GATHERING SONG “Gather Us In” #532
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Word made flesh, the Lord and giver of life. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God of glory, God of peace,
we confess that we have shunned the light that reveals the truth about us.
We cling to worldly things rather than sharing the gifts of this earth.
We trust ourselves above all.Save your people, O God; sustain the rivers and trees that sing your praise; and free us to live boldly in the light and truth of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
The grace of God shines upon us, bringing salvation to the whole world. We are saved, our sins are washed away, not because of anything we have done, but according to God's mercy in + Jesus Christ. Renewed by the Holy Spirit, let us live in hope and joy. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Lord God, with endless mercy you receive the prayers of all who call upon you. By your Spirit show us the things we ought to do, and give us the grace and power to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 58:1–12
Shout out, do not hold back!
Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments,
they delight to draw near to God.
“Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 112:1–9
Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord and have great delight in God’s commandments!
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in their house, and their righteousness will last forever.
Light shines in the darkness for the upright; the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
It is good for them to be generous in lending and to manage their affairs with justice.
For they will never be shaken; the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Their heart is established and will not shrink, until they see their desire upon their enemies.
They have given freely to the poor, and their righteousness stands fast forever;
they will hold up their head with honor.
SECOND LESSON: 1 Corinthians 2:1–12
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him" —
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Matthew 5:13–20
The holy gospel according to Saint Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “Salt and Light” Pastor Phil Wold
The sermon will be posted after the service
HYMN OF THE DAY “Rise , Shine, You People!” #665
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 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” #392
SENDING
Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
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