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September 30, 2023
Theme of the Day
God doesn’t want us to simply go through religious motions like some sort of show. He sees right through that. God’s desire is that our repentance would demonstrate sincere sorrow over sin. God wants us to see the grace and forgiveness he has shown us in Christ, and in response, to love him back deeply and sincerely.
Pastor Westendorf’s Welcome
I Sing as I Arise Today – CW 779
Invocation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Confession and Absolution
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father,
I am sinful by nature
and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
I have not loved you with my whole heart;
I have not loved others as I should.
I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
with his innocent suffering and death.
Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Silence for meditation and reflection
Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Sunday 10:30 AM only
K-2 – Love
Saturday and Sunday 8:00 AM only
Glory to God in the Highest
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to his people on earth.
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, receive our prayer.
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to his people on earth.
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.
Glory to God in the highest
and peace to his people on earth.
Glory to God, glory to God.
The Word
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
Let us pray.
Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, for without your help we are unable to please you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
First Reading – Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“ ‘The parents eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child – both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 25 – I Lift My Soul to You
1) I lift my soul to you, Lord,
I trust, O God, in you.
Send forth your truth to guide me,
and teach me what to do.
Remember your great mercy,
your everlasting love;
Forgive me, God, my Savior,
my guilt and sin remove.
2) Your covenant and mercy
are with me all my days
to comfort and to bless me,
to keep me in your ways.
Whenever I look upward,
I find you waiting there,
to bear me and to keep me
all safe beneath your care.
Second Reading – Philippians 2:1-11
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart you will not despise.
Alleluia.
Gospel – Matthew 21:23-32
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism – where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ – we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ!
At the Name of Jesus – CW 547
Pastor Westendorf’s Sermon – Matthew 21:23-32
Jesus’ Story Invites Us: “Let’s Be Real”
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
In you, Lord our God, we put our trust. Forgive us, instruct us and guide us.
Teach us to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, to value others above ourselves, to set aside selfish ambition and vain conceit, and to be united in love in mind and spirit.
Strengthen your messengers, that they may call people to turn from their offenses and be renewed in heart and spirit.
Send your holy angels to deliver us from the devil and all his tricks, and when our time of grace on earth is done, send them to deliver us from every evil of this world to you.
Turn to the lonely and the afflicted. Relieve the troubles of their hearts and free them from anguish.
Gracious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen our faith and help us so that we receive your Word, pray fervently, and work diligently for whatever is useful for body and soul, that we may praise you with all the elect in eternal blessedness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Offering
Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love – CW 496
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.