BULLETIN- July 12th, 2020 – St. John's Evangelical

The 6^th Sunday after Pentecost $C:\Users\secretary\Downloads\Cover Pic (5).jpg$

July 12, 2020

Emmanuel & St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Churches

Mecan & Montello, WI

✠P R E P A R A T I O N F O R W O R S H I P ✠

We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankful hymns of praise.

Please note: Worship Service Restart Plans (Bulletin pages 21, 22) Worship f.) There will be limited congregational singing and speaking. A cantor will assist with the singing and liturgical responses.

OPENING HYMN O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace Christian Worship Supplement #185 $Z:\CHURCH STUFF\CW Pew Edition\CW TIFF files\Hymns and Canticles\13. Pentecost\CW 185.tif$

Please stand

M: The grace of our Lord ✠ Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

C: And also with you.

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION

When we confess to God that we have failed to live up to the perfect standards in his law, the pastor announces the perfect forgiveness of sins won for us by Jesus.

M: God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.

C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

LORD, HAVE MERCY

The Church brings her concerns and prayers to a loving Father in heaven, who has shown great mercy to us and promised to hear our ardent cries for help.

M: For all that we need in life and for the wisdom to use all your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.

M: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ.

M: For the well-being of your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord.

M: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care:

M: The works of the Lord are great and glorious, his name is worthy of praise.

O LORD, OUR LORD

This song of praise reminds us of the wonderful things God has done for us, not the least of which is the salvation he gives through Jesus Christ.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

M: Let us pray.

O God, you have prepared joys beyond understanding for those who love you. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Please be seated for the day’s Scripture readings

✠T H E W O R D ✠

The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.

FIRST READING Jeremiah 28:5-9

Summary: Following Christ means proclaiming the truth

Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD. He said, “Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the LORD’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.”

PSALM OF THE DAY 89

The cantor sings refrains. Pastor reads the verses.
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I will sing of the LORD’S great love forever;*

I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever,*

that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,*

your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

Refrain

O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?*

You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,*

who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

They rejoice in your name all day long;*

they exult in your righteousness.

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.

Refrain

SECOND READING Romans 6:1b-11

Summary: Following Christ means dying to sin and living for God

Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

VERSE OF THE DAY Mark 8:34b

Alleluia. If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. Alleluia.

Stand.

GOSPEL READING Matthew 10:34-42 (today’s sermon text)

Summary: Following Christ will bring swords and rewards

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

Be seated.

HYMN OF THE DAY Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spoke

Christian Worship #453
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SERMON Matthew 10: 34-42

“A Realistic Look at a Disciple’s Life”

There probably will be swords
There certainly will be rewards

Stand after the sermon.

NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Be seated.

✠ O F F E R I N G S O F G I F T S & P R A Y E R S ✠

THE OFFERING

Members of this congregation show their thanks to God for all he has done for them by returning a portion of their income to the Lord. Through these free will offerings, this congregation and its ministries are maintained. Please deposit your offering on the plate located near the church entry.

PRAYER FOR BEARING THE CROSS AND INTERCESSORY PRAYERS

Read by Pastor. Intercessory Prayers on bulletin page 16.

Stand.

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

✠S E R V I C E O F T H E S A C R A M E N T ✠

In this service we celebrate the gift of Jesus’ redeeming love, we bear witness to the Christian fellowship we share, and we proclaim his death until he returns.

PREFACE

M: The Lord be with you.

M: Lift up your hearts.

M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

M: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

SEASONAL SENTENCE

M: He sends the Holy Spirit to testify that we are his children and to strengthen us when we are weak.

Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sites on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory fore ever and ever.

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this is remembrance of me.”

M: Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD

Please be seated for the distribution

At St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church we practice closed Communion. If you are a guest at worship today and interested in receiving the Lord’s Supper, please speak with the pastor prior to the service.

Please stand.

THANK THE LORD

M: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

BLESSING

M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

Be seated.

CLOSING HYMN Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus

Christian Worship Supplement #452
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Announcements

Next week’s theme July 19, 2020 7^thSunday after Pentecost:

“The Costs & Rewards of Discipleship”

Our Life of Discipleship Depends

On Carrying Crosses

The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost – A

God’s Word for Today

Being a Christian is painful. Being a Christian means that there will be crosses to bear. St. Peter once wrote that Christians are called to suffering, “because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pe 2:21). Jesus clearly states in the Gospel that anyone who is not willing to take up their cross and follow him cannot be his disciple. Are you ready to be his disciple? If you are, recognize that our life of discipleship depends on carrying crosses.

First Lesson (Jeremiah 28:5-9)

What was Jeremiah predicting about the city of Jerusalem?
What did the prophet Hananiah predict about the same city?

Second Lesson (Romans 6:1b-11)

How does St. Paul say we should regard our baptism?
Since baptism means the death of our sinful flesh in this world, what can we expect from our lives in this world?

Gospel (Matthew 10:34-42)

What does Jesus mean: he came to bring a sword?
Why does Jesus speak such thorny words in these verses?

Answers:

Jeremiah had long predicted that the city of Jerusalem would face war, disaster and plague because of their rebellion against the Lord. He said that there would be crosses to bear for God’s people.

Hananiah was predicting, contrary to the prophets of the Lord, that Jerusalem would soon enjoy times of peace and prosperity. His message, of course, was popular among the people of Jerusalem.

Paul says that we should understand our baptism as being buried with Christ. Our sinful flesh has been crucified with him.

There will be many painful experiences as we continue to battle our sinful flesh and daily crucify it with a life of repentance.

Jesus wants us to realize that he is a divisive figure. People argue about who Jesus is and what he came to do. While many people in this world suggest that there is more than one way to God, Jesus is unequivocal: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me” (Jn 14:6). As a result, one can either be for Jesus or against him. There is no middle ground.

He wants us to realize the cost of discipleship and to make an informed decision before we become one of his disciples. The life of discipleship is not an easy one. There are crosses are to bear.