Today’s Readings and Hymns: (Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
1Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” ...
7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.”
8But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. 13But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
15a-cThen he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.”
1
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
2
Great are your works, O Lord,
pondered by all who delight in them.
3
Majesty and splendor mark your deeds,
and your righteousness endures forever.
4
You cause your wonders to be remembered;
you are gracious and full of compassion.
5
You give food to those who fear you,
remembering forever your covenant.
6
You have shown your people the power of your works
in giving them the lands of the nations.
7
The works of your hands are faithfulness and justice;
all of your precepts are sure.
8
They stand fast forever and ever,
because they are done in truth and equity.
9
You sent redemption to your people and commanded your covenant forever;
holy and awesome is your name.
10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who practice this have a good understanding. God’s praise endures forever.
8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, 9for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
14Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Come, ye thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home. All be safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin. God, our maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied. Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto his praise to yield; wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade, and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear. Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come and shall take his harvest home; from his field shall in that day all offenses purge away; give his angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast, but the fruitful ears to store in his garner evermore.
Even so, Lord, quickly come to thy final harvest home. Gather then thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin, there, forever purified, in thy garner to abide. Come, with all thine angels, come, raise the glorious harvest home!
O Christ, the healer, we have come to pray for health, to plead for friends. How can we fail to be restored when reached by love that never ends?
From ev’ry ailment flesh endures our bodies clamor to be freed; yet in our hearts we would confess that wholeness is our deepest need.
In conflicts that destroy our health we recognize the world’s disease; our common life declares our ills. Is there no cure, O Christ, for these?
Grant that we all, made one in faith, in your community may find the wholeness that, enriching us, shall reach the whole of humankind.
Voices raised to you we offer; tune them, God, for songs of praise. Hearts and hands we bring in tribute for your gifts through all our days. Alleluia! Alleluia! Triune God, to you we sing!
All creation joins to praise you; earth and sky your works display. Art and music, gifts you lend us, we return to you today. Alleluia! Alleluia! God, creator, source of life!
Christ, the song of love incarnate, touching earth with heaven’s grace, for your living, suff’ring, dying, for your rising, hear our praise! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ, redeemer, Lord of life!
Spirit, flaming through creation, kindle faith within each heart. Lift our voices high in chorus; through our hands your love impart. Alleluia! Alleluia! Spirit, helper, breath of life!
Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Kristen Wertz
Music: Donnasue Thompson (director), Nancy Kennedy, Sylvia Klett and Linda Sepeda (piano)
Additional Resources:
View and print the pre-reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Pre-reader’s Version View and print the reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Reader’s Version
The radio program Sing for Joy follows the weekly Sunday lectionary through music and reflection. To listen, click here: Sing for Joy. Program host Pastor Bruce Benson ties the biblical readings of the day with musical selections from a number of sources brought together by Dr. John Ferguson, retired professor of organ and church music. The program is produced by St. Olaf College.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE #A-730287. All rights reserved.
