Today’s Readings and Hymns: (Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
5:15
I will return again to my place
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face.
In their distress they will beg my favor:
6:1
“Come, let us return to the Lord;
for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;
he has struck down, and he will bind us up.
2
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
3
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
like the spring rains that water the earth.”
4
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that goes away early.
5
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have killed them by the words of my mouth,
and my judgment goes forth as the light.
6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7
“Listen, my people, and I will speak: Israel, I will bear witness against you;
for I am God, your God.
8
I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices;
your burnt offerings are always before me.
9
I will not accept a calf from your stalls,
nor goats from your pens;
10
for all the wild animals of the forest are mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11
I know every bird of the mountains,
and the creatures of the fields are mine.
12
If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.
13
Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
14
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and make good your vows to the Most High.
15
Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.”
13The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
16For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 23Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, 24but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
10And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
18While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26And the report of this spread throughout that district.
Morning has broken like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning, born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning, God’s recreation of the new day!
Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea, day by day his clear voice sounding, saying, “Christian, follow me”:
Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store, from each idol that would keep us, saying, “Christian, love me more.”
In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease, still he calls, in cares and pleasures, “Christian, love me more than these.”
Jesus calls us! By your mercy, Savior, may we hear your call, give our hearts to your obedience, serve and love you best of all.
You servants of God, your Master proclaim, and publish abroad his wonderful name; the name, all-victorious, of Jesus extol; his kingdom is glorious and rules over all!
Ascended on high, almighty to save, yet still he is nigh, his presence we have. The great congregation his triumph shall sing, ascribing salvation to Jesus, our king!
Salvation to God who sits on the throne! Let all cry aloud and honor the Son. The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim, fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
Then let us adore and give him his right, all glory and pow’r and wisdom and might, all honor and blessing, with angels above, and thanks never ceasing, and infinite love!
Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Jim Thompson
Music: Nancy Kennedy, Sylvia Klett, 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 and CCLI licenses #21502973 and #21502966. All rights reserved.