FOURTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
June 25th, 2023
The Rev. Joshua J. Heimbuck, Pastor
WELCOME
A warm welcome to all who worship here 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. Guests and visitors, please introduce yourself, be welcome, and come again. If you have not already done so, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave. If you have no church home of your own in the area, we invite you to make Grace Lutheran the center of your worship, learning, fellowship, and service. Coffee is served during Fellowship Hour following this morning worship. Join us for a cup of coffee after this morning’s worship 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 Do Not Be Afraid
Jeremiah wrestled with his lot as the preacher of God’s Word. Called by God, but fearing that the call was leading only to rejection and danger, he was torn. As much as we, Jeremiah sought the approval of his people and sensed that his work was not in vain. The great reward offered to those who, like Jeremiah, remain faithful in proclamation even in the face of hatred is that they will be acknowledged by Christ before the eternal Father in heaven.
PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
Lord, overtake our weakness with your power so that we may proclaim the saving Gospel to all nations. Remove from us all fear and doubt, and move us toward those who have not heard the story of your love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ THE ORDER of CELEBRATING +
Jazz Mass
WELCOME
INVOCATION & CONFESSION
In the Name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
“Turn to me and be saved,” says the Lord, “for I am God and there is no other.”
If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Have we confessed Christ boldly, faithfully? Or have we been worried and afraid?
+ A Brief Silence for Reflection +
Saving Lord, we confess to you our sins of thought, word, and deed, our woeful inadequacy. We are afraid of those who oppose your will. We doubt the promise of- your strong and constant care. Without your help, we perish. Therefore, we implore your mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son. Forgive us our sin and empower us for faithful witness. Turn us, that we may be saved.
Our Lord Jesus Christ values us highly; he urges us not to be worried or afraid. For the sake of his suffering and death, your sins are forgiven in the Name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Rejoice, you are saved! Thanks be to God!
Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of our Lord as we greet one another.
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.”]
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace of our risen Savior, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also, with you.
Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 20:7-13
[Jeremiah accuses God of forcing him into a ministry that only brings him contempt and persecution. Yet Jeremiah is confident that God will be a strong protector against his enemies and commits his life into God’s hands.]
O LORD, you have enticed me, and I was enticed; you overpowered me, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak anymore his name,” then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary and with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering, “Terror is all around! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All my close friends are watching for me to stumble. “Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.” But the LORD is with me like a dread warrior; therefore, my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O LORD of host, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
SECOND LESSON Romans 6:1b-11
[In baptism we were incorporated into the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. We have been made new in Christ through his death and resurrection to live freed from sin.]
Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into- Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism in death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
GOSPEL Matthew 10:24-39
The gospel according to Matthew, the 10th chapter.
[Moved by compassion for the crowds, Jesus has commissioned his twelve disciples to continue his work of preaching and healing. Now he warns them that their ministry will meet with opposition. However, he assured them that they need not fear for the truth will come to light. Life is found in
Christ.]
[Jesus said to the twelve:] “A disciple is not above the teacher, not a slave above the master, it is enough for the disciples to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and what nothing secret that will not be become known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs on your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
The Gospel of our Lord. Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON Baptized, Buried and Blessed. The Epistle Lesson – Pastor Josh
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
OFFERINGS are brought forward
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Holy God, you provide us with every gift of creation, and you quench our thirst with living water. Receive these tokens of your goodness to us. May our lives be bread for the hungry and streams in the wilderness, signs of the abundance of your grace in Jesus Christ. Amen
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also, with you
Lift up your hearts
We will lift them up to Him
Let us give thanks always to the Lord our God.
It is right, it is just, it is well
Father, it is our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ
Holy, holy, holy, Lord
For our sake He opened His arms on the cross, He put an end to death and revealed the resurrection
Holy, holy, holy, Lord
In this He fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people. And so, we join the angels and the saints in proclaiming your glory as we sing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!
WORDS of INSTITUTION
DISTRIBUTION of THE LORD’S SUPPER
PRAYER of THANKSGIVING
We have tasted your goodness, O God, in your gifts of Word and Sacrament. May our hearts burn within you, that we may proclaim your mighty acts and joyfully live as your chosen people; through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord. Amen
BLESSING
POSTLUDE
+ The Worship is Over. Let the Service Begin! +
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.
BIBLE STUDY – Our Bible Study continues to examine modern technology as we discuss the book, “Redeeming Technology: A Christian Approach to Healthy Digital Habits” by A. Trevor Sutton. Each Sunday a new chapter of the book will be discussed. If you would like to join in, please see Pastor Josh to get your copy of the book. Hope you can join us!
YOU’RE INVITED - Zion Lutheran Church, LCMS has sent an invitation 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.
GET YOUR COPY – The July/August Portals of Prayer is available now. Pick up your copy on the table by the front door.
OUT OF THE OFFICE – Pastor Josh will be out of town, Friday, June 30th through Friday July 7th. In his absence, please contact your Lay Minister if assistance is needed.
THIS WEEK AT GRACE – JUNE 26TH through JULY 2nd
Monday, June 26th – SOU Campus Ministry (Fireside Room) @ 4:00 PM
Tuesday, June 27th – Worship Committee @ 11:00 AM
Sunday, July 2nd – Bible Study and Sunday School @ 9:00 AM
Worship Service @ 10:00 AM
Coffee Connection @ 11:00 AM