Sacred Journey
Welcome stand
P: God eternal and righteous Father, Who created the heavens and the earth, we give you thanks:
C: For breath that ,ills us with your life, for love that softens us, & beauty revealed at every turn.
P: Christ redeeming and forgiving Son, who is always faithful and merciful. We give you thanks:
C: For redeeming our souls, transforming our lives, & giving us peace that calms our hearts.
P: Compassionate Spirit who sustains us, calling us into the family of God, We give you thanks:
C: For drawing us ever nearer to you, for caring when our hearts are aching, & all your generosity, lavish and over,lowing.
P: God who created the earth and the heavens, eternal, redeeming and sustaining One, We gather to give you thanks.
C: We come with hearts full of gratitude.
P: Through your will we are made whole, through your love we are renewed. Through your abiding presence we become community.
C: Thanks and praise to God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer through all eternity. Amen. We sing as we light candles:
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Please be seated after you have lighted a candle(s)
Lectio continua—Reader: from Psalm 20
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacriKices!
May he grant you your heart's desire and fulKill all your plans!
May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulKill all your petitions! Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.
O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.
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AM: Gracious and generous God we give you thanks:
C: For making each of us in your image.
AM: For caring and providing for us, we give you thanks:
C: For our clothes and homes that shelter and protect us, for our food that nourishes and strengthens us, for our friends and family who love and comfort us in times of need.
AM: We thank you for all the spiritual gifts you have given us.
C: You have provided your Word to guide us, your sacraments to nourish us, and most especially your own Son to redeem us and lead us back home.
AM: Thanks be to God.
C: Amen.
AM: Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!
C: For great is his steadfast love toward us, his faithfulness endures forever.
AM: Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
C: for his steadfast love endures forever!
AM: Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD set me free.
C: The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
AM: It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
C: The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
AM: Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous:
C: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
AM: This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
C: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. Amen. (from Ps 117-118)
Reflection
Centering Prayer: humility from Matthew 20
The chief priests and the elders of the people came to him, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus answered, "I will ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the Kirst and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The Kirst." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
• The Priests are direct descendants of Aaron and are in place because of their birthright; they challenge Jesus based on his lack of priestly lineage (or even legitimacy). Jesus points them to John the Baptizer—who was of the priestly class and rejected his rights to be a wilderness prophet. John had publicly named Jesus as “The Lamb of God.” Thus giving him prophetic & priestly legitimacy.
- How does their answer further erode their credibility?
- What does their answer show us about their devotion to God, and their call to lead his People?
- Are there ways we’ve similarly placed our need for control ahead of true devotion to God?
• Jesus tells them a parable about a man with 2 sons…The deKiant son “repents” and goes to do the work/ while the younger son pays lip service but doesn’t actually follow through:
- The “sinners” are presented as the older son…how do you suppose this made the priests feel?
- The “willing” son is presented as a liar—whose entrance into the Kingdom of God is in question; how do you suppose the priests take having their “salvation” challenged?
- Where do we ;it into this parable?
Final verse of “Lead Me, Guide Me”
Prayer in the Spirit:
AM: I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
C: My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
AM: I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
C: Those who look to him are radiant, their faces are never ashamed.
AM: The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, & delivers them.
C: Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
AM: The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
C: The LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
AM: The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves them.
a moment of Silence
AM: Come, Holy Spirit, Come
C: Ignite within me true gratitude for all your blessings to me.
P: Thank you, King of the Universe…
AM: Thank you, Father of all Creation…
C: Thank you, Holy friend…
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We invite God to help us count our Blessings:
AM: Open my eyes that I may see...
C: Open my eyes, Lord.
Pause
AM: May I see the provision you give me in this world—far more than the simple food, clothing, and shelter I require,
C: Open my eyes, Lord.
Pause
AM: May I see the provision you give my mind and heart—love, and friendship; and far more information than I could ever drink in,
C: Open my eyes, Lord.
Pause
AM: May I see provision you have made for my soul—in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the outpouring of your Divine Spirit on me,
C: Open my eyes, Lord.
Pause
AM: Holy God we come before you humbled by your lavish generosity.
C: Thank you, Lord.
Silence
stand Prayer of Thanksgiving
AM: Heavenly Father, giver of all that is good, it is in your abundant provision we gather tonight.
C: You call forth Life, and the earth grows plants that yield fruit and nourishment for our bodies and souls, and you have called it good.
AM: In your love, you provided both manna & quail to your people Israel as they Kled bondage in Egypt.
C: Tonight you set a heavenly banquet table for us to gather around, as we ,lee bondages of our own. We give you thanks.
AM: Jesus, Bread of Heaven, & Living Water, your grace sustains us.
C: Like a mother nursing her child, you feed us with your very body. You teach us to share your compassion, mercy, and reconciliation.
AM: The generosity of your love Kills the empty places in our lives and souls, so we may bring your love to the empty places in others.
C: Your provision knows no end. For this, we give you thanks.
AM: Holy Spirit, Wisdom of God, you call us, gather us, and enlighten our hearts and minds. You birth us into Christ.
C: With thankful hearts, we gather at your Table, Glory to you!
P: We gather here and ask you to feed us once again with the fruit of both Kield and vine; may they become for us the Body and the Blood of Jesus our Savior.
C: Bind us with Jesus, and bind us to one another.
P: We join our hearts, & lift our voices in prayer, as Jesus taught us:
C: 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. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
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Communion
P: The Kirst thing Jesus did with both the bread and the wine on that sacred night was to give thanks for them. We hear these words every time we celebrate this meal; may we reKlect on the depth of this thanksgiving.
C: Make us truly grateful, Father.
Communion Song: repeated Please form a close circle around the Altar
P: The invitation to this Table is open to all. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, Pharisees and master scribes. Regardless of how you come here tonight, you are welcome. Jesus desires to eat this meal with you.
C: Come, Lord Jesus, join us here and feed our faith.
P: We offer you our praise, blessed Father, and lift our hearts before you. For the earth we give you thanks and ask your blessing.
C: We ask you to bless this bread and wine, that it may be for us the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing.
Verse
P: Jesus, on the night before he suffered, took bread, and holding it before his followers, he gave thanks to you, he blessed it, broke it and gave it to them, saying: “Take and eat, this is my body which is given for you.”
Verse
P: Then he took the cup, blessed the wine, and gave it to them saying: “Take and drink, this is my blood, shed for the forgiveness of all.”
C: Thanks be to God!
P: May all who share in this bread and wine be blessed in your love.
C: Amen.
Verse
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P: Dear Jesus, every time we celebrate this meal together, we do it in memory of you. May your spirit of thanksgiving remind us of your love and provision. We leave this Table nourished, we ask your blessing on the many tables we will eat at this week. May they be tables of blessing for those who break bread together.
C: Amen.
P: Lord, you have welcomed us here tonight, and heard our praises and our prayers, C: Now send us out to live and work to your glory. Amen.
distribution
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First Lutheran Church
1663 Main St W Barnstable, MA 02668 ofKice@Kirstcapecod.org
Pastor: Rev Dr Derek J Cheek Music Minister: Eric Williams Sexton: Chuck Fillian One License # A728-108
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