ways of life. Life with God brings blessing; the power and vitality of God is active in our life. Life without God brings a curse, the power of death.

A reading from the book of Jeremiah.
Thus says the LORD: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the LORD.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.
They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse—who can understand it?
I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

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

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

For Paul, the resurrection of Christ is the basis for Christian hope. Because Christ has been raised, those who are in Christ know that they too will be raised to a new life beyond death.

A reading from the book of 1 Corinthians.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be is representing God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

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 5:17-26

After choosing his twelve apostles, Jesus teaches a crowd of followers about the nature and demands of discipleship. He begins his great sermon with surprising statements about who is truly blessed in the eyes of God.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.

[Jesus] came down with [the twelve] and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”

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

MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY “All the People Said ‘Amen'”

You are not alone if you are lonely.
When you feel afraid, you’re not the only.
We are all the same – in need of mercy,
To be forgiven and be free.
It’s all you got to lean on,
But thank God it’s all you need.

And all the people said, “amen.” Whoa!
And all the people said, “amen.”
Give thanks to the Lord, for his love never ends;
And all the people said, “amen.”

If you’re rich or poor… well it don’t matter;
Weak or strong, you know love is what we’re after.
We’re all broken, but we’re all in this together.
God knows we stumble and fall,
And he so loved the world,
He sent his Son to save us all.

And all the people said, “amen.” Whoa!
And all the people said, “amen.”
Give thanks to the Lord, for his love never ends;
And all the people said, “amen.”

Blessed are the poor in spirit
who are torn apart;
Blessed are the persecuted
and the pure in heart;
Blessed are the people hungry
for another start,
For theirs is the kingdom,
the kingdom of God.

And all the people said, “amen.” Whoa!
And all the people said, “amen.”
Give thanks to the Lord, for his love never ends;
And all the people said, “amen.”

And all the people said, “amen.” Whoa!
And all the people said, “amen.”
Give thanks to the Lord, for his love never ends;
And all the people said, “amen.”
And all the people said, “amen.”

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

The Spirit of the Lord is poured out upon us in abundance; so we are bold to pray for the church, the world, and all that God has made.

A brief silence.

Each intercession concludes:
God of Grace.
Hear our prayer.

Since we have such great hope in your promises, O God, we lift these and all of our prayers to you in confidence and faith; through Jesus Christ our Savior.
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

Come to God’s table. There is a place for you and enough for all.
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.

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

We give you thanks, gracious God, for we have feasted on the abundance of your house. Send us to bring good news and to proclaim your favor to all, strengthened with the richness of your grace in your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

SENDING

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

BLESSING

God, who leads you in pathways of righteousness, who rejoices over you, and who calls you by name, bless your going out and your coming in, today and forever.
Amen.

SENDING “God of Grace and God of Glory”

God of grace
and God of glory,
on your people
pour your pow’r;

Crown your ancient
church’s story;
bring its bud to
glorious flow’r.

Grant us wisdom,
grant us courage
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.

Lo! the hosts
of evil round us
scorn the Christ,
assail his ways!

From the fears that
long have bound us
free our hearts to
faith and praise.

Grant us wisdom,
grant us courage
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days,

Cure your children’s
warring madness;
bend our pride
to your control;

Shame our wanton,
selfish gladness,
rich in things and
poor in soul.

Grant us wisdom,
grant us courage,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.

Save us from
weak resignation
to the evils
we deplore;

let the gift
of your salvation
be our glory evermore.

Grant us wisdom,
grant us courage,
serving you whom we adore,
serving you whom we adore.

DISMISSAL

Go with Christ into a weary world.
Share the good news.
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

Martin Luther, renewer of the church, died 1546
Friday, February 18, 2022
Though he began his adult church life as a simple Augustinian monk, Luther challenged the abuses he saw in the church, and his work eventually led to the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s accomplishments included liturgical reform, translation of the Bible, and creation of the Small and Large Catechisms.

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.