Pentecost 13 Worship Service | 8-27-23
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
PENTECOST 13
08-27-2023 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ We Rejoice in the Spirit +
OPENING SONG: “THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION” [alternate words] Tan #337
THE OPENING RITE OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS:
L Sisters and brothers, the message of Romans is that sin’s mastery over humankind has been broken in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In our new life, St. Paul writes, we should no longer be conformed to the world but transformed by Christ. Our time of confession is an opportunity for us to be honest with God and with each other. Gracious God…
C Sometimes I wonder if people really see Christ in me when they look at my life.
Sometimes I worry that I give little evidence of my faith in my actions and attitudes, my words and values.
Sometimes I know that I have failed to live faithfully and to love fervently.
Sometimes I am aware of being too afraid, too self-centered, or too worldly.
Today I am asking for the grace of forgiveness, for the power of your Holy Spirit, and for another chance.
Forgive me, renew me, and use me for your mission activity. Amen.
L When we confess, we are already being blessed! While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and God raised him up from death so that we too might walk in the newness of life. My brother, my sister, [+] your sins are forgiven. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. May God’s Holy Spirit fill us, unite us, strengthen us, guide us, and defend us as we live the life to which we have been called. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Dear Jesus, give me the wisdom and spiritual insight to recognize who you are… and then help me to offer myself as a “living sacrifice” in humble service, so that others may recognize the Jesus in me. The gates of hell will never prevail against your presence in me or destroy the unity that you have given all of us as your one body of mercy, compassion, and love here on earth. Amen.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 51:1-6
[Remember your story. Look to God’s past blessings to find solid footing for the future.]
51:1 Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the LORD. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
51:2 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many.
51:3 For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
51:4 Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples.
51:5 I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.
51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.
SONG SELECTION: Iyanna
SECOND READING: ROMANS 12:1-8
[Remember your calling. Put your daily living where your beliefs are.]
12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect.
12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
12:4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function,
12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
12:6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;
12:7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;
12:8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, SWEET HEAVENLY DOVE, STAY RIGHT HERE WITH US, FILLING US WITH YOU LOVE.
AND FOR THESE BLESSINGS WE LIFT OUR HEARTS IN PRAISE. WITHOUT A DOUBT WE’LL KNOW THAT
WE HAVE BEEN REVIVED WHEN WE SHALL LEAVE THIS PLACE!”
HOLY GOSPEL: MATTHEW 16:13-20
[Remember your Lord. Live faithfully and love fervently… each day, every day, always, and in all ways. This is how you show who Jesus is, but also who you are.]
16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
16:14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
16:17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
16:20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
SONG SELECTION: Timyk Mathis and Stephanie Fluellen
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG RESPONSE: “I HAVE DECIDED” Tan #400
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
THE OFFERING… May the Spirit of God within us guide us to grateful, generous, and fruitful discipleship!
SONG SELECTION: “8:30AM Choir”
THE OFFERTORY SONG:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG! [sing the chorus 2 times]
We are God’s people, we are Christ’s Church, called by God’s Spirit into the world.
We have God’s power from heaven above, we’ll share God’s justice, mercy and love!”
OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
Lord God, we thank you for making a way out of no way in our life! During this summer may we dedicate our leisure and our work, our rest and our travel, our service and our spending, our health and our wealth, our worship and our witness to glorify You and to extend your Kingdom to others. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
THE PREFACE:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful… C … and set us on fire with your love! Alleluia!
L [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! The wine may be received from the pouring chalice; we also have grape juice on the tray. You can receive God’s peace, power, and promises for true life!
COMMUNION SONGS: Tan #385 Tan #371
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in Our Mission +
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor…We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!
My friends, when you answer the question, “Who do I say Jesus is?”,
you are also answering the question, “Who am I?”
Just as Simon was given a new name – “Rocky” – let the Lord give you a new name, a new self, as new obedience, a new faithfulness, a transformed life.
Tell who Jesus is with your lips, in your heart, with your daily deeds, with your values, by where your feet take you, and in your most challenging moments.
May the peace, the power, and the promise of (+) Jesus bless and equip you – now and always.
C [singing…] AMEN! AMEN! A — MEN!
CLOSING SONG: “WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN” Tan #595