Eighth Sunday after Pentecost July 18, 2021

Today’s Theme for Worship: From his Church, God calls qualified men to go to proclaim his law and gospel.

Opening Hymn: 241 Alleluia! Let Praises Ring

1 Alleluia! Let praises ring! To God the Father let us bring

Our songs of adoration.

To him through everlasting days Be worship, honor, pow’r, and praise

Whose hand sustains creation.

Singing, Ringing: Holy, holy, God is holy. Spread the story

Of our God, the Lord of glory.

2 Alleluia! Let praises ring! Unto the Lamb of God we sing,

In whom we are elected.

He bought the Church with his own blood; He cleansed her in that blessed flood

And as his bride selected.

Holy, Holy Is our union And communion. His befriending

Gives us joy and peace unending.

3 Alleluia! Let praises ring! Unto the Holy Ghost we sing

For our regeneration.

The saving faith in us he wrought And us unto the Bridegroom brought,

Made us his chosen nation.

Glory! Glory! Joy eternal, Bliss supernal; There is manna

And an endless, glad hosanna.

4 Alleluia! Let praises ring! Unto our triune God we sing;

Blest be his name forever!

With angel hosts let us adore And sing his praises more and more

For all his grace and favor.

Singing, Ringing: Holy, holy, God is holy. Spread the story

Of our God the Lord of glory!

Text: Geistreiches Gesangbuch, Darmstadt, 1698; tr. composite.

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.

Lord of all power and might, you are the author and giver of all good things. Put in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true faith, nourish us with all goodness, and keep us in your care; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: ♬ Amen.

First Lesson: Amos 7:10-15

Amos did not choose to be a prophet, nor to prophesy. Rather, it was the LORD who called him and told him what to say.

¹⁰Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel:

Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to endure all of his words. ¹¹This is what Amos says: “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile away from its own soil.”

¹²Then Amaziah said to Amos, “You seer, get out of here! Flee to the land of Judah. You may eat food and prophesy there. ¹³But you must never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the sanctuary of the king and the national temple.”

¹⁴Then Amos responded to Amaziah:

I was not a prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet. Rather, I was a sheep breeder and I took care of sycamore fig trees. ¹⁵But the Lord took me from tending flocks, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 78

Refrain

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

O my people, hear my teaching;*

listen to the words of my mouth.

I will utter things from of old,*

what we have heard and what our fathers have told us.

We will not hide them from our children;*

we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD.

Refrain

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

The LORD decreed statutes for Jacob*

and established the law in Israel,

so the next generation would know them,*

and they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God*

and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

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

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Second Lesson: Ephesians 1:3-14

God has made us his own here on earth by the work of the Holy Spirit, and assures us of our future destiny.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

⁴He did this when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. He did this in accordance with the good purpose of his will, ⁶and for the praise of his glorious grace, which he has graciously given us in the one he loves.

⁷In him we also have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in keeping with the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. ⁹He made known to us the mystery of his will in keeping with his good purpose, which he planned in Christ. ¹⁰This was to be carried out when the time had fully come, in order to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

¹¹In him we have also obtained an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in keeping with the purpose of his will. ¹²He did this so that his glory would be praised as a result of us, who were the first to hope in Christ.

¹³In him, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and in him, when you also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. ¹⁴He is the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own possession, so that his glory would be praised.

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: Mark 6:7-13

Jesus sends the apostles to preach, teach and heal.

⁷Jesus called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their money belts. ⁹They were to put on sandals but not to wear two coats. ¹⁰He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. ¹¹Any place that will not receive you or listen to you, as you leave there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them.”

¹²They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³They also drove out many demons. They anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

P: This the gospel of our Lord.

C: ♬ Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 525 The Son of God, Our Christ

1 The Son of God, our Christ, the Word, the Way,

Shared human life and toiled throughout the day;

From common folk he called his friends to be

Coworkers in his sacred ministry.

2 In ev’ry test, in trials manifold,

These servants witnessed, by their faith made bold;

And with the gifts and talents which they brought,

The Church was founded and God’s message taught.

3 Today, as then, Christ summons us to dare

To follow boldly and his work to share,

Declaring to the world his holy name

And showing mercy to the sick and lame.

4 In city street, in town, or on the soil,

May each serve Christ in faithful daily toil,

And in each thought and kindly word and deed,

Obey Christ’s call and go where he shall lead.

5 Where’er we find our witness should be made,

Whate’er our task, the Lord will be our aid,

And we will gladly give for him our best

And find each task divinely sent and blessed.

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 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: 392 Not unto Us

1 Not unto us, not unto us be glory, Lord;

Not unto us but to your name be praise;

Not unto us but to your name all honor be giv’n

For matchless mercy, forgiveness, and grace.

2 Amazing grace-that chose us e’er the worlds were made;

Amazing grace-that sent your Son to save;

Amazing grace-that robed us in your righteousness

And taught our lips to sing glory and praise.

3 O faithful love-that shepherded through faithless years;

Forgiving love-that led us to your truth;

Unyielding love-that would not let us turn from you

But sent us forth to speak pardon and peace.

4 Not unto us but to your name be glory, Lord,

For grace so rich, so wide, so high, so free.

Abide with us till trav’ling days are over and done,

And pilgrim feet lead us home, Lord, to you.

Used by permission.

Prayer and Blessing

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: 518 Forth in the Peace of Christ We Go

1 Forth in the peace of Christ we go;

Christ to the world with joy we bring,

Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips,

Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.

2 King of our hearts, Christ makes us kings;

Kingship with him his servants gain.

With Christ the Servant-Lord of all,

Christ’s world we serve to share Christ’s reign.

3 Priests to the world, yes, royal priests

As members of Christ’s family,

Cleansed by the great high-priestly death,

We preach atonement full and free.

4 Christ on our lips, his Word we speak.

Prophets are we whose deeds proclaim

Christ’s truth in love that we may be

Christ in the world, to spread Christ’s name.

5 We are the Church; Christ bids us show

That in his Church all nations find

Their hearth and home where Christ restores

True peace, true love to humankind.

Text: James Quinn, b. 1919, st. 1-2, 4-5, abr., alt.; Mark A. Jeske, b. 1952, st. 3.

Used by permission.