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Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Acts 22: 21
“Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”
PRELUDE
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
RINGING OF THE BELL
Please rise as you are able
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Baptized into Christ, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Merciful God, you free us to love others, but we neglect our neighbors and follow our own way. You lead us by the Spirit of joy and peace, but we turn away from the abundant life you offer. You surround us with patience, kindness, and generosity, but we grow weary in doing what is right. In your mercy, forgive us. Do not give up on us. Heal us, break our bonds, and show us the path of life. Amen.
You belong to Christ Jesus and you are God’s children through faith. In the cross of Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven. Clothed with Christ, you are a new creation.
Amen.
GATHERING HYMN “Gather Us In” Hymn #532
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. O God, judge eternal, you love justice and hate oppression, and you call us to share your zeal for truth. Give us courage to take our stand with all victims of bloodshed and greed, and, following your servants and prophets, to look to the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Please be seated.
WORD
FIRST READING Acts 21: 8-14, 17-24, 26-33, 35, 37, 39
8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea, and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. 10 While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
14 Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, “The Lord’s will be done.”
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to visit James, and all the elders were present.
19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the gentiles through his ministry. 20 When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of be-lievers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.
21 They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the gentiles to forsake Moses and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will cer-tainly hear that you have come. 23 So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. 24 Join these men, go through the rite of purifica-tion with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you but that you yourself observe and guard the law.
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.
27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, who had seen him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.
31 While they were trying to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When they saw the tribune and the sol-diers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he inquired who he was and what he had done. 35 When Paul came to the steps, the violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 37 Just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” The tribune replied, “Do you know Greek? 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an im-portant city; I beg you, let me speak to the people.”
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 82
REFRAIN
1 God stands to charge the divine council assembled, giving judgment in
the midst of the gods: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked? 3 Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy; 4 rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked.
REFRAIN
5 They do not know, neither do they understand; they wander about in
darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High; 7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.’ ” 8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.
REFRAIN
SECOND READING Acts 21:40; 22:1, 17-29
40 When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and mo-tioned to the people for silence, and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: 22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you.”
22:17 “After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’ 21 Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”
22 Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, 24 the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks and or-dered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But when they had tied him up with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman person who is uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the trib-une and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.” 27 The tribune came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” 29 Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
Word of God, word of Life. Thanks be to God.
SERMON Pastor Chris Steubing
(see map next page)
HYMN OF THE DAY “Jesus Calls Us O’er the Tumult” Hymn #696
Please rise as you are able
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come 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.
THE PRAYERS
. . .Hear us, O God, Your mercy is great.
THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us share the peace with one another.
All share the peace of the Lord
OFFERING
OFFERING MUSIC “I Send You with the Grace of My Spirit” Choir
Please rise as you are able as the offering is brought forward.
OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. Merciful God, accept the fruits of our labor, gathered to give you glory. You have set a table before us, a glimpse of that great day when we will hunger and thirst no more. Nourish us with the body and blood of Jesus, that goodness and mercy may follow us and bless the world you love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
MEAL
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give him thanks and praise
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise. . . We praise your name and join their unending hymn:
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
With this bread and cup we remember our Lord’s Passover from death to life as we proclaim the mystery of faith;
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The kingdom of God is set before you. Eat and rejoice.
Communion Distribution---All are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Lord's table. If you'd like to receive a blessing instead, you may simply come forward and cross your arms over your chest. If you are unable to come forward, please notify an usher and we will bring the sacrament to you. The communion cups contain wine (red) or grape juice (white). Gluten-free wafers are available upon request.
Communion Hymns
Hymn #790 “Day By Day”
Hymn Insert “Thank You, Lord”
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. Mothering God, you gathered us to your table and we drank deeply of your grace. Send us out by your Spirit to love our neighbors as ourselves and proclaim your love in Jesus’ name. Amen.
BENEDICTION
The love of God abound in you; the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts; and the life of the Spirit bless you and give you peace.
SENDING HYMN “Ten Thousand Reasons” Next Page
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Live by the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE.
Our thanks to those who serve as our worship leaders today:
Communion Assistants—Tom and Kathy Pearson
Our Reader—Marv Dettloff
Our Liturgist—Claire Roberts
Organist—Jimmy Cheung
Choir and Hand Bell Director—Wendy Kuenemann
Pastor—Rev. Chris Steubing
