Ninth Sunday after Pentecost July 25, 2021

Today’s Theme for Worship: Jesus is the true Shepherd who teaches his flock about God’s peace.

Opening Hymn 283 Speak, O Savior; I Am Listening

1 Speak, O Savior; I am list’ning, As a servant to his lord.

Let me show respect and honor To your holy, precious Word,

That each day, my whole life through, I may serve and follow you.

Let your Word e’er be my pleasure And my heart’s most precious treasure.

2 Oh, what blessing to be near you And to listen to your voice!

Let me ever love and fear you; Let your Word still be my choice.

Many hardened sinners, Lord, Flee in terror at your Word,

But to all who feel sin’s burden You give peace and words of pardon.

3 Lord, your words are waters living Where I quench my thirsty needs.

Lord, your words are bread life-giving; On your words my spirit feeds.

Lord, your words will be my light Through death’s cold and dreary night;

Yes, they are my sword prevailing And my cup of joy unfailing.

4 As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me; Let your words in me take root.

May your Spirit e’er be near me That I bear abundant fruit.

May I daily sing your praise, From my heart glad anthems raise,

Till my highest praise is given In the endless joy of heaven.

Text: Anna Sophia of Hesse-Darmstadt, 1638-83, abr.; 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.

O Lord, give us the spirit to always think and do what is right, that we may be enabled to live according to your will by your help, since we cannot do anything that is good without you; 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: Jeremiah 23:1-6

God promised to remove the evil shepherds of Israel and to replace them with new shepherds who would truly care for the people.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord.

²Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd my people.

You have scattered my flock.

You have driven them away.

You have not taken care of them,

but I will certainly take care of you,

because of the evil things you have done,

declares the Lord.

³I will gather what is left of my flock

out of all the countries where I have driven them,

and I will bring them back to their pastures.

They will be fruitful and multiply.

⁴I will raise up shepherds over them

who will shepherd them.

They will no longer be afraid or terrified,

nor will any be missing, declares the Lord.

⁵Listen, the days are coming, declares the Lord,

when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,

who will reign wisely as king

and establish justice and righteousness on earth.

⁶In his days Judah will be saved

and Israel will dwell securely.

This is his name by which he will be called:

The Lord Our Righteousness.

Special Music – You Are My Shepherd

The congregation is to sing the refrain throughout. Special Music will sing the verses superimposed on the refrain. The box for the refrain is in the service folder.

You are my shepherd,

my rock and my refuge.

You are my strength,

my shield, my song.

You give me rest; you give me comfort.

Nothing more shall I want,

Nothing more shall I want.

Second Lesson: Ephesians 2:13-22

Both Jews and Gentiles are part of the temple of God, founded on Jesus Christ.

¹³But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For he himself is our peace. He made the two groups one by destroying the wall of hostility that divided them ¹⁵when he abolished the law of commandments and regulations in his flesh. He did this to create in himself one new person out of the two, in this way making peace. ¹⁶And he did this to reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by putting the hostility to death on it. ¹⁷He also came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household. ²⁰You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the Cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

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 6:30-34

Jesus pities the people because they are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus teaches them and shows that he is their Shepherd.
³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. ³¹He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” For there were so many people coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. ³²They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³But many people saw them leave and knew where they were going. They ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. His heart went out to them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them many things.

P: This the gospel of our Lord.

C: ♬ Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 362 Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest

1 Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior blest, My Hope and my Salvation!

Lord, hear my plea: Deliver me From misery!

Your Word brings consolation.

2 Lord, as you will, So lead me still; Your mercy fails me never.

My God, I pray: Teach me your way To my last day;

From evil keep me ever.

3 I have your Word, Christ Jesus, Lord: You never will forsake me!

This will I plead In time of need. Oh, help with speed

When troubles overtake me!

4 Now henceforth must I put my trust In you, O dearest Savior.

Your gracious choice, Your Word and voice, Make me rejoice

Though sinful my behavior.

5 Grant, Lord, I pray, Your grace each day, That I, your name revering,

Your glory see And happy be Eternally,

Before your throne appearing.

Text: Hans C. Sthen, b. c. 1540, abr.; tr. Harriet R. K. Spaeth, 1845-1925, 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

Electronic Giving! You can give your offerings from your smartphone with the GivePlusChurch app, which can be downloaded for free at Google Play or the App Store. You can also give at holytrinitylutheranwyoming.com by clicking the Offerings link at the top of the page or scan the QR code below. If you have any questions about any of these options, please contact Dave Conrad at dconrad765@gmail.com or 616-406-7172

Prayer of the Church

Hymn: 569 O Christ, Our True and Only Light

1 O Christ, our true and only light, Enlighten those who sit in night;

Let those afar now hear your voice And in your fold with us rejoice.

2 Fill with the radiance of your grace The souls now lost in error’s maze

And all whom in their secret minds Some dark delusion haunts and blinds.

3 Oh, gently call those gone astray That they may find the saving way!

Let ev’ry conscience sore oppressed In you find peace and heav’nly rest.

4 Shine on the darkened and the cold; Recall the wand’rers to your fold.

Unite all those who walk apart; Confirm the weak and doubting heart

5 That they with us may evermore Such grace with wond’ring thanks adore

And endless praise to you be giv’n By all your Church in earth and heav’n.

Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647, abr.; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78, alt.

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: 329 Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing

1 Lord, dismiss us with your blessing;

Fill our hearts with joy and peace.

Let us each, your love possessing,

Triumph in redeeming grace.

Oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us,

Trav’ling through this wilderness.

2 Thanks we give and adoration

For the gospel’s joyful sound;

May the fruits of your salvation

In our hearts and lives abound!

Ever faithful, ever faithful

To your truth may we be found.

3 So whene’er the signal’s given

Us from earth to call away,

Borne on angels’ wings to heaven,

Glad the summons to obey,

May we ever, may we ever

Reign with Christ in endless day.

Text: John Fawcett, 1740-1817, alt.