Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost August 22, 2021

Today’s Theme for Worship: True wisdom is found only in the Word of God, and in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Opening Hymn 222 Song of Praise the Angels Sang

1 Songs of praise the angels sang, Heav’n with alleluias rang,

When creation was begun, When God spoke and it was done.

2 Songs of praise awoke the morn When the Prince of Peace was born.

Songs of praise arose when he Captive led captivity.

3 Heav’n and earth must pass away; Songs of praise shall crown that day.

God will make new heav’ns and earth; Songs of praise shall hail their birth.

4 And shall man alone be still? Has he neither breath nor skill?

No, the Church delights to raise Psalms and hymns and songs of praise.

5 Saints below, with heart and voice, Still in songs of praise rejoice,

Learning here, by faith and love, Songs of praise to sing above.

6 Whispered with their final breath, Songs of praise shall conquer death.

Then, amidst eternal joy, Songs of praise their pow’rs employ.

Text: James Montgomery, 1771-1854, alt.

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: Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom prepares and invites us to a banquet which will give us understanding and eternal life.

Wisdom has built her house.

She has carved out her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her meat.

She has mixed her wine.

She has already set her table.

³She has sent out her servant girls.

She calls from the highest point in the city,

⁴“Whoever is naïve, let him turn in here.”

To someone who lacks sense she says,

⁵“Come, eat my food,

and drink the wine that I have mixed.

⁶Abandon your naïve ways and live.

Travel the road to understanding.”

Psalm of the Day Psalm 1

Refrain

Blessed are they who hope, who hope in the Lord.

Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked*

or stand in the way of sinners.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,*

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season*

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Refrain

Blessed are they who hope, who hope in the Lord.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,*

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,*

but the way of the wicked will perish.

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

Blessed are they who hope, who hope in the Lord.

Second Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20

Paul encourages us to follow the way of wisdom.

¹⁵Consider carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise people, but as wise people. ¹⁶Make the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷For this reason, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And do not get drunk on wine, which causes you to lose control. Instead, be filled with the Spirit ¹⁹by speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (singing and making music with your hearts to the Lord), ²⁰by always giving thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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: John 6:51-58

By faith we take part of everything our Savior is.
⁵¹“I 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.”

⁵²At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³So Jesus said to them, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. ⁵⁴The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the Last Day. ⁵⁵For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like your fathers ate and died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

P: This the gospel of our Lord.

C: ♬ Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 348 Jesus, Jesus, Only Jesus

1 Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus Can my heartfelt longing still.

Lo, I pledge myself to Jesus, What he wills alone to will,

For my heart, which he hath filled, Ever cries, “Lord, as thou wilt.”

2 One there is for whom I’m living, Whom I love most tenderly;

Unto Jesus I am giving What in love he gave to me.

Jesus’ blood hides all my guilt-Lord, oh, lead me as thou wilt.

3 What to me may seem a treasure But displeasing is to thee-

Oh, remove such harmful pleasure; Give instead what profits me.

Let my heart by thee be stilled; Make me thine, Lord, as thou wilt.

4 Let me earnestly endeavor Thy good pleasure to fulfill;

In me, through me, with me ever, Lord, accomplish thou thy will.

In thy holy image built, Let me die, Lord, as thou wilt.

5 Jesus, constant be my praises, For thou unto me didst bring

Thine own self and all thy graces That I joyfully may sing:

Be it unto me, my Shield, As thou wilt, Lord, as thou wilt.

Text: Ludämilia Elisabeth, 1640-72; tr. August Crull, 1845-1923, 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

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Prayer of the Church

Hymn: 497 This Is My Will

1 “This is my will, my one command, That love should dwell among you all.

This is my will, that you should love As I have shown that I love you.

2 “No greater love can any have Than that one die to save his friends.

You are my friends if you obey What I command that you should do.

3 “I call you now no longer slaves; No slave knows all the master does.

I call you friends, for all I hear My Father say, you hear from me.

4 “You chose not me, but I chose you, That you should go and bear much fruit.

I chose you out that you in me Should bear much fruit that will abide.

5 “All that you ask my Father dear For my name’s sake you shall receive.

This is my will, my one command, That love should dwell in each, in all.”

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: 327 God Be with You till We Meet Again

1 God be with you till we meet again,

By his counsels guide, uphold you,

With his sheep securely fold you-

God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain:

Till we meet, Till we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus’ feet.

Till we meet, Till we meet-

God be with you till we meet again.

2 God be with you till we meet again,

’Neath his wings protecting hide you,

Daily manna still provide you-

God be with you till we meet again.

Refrain

Refrain:

Till we meet, Till we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus’ feet.

Till we meet, Till we meet-

God be with you till we meet again.

Text: Jeremiah E. Rankin, 1828-1904, abr., alt.