TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
August 6th, 2023
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
+ TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST +
Five Loaves & Two Fish Sunday
WELCOME
A warm welcome to all who worship with us this morning. Today we gather around Word and Sacrament through which God equips, directs, and support his people in the mission and ministry of his Kingdom. All that God has promised in his Son, Jesus Christ, comes together by the power of the Spirit as we worship. Guests and visitors, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave this morning’s worship. If you have no church home of your own, we invite you to make Grace Lutheran Church the center of your worship, learning, fellowship, and service. After this morning worship, join us for a cup of coffee and let us become better acquainted with you as you get to know us better. Come to worship with us again and often!
AS WE GATHER More Than Enough
“More than enough” is the thread that weaves today’s lessons together. In the First Lesson God invites all who are hungry or thirsty to receive food and drink. Wine is poured, and all are invited to the feast that knows no end. Jesus feeds the hungry multitude and reveals the abundance of God. In the feeding of the 5000 we hear familiar words: Jesus took loaves, blessed them, broke them, and gave them for all to eat. Here The Church sees the pattern of The Eucharist: the gifts of God’s goodness and human labor are presented, the table thanksgiving is spoken, bread is broken, and wine is poured, and all are invited to the feast that knows no end.
At the table of our Lord, we remember all who are hungry or poor in our world today. As we share the bread of life, we are sent to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry.
PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
O Lord, you see how busy we are with many things. In this hour of worship and prayer, give us rest from all that would cause us to be anxious. Turn us to listen to you and come to us in Word and Sacrament, assuring us of that peace which passes all understanding, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
+ THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING +
LSB Divine Service 4
WELCOME
+ GATHERING +
[Remembering our baptism, we gather in the Name of the Triune God to confess our sins and receive the assurance of our forgiveness as his people.]
ORDER OF CONFESSION
In the Name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
“As I live,” says the Lord God, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live.”
If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Our Lord invites us to “come and eat.” How well do we heed that invitation? How well do we share?
+ A Brief Silence for Reflection & Self-examination +
Most merciful God, we confess to you our sinfulness, and our helplessness to escape from it. We ignore the invitation of your grace, and labor in futility to earn what we can never merit, only what you provide. We are wicked; we are doomed to die. We beg your mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son. Forgive us, renew us, and let your light shine upon us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy Name.
Our Lord has compassion on us, and meets our every need. Jesus Christ was given to die for us; for his sake, your sins are forgiven in the Name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. By him we are redeemed and set at liberty.
Thanks be to God!
Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of the Lord.
THE PASSING OF PEACE
[The congregation is encouraged to share the peace of Christ and greet one another with the words, “The Lord’s peace be with you.” The response, “And also with you.”]
KYRIE
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Heavenly Father, your blessed Son came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world. Give us this bread, that he may live in us and we in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
+ WORD +
[Whenever we worship, God speaks and we listen. We hear the Word of God read aloud in our midst, bringing us both God’s judgment and grace.]
[God invites Israel to a great feast at which both food and drink are free. God also promises to make an everlasting covenant with all peoples, with promises that previously had been limited to Israel. As David was a witness to the nations, nations shall now acknowledge the ways in which God has glorified Israel.]
[The LORD said] "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and- without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, My steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you."
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
SECOND LESSON Romans 9:1-5
[This begins a new section in Paul’s letter in which he will deal with the place of Israel in God’s saving plan. He opens by highlighting how Israel’s heritage and legacy include being God’s children, having God’s covenants, being given God’s law, participating in worship of God, and receiving divine promises.]
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 14:13-21
The gospel according to Matthew, the 14th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
[After John the Baptist is murdered, Jesus desires a time of solitude. Still his compassion for others will not allow him to dismiss those who need him, and he is moved to perform one of his greatest miracles.]
Now when Jesus heard [about the death of John], he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON — Pr. Josh Text: The Gospel Lesson
APOSTOLIC CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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
PRAYERS of THE CHURCH
+ MEAL +
[As the first-fruit offerings of all that we are and have gathered, The Lord’s Table is prepared to celebrate “The Feast that knows no end” instituted by Christ our Lord for the strengthening of our faith and the assurance of our forgiveness.]
OFFERINGS are brought forward
OFFERING PRAYER
Gracious God, you open your hand, filling our lives with all good things and renewing the face of the earth. We offer these gifts in thanksgiving for all that we have received from your bounty. Accept them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also, with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Holy God, our Maker, Redeemer, and Healer, in the harmonious world of
your creation, the plants and animals, the seas and stars were whole
and well in your praise.
When sin scarred the world, you sent your Son to heal our ills and to form
us again into one.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
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.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
And gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my ☩ blood
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.
Remembering his life and death, his resurrection and ascension, and his
command to love one another, we pray for his coming again.
Come, Lord Jesus, live in us that we may live in you.
Send now, we pray, your Spirit, that all of your promises may come to us
and your while creation.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Through him all glory and honor are yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy
Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever. Amen
Now in the words of our Lord, we are bold to pray …
LORD’S PRAYER
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also, with you.
[We come to The Sacrament sincerely believing in the real presence of Christ and that in the eating and drinking of the bread and wine of The Sacrament we receive the true body and blood of our Lord for our forgiveness, salvation, and strength for Christian life and witness.]
DISTRIBUTION
DISMISSAL
May the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve
you steadfast in the true faith to life everlasting. Amen
+ SENDING +
[Strengthened in faith and empowered for service, we leave with thanksgiving and the Lord’s blessing.]
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Living God, cultivate and nourish us that we may be good soil. Let the presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament, planted in us now, bring forth rich and beautiful fruit for the life of the world. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
BLESSING
SILENT PRAYER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
+ With Great Joy … Tell Everyone What He Has Done! +
GRACE NOTES
THE PRESENCE of CHRIST is celebrated in The Lord’s Supper. He comes to us in a real and present way with his life-giving body and blood in the bread and wine of The Sacrament to assure us of our forgiveness and to strengthen us in faith and service. All who trust and believe the words “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” are welcome. Come, receive Christ’s presence in the meal prepared for you. Enjoy his presence. Children are encouraged to come forward with their parents and/or grandparents and receive a blessing.
WEEKEND OF FELLOWSHIP - Zion Lutheran Church, LCMS has invited us for a weekend of fellowship and worship at their annual camping trip to Lakeview, Oregon, September 1st through the 4th of 2023. If interested, contact Zion Lutheran Church at (541) 884-6793.
PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY
- Church Directory
- August Calendar with August birthdays and anniversaries
- Portals of Prayer
THIS WEEK at GRACE
August 7th – August 13th
Tuesday, August 8th @ 12:30 PM
Church Council Meeting
Sunday, August 13th @ 10:00 AM 11:00 AM
Worship
Coffee Hour