Welcome to Church Online
We wait. We pray. We hope. Our service is online each week, with music, God’s Word, messages of hope, prayers for the people, and blessings to take into your week. At least for now, this is where we are. We hope you will be with us as we await the time when we will be able to gather together for worship and fellowship once again. But for now, keep safe and know that our God is constant.
In this post you will find resources for you to use at home – there is a link to an audio file of Pastor Jonny’s message, as well as music, prayers and files in PDF format should you wish to download and/or print. The internet continues to be a very busy place these days – some files may take extra time to download on your device. It is our deepest hope that these resources will be of assistance to you as you worship our Lord and Saviour.
13th Sunday after Pentecost: Take Up Your Cross
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For 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? Matthew 16:25-26
A Call to Worship...
Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the Psalms: Your love is before my eyes; I have walked faithfully with you. (Ps. 26:3)
Praise with Music: Take Up Your Cross
Take Up Your Cross by David Haas
Refrain: If you lose your life for my sake, you will find it;
If you want to save your life, let it go.
Take up your cross, deny yourself; Come follow me, follow me.
1. How will you profit by gaining the world while you forfeit all of your life?
What will you give in return? What will you give in return?
2. Before I return in glory, I will give you the gift of my love;
You will never taste death. You will never taste death.
Prayer of the Day:
Let us pray… O God, we thank you for your Son, who chose the path of suffering for the sake of the world. Humble us by his example, point us to the path of obedience, and give us strength to follow your commands, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Children's Worship: For the young & the young at heart
Below is a link to a children’s bulletin from the Sermons4Kids website based on today’s Gospel lesson. You’ll also find a link where you can listen to a song called “The Jesus Song” – it’s an upbeat tune that reminds us about Jesus’ life.
Praise with Music: The Servant Song
The Servant Song by New Zealand (Composer: Richard Gillard)
“The Servant Song”
Brother, sister let me serve you. Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey. We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other; Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you; Speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping. When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow, ’til we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven, We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together of Christ’s love and agony.
Brother, sister let me serve you. Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
As Christ has served, so we serve….
The Word: Today's Scripture Lessons
Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. Isaiah 51:4
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the incurable wound of his suffering yet finds in God’s words the delight of his heart. When Peter doesn’t grasp Jesus’ words about suffering, Jesus tells the disciples they will find their lives in losing them. Such sacrificial love is described by Paul when he urges us to associate with the lowly and not repay evil with evil. In worship we gather as a community that we might offer ourselves for the sake of our suffering world.
First Reading: Jeremiah 15:15-21
Jeremiah’s delight in the word of the Lord is contradicted by the heaviness of God’s hand upon him and God’s seeming unfaithfulness. God’s tough love to Jeremiah says that if he repents, he will be allowed to continue in his strenuous ministry. Jeremiah is strengthened by the simple words: “I am with you.”
15O 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.
16Your 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.
17I 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.
18Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.
19Therefore 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.
20And 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.
21I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
Psalm: Psalm 26:1-8
The psalmist proclaims a faithful effort to live righteously,
hoping to qualify to enter God’s house and sing God’s praise.
1Give judgment for me, O Lord, for I have lived with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2Test me, O Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and my mind.
3For your steadfast love is before my eyes;
I have walked faithfully with you.
4I have not sat with the worthless
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5I have hated the company of evildoers;
I will not sit down with the wicked.
6I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord,
that I may go in procession round your altar,
7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8Lord, I love the house in which you dwell
and the place where your glory abides.
Second Reading: Romans 12:9-21
Paul presents benchmarks for faithful relationships with Christians and non-Christians. Love is the unflagging standard of our behavior. When we encounter evil, we do not resort to its tactics but seek to overcome it with good. While Christians cannot control the actions and attitudes of others, we seek to live at peace with all people.
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.
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28
After Peter confesses that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (16:16),
Jesus reveals the ultimate purpose of his ministry.
These words prove hard to accept, even for a disciple whom Jesus has called a “rock.”
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.”
Audio Message - Pastor Jonny: Pentecost 13
Audio Message August 30, 2020 – Pick Up Your Cross
For a PDF Transcript of Pastor’s Message for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, click on this link:
Prayers of the People / Lord's Prayer
We praise your abiding guidance, O God,
for you sent us Jesus, our Teacher and Messiah, to model for us the way of love for the whole universe. We offer these prayers of love on behalf of ourselves and our neighbors, on behalf of your creation and our fellow creatures.
Prayers of the People — this link will take you to the Lutheran Core website where you will find prayers for this week.
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
Loving God, open our ears to hear your word and draw us closer to you, that the whole world may be one with you as you are one with us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
"Sending" Music: Lift High the Cross
“Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim! Til all the world adores, His sacred name.”
A Closing Prayer:
Faithful God,
you are the hope of all the oppressed,
and the source of freedom for those held captive.
Make us strong to witness to your liberating power,
in generosity of life and in humility of spirit,
that all the world may delight in your goodness. Amen.
Benediction:
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You
Go in Peace, Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!
CCLI #972625