Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost –August 15, 2021

Today’s Theme for Worship: When God feeds us with his Word, he enables us to do what is humanly impossible. God creates faith, strengthens faith, and puts it to work in our lives for his glory.

Order of Service: Service of Word and Sacrament

Opening Hymn 436 Jesus, Shepherd of the Sheep

1 Jesus, Shepherd of the sheep,

Who your Father’s flock does keep,

Safe we wake and safe we sleep,

Guarded still by you.

2 In your promise firm we stand;

None can take us from your hand.

Speak-we hear-at your command,

We will follow you.

3 By your blood our souls were bought;

By your life salvation wrought;

By your light our feet are taught,

Lord, to follow you.

4 Father, draw us to your Son;

We with joy will follow on

Till the work of grace is done,

There to live with you.

5 We, in robes of glory dressed,

Join th’ assembly of the blest,

Gathered to eternal rest

In the fold with you.

Text: Henry Cook, 1788-1868, alt.

Order of Service: Service of Word and Sacrament

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: God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.

C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

P: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

Lord, Have Mercy

P: For all that we need in life and for the wisdom to use all your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.

C: ♬ Lord, have mer-cy.

P: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ.

C: ♬ Christ, have mer-cy.

P: For the well-being of your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord.

C: ♬ Lord, have mer-cy.

P: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care:

C: ♬ A-men.

P: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; his name is worthy of praise.

♬ O Lord, Our Lord

O Lord, our Lord, how glo-rious is your name in all the earth.

Al-might-y God, mer-ci-ful Father,

you crown our life with your love.

You take a-way our sin; you com-fort our spir-it;

you make us pure and ho-ly in your sight.

You did not spare your on-ly Son, but gave him up for us all.

O Lord, our Lord, how glo-rious is your name in all the earth.

O Son of God, e-ter-nal Word of the Fa-ther,

you came to live with us;

you made your Fa-ther known;

you washed us from our sins in your own blood.

You are the King of glo-ry; you are the Lord!

O Lord, our Lord, how glo-rious is your name in all the earth.

Prayer of the Day

P: Let us Pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve. Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: ♬ A-men.

First Lesson: 1 Kings 19:3-8

Elijah flees from Ahab and Jezebel to Mt. Horeb. The LORD encouraged him when he was depressed about his work.

³Elijah was afraid, and he ran for his life. He went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there. ⁴But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. There he sat down under a broom tree, where he prayed that he would die. He said, “I’ve had enough, Lord. Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” ⁵Then he lay down and went to sleep under the broom tree.

Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

⁶Then he looked around, and near his head there was a loaf of bread baking on coals and a jar of water, so he ate and drank, and then he lay down again.

⁷Then the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, because the journey is too much for you.”

⁸So he got up and ate and drank. Then, with the strength gained from that food he walked for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Psalm of the Day 34

Refrain

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

Taste and see that the LORD is good;*

blessed are they who take refuge in him.

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous*

and his ears are attentive to their cry.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,*

and he delivers them.

Refrain

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

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;*

he delivers them from all their troubles.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted*

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The LORD redeems his servants;*

no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

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: Ephesians 4:30-5:2
“Be imitators of God as dearly loved children.”

³⁰Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, quarreling, and slander, along with every kind of malice. ³²Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one other, just as God in Christ has forgiven us.

^5:1Therefore, be imitators of God as his dearly loved children. ²And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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 Lesson: John 6:1-15

Jesus explains that he is the “bread of life.” He is the spiritual food for the whole world.
⁴¹So the Jews started grumbling about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴²They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? So how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the Last Day. ⁴⁵It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. ⁴⁶I am not saying that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He is the one who has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Amen, Amen, I tell you: The one who believes in me has eternal life.

⁴⁸“I am the Bread of Life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Hymn of the Day: 352 Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor

1 Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor, Mighty Firstborn from the dead,

You alone, our strong Defender, You lift up your people’s head.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Jesus, true and living Bread! Jesus, true and living Bread!

2 Though the lowliest form once veiled you As of old in Bethlehem,

Here as there your angels hail you, Branch and Flow’r of Jesse’s stem.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

We in worship join with them; We in worship join with them.

3 Paschal Lamb, your off’ring, finished Once for all when you were slain,

In its fullness undiminished, Shall forevermore remain,

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Cleansing souls from ev’ry stain; Cleansing souls from ev’ry stain.

4 Life-imparting heav’nly Manna, Stricken Rock with streaming side,

Heav’n and earth with loud hosanna Worship you, the Lamb who died.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Ris’n, ascended, glorified! Ris’n, ascended, glorified!

Text: George H. Bourne, 1840-1925, abr., alt.

Sermon

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Offering Prayer

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 David Vogel at davidvogel@gmail.com or 616-808-6320

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.

The Sacrament

P: The Lord be with you.

C: ♬ And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts.

C: ♬ We lift them up to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C: ♬ It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. He sends the Holy Spirit to testify that we are his children and to strengthen us when we are weak. Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever.

♬ Holy, Holy, Holy

Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of your glo-ry.

You are my God, and I will ex-alt you.

I will give you thanks, for you have be-come my sal-va-tion.

Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly is the Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of your glo-ry.

Words of Institution

P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: ♬ A-men.

♬ O Christ, Lamb Of God

O Christ, Lamb of God,

you take a-way the sin of the world;

have mer-cy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God,

you take a-way the sin of the world;

have mer-cy on us.

O Christ, Lamb of God,

you take a-way the sin of the world;

grant us your peace.

A-men.

Distribution Hymn: 312 Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared

1 Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared This feast for our salvation;

It is your body and your blood, And at your invitation

As weary souls, with sin oppressed, We come to you for needed rest,

For comfort, and for pardon.

2 Although you did to heav’n ascend, Where angel hosts are dwelling,

And in your presence they behold Your glory, all excelling,

And though your people shall not see Your glory and your majesty

Till dawns the judgment morning,

3 Yet, Savior, you are not confined To any habitation,

But you are present ev’rywhere And with your congregation.

Firm as a rock this truth shall stand, Unmoved by any daring hand

Or subtle craft and cunning.

4 We eat this bread and drink this cup, Your precious Word believing

That your true body and your blood Our lips are here receiving.

This Word remains forever true, And there is naught you cannot do,

For you, Lord, are almighty.

5 Though reason cannot understand, Yet faith this truth embraces:

Your body, Lord, is ev’rywhere At once in many places.

I leave to you how this can be; Your Word alone suffices me;

I trust its truth unfailing.

6 Lord, I believe what you have said; Help me when doubts assail me.

Remember that I am but dust, And let my faith not fail me.

Your supper in this vale of tears Refreshes me and stills my fears

And is my priceless treasure.

7 Grant that we worthily receive Your supper, Lord, our Savior,

And, truly grieving for our sins, May prove by our behavior

That we are thankful for your grace And day by day may run our race,

In holiness increasing.

8 For your consoling supper, Lord, Be praised throughout all ages!

Preserve it, for in ev’ry place The world against it rages.

Grant that this sacrament may be A blessed comfort unto me

When living and when dying.

Text: Samuel Kinner, 1603-68; tr. Emanuel Cronenwett, 1841-1931, alt.

Thank the Lord

Thank the Lord and sing his praise.

Tell ev-'ry-one what he has done.

Let all who seek the Lord re-joice

And proud-ly bear his name.

He re-news his prom-is-es and leads his peo-ple forth

in joy with shouts of thanks-giv-ing.

Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia!

Prayer

P: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: A-men.

Blessing

M: 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: (sing) Amen. Amen. Amen.

Closing Hymn: 331 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land.

I am weak, but thou art mighty;

Hold me with thy pow’rful hand.

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more.

2 Open now the crystal fountain

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fiery, cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliv’rer, Be thou still my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of death and hell’s Destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side.

Songs of praises I will ever give to thee.

Text: William Williams, 1717-91, abr.; tr. Peter Williams, 1722-96, st. 1; William Williams, st. 2-3.