5th Sunday after Pentecost – July 5th Service

The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 05, 2020

WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Happy Independence Day
  • Covid Update

INVOCATION

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

OPENING SENTENCES

Psalm 91:2, 9–10; antiphon: v. 1
P: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD,
C: “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

P: Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
C: the Most High, who is my refuge—

P: no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
C: no plague come near your tent.

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.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Matthew 11:28; Romans 7:21, 24
P: By ourselves, we are not righteous and cannot free ourselves; our only hope is to be given Christ’s righteousness and thereby be saved. Let us therefore confess our sins to God, our heavenly Father.

(Silence for reflection on God’s Word and our sinful condition)

P: Merciful God,
C: I confess to You and in the presence of my brothers and sisters that I daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment. Not only am I by nature sinful and unclean, but also with St. Paul, “I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

P: Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He offers full and free pardon for all your sins and even your sinful condition. By His death and resurrection, He provides rest, not only from physical turmoil and emotional stress; in Him, we find rest for the soul! 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.
C: Amen.

SHARING THE PEACE

SONG OF PRAISE

The Statue of Liberty – Ivan Parker

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, whose yoke is easy and burden light, who has promised that we will find rest for our souls, when we are weary, strengthen our resolve; when disheartened, lift our spirits; and when opposed on all sides, surround us with Your strong love, for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING

Zechariah 9:9–12 (Through the prophet, the Lord promises an end to spiritual warfare.)
Rejoice 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.

I 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.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE

Romans 7:14–25a (Unable to stop sinning, Paul finds deliverance only in Jesus Christ.)
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.

So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For 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. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but 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. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks 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.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

VERSE

Matthew 11:28
P: Alleluia. Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
C: and I will give you rest. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL

Matthew 11:25–30 (Jesus invites His hearers to come to Him for true rest.)
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eleventh chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.

At 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; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All 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.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN No. 684

“Come unto Me, Ye Weary”

SERMON

“God’s Work Day by Day” Matthew 11:25-30
Pastor Matt

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 for America” Video

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

BLESSING OF THE LORD

Numbers 6:24–26

P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord smile upon you and  give you peace.
C: Amen.

SENDING

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

HYMN No. 965

“God Bless Our Native Land”