Twelth SUNDAY after PENTECOST
August 28, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
WELCOME
A warm welcome to all who worship here this morning, especially to our guests and visitors. May this hour of worship make us eager to share in the proclamation of the Good News of God’s love in Christ as we enter another week of witness and service. Guests and visitors, if you are worshiping with us for the first time, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave. Do 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!
Imperative for Christian Living
As We Gather
Christians do good works most of the time without even thinking about it. That’s because faith is an active, living, real thing. God’s Word for this day is all about how God-given faith shows itself in a Christian’s life—in one’s attitude, relationships, words, and deeds. Those without faith, like many of the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, consider “good works” only as a way to influence or manipulate other people and even God. Such good works are never really good at all but are tainted with sin, selfishness, and pride. True faith, on the other hand, is not even our work alone at all, but the work of God the Holy Spirit who, through the Word of God and His Holy Sacraments, instills and inspires in the Christian the mind of Christ, the faithfulness and righteousness of Jesus. Such faith also endures the cross and all sufferings related to living in the world still disfigured by deadly sin. In faith God equips you with “everything good that you may do His will” (Hebrews 13:21). Offer up the sacrifice of praise to God in thanksgiving for His gift of redemption through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
+ THE ORDER of CELEBRATING +
Haugen Setting
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
CHIMES
WELCOME
PRELUDE Fill Me Now — By Donna J. Krieger, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
OPENING song
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Opening Sentences Psalm 124:8; 130:3–4
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.
Confession and Absolution
P The Spirit of God calls forth sacrifices pleasing to God: brotherly love, hospitality to strangers, care for all in need, faithfulness in marriage and the family, fearless joy in the Lord, right faith, and right worship. Let us ask God to forgive our sinful neglect of faith’s power to have free course in our life.
C Almighty God, we confess to You that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved You with our entire being, and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Alone we remain without hope, health, or help. Have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P May the God of peace equip you with everything good that you may do His will. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P 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.”]
WORD
KYRIE (See back of worship folder)
NOW THE FEAST (See back of worship folder)
Salutation
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
C O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Old Testament Reading Proverbs 25:2–10
The book of Proverbs is part of a collection of writings known as wisdom literature. Wisdom literature gave directions to Israel’s leaders and people for the conduct of daily life. Today’s reading is about humility.
It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Hebrews 13:1–17
The conclusion of the letter to the Hebrews contains suggestions for the conduct of a holy life, all of which are shaped by God’s love toward us in Jesus Christ.
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC Jesus Lives, and So Shall I — By Larry Shackley, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
GOSPEL VERSE ALLELUIA
Holy Gospel Luke 14:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the fourteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
Jesus observes guests jockeying for position at the table. He uses the opportunity to teach his hearers to choose humility rather than self-exaltation. Jesus also makes an appeal for hosts to imitate God’s gracious hospitality to those in need.
One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sermon song Change My Heart, O God (See back of worship folder)
Sermon “Humble Exaltation” Pr. Josh Gospel Lesson
Creed Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life + of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
Offering
Offering Prayer
C God of abundance:
you have set before us a plentiful harvest.
As we feast on your goodness,
strengthen us to labor in your field,
and equip us to bear fruit for the good of all,
in the name of Jesus. Amen.
SACRAMENT
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood. Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
LAMB OF GOD (See back of worship folder)
Distribution Hymns
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Let us pray.
Gracious God, our heavenly Father, You have given us a foretaste of the feast to come in the Holy Supper of Your Son’s body and blood. Keep us firm in the true faith throughout our days of pilgrimage that, on the day of His coming, we may, together with all Your saints, celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace and may you be a blessing to others!
C Amen.
SONG Thanks Be to You (See back of worship folder)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dismissal
P Go in peace. Love your neighbor.
C Thanks be to God.
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Quarter 3. Copyright © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
Grace Notes
COMING SEPTEMBER 11TH — Starting September 11th, for our Sunday morning Bible studies, we will examine the topic of Racism and what God’s Word says about it. We hope you all will join us in the Fireside Room on Sunday mornings at 8:45 am for Bible Discussion on this important topic.
sunday school is back! — Beginning Sunday, September 11th, Sunday School classes for children of all ages will be held in the Education Wing.
LAY READERS — Are you interested in being a Lay Reader once in a while? Don’t let those big words in the Old Testament scare you off! If you’d like to give it a try there is a sign-up sheet in the back of the Sanctuary. Remember, you are among Christian friends here!
COFFEE CONNECTION — Are you willing to host, assist in serving, or provide treats for our Coffee Connection time? There’s a sign-up sheet on the refrigerator in the kitchen that has a space for YOUR name. For further details, please speak with either Pearl, Nan, or Mary.
ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH CAMP COTTONWOOD — We are cordially invited to attend the annual campout in Lakeview, Oregon, September 2nd through 5th. There is more information posted on the bulletin board in the Administrative Offices wing and in the September newsletter.
FALL 2022 LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRIES VIRTUAL EVENT — Lutheran Hour Ministries is a trusted resource in global media that equips and engages a vibrant volunteer base to passionately proclaim the Gospel to more than 150 million people worldwide each week. Join us in learning and celebrating how the Gospel is proclaimed in over 60 countries at the Fall 2022 LLL Virtual Event Saturday, September 24th. Registration information is posted on the Administration Wing hallway bulletin board.
THIS WEEK AT GRACE
WEDNESDAY, the 31st Website Meeting — Fireside Room 1:00 pm
SUNDAY, September 4th: Bible Study 9:00 am
Worship 10:00 am
Coffee Connection 11:00 am
Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck — heimbuck@me.com