Today’s Readings and Hymns: (Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
15
O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do not take me away;
know that on your account I suffer insult.
16
Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart;
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts.
17
I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18
Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail.
19
Therefore thus says the Lord:
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
20
And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you, says the Lord.
21
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
1
Give judgment for me, O Lord, for I have lived with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2
Test me, O Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and my mind.
3
For your steadfast love is before my eyes;
I have walked faithfully with you.
4
I have not sat with the worthless,
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5
I have hated the company of evildoers;
I will not sit down with the wicked.
6
I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord,
that I may go in procession round your altar,
7
singing aloud a song of thanksgiving
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8
Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
and the place where your glory abides.
9Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
21From that time on, [after Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah,] Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Son of God, eternal Savior, source of life and truth and grace, Word made flesh, whose birth among us hallows all our human race, you our head, who, throned in glory, for your own will ever plead: fill us with your love and pity, heal our wrong, and help our need.
As you, Lord, have lived for others, so may we for others live. Freely have your gifts been granted; freely may your servants give. Yours the gold and yours the silver, yours the wealth of land and sea; we but stewards of your bounty held in solemn trust will be.
Come, O Christ, and reign among us, King of love and Prince of peace; hush the storm of strife and passion, bid its cruel discords cease. By your patient years of toiling, by your silent hours of pain, quench our fevered thirst of pleasure, stem our selfish greed of gain.
Son of God, eternal Savior, source of life and truth and grace, Word made flesh, whose birth among us hallows all our human race: by your praying, by your willing that your people should be one, grant, oh, grant our hope’s fruition: here on earth your will be done.
“Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?”
“Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare, should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer pray’r in you and you in me?”
“Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name? Will you set the pris’ners free and never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen, and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?”
“Will you love the you you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around, through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?”
God, whose giving knows no ending, from your rich and endless store: nature’s wonder, Jesus’ wisdom, costly cross, grave’s shattered door, gifted by you, we turn to you, off’ring up ourselves in praise; thankful song shall rise forever, gracious donor of our days.
Skills and time are ours for pressing toward the goals of Christ, your Son: all at peace in health and freedom, races joined, the church made one. Now direct our daily labor, lest we strive for self alone; born with talents, make us servants fit to answer at your throne.
Treasure, too, you have entrusted, gain through pow’rs your grace conferred; ours to use for home and kindred, and to spread the gospel word. Open wide our hands in sharing, as we heed Christ’s ageless call, healing, teaching, and reclaiming, serving you by loving all.
Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Hannah Wertz
Music: Deb Jenks (organ and piano), Bonnie Oplinger (organ)
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.
