10th Sunday After Pentecost Worship Order of Service
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran church
08-09-2020 10:00AM Worship
(Welcome / Greeting by the Pastors)
OPENING SONG: “God Will Take Care of You” Charlotte Webb
THE OPENING RITE (based on today’s Gospel): Tomika & Jordan Washington
L O God of mighty power and tender mercy, I love that song!
I love to hear it and to sing it.
But I confess that sometimes my hope is weak and my faith is wavering.
And – in my trials and my troubles – I anxiously cry out to your beloved Son,
“Lord Jesus, save me!”
C Sometimes I feel awash and so far from dry land,
and the waves of turmoil batter against me
and the wild, wild winds rage all about me,
and my boat seems too small,
and I doubt YOU and I doubt ME,
and I become discouraged, desperate, despairing, and drowning…
and then I question the integrity of your concern for me,
and then I think I’m going right down the drain!
L Forgive me, Lord, for my sinking trust and drowning faith!
Speak to me, Lord, reach out to me, and take my hand!
I am crying to you for help. Save me, Lord! Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: Tomika or Jordan Washington
Let us pray. God of our present trouble and our promised triumph,
Open our eyes to see you in the midst of our struggles.
Open our ears to hear your words of comfort and assurance.
Open our minds to remember your wonderful works, your mighty miracles.
Open our hearts to glory in your name and to find strength in your Word.
In the name of the One who is mightier than every wave and every wind,
Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen and Amen!
FIRST READING: 1 KINGS 19:9-18 [ELIJAH – hiding, scared, and weak of faith. Is the noise in your heart and mind so loud that you cannot hear the sound of God in the silence? And, remember: God’s perspective is different from our own.] Read by Joyce Jackson
19:9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
19:10 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
19:11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
19:13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
19:14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
19:15 Then the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
19:16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
19:17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.
19:18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
SONG SELECTION: Ronald Johnson
SECOND READING: ROMANS 10:5-15 [PAUL – saddened, confused, and wondering about the character of God. Are you thinking that you are too good or too bad for God’s salvation? God has made it near to all through Jesus Christ!] Read by John Hill
10:5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.”
10:6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down)
10:7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
10:9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10:10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
10:11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.
10:13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
10:14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
10:15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
GOSPEL VERSE: “More About Jesus” Paul Samuel
“More about Jesus would I know, more of his grace to others show,
More of his saving fullness see, more of his love who died for me.
MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS… MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS…
MORE OF HIS SAVING FULLNESS SEE, MORE OF HIS LOVE WHO DIED FOR ME.
More about Jesus let me learn, more of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.”
HOLY GOSPEL: MATTHEW 14:22-33 [PETER – sinking, scared, and weak of faith. Are you “drowning” or “dancing” in the midst of the waves that batter and the winds that oppose? Take heart … the Lord can, has, does, and will save you!] Read by Mariah Morris
14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
14:24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
14:25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
14:26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.
14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
14:28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
14:29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.
14:30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
14:32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil
SONG SELECTION: Kennedy
OFFERING PRAYER: Maliek Patterson
Lord God, thank you for making a way out of no way in my life! During this summer may I dedicate my leisure and my work, my rest and my travel, my service and my spending, my health and my wealth, my worship and my witness – all that I am and have and seek – to glorify You and to extend your Kingdom to others. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION: Dennis Fortune
THE PRAYERS: Elaine Jones
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SONG SELECTION: Linda Crawford
THE BENEDICTION:
The winds and the waves will continue to threaten and even frighten us in the days ahead.
But Christ has encouraged us, “Take heart, I am here, have no fear!”
The ghosts of past and present dangers will continue to haunt us and cause us much terror.
But Christ has commanded us, “Take heart, I am here, have no fear!”
We leave in the assurance of God’s abiding love,
in the confidence of (+) Christ’s command,
and in the power of the Holy Spirit
Live faithfully, love fervently. Amen.