4 Pentecost June 25

GATHERING SONGS “We Are Baptized in Christ Jesus” #451

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, full of compassion and mercy, abounding in steadfast love. Amen.

Trusting God’s promise of forgiveness, let us confess our sin against God and one another.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

Eternal God our creator,

in you we live and move and have our being.

Look upon us, your children, the work of your hands.

Forgive us all our offenses, and cleanse us from proud thoughts and empty desires.

By your grace draw us near to you, our refuge and our strength;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.

In the mercy of almighty God, Christ died for us while we still were sinners;

and for his sake, God ☩ forgives you all your sins. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

THE EPISTLE LESSON: Romans 6:1b–11

Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Matthew 10:24–39

The holy gospel according to Saint Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.

A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON “Many Sparrows” Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “Children of the Heavenly Father” #781

THE APOSTLE’S 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.

THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER

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 SERVICE OF PRAYERS FOR HEALING

In response to the Word of God, we pray for those in need, and ask God's blessing on those who seek healing and wholeness through Christ our Lord.

God the Father, you desire the health and salvation of all people.

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly.

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temples of your presence.

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being.

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that they may be made whole; hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, the awareness of your presence;

hear us, O Lord of life.

Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; hear us, O Lord of life.

Bless physicians, nurses, and all who minister to the suffering; grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to the dying a peaceful, holy death, and with your grace strengthen those who mourn;

hear us, O Lord of life.

Restore to wholeness whatever is broken in our lives, in this nation, and in the world;

hear us, O Lord of life.

Hear us, O Lord of life: heal us, and make us whole.

Gracious God, in baptism you anointed us with the oil of salvation, and joined us to the death and resurrection of your Son. Bless all who seek your healing presence in their lives. In their suffering draw them more deeply into the mystery of your love, that following Christ in the way of the cross they may know the power of his resurrection; who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

NOISY OFFERING

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 “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ” #674

SENDING

Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God.