10th Sunday after Pentecost – August 9th Service

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost August 09, 2020

WELCOME/INVOCATION

P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES

Psalm 65:1-8
P: Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall vows be performed.
C: O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come.

P: When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
C: Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!

P: We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!
C: By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,

P: the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
C: the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being girded with might;

P: who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples,
C: so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

P: Let us humble ourselves before God, confess our sins to Him, and ask His gracious forgiveness.

(Pause for silent confession)

P: Gracious God
C: Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in the likeness and image of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

FORGIVENESS

Psalm 103.8,10-12
P: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Therefore, as a called and ordained 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.

SHARING OF THE PEACE

SONG OF PRAISE

“Praise You in This Storm” – Casting Crowns

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P Let us pray.
God of love, in His ministry, Your Son, Jesus, showed His mastery over all the forces of nature, including those of great power. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Him and to trust His guidance in all things as we pass through this world, confident in His care; through the same 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

Job 38:4–18 – (God tells Job of His lordship over all creation)
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or who shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out from the womb,
when I made clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed limits for it
and set bars and doors,
and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
and the wicked be shaken out of it?

It is changed like clay under the seal,
and its features stand out like a garment.
From the wicked their light is withheld,
and their uplifted arm is broken.

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE

Romans 10:5–17 – (Faith comes from hearing the Gospel)
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE

Matthew 14:27
P: Alleluia. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,
C: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL

Matthew 14:22–33
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fourteenth chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.

[22] Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. [23] And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

[28] And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” [31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN No. 717

“Eternal Father, Strong to Save” – (Original Navy Hymn)
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm has bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ, whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked upon the foaming deep
And calm amid its rage did sleep:
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

Most Holy Spirit, who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

SERMON

“Are You Prepared for the Big Storm?”
Matthew 14:22-33 – Pastor Vern

CONFESSION OF FAITH – THE 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.

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

LORD’S PRAYER

P: Remember us in Your kingdom, Lord, and teach us to pray:

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.

BLESSING OF THE LORD

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

P: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God!

HYMN

“This Is My Father’s World”
(TUNE: Terra Beata: LSB 856)
This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world;
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world;
He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me ev ’rywhere.

This is my Father’s world;
Oh, let me ne’er forget
That, though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world;
The battle is not done;
Jesus who died shall be satisfied
And Earth and Heaven be One.

Text: Maltbie Davenport Babcock, 1858–1901. Public domain