Fifth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 9A – Christmas is coming!
Sunday Online Church at Home Service
July 5th 10:00 AM Service
Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Is Our True Peace and Sabbath Rest
Though we have died with Christ in Holy Baptism, and we are raised to new life in Him, we find “another law waging war” in our body and life, that is, between our old Adam and the new man (Rom. 7:23). By the Spirit of Christ, we “desire to do what is right,” but we are not able to do so because “nothing good” dwells in our sinful flesh (Rom. 7:18). “Thanks be to God,” therefore, “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” who delivers us from “this body of death” (Rom. 7:24–25). We rejoice in Him, our gentle King, who comes “righteous and having salvation” (Zech. 9:9). He speaks peace to our embattled hearts, and by His blood of the New Testament He sets us “free from the waterless pit,” and He returns us to the stronghold of our Baptism (Zech. 9:10–12). Though we “labor and are heavy laden,” He calls us to Himself and gives rest to our souls through His free and full forgiveness (Matt. 11:28), not because we are “wise and understanding,” but by the “gracious will” of God the Father, whom “the Son chooses to reveal” in love (Matt. 11:25–27).
Press Play below to hear the beginning of the service. (adjust your volume as needed)OPENING HYMN: #347 – Comfort, Comfort Ye My People
Press Play below to hear and/or sing along with hymn #347. 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)
OPENING HYMN: #347 – Comfort, Comfort Ye My People
1 “Comfort, comfort ye My people,
Speak ye peace,” thus saith our God;
“Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell her that her sins I cover
And her warfare now is over.”
2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved His anger
He no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many_a day,
Now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever-springing gladness.
3 Hark, the herald’s voice is crying
In the desert far and near,
Calling sinners to repentance,
Since the Kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
Let the valleys rise to meet Him
And the hills bow down to greet Him.
4 Make ye straight what long was crooked;
Make the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits His holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall see the token
That His Word is never broken.
WELCOME
P In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. 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 Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
+ SERVICE OF THE WORD +
Psalm Psalm 145:1–14
1I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever.
3Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
4One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.
14The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
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
C Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
HYMN OF PRAISE: Gloria in Excelsis
Press Play below to hear and/or sing along with the Gloria in Excelsis (adjust your volume as needed)HYMN OF PRAISE: Gloria in Excelsis LSB 154
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P Let us pray.
Gracious God, our heavenly Father, Your mercy attends us all our days. Be our strength and support amid the wearisome changes of this world, and at life’s end grant us Your promised rest and the full joys of Your salvation; 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 – Zechariah 9:9-12
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
Gradual (from Rom. 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 – Romans 7:14–25a
14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Alleluia and Verse (spoken in unison)
C Alleluia. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel – Matthew 11:25–30
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eleventh chapter.
25At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Apostles’ Creed
Pastor: God has made us His people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.
All: 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.
HYMN OF THE DAY: HYMN: #684 – Come unto Me, Ye Weary
Press Play below to hear and/or sing along with hymn #684. 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)
HYMN OF THE DAY: #684 – Come unto Me, Ye Weary
1 “Come unto Me, ye weary,
And I will give you rest.”
O blessèd voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of benediction,
Of pardon, grace, and peace,
Of joy that hath no ending,
Of love that cannot cease.
2 “Come unto Me, ye wand’rers,
And I will give you light.”
O loving voice of Jesus,
Which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness,
And we had lost our way;
But Thou hast brought us gladness
And songs at break of day.
3 “Come unto Me, ye fainting,
And I will give you life.”
O cheering voice of Jesus,
Which comes to aid our strife!
The foe is stern and eager,
The fight is fierce and long;
But Thou hast made us mighty
And stronger than the strong.
4 “And whosoever cometh,
I will not cast him out.”
O patient love of Jesus,
Which drives away our doubt,
Which, though we be unworthy
Of love so great and free,
Invites us very sinners
To come, dear Lord, to Thee!
SERMON
Sermon: We do not always bring peace
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: We do not always bring peace
Press Play below to hear the audio.PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Merciful Lord, hear the prayers of Your people and grant to us grace sufficient for our needs and all those for whom we pray.
Our gentle God and Lord, You have invited us to come to You with the heavy burdens of this life, that we may find rest and peace in Your mercy. Grant relief to those who struggle, supply to those in need, hope to those who fear, and peace to those who are anxious, that we may be delivered from all adversity and brought to everlasting life, where we shall join the saints of old in Your presence forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Our God and King, as once Your people received You in joy, open our hearts to rejoice in Your coming so that we may meet You in Your Word and Sacrament, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Help us to bless and extol Your name before the nations and to declare Your salvation to the generations to come, proclaiming that You are merciful and gracious and abounding in steadfast love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Our merciful God and Lord, You are good to all Your creation. Continue to bless Your Church and to provide for her faithful pastors who will preach and teach Your Word and church workers who will serve us in Your name. Make bold our witness before the nations, and help us to act in love toward our neighbors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Our Creator and Lord, from You all things come and to You are all things directed. Provide for our nation faithful leaders who will hear and heed Your law, protect and defend the citizens, preserve the precious gift of liberty, and inspire us to use our freedom honorably. On this Independence Day weekend make us mindful of the heritage our forebears have given to this land, and guide us to be faithful in our stewardship of all the resources You have provided. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Our wise and giving God, You are the God of truth and in You is no falsehood or deception. Help us to delight in Your Law, to love what is good and true and right, and to seek after these things. Help us to wage war against the old Adam within us, restore us when we stray from Your Word, and forgive us when we give into the devil’s temptations. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Our compassionate Lord, we do not suffer alone the pain and afflictions of this life, but we live them out within Your grace and are sustained by Your mercy. Hear us on behalf of the sick, those who suffer, the grieving, those on our prayer list and those we bring before You in our hearts. According to Your will, deliver them from their afflictions and give to all Your strength, patience and hope, that they may endure to eternal life. Show compassion, and drive all pestilence from our land. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things, blessed Lord, we pray You to grant us according to Your merciful goodness and for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13
All: 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 O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus and Benediction
P Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
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.
C Amen.
SENDING WORDS
P Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
C Thanks be to God!
CLOSING HYMN: God Bless America
Press Play below to hear and/or sing along with hymn. 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).
