PINNACLE LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sunday, August 16, 2020 – 10:00 a.m.
11th Sunday After Pentecost
The Church Lives Under the Cross of Christ and Prays in the Hope of His Mercy
By her persistent prayer that Jesus would have mercy and help her (Matt. 15:22, 24), and even in the face of His initial silence and apparent rejection (Matt. 15:23–26), the Canaanite woman boldly confessed her faith in Him (Matt. 15:27–28). Her beautiful example encourages us to cling to the words and promises of the Gospel, even in the face of the Law that accuses and condemns us. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29), and His Law “has consigned all to disobedience” for the very purpose “that he may have mercy on all” (Rom. 11:32). Hence, the woman’s faith and hope were not disappointed, but her prayers were answered in the mercy of Christ. Not only does He grant us the crumbs from His table, but He also feeds us with “the children’s bread” in the house of His Father (Matt. 15:26–27). He has brought us to His “holy mountain,” and He makes us joyful in His house, where He hears our prayers and accepts our sacrifice of praise upon the altar of His cross (Is. 56:7).
P In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
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 reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
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 +
PSALM (spoken responsively by verse) Psalm 67
1May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
2that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
5Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
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.
HYMN OF PRAISE: This Is the Feast
C This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
Power, riches, wisdom and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
SALUTATION and COLLECT OF THE DAY
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting Father, You give Your children many blessings even though we are undeserving. In every trial and temptation grant us steadfast confidence in Your loving-kindness and mercy; 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 56:1, 6-8
1Thus says the LORD:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
6“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
7these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
8The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
GRADUAL (spoken in unison) Ps. 34:9, 19, alt.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
EPISTLE Romans 11:1–2a, 13–15, 28–32
1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
28As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA and VERSE (spoken in unison) Ps. 147:2–3
C Alleluia. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Alleluia.
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 15:21–28
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
21 Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY: HYMN: #379 – Amazing Grace
Press Play below to hear and/or sing along with hymn #379. ONLY Press the play button on the video 1 time. When the hymn is complete continue scrolling down through the rest of the service as usual. (adjust your volume as needed)
SERMON
Sermon: This Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog
Read along with the video with the sermon text here >>>
Press Play below to watch the sermon below. ONLY Press the play button on the video 1 time. When the video is complete continue scrolling down through the rest of the service as usual. (adjust your volume as needed)
Sermon: This Shouldn’t Happen to a Dog
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 men 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 T of the world to come. Amen
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray to the Lord for all that we need and on behalf of all people, that He may bestow upon us the riches of His grace and that we may receive His gifts with faith and thanksgiving in our hearts.
Brief silence
For those outside the kingdom; for missionaries near and far; for the ministries and agencies of our Church that spread the Gospel to those who have not heard; and for those who hear, that they may be brought to faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all families, for husbands and wives to live in faithfulness to each other, for all mothers with child, for all children, and for those who bring them to Baptism and nurture them in the faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our president; the Congress; our governor; all elected and appointed leaders; all judges and magistrates; the members of the armed forces; and our police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel in their duties to protect and serve us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the healing of the sick, the relief of the suffering, the comfort of the grieving and the peace of the dying, especially those on our prayer list including Dave Spafford and Dave Williams, and for all who are caregivers, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For this holy assembly and for our communion in the Lord’s body and blood, and for us to bear in our lives the fruits of the Spirit and do the good works for which we were created, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who work and their occupations, for our good use of the fruits of our labors, for generosity for those in need, and for the tithes and offerings that accompany our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our remembrance of the saints and in thanksgiving for their faithful witness, that at last we may be joined with them in Your eternal presence, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, giver of all that is good, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your grace, that we may endure the changes and chances of this mortal life and be found worthy when our Savior comes to bring to completion all things; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 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.
SENDING WORDS
P Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
C Thanks be to God!
