Order of Service for September 13, 2026

You are invited to worship with us at 11:00 am on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Below, you will find the Order of Service so you can follow along and participate in the worship service. If you would prefer, you can also download a bulletin here:

Before we start, please share the live stream on your favorite social media site and invite your friends.

Order of Service / Bulletin for This Week

Welcome

Opening Song: Chief of Sinners Though I Be

Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me.
Died that I might live on high, Lived that I might never die.
As the branch is to the vine, I am His and He is mine.

Oh, the height of Jesus’ love, Higher than the heav’ns above,
Deeper than the depths of sea, Lasting as eternity! 
Love that found me wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not.

Only Jesus can impart, Balm to heal the wounded heart,
Peace that flows from sin forgiv’n,
Joy that lifts the soul to heav’n.
Faith and hope to walk with God, In the way that Enoch trod.                                            © Public Domain

Invocation

Confession and Forgiveness:
P: As we gather, today, let us cleanse our hearts and our consciences by confessing our sin to God.

(a time of silence to reflect and personally confess our sins)

P: Let us confess our sins together to the Lord.
C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you and against our neighbor in our thoughts, words, and actions. We are truly sorry for our sins and sincerely repent of them. We ask for Your mercy. For the sake of Jesus Christ’s bitter suffering and death, please forgive us and renew us that we may walk in Your Spirit to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P: The Lord has heard your confession. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Lord, in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.

Epistle Reading – Romans 14:1-12

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading – Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to You, O Christ.

Sermon Song: Blessed Be the Tie That Binds

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

We share our mutual woes, our mutual bur-dens bear,
And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.

From sorrow, toil, and pain, and sin we shall be free
And perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity.                  © Public Domain

Sermon – “Judgement and Forgiveness”

Prayers

Apostles’ Creed
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 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.

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.

Benediction

Closing Song: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Offering (Please click to give online)

Please see the announcements below as well.

God bless and thank you for worshiping with Faith!

News and Announcements

Upcoming Events

Today, After the Service – In-person Bible Study
Faith Lutheran Church

Today, 6 PM – Faith and Grace Youth Group
Grace Community Church

Sept 22, 7 PM – Council Meeting
Larry’s Home

Sept 20, 11 AM – Everyone Come for Photo Sunday
Faith Lutheran Church – Taking pictures to refresh our website.

Sept 20, After the Service – Pack A Sack Packing Party
Faith Lutheran Church

Oct. 4, 11 AM – Commitment Sunday
Faith Lutheran Church

Oct. 25, 11 AM – Friendship Sunday
Faith Lutheran Church

Serving Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, New Tampa, Lutz, and the Surrounding Communities