THE TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Welcome to Grace!
Our mission at Grace is to teach the inspired and inerrant Word of God, to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the crucified and risen Savior of the world, and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service.
Check out the GRACE WEBSITE at GraceLutheranSAZ.org
WORSHIP NOTES
We are very pleased that you have joined us for worship today! We pray that this time will be a blessing for you as God comes to you with his Word and promises, and as you offer him your thanks and praise.
The worship service is printed in this worship folder for you to follow along and participate. You’ll notice that the service is a dialogue between God and us, his people. The pastor speaks to God along with the congregation and also speaks the Word of God to the people. Those wishing to leave an offering can do so at the exit today or give online at www.GraceLutheranSAZ.org/give. (You can also scan the QR code to the right to access the online giving page.)
Today we are using elements from the Christian Worship hymnal. If you would like to worship from a hymnal today, you will find these blue worship books in the hymnal racks in each row; however, you do not need to use a hymnal if you so choose, as everything needed for worship is printed in this worship folder.
OUR WORSHIP SERIES DEFINE CHRISTIAN
Ask ten different people to define the word Christian and you may get ten different answers. One might say, “A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus.” Okay. But the demons believe that Jesus exists and is the Son of God. So is that definition adequate? Another person might have a more negative view. He says, “A Christian is someone who believes he is better than others.” Is that completely false? And if you aren’t humble, does that mean you aren’t Christian?
In this worship series Christ himself defines the term Christian and describes what Christians do. We will be struck by how often we do not do all those things. There likely are times when people could look at our behavior and assume we were unbelievers. Yet throughout this series Jesus demonstrates that ultimately a Christian is one who runs to Christ for forgiveness precisely because he has failed to live like what he is a Christian. As we receive the mercy of Christ, it moves us to strive with all our being to better fit Christ’s beautiful definition, doing all the things Jesus says that Christians do. Our worship series is following this path:
The Christian Loves God above All
The Christian Finds Rest in Jesus
The Christian Is Planted by the Word
The Christian Lives as Wheat among Weeds
The Christian Seeks Spiritual Wealth
The Christian Trusts God to Provide
The Christian Answers Doubt with Faith
INVOCATION
Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
SPOKEN RESPONSES
I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Surely we were sinful at birth, sinful from the time our mothers conceived us. But we were washed, we were sanctified, we were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
As baptized children of God, we confess our sins. 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.
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 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. Amen.
+ HOLY BAPTISM +
Those being baptized gather at the font.
The Gospel according to St. Mark: People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
The minister baptizes each child and addresses them by name: [Name], I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Receive the sign of the cross on the head and heart (+) to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.
The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given you the new birth of water and the Spirit and has forgiven all your sins. May he strengthen you with his grace all the days of your life. Peace be with you.
Let us pray.
We give thanks, most merciful Father, that you have received Brayden and Presley as your own children and made them members of Christ’s body, the church. Now, we pray, grant to them and to all your church on earth that, being dead to sin, we may live to righteousness and, being buried with Christ into his death, we may also share in his resurrection, so that, with all your saints, we may inherit eternal life; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The newly baptized children and their family return to their seats while the following is sung:
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray and willing to give far 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.
Amen.
+ THE WORD +
Elijah told a wicked king God would send years of drought and famine. In those dark times, the Lord provided food for his faithful prophet.
FIRST READING
1 Kings 17:1-6
1 Elijah from Tishbe, one of the settlers in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the L lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand, there will be no dew or rain during the coming years, except at my word.”
2 Then the word of the L came to him: 3 “Leave this place and turn east. Hide yourself by the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the stream, and I will command the ravens to provide for you there.”
So Elijah went and did just as the L had said. He lived in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the stream.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
HYMN Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness Christian Worship 517
Before the world was formed, God chose us to be his beloved children. This is why we can trust God to provide.
SECOND READING Ephesians
1:3-
4 He 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 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. He did this in accordance with the good purpose of his will, 6 and for the praise of his glorious grace, which he has graciously given us in the one he loves.
7 In him we also have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in keeping with the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will in keeping with his good purpose, which he planned in Christ. 10 This 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.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Please stand
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Romans 8:32
Alleluia. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him? Alleluia.
13 When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 When evening came, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 They told him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 19 Then he instructed the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish. After looking up to heaven, he blessed them. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples. The disciples gave the food to the people. 20 They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve basketfuls of what was left over from the broken pieces. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not even counting women and children.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ.
Please be seated
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE & GREETING
While the children are coming forward please greet your neighbor and fill out the Friendship Register located in the red folder in your row and pass it along. Thank you!
Jesus graciously and abundantly provides for the needs of a great multitude.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. We use his example prayer as part of our public worship, trusting that he will hear and answer our prayers.
During the singing of this hymn, children ages 1-8 are excused to attend Children’s Church in the CLC Building. Parents can pick-up their children there following the service.
God Provides For Our Needs
CONFESSION OF FAITH 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 truly 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.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Gracious Lord God, grant your Church steadfastness in these gray and latter days that she may hold to the truth and boldly confess the saving name of Jesus.
As the devil, the world, and our sinful nature seek to silence our witness, grant us courage to believe and confess that Jesus is Lord.
The Nicene Creed was first developed in 325 at the First Council of Nicea. It was written to reaffirm the Biblical teaching of the divinity of Jesus, God’s Son. Like the Apostles’ and Athanasian Creeds, the Nicene Creed is a confession of what the Bible teaches.
Brief intercessory prayers may be added in a fitting place.
Even as your beloved Son intercedes on behalf of his Church, so has he commanded us to pray for others.
Hear us, O Lord, as we implore you to show mercy to those in need:
to the sick, the lonely, and the depressed grant relief;
to the dying and those who mourn bring comfort;
to the hungry, the homeless, and the unemployed send your help;
to the elderly, give joy for living life to the full;
to the young, send patience to wait for the fuller life to come;
to husbands and wives and their families and to single parents who raise their children alone grant wisdom and strength.
Bestow your blessings to all who depend on your power and grace.
Almighty Father, you are the good Giver of all that we have. In your mercy continue to grant us daily bread, supplying us with what we need before we even ask.
Teach us to be thankful and content, whether we have plenty or are in need.
Come with your guidance, O Lord, and pour out your blessings on all who have gathered here to proclaim your love in speech, song, and symbol. May our worship enrich us so that our work for others adorns your love among them.
Lead us to praise you as we joyfully wait for your return.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we remember the sufferings and death of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Praising his victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from his ascension before you, where he always intercedes for us as our own high priest. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in his kingdom which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us.
Hear us, Lord, as we pray in silence.
Silent prayer
To you alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen. Please stand
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who promised that wherever two or three come together in his name, there he is with them to shepherd his flock until he comes again in glory. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Sanctus
As he speaks the Words of Institution, the minister both proclaims the words of Jesus to the congregation and sets apart the bread and wine for this special use. The sign of the cross reminds us of Christ’s death.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
We give thanks to you, O God, through your dear Son, Jesus Christ, whom you sent to be our Savior, our Redeemer, and the messenger of your grace. Through him you made all things; in him you are well pleased. He is the incarnate Word, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. To fulfill your promises, he stretched out his hands on the cross and released from eternal death all who believe in you.
As we remember Jesus’ death and resurrection, we thank you that you have gathered us together to receive your Son’s body and blood. Send us your Spirit, unite us as one, and strengthen our faith so that we may praise you in your Son, Jesus Christ. Through him, we glorify and honor you, O God our Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
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.”
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
The Bible teaches that the Lord’s Supper is a unique communion of Christ and the individual believer as well as a coming together of people who hold to the same beliefs. Because of these Scriptural truths, we practice Member Communion at Grace. Those who are confirmed members of Wisconsin Synod congregations (WELS) are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper with us.
If you are not a WELS member but have an interest in receiving Holy Communion, please speak with the pastor after church today or at another time. We are aware that there are a number of other teachings about Holy Communion, and we want it to be a blessing for you, so we would look forward to sharing with you what God says about this Sacrament.
PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION (For private meditation)
Lord Jesus, you have invited me to come and receive your holy Sacrament. I believe that in the bread and wine you give me your true body and blood to eat and drink. Forgive my sins and nourish my faith through this precious meal. I long for the comfort that comes with your promises; I yearn for the assurance of your faithful love. Bless me now as I receive you by faith. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION (For private meditation)
Thank you, dear Savior, for nourishing my faith with the Sacrament of your body and blood. Lift my heart with your forgiveness, renew my confidence in your grace, empower my love for others, and lead me to long for the eternal banquet of heaven. Amen.
Please stand
