FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

June 20, 2021

Are You Dressed for Action?

There is an immediacy in today’s Epistle. The Church was not looked upon kindly by Jewish believers or the Roman Empire in Paul’s day. So, he asks his readers, then and now, to not consider how others might evaluate them, but to focus on the spiritual reality that lies beneath. Then they might see the current moment as another day of salvation. He hopes that this will widen their hearts, that is, move them to let their faith be shown in greater loving actions. The other Readings remind us that the God we have come to trust is the One who created all things and is one with our Lord, who remained in control of His creation even as He was determined to die within it for our sakes.

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+ PREPARATION +

OPENING HYMN: #850 – God of Grace and God of Glory

INVOCATION Job 38:4; Psalm 124:8; Mark 4:39; 2 Corinthians 6:1

Pastor: In the name of the Father, Creator of all things.

The Lord asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”

People: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Pastor: In the name of the + Son, Lord of all creation.

Jesus said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

People: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Pastor: In the name of the Holy Spirit, who graciously bestows faith.

We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

People: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION 2 Corinthians 6:2, 4, 12

Pastor: Paul writes, “As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way.”

People: In our thinking, speaking, and acting, we have not commended ourselves. Worse, in our sinful condition, we are bound to continue to sin; we cannot help ourselves; forgive us.

Pastor: Then he writes, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.”

People: Indeed, we have failed to love You, O Lord, with all that we are and have, and we have failed to love our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us.

Pastor: But then Paul writes, “Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

People: Open our hearts, Lord of all creation, to recognize the forgiveness You won for us, the protection You afford each day, and the strength You provide that we may share Your love.

Pastor: Our Lord Jesus, whom wind and sea and all creation obey, has taken away the sins of the world. Because of His sacrifice for you within His own creation, today is indeed the day of salvation. Today He tells you also, “Peace! Be still!” 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 + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

+ WORD +

PSALM Psalm 124; antiphon: v. 8

¹If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—

let Israel now say—

²if it had not been the Lord who was on our side

when people rose up against us,

³then they would have swallowed us up alive,

when their anger was kindled against us;

⁴then the flood would have swept us away,

the torrent would have gone over us;

⁵then over us would have gone

the raging waters.

⁶Blessèd be the Lord,

who has not given us

as prey to their teeth!

⁷We have escaped like a bird

from the snare of the fowlers;

the snare is broken,

and we have escaped!

⁸Our help is in the name of the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

KYRIE

Pastor: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Our Father in heaven, who made this world and all that exists,

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Lord Jesus, who rules the sea, air, and all creation, and yet suffered and died within it,

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: O Holy Spirit, who each day graciously bestows faith and love for us to share,

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

People: Amen.

SALUTATION and PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray.
Almighty God, daily You forgive the sins of all who call out to You for mercy and blessing. Now, on this day of salvation, assure us again that nothing in all creation can separate us from You and Your gracious promises; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Job 38:1–11

(God puts creature Job in his place.)

¹Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

²“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
³Dress for action like a man;
     I will question you, and you make it known to me.
⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
     Tell me, if you have understanding.
⁵Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
     Or who stretched the line upon it?
⁶On what were its bases sunk,
     or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷when the morning stars sang together
     and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
⁸“Or who shut in the sea with doors
     when it burst out from the womb,
⁹when I made clouds its garment
     and thick darkness its swaddling band,
¹⁰and prescribed limits for it
     and set bars and doors,
¹¹and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
     and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?”

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Psalm 145:3, 5b, 6b

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
On your wondrous works, I will meditate,
and I will declare your greatness.

EPISTLE 2 Corinthians 6:1–13

(No matter the circumstances, now is the day of salvation.)

¹Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ²For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ³We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, ⁵beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ⁶by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; ⁷by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; ¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. ¹²You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. ¹³In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Mark 4:41b

Alleluia. Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him? Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL Mark 4:35–41

(Jesus amazes the disciples by stilling the storm.)

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the fourth chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

³⁵On that day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ³⁷And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ³⁸But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY: #715 – Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

SERMON: Are You Dressed for Action?

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 + everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

After each petition:

Pastor: … Lord, in Your mercy:

People: hear our prayer.

At conclusion:

Pastor: … one God, now and forever.

People: 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

Pastor: Let us pray.
Almighty God, in Your mercy guide the course of this world so that Your Church may joyfully serve You in godly 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.

People: Amen.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The blessing of God Almighty—the Father, who made us; the Son, who saved us; and the Spirit, who has worked faith in our hearts—be upon you, this day and always.

People: Amen.

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST – Online Church at Home Service Bulletin