Pentecost 9 7.26.26. PDF Alt Set
NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
JULY 26, 2026
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Trumpet Voluntary John Stanley
ENTRANCE HYMN See The Morning Sun Ascending Text: Charles Parkin
1 See the morning sun ascending,
radiant in the eastern sky;
hear the angel voices blending
in their praise to God on high!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory be to God on high!
2 So may we, in lowly station,
join the choristers above;
singing with the whole creation,
praising thee for your great love.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory be to God above!
3 For your loving-kindness ever
shed upon our earthly way;
for your mercy, ceasing never,
for your blessing day by day:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory be to God always!
4 “Wisdom, honor, power, and blessing!”
with the angelic host we cry;
round your throne, your name
confessing,
now we would to you draw nigh.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory be to God on high!
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
God of all mercy and consolation, come to the aid of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that, attentive to your Word, we may confess our sins, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Kneel. Silence is observed for reflection and self-examination.
Gracious God,
have mercy upon us. In your compassion, forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone. Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.
KYRIE (Stand) LSB 944
For the peace from above and for our salvation; and for the peace of the whole world and the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison. (Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.)
For the well-being of the Church of God; and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
HYMN OF PRAISE Splendor and Honor LSB 950
1 Splendor and honor, majesty and power
Are Yours, O Lord God, fount of ev’ry blessing,
For by Your bidding was the whole creation
Called into being.
2 Praised be the true Lamb, slain for our redemption,
By whose self-off’ring we are made God’s people:
A priestly kingdom, from all tongues and nations,
Called to God’s service.
3 To the Almighty, throned in heav’nly splendor,
And to the Savior, Christ our Lamb and Shepherd,
Be adoration, praise, and glory given,
Now and forever.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God,
give us an increase of faith, hope, and love, that, receiving what You have promised, we may love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Deuteronomy 7:6-9
“You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 125 (Sung responsively)
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
SECOND LESSON Romans 8:28-39
We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand) LSB 952
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia!
GOSPEL Matthew 13:44-52
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 13th chapter.
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ.
The four parables from Jesus that we just read are the last of the eight total parables in Matthew 13. Two Sundays ago, we looked at the chapter’s first parable – the Parable of the Sower. Then, last week, we read the second parable – the Parable of the Weeds. The other two parables – the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the Parable of the Leaven – are assigned to be read in other years.
Of the four that we read today, the first three – just like the ones before them – are parables of the kingdom. We know this because they all begin with Jesus saying: “the kingdom of heaven is like…” The fourth and last parable is a little different. In this one, the parable describes those who have been trained for the kingdom, not the kingdom itself.
These four parables seem to be in an order of logical sequence. And this logic becomes clear as the parables are examined more closely.
Before we examine them today, let’s remember that with these parables Jesus is giving us visual pictures to help illustrate his truths and that he does this to help us think through what his truths mean. Jesus’ parables tease our brains and cause us to dig deeper.
At first hearing, parables are usually difficult to figure out. And sometimes our first conclusion about them is incorrect, for not all comparisons we think of are intended to give a message. The parables must therefore be interpreted in light of Jesus’ other, more direct teachings, and from teachings of the other scriptures that form God’s Word.
Interestingly, when we look at these more direct teachings from Jesus, we see that he doesn’t say very much about his kingdom. He begins his ministry by saying “the kingdom of heaven is near,” and he ends it by saying “my kingdom is not of this world.” But in between, he only makes a few additional statements about it. Jesus’ parables are therefore clearly meant to help us form a more complete picture, while at the same time reminding us of the kingdom’s hidden nature.
You may recall that with the chapter’s first two parables, Jesus added a separate explanation. Both of these explanations clarified the different points of comparison for us.
But for the rest of his parables, Jesus doesn’t give a separate explanation. He does, however, often conclude them by stating a point or two for us to note. Such is the case with the third parable in today’s reading.
And now let’s work our way through this reading’s parables. In the first of them, Jesus tells us that the kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field that a man finds. Jesus doesn’t tell us what the treasure is or how the treasure was hidden or what the man was doing in the field. And this lack of detail disappoints us a bit because we like to try and figure out what such details might symbolize. But by keeping the story lean, Jesus keeps us from being led in wrong directions.
What Jesus does tell us is that this treasure brought the man who found it great joy – so much joy that he sold all he had to obtain it. And here we see a first and obvious message: the kingdom of heaven is a treasure which brings us great joy.
This is the idea behind the next hymn we will sing: Your Kingdom, O God, is My Glorious Treasure. The hymn proclaims this great joy from its opening line, then works in lessons from the other parables in the chapter too. It’s a very thoughtful hymn, and nice to sing.
The kingdom is a great treasure for many reasons. But above all, it is a treasure because those who live in it enjoy the peace of knowing that their sins are forgiven and they will someday live in the perfect new creation prepared for the righteous.
This joyful peace of the kingdom then helps us to live rightly amongst life’s temptations and challenges. In a later parable, one in which Jesus illustrates the importance of rightly using the gifts God has given, the character who represents God says to those who take right steps: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” As we see, joy abounds when the kingdom rules are followed and when faith is placed in Christ as our king. Specifically, this is the joy of knowing God’s favor – a favor which begins with our forgiveness and grows through our faith.
While today’s parable of the hidden treasure does not specifically communicate the message of forgiveness, it does speak to the characteristic of God behind it, which is God’s abundant grace. This grace is seen as the man in the parable just happens to find the great treasure. It was a wonderful surprise, and not something he earned.
This is the way it is with God’s grace towards us. Our failures in living rightly cause us troubles in this life and sever our relationship with God and with others. But God, in his grace, sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins so that sin’s price might be paid. Through this sacrificial act of our Savior, our sins are forgiven. This is the joyous surprise we’ve received!
The flipside of this joyous surprise gives another message we’re no doubt meant to catch in this parable. This is the message that the kingdom is, in many respects, hidden. Like the hidden treasure in the parable, people can walk right by Christ’s kingdom without knowing that it’s there. You may recall that this was a point made directly by Jesus earlier in the chapter.
About this hiddenness, we might say that Jesus, our king, is partially hidden right now. For although he came to this world very visibly years ago, he now is with us only through the Spirit, his Word, and his Sacraments.
Of course, even when he was with us visibly on earth, his full glory was also partially hidden, in that his message was misunderstood by so many. Even though people clearly saw what he did, they still had a hard time believing.
In the parable, the man who found the treasure couldn’t take it right away. He had to wait and work until he owned that land and could claim what he had found.
In the same way, Christ’s kingdom is hidden in that it doesn’t come fully right away. The kingdom will only be fully realized among us when Jesus returns. Until that day, we have to wait. This is one of the reasons why Jesus teaches us to pray: “thy kingdom come.”
This hidden aspect of Christ’s kingdom is a message repeated in today’s second parable. In this parable, a pearl of sufficient beauty remains hidden from its seeker until it is eventually found.
This parable repeats the message of the kingdom’s great value, for once again, the object representing Christ’s kingdom is so valuable that a man sells everything he has to obtain it. And this repetition helps show the logical progression that I mentioned earlier. We see that the parables build on each other as they repeat and add messages.
What is new in this second parable is the idea of seeking. The first parable is primarily about the treasure itself; the second one is about the merchant who is seeking it.
When Jesus says that the kingdom is like a merchant who seeks a beautiful pearl, he is underscoring the fact that the kingdom itself seeks perfection. The kingdom wishes to reflect God’s holiness in all its aspects.
And in one way, of course, the kingdom is already perfect, since its king and its message are perfect. But in another way, the kingdom still needs improvement, since it is made up of the king’s followers too. These followers – which include you and me – need lots of improvement for sure.
When Jesus’ parable tells us that his kingdom consists of seekers, his messages is that his followers should seek improvement in their faith and life. Here we think of Jesus’ admonitions that we should “seek first the kingdom” (Mt. 6:33) and “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Mt. 5:6). We also think of his encouragement to pray, where he says: “seek and ye shall find” (Mt. 7:7).
Today we often use the language of “seeking” to describe those who are still trying to figure out where to place their faith. Think of the worship services some churches hold which are labelled “seeker services” or said to be “seeker friendly.” I’ve never been a fan of such services, because ultimately worship is for the faithful. But I understand the thought behind them.
The better way to understand this Biblical “seeking” is to see it as a message for everyone, Christians included. We are all to seek a stronger faith and a holier life, even when we are already a part of the kingdom.
Here is where we should note that this parable can be understood in another way too. For when we realize that the parable is about seekers, we’re then led to think about Jesus, who is the greatest seeker of all. Jesus conveyed this message about himself in his parable of the lost sheep, where he is described as the one who seeks faithfully for the lost sinner until he finds him. And Jesus also once specifically said: “for the Son of man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
With this understanding of the parable, we are then reminded of how great a treasure we are in Jesus’ eyes. Furthermore, we are reminded of how the price he paid to acquire us was everything – his very life.
With the kingdom now described in such powerful ways through the two parables we’ve just examined and the four which came before it in the chapter, Jesus then tells a parable about the kingdom to come. This parable is called the “parable of the net.” In it, Jesus says: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.”
Here we see that the kingdom, like a net, sweeps everyone up in its grasp and declares that only some are fit to enter its next stage. Jesus gives us this interpretation directly when he says: “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Yes, the kingdom will catch all people eventually. And that’s because when Jesus returns, all people will know that he is king.
However, not everyone will be fit for that next stage of his kingdom. And that’s because only those who are righteous can enter it.
This parable, therefore, is a parable of judgment, just like the Parable of the Weeds which we examined last week. And because of the judgment it declares, the parable should make us uncomfortable. All of us. For none of us is righteous to the degree God expects.
That being said, here is where we must remember that these parables build on one another and that this parable is built on one that just declared that we have a Savior. This Savior both sought us out and died for our sins. He did this so that all believers would be seen as righteous in God’s sight and would be included in the great kingdom to come.
Jesus then tells us one more parable in this chapter. This is the one which is a little different than the rest, for rather than being a parable about the kingdom per se, this one is about those who are workers in the kingdom.
“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus said to his followers. And when they said to him, “Yes,” he said to them: “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Here Jesus reminds us of the importance of training in his kingdom. This training may seem to us like it’s a seminary education since Jesus says the training is given to those who are “scribes.” Scribes, in Jesus’ day, were experts in the word.
But the word for “training” here is simply the verbal form of the word for “disciple.” Jesus, you recall, ended his ministry by saying to his apostles: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). Disciples are followers and not necessarily experts. Here we see that any kind of discipleship is of benefit to the kingdom.
I just came back from a convention of our Synod. And I think it’s safe to say that the training of church workers was probably the hottest topic. Everyone wants to see this done well, but we all want there to be more workers too. We remember that our Lord Jesus said: “therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt. 9:38).
The topic of church worker training is one that will always be with us. A word of guidance that Jesus shares with us in this last parable is that a church worker “brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Some interpreters think that this is just a way of saying “everything.” According to this view, Jesus explains how a good kingdom worker will teach everything Jesus said and not hold anything back. Such a view is certainly not wrong.
But scriptural messages are always worded as they are for a reason. And in this case, the words “old” and “new” seem to line up well with the scriptural descriptions of the old and new covenants.
The old covenant is the one given by Moses. The new covenant is the one centered in Jesus. The new covenant was prophesied in the old, with Jeremiah telling of it most directly (31:31). Jesus mentions it directly when instituting his Supper (Lk. 22:20), and refers to it indirectly in his teaching about new wineskins (Mt. 9:17).
Through the four parables we’ve just examined, Jesus leads us to consider the joys and challenges of living in his kingdom. His purpose is clearly to teach us that the more we know, the better able we are to live rightly and faithfully; and the more we live this way, the more peace and joy we will find.
May God then continue to teach us and encourage us in our kingdom living, that we may know the great treasure we have and share it with others. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Your Kingdom, O God, Is My Glorious Treasure LSB 654
1 Your kingdom, O God, is my glorious treasure,
My pearl of incomp’rable worth.
Its value exceeds ev’ry standard of measure,
Surpassing the wealth of the earth.
Lord, give me Your grace and the pow’r of the Spirit
To value this treasure aright
That, never allured by the world, I inherit
Your kingdom of glory and light.
2 Your kingdom, O God, is alive with the power
Your Word and Your Spirit bestow.
Like yeast, they affect the whole measure of flour,
Enabling Your kingdom to grow.
Empower me, Lord, as I live Your commission,
Though humble my service may be,
And bring ev’ry planting to perfect fruition,
A mustard seed grown to a tree.
3 Your kingdom, O God, is a field for the growing
Of seeds that Your mercy has sown;
But still in our midst is the enemy sowing
The weeds that imperil Your own.
Sustain me, O Lord, till Your day of returning
And harvest me homeward at last,
To shine in the homeland that quiets all yearning,
Where sorrow and danger are past.
APOSTLES’ CREED LSB, Back cover
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, preserve us from error and deliver us from temptation. Grant that we may abide in Christ and His word of truth, remaining steadfast in faith and immovable until the end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given us various offices of vocation. Grant us faithfulness in these callings, that we may see them as gifts through which we serve You and our neighbors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, You have sent your church to preach and teach the whole counsel of Your Word. Grant that all church workers may serve You faithfully; extend your blessing upon the actions and decisions of our Synod’s recent convention; and lead us all to receive your words with joy and thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, grant wisdom to Donald, our president; Abigail, our governor; and all who make, administer and judge our laws, that all these may seek what is best for everyone in accordance with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, bestow Your comfort and healing upon on all who are burdened by sickness and affliction, especially those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… Grant that they may await their healing and deliverance in the firm conviction that nothing can separate them from Your love in Christ Jesus. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, grant that all who commune this day might receive the Sacrament faithfully and depart from your altar refreshed, knowing that they are Your forgiven people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, we know that neither life nor death can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus, our Lord. We thank You for all who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and we ask You to grant us also our inheritance with them in the great light of your presence. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
These and whatsoever other things You would have us ask of You, O God, grant us for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your only Son, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY Create in Me LSB 956
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE (Stand)
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 truly good, right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord… Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying:
SANCTUS (LSB 961)
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessèd, blessèd, blessèd is He
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth. In mercy for our fallen world you gave your only Son, that all those who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life. We give thanks to you for the salvation you have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Send now your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive our Lord with a living faith as he comes to us in his holy supper.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
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.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI (LSB 962)
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
grant us Your peace, grant us Your peace, grant us Your peace.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
DISTRIBUTION HYMN Jesus Comes Today with Healing LSB 620
1 Jesus comes today with healing,
Knocking at my door, appealing,
Off’ring pardon, grace, and peace.
He Himself makes preparation,
And I hear His invitation:
“Come and taste the blessèd feast.”
2 Christ Himself, the priest presiding,
Yet in bread and wine abiding
In this holy sacrament,
Gives the bread of life, once broken,
And the cup, the precious token
Of His sacred covenant.
3 Under bread and wine, though lowly,
I receive the Savior holy,
Blood and body, giv’n for me,
Very Lamb of God from heaven,
Who to bitter death was given,
Hung upon the cursèd tree.
4 God descends with heav’nly power,
Gives Himself to me this hour
In this ordinary sign.
On my tongue His pledge receiving,
I accept His grace, believing
That I taste His love divine.
5 Let me praise God’s boundless favor,
Whose own feast of love I savor,
Bidden by His gracious call.
Wedding garments He provides me,
With a robe of white He hides me,
Fits me for the royal hall.
6 Now have I found consolation,
Comfort in my tribulation,
Balm to heal the troubled soul.
God, my shield from ev’ry terror,
Cleanses me from sin and error,
Makes my wounded spirit whole.
Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise LSB 680
1 Thine the amen Thine the praise
Alleluias angels raise
Thine the everlasting head
Thine the breaking of the bread
Thine the glory Thine the story
Thine the harvest then the cup
Thine the vineyard then the cup is lifted up lifted up.
2 Thine the life eternally
Thine the promise let there be
Thine the vision Thine the tree
All the earth on bended knee
Gone the nailing gone the railing
Gone the pleading gone the cry
Gone the sighing gone the dying what was loss lifted high.
3 Thine the truly Thine the yes
Thine the table we the guest
Thine the mercy all from Thee
Thine the glory yet to be
Then the ringing and the singing
Then the end of all the war
Thine the living Thine the loving evermore evermore.
4 Thine the kingdom Thine the prize
Thine the wonder full surprise
Thine the banquet then the praise
Then the justice of Thy ways
Thine the glory Thine the story
Then the welcome to the least
Then the wonder all increasing at Thy feast at Thy feast.
5 Thine the glory in the night
No more dying only light
Thine the river Thine the tree
Then the Lamb eternally
Then the holy holy holy
Celebration jubilee
Thine the splendor Thine the brightness only Thee only Thee.
NUNC DIMITTIS LSB 937
1 Lord, bid Your servant go in peace,
Your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn,
This child so long foretold.
2 This is the Savior of the world,
The Gentiles’ promised light,
God’s glory dwelling in our midst,
The joy of Israel.
3 With saints of old, with saints to come,
To You we lift our voice;
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest
Be honor, love, and praise.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN O God, Our Help in Ages Past LSB 733
1 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.
6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home!
ANOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Trumpeting in B Flat Major James Melby
FLOWERS: “In loving memory of Janet McGregor, mother of Michael and grandmother of Henry.“ The McGregor Family
FELLOWSHIP CONTRIBUTORS: Board of Spiritual Life
Those serving:
Saturday, 5:00 p.m.:
Greeter: Jim Easterly
Reader: Dave Oaks
Sunday, 10:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Jason Starck
Comm. assist: Dan Buuck
Reader: Dan Buuck
Acolyte: Natalie Starck
Trumpet: Amelia Jansen
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2026 Concordia Publishing House.
944 Kyrie — II Text: Traditional Tune: Russian Orthodox Tune: Public domain
950 Splendor and Honor Text: Carl P. Daw, Jr., 1944 Tune: K. Lee Scott, 1950 Tune: © 1987 K. Lee Scott, admin. MorningStar Music Publishers. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
952 Alleluia — II Text: Traditional Tune: Fintan O’Carroll , d. 1977 Tune: © 1985 Fintan O’Carroll and Christopher Walker, admin. OCP Publications. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
956 Create in Me Text: Psalm 51:10–12 Tune: Johann Georg Winer, 1583–1651, adapt. Tune: Public domain
961 Sanctus Text: Traditional; tr. International Consultation on English Texts, alt.
Tune: Mark L. Bender, 1951 Text: © 1975 International Consultation on English Texts. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
962 Agnus Dei — I Text: Traditional; tr. International Consultation on English Texts, alt. Tune: Paul D. Weber, 1949 Text: © 1975 International Consultation on English Texts. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2001 Paul D. Weber. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
“See the Morning Sun Ascending” Text: Charles Parkin, Music: Unser Herrscher © 1953, by Abingdon Press
654 Your Kingdom, O God, Is My Glorious Treasure Text: David W. Rogner, 1960
Tune: Joseph Herl, 1959 Text: © David W. Rogner. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2003 Joseph Herl. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
620 Jesus Comes Today with Healing Text: Heinrich Puchta, 1808–58; tr. David W. Rogner, 1960 Tune: Johann Löhner, 1645–1705; adapt. Johann Balthasar König, 1691–1758 Text: © David W. Rogner. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
680 Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise Text: Herbert F. Brokering, 1926–2009 Tune: Carl F. Schalk, 1929–2021 Text and tune: © 1983 Augsburg Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
733 O God, Our Help in Ages Past Text: Isaac Watts, 1674–1748, alt. Tune: William Croft, 1678–1727 Text and tune: Public domain
