EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

July 23, 2023, PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH, EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST – “Parable of the Weeds”

The Word of the Gospel Bestows the Righteousness of Christ and Brings Forth Faith The good Seed, which is “the Son of Man,” Jesus Himself (Matt. 13:37), brings forth a harvest of faith and bears good fruits in “the sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38). Whatever is sown apart from His Word is of the devil, who plants the weeds of unbelief and sin…

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OPENING HYMN: #772 In Holy Conversation
HYMN OF THE DAY: # 892 Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
CLOSING HYMN: #744 Amazing Grace

PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH

website: www.pinnaclelutheran.org

“Parable of the Weeds”

July 23, 2023

+ AS WE GATHER +

The Word of the Gospel Bestows the Righteousness of Christ and Brings Forth Faith

The good Seed, which is “the Son of Man,” Jesus Himself (Matt. 13:37), brings forth a harvest of faith and bears good fruits in “the sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38). Whatever is sown apart from His Word is of the devil, who plants the weeds of unbelief and sin, even among the people of God. Thankfully, the Lord is patient and He does not uproot the weeds, lest the plants also be destroyed. He lets “both grow together until the harvest” (Matt. 13:30), while He continues to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. Thus, He preserves His Church in righteousness, because He alone is “the King of Israel and his Redeemer” (Is. 44:6). Since all things are in His gracious care and keeping, “fear not, nor be afraid” (Is. 44:8). For “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19), and in this hope we also wait with patience. Though we do not yet see it, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Rom. 8:26) and, in truth, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

**OPENING HYMN: *#772 In Holy Conversation***

INVOCATION

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Psalm 3:4, 8

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for meditation and reflection.

P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

+ Service of the Word +

INTROIT Psalm 119:57–64; antiphon: v. 89 (spoken responsively as marked)

Heth

⁵⁷The Lord is my portion;
            I promise to keep your words.
⁵⁸I entreat your favor with all my heart;
            be gracious to me according to your promise.
⁵⁹When I think on my ways,
            I turn my feet to your testimonies;
⁶⁰I hasten and do not delay
            to keep your commandments.
⁶¹Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
            I do not forget your law.
⁶²At midnight I rise to praise you,
            because of your just and righteous decrees.
⁶³I am a companion of all who fear you,
            of those who keep your precepts.
⁶⁴The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
            teach me your statutes!

Kyrie

P In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

P For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

P Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C Amen.

SALUTATION and PRAYER OF THE DAY

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Let us pray.

O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your final judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with You in perfect joy hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 44:6–8

⁶Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
            and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last;
            besides me there is no god.
⁷Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.
            Let him declare and set it before me,
since I appointed an ancient people.
            Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
⁸Fear not, nor be afraid;
            have I not told you from of old and declared it?
            And you are my witnesses!
Is there a God besides me?
            There is no Rock; I know not any.”

L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Romans 11:33, 36
(spoken together)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.

Epistle Romans 8:18–27

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ²³And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

²⁶Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.

ALLELUIA, p. 156

HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Thirteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.

²⁴[Jesus] put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. ²⁶So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. ²⁷And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” . . .

³⁶Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴²and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY: # 892 Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

SERMON: “Parable of the Weeds”

Apostles’ 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 T everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

After each petition: P … Lord, in Your mercy:

C hear our prayer.

At conclusion: P … one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

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.

CLOSING PRAYER

P Let us pray.

O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; 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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

DISMISSAL

P Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C Thanks be to God.

EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST – Online Church at Home Service Bulletin

PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH