SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
July 4, 2021
Called to Tell the Truth[OR Concordia Pulpit Resources Theme]
God and a Rebellious People
AS WE GATHER
Israel was certainly a rebellious people, and yet in today’s Old Testament Reading, God sends Ezekiel to speak to them. They were being punished as exiles in Babylon, but now they would know that God had not forgotten them; a prophet was among them! The future was full of grace, for they would return to the Promised Land when Cyrus came to power. In the Gospel, our Lord was speaking graciously even after being rejected in His hometown; He sent the Twelve to other towns. Although they might also be rejected, they would have opportunity to speak peace and to heal. And now, in our day, though we are all rebellious at times, the Gospel comes to us in power. Indeed, Paul says that God’s power shows through his weakness. Through the Gospel, God enables us to change even our rebellious selves and to urge others to live as people pleasing to Him.
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+ PREPARATION +
OPENING HYMN: Before You, Lord, We Bow
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
People: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Pastor: Your people, O God, were a rebellious people in Ezekiel’s day.
People: We, too, have rebelled against Your good and gracious will. We have sinned against You in thoughts, words, and action. Forgive us and open our ears to Your promises.
Pastor: In great love, God sends His word of mercy and forgiveness. Now He uses Word and Sacrament and one another to assure us of the grace that is readily available to us. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, 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 123
1To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
KYRIE
Pastor: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For peace in our hearts and calm in our nation, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For peace among nations, growth in the Church, unity of faith, and proclamation among all believers, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: For ourselves gathered here and all who join us wherever they are, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: Help us in our weakness, comfort us in setbacks, and defend us from all evil, 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.
O God, You graciously used prophets and apostles to call Your people to repentance. Grant us strength of faith in our day to announce Your gracious love in Christ, that many repent and join us to celebrate Your infinite mercy; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Ezekiel 2:1–5
(The prophet is sent to “a rebellious house.”)
1 He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
GRADUAL Romans 11:33, 36
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 2 Corinthians 12:1–10
(Paul endures a thorn in the flesh, but God’s power shows forth when Paul is weak.)
1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
VERSE Mark 6:13
Alleluia. They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Alleluia.
HOLY GOSPEL Mark 6:1–13
(After people in Jesus’ hometown do not believe, He sends out the disciples, who heal many in other towns.)
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixth chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.
1[Jesus] went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And he marveled because of their unbelief.
And he went about among the villages teaching.
7And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
SERMON
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: … into Your gracious hands, in Jesus’ name.
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.
O God, Your almighty power is made known chiefly in showing mercy. Grant us the fullness of Your grace that we may be called to repentance and made partakers of Your heavenly treasures; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24–26
Pastor: 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.
People: Amen.
DISMISSAL
Pastor: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God.
CLOSING HYMN: God Bless Our Native Land
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Quarter 3. Copyright © 2021 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
