St. Matthew Lutheran Church

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering Hymn: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” LBW # 229, vs 1- 4

Confession & Forgiveness

Greeting & Kyrie

Canticle of Praise: “Glory to God…”

Prayer of the Day

First Reading, Jeremiah 20:7-13

Psalm # 91:1-16

Second Reading, Romans 6:12-23

Holy Gospel, Matthew 10:5a; 21-33

Sermon

Hymn of the Day: “When Peace Like a River” – LBW # 346, vs 1 - 4

Apostle’s Creed

Prayers of the Church

The Lord’s Prayer

Blessing & Response

Dismissal

Sending Hymn: “Faith of Our Fathers” - LBW # 500, vs 1 – 3

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Service Supplement

(Congregational responses are in bold print)

Welcome and Announcements            Pastor John

 

Gathering Song “A Mighty Fortress…”    LBW # 229, vs 1 - 4

A mighty fortress is our God, A sword and shield victorious; He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod And wins salvation glorious. The old satanic foe Has sworn to work us woe! With craft and dreadful might He arms himself to fight. On earth he has no equal.

 

No strength of ours can match his might! We would be lost, rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, Whom God himself elected. You ask who this may be? The Lord of hosts is he! Christ Jesus, mighty Lord, God’s only Son, adored. He holds the field victorious.

 

Though hordes of devils fill the land All threatening to devour us, We tremble not, unmoved we stand; They cannot over power us. Let this world’s tyrant rage; In battle we’ll engage! His might is doomed to fail; God’s judgment must prevail! One little word subdues him.

 

God’s Word forever shall abide, No thanks to foes, who fear it; For God himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, Goods, honor, child, or spouse, Though life be wrenched away, They cannot win this day. The Kingdom’s ours forever!

 

Confession & Forgiveness       

Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, who forgives all our sin, whose mercy endures forever. Amen.

 

God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

 

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve

you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

 

God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. Amen.

 

Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.

 

Kyrie         

In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen.

 

Canticle of Praise  “Glory to God…”

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

 

Prayer of the Day           

Let us pray…For those who love you, O God, you have chosen and prepared what no eye has seen nor ear heard. Pour into our hearts a loving affection for you, that we may choose you in and above all things. For only then shall we have what you promise, which far exceeds all we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. He lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

First Reading                                      Jeremiah 20:7-13

The prophet Jeremiah speaks emotional words to the Lord saying, “You have deceived me!” He was mocked in public for proclaiming the Word of the Lord and now he struggles to stick with his calling from God. God will not let him go, however; on the contrary the Lord comes to his aid and puts his enemies to shame.

 

7O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. 8For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. 9If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. 10For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.” 11But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. 12O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. 13Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. This is the word of the Lord, thanks be to God.

 

Psalm # 91:1-16

The psalmist sings of the protection and care of the Lord who shelters him from his enemies. In the shadow of the Lord there is refuge; by His hands he delivers his servant from destruction and death.

 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

He shall say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust.”

He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence.

He shall cover you with his pinions, and you shall find refuge under his wings; his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, nor of the sickness that lays waste at midday.

A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.

Your eyes have only to behold to see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your habitation,

There shall no evil happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

11For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and adder; you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.

Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor.

With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

 

Second Reading:                                Romans 6:12-23

Paul warned the Roman Christians to look out for those among and around them who would put temptations in their path. These are people to avoid as they lure others into evil and disobedience toward Christ. Stick to what is good and innocent and thereby you will faithfully serve the Lord, Paul commended.

 

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the Word of God, word of life, thanks be to God.

 

Holy Gospel: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 10th Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. Matthew 10:5a; 21-33: Jesus sent his twelve disciples out with instructions and warnings about how the world would treat them. Because they are coming in his name, they will be persecuted. He promised them they had nothing to fear because every hair on their head was known by the Father. Proclaim the good news for all to hear and gain your life!

 

5aThese twelve disciples Jesus sent out, instructing them,

 

21“Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” This is the gospel of the Lord, praise to you, O Christ.

 

Sermon                                             Pastor John

 

Hymn of the Day  When Peace…”       LBW # 346, vs 1 - 4

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way; when sorrows, like sea billows, roll; What ever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

 

He lives oh, the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to his cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend; Even so it is well with my soul.

 

Apostle’s Creed

Let us join together in confessing our faith with the saints who have gone before us, in the words of the Apostles’ Creed:

 

I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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 the Church

(P): Strengthened by the Spirit who gives us words to speak and hearts that care, let us bring our hopes and needs to God who listens. A brief silence.

(W): Gracious Father, you have called us through the waters of Baptism to be followers of Christ and servants in your name. Sometimes we want to set aside that call, especially when it becomes difficult or in the midst of persecution. Give us strength, we pray, that we would be faithful to your call on our lives. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

(W): God and Father of us all, by whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named: Grant that all on earth who bear the earthly name of father and those who share a fatherly love for others, may reflect your grace and care. Strengthen their witness to the love that you have for all your children, and lead us by their example to be people of faith. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

(W): We give thanks to you for the vocations you grant to all your people. Keep safe from harm and danger those who have answered the call to military service, that at the completion of their work, they may return home safely. Be present with families who eagerly wait and watch for their homecoming. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

(W): God of mercy, you are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Restore our communities, workplaces, and families from the disruption of the pandemic that has affected the whole world. Give care to those suffering in body, mind, or spirit. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

(P): We lift our prayers to you, God of mercy, confident that all things are in your hands. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

 

The Lord’s Prayer:                            

Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray…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     

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.

 

Dismissal

Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.

 

Sending Song  Faith of Our Fathers”      LBW # 500, vs 1 – 3

Faith of our fathers, living still In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword. Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy Whenever we hear that glorious word.

 

(Refrain): Faith of our fathers, holy faith, We will be true to thee till death.

 

The martyrs, chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart and conscience free; And blest would be their children’s fate If they, like them, should die for thee. (refrain)

 

Faith of our fathers! We will love  Both friend and foe in all our strife; Proclaim thee, too, as love knows how, By saving Word and faithful life. (refrain)

 

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Announcements

Youth Clothing Drive is still on and will be collecting items until July 12th. Call the church to schedule your drop off.

 

Flea Market: Flea Market will be held on the outside grounds of St. Matthew Lutheran Church on Saturday June 27th from 8am to 1pm. Fair weather only and no rain dates are scheduled. Tables and spaces are still available. Concessions will be available for purchase. To reserve a table or for more information, please contact Donna Jones at 410-790-9735.

 

Current weekly services are as follows:

Daily Message with Pastor John: Monday through Saturday on Facebook @ Kathy Joy’s “St. Matthew Lutheran Church” page. Although there is not a set time for this, he usually does the video around 9am and can be viewed at any time. The link to the daily video is posted to the “Messages” page of our website by mid-day Monday through Friday at www.stmatthewbq.org. Saturday’s video is not posted to the website until 5pm.

 

Saturday Evening Conference Call Service: This is a Vespers service and can be joined by calling 425-436-6332 and use access code 779113. The service is at 6pm every Saturday night. The service is recorded and posted to our website shortly following its completion. To listen to the Saturday Night Conference Call Service, go to the “Messages” page at www.stmatthewbq.org and scroll down to the link at the end of the paragraph that talks about the call service.

 

Sunday Morning YouTube Service: This is a modified version of the Service of the Word service. To view this service, go to www.YouTube.com/channel/UC8a7C3r5VvjzfcIPTGxdvca on Sunday mornings at 8am, or view it on Facebook at 8am at Kathy Joy’s “St. Matthew Lutheran Church” page. A bulletin can be viewed on the “Messages” page of our website at www.stmatthewbq.org.

 

Sunday Morning modified “Service of the Word” gathering: Join us in person on Sunday mornings at 10am at 3301 Edwards Lane, Baltimore, MD 21220 through the month of June (weather permitted) for a modified “Service of the Word” service. As we gather to worship together in person, we are currently unable to pass the plate or distribute communion. An offering box will be available at the registration area.

 

Future services physically held at St. Matthew Lutheran Church: As of today, we will hold an indoor traditional worship service with communion at church on June 28th at 8am for those who have disabilities or are intolerant of heat. Please call the office by Wednesday, June 24th to request seating. Our capacity with social distancing is approximately 30 people. In the meantime, please enjoy one or more of our services stated above. Remember, all of our services have a link provided on the “Messages” page of our website at www.stmatthewbq.org.