Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost — August 30, 2020

Today’s Theme for Worship: Our gracious Lord calls people from every nation to join his family of faith. God will never turn away anyone who comes to him for mercy.

Opening Hymn: 425 Oh, Sing, My Soul, Your Maker's Praise

1 Oh, sing, my soul, your Maker’s praise,

In grateful hymns ascending;

Whose steadfast love has crowned your days

With heav’nly gifts unending.

I sought the Lord; he heard my cry;

His holy angels hover nigh

The tents of those who love him.

2 The Lord is good to those who seek

His face in time of sorrow,

Providing comfort to the weak

And grace for each tomorrow.

Though grief may tarry for the night,

The morn shall break in joy and light

With blessings from his presence.

3 The Lord will turn his face in peace

When troubled souls draw near him;

His loving-kindness shall not cease

To those who trust and fear him.

Our God will not forsake his own;

Eternal is his heav’nly throne;

His kingdom stands forever.

Text: Julius L. Krohn, 1835-88; tr. Ernest E. Ryden, 1886-1981 and Toivo K. I. Harjunpaa,

P: The grace of our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

C: And also with you.

Confession of Sins

P: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

P: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.

C: Amen.

P: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

♬ Oh Taste And See

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Bless-ed are they who take re-fuge in him.

Your Word, O Lord, is e-ter-nal;

it stands firm in the heav-ens.

Your faith-ful-ness con-tin-ues for-ev-er.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Bless-ed are they who take re-fuge in him.

Prayer of the Day

P: Let us Pray.

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift of grace that we come into your presence and offer true and faithful service. Grant that our worship on earth may always be pleasing to you and in the life to come give us the fulfillment of what you have promised; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: ♬ Amen.

First Lesson: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

The LORD promises to reveal his righteousness not only to the Jews, but to foreigners who bind themselves to him.

This is what the Lord says.

Protect justice, and carry out righteousness,

because my salvation is coming very soon.

My righteousness is ready to be revealed.

⁶Then the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,

to minister to him and to love the name of the Lord

and to become his servants,

every one of them who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,

those who take hold of my covenant—

⁷I will bring them to my holy mountain,

and I will make them glad in my house of prayer.

Their whole burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be

acceptable on my altar.

For my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples of the world.

⁸This is the declaration of God the Lord,

who gathers Israel’s dispersed people:

“I will gather still more people to my house besides

the ones already gathered.”

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 133-134

Refrain

Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

How good and pleasant it is*

when brothers live together in unity!

For there the LORD bestows his blessing,*

even life forevermore.

Refrain

Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD*

who minister in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary*

and praise the LORD.

May the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth,*

bless you from Zion.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son*

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,*

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Refrain

Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Second Lesson: Romans 11:13-15, 28-32

God is gracious in his dealings with the Gentiles and with the unbelieving Jews. He exposes mankind’s spiritual bankruptcy so he can have mercy on all.

¹³I am speaking to you Gentiles. For as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I am going to speak highly of my ministry. ¹⁴Perhaps I may make my own people jealous, and so save some of them. ¹⁵For if their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, what does their acceptance mean other than the dead coming to life?

²⁸In regard to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But, in regard to election, they are especially dear for the sake of the patriarchs, ²⁹because God’s gracious gifts and call are not regretted. ³⁰For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy due to their disobedience, ³¹so also now they have become disobedient, so that by the mercy shown to you they may be shown mercy too. ³²For God imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.

Verse:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

A Canaanite woman holds tightly to God’s Word of promise, even when Jesus stretches her faith to its limits.

²¹Jesus left that place and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²²There a Canaanite woman from that territory came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! A demon is severely tormenting my daughter!”

²³But he did not answer her a word.

His disciples came and pleaded, “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

²⁵But she came and knelt in front of him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

²⁶He answered her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

²⁷“Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet the dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

²⁸Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! It will be done for you, just as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.

C: ♬ Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 413 vv. 1-4 When In the Hour of Utmost Need

1 When in the hour of utmost need

We know not where to look for aid,

When days and nights of anxious thought

Nor help nor counsel yet have brought,

2 Then is our comfort this alone

That we may meet before your throne;

To you, O faithful God, we cry

For rescue in our misery.

3 For you have promised, Lord, to heed

Your children’s cries in time of need

Through him whose name alone is great,

Our Savior and our advocate.

4 And so we come, O God, today

And all our woes before you lay.

Be with us in our anguish still;

Free us at last from ev’ry ill,

Text: Paul Eber, 1511-69, abr., adapt.; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78, alt.

Sermon

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Offering Prayer

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Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer

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 temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn: 402 My Faith Looks Up to Thee

1 My faith looks up to thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Savior divine.

Now hear me while I pray; Take all my guilt away;

Oh, let me from this day Be wholly thine!

2 May thy rich grace impart Strength to my fainting heart;

My zeal inspire!

As thou hast died for me, Oh, may my love to thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be, A living fire!

3 While life’s dark maze I tread And griefs around me spread,

Be thou my guide.

Bid darkness turn to day, Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray From thee aside.

4 When ends life’s transient dream, When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll,

Blest Savior, then, in love, Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above, A ransomed soul!

Text: Ray Palmer, 1808-87.

Prayer and Blessing

P: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

P: Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe and do. Help us by your Holy Spirit to keep your Word in pure hearts that we may be strengthened in faith, guided in holiness, and comforted in life and in death, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: ♬ A-men.

P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace.

C: ♬ A-men, A-men, A-men

Closing Hymn: 403 I Know My Faith Is Founded

1 I know my faith is founded On Jesus Christ, my God and Lord;

And this my faith confessing, Unmoved I stand upon his Word.

Man’s reason cannot fathom The truth of God profound;

Who trusts in worldly wisdom Relies on shifting ground.

God’s Word is all-sufficient, It makes divinely sure,

And, trusting in its wisdom, My faith shall rest secure.

2 Increase my faith, dear Savior, For Satan seeks by night and day

To rob me of this treasure And take my hope of bliss away.

But, Lord, with you beside me I shall be undismayed;

And led by your good Spirit, I shall be unafraid.

Abide with me, O Savior, A firmer faith bestow.

Then I shall bid defiance To ev’ry evil foe.

3 In faith, Lord, let me serve you; Though persecution, grief, and pain

Should seek to overwhelm me, Let me a steadfast trust retain.

And then at my departure, Lord, take me home to you,

And let me there inherit All you have promised me.

In life and death, Lord, keep me Until your heav’n I gain,

Where I by your great mercy The end of faith attain.

Text: Erdmann Neumeister, 1671-1756; tr. composite.