CALL TO WORSHIP - Psalm 96
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless the name of the LORD;
proclaim God's salvation from day to day.
Declare God's glory among the nations
and God's wonders among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised,
more to be feared than all gods.
As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols;
but you, O LORD, have made the heavens.
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness;
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.
GATHERING SONG “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” #413
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
In the name of the Father,
and of the + Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism,
we are clothed with God's mercy and forgiveness.
Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We give you thanks, O God,
for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters
and by your Word you created the world,
calling forth life in which you took delight.
Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.
Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom.
At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons,
making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,
and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.
Shower us with your Spirit,
and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Creator of all, you have called us and chosen us to be your people. By the power of your Holy Spirit may we bear witness with joy and conviction to the good news of Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE EPISTLE LESSON: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Matthew 22:15–22
The holy gospel according to Saint Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “They Were Amazed” Pastor Phil Wold
HYMN OF THE DAY “God of Grace and God of Glory” #705
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of
the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
THE 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
BLESSING
SENDING SONG “Immortal, Invisible” #834
SENDING
Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Altar Flowers: Virginia & Jeff Baum have made a donation to Lutheran Disaster Response, in memory of Virginia’s Mother and Jeff’s father.
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2023 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26385. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989,
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.