Have you ever had a Sunday where you didn’t know the songs very well?
Would you like to know all of them?
Each week we post the songs on Facebook, usually on Friday, as well as in a blog post. You can find the topic of the sermon, the readings for the week, and a list of the songs. We also post links to Youtube videos with those songs so you can hear them and get to know them before Sunday.
Below are this week’s songs and readings.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.“
“I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.”
You’ve probably heard someone say that. Maybe you’ve even thought it yourself.
And there is a sense in which it is true. Sitting in a church building doesn’t save you. Jesus does. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by having a perfect attendance record.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t need the Church.
The Christians who first received the book of Hebrews were facing difficult circumstances. Following Jesus had brought opposition and suffering. Some had endured public ridicule. Others had lost property, been jailed, or even killed because of their faith. Continuing to confess Christ could be costly.
So the writer of Hebrews tells them to
“hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.”
Why? Because…
“he who promised is faithful.”
Notice where their confidence rests. Not in the strength of their commitment to Jesus, but in the faithfulness of the One who made the promise.
God is faithful.
Yet God also knows how easily discouraged we become. He knows that suffering can wear us down or that temptation can gradually pull us away. He knows that there are days when faith feels strong and other days when doubt comes much more easily.
So He gives us one another. He gives us a community.
Hebrews tells Christians not to neglect meeting together, but to encourage one another. The church is not man’s creation, it’s God’s, and the Christian congregation is not merely a collection of individuals who happen to believe similar things. God gathers His people together so that He can give His gifts to us and so that we can strengthen one another.
On Sunday morning, you may arrive carrying burdens no one else knows about. The person sitting a few seats away may be doing the same.
Then God serves you both.
And sometimes simply seeing another Christian there is an encouragement.
You’re still here.
So am I.
Christ is still faithful.
That is one reason isolating ourselves when life becomes difficult can be so dangerous. Often, when we are discouraged, ashamed, grieving, or struggling with sin, our instinct is to withdraw. Yet those are precisely the times when we especially need what Christ gives through His Church.
During our new member class we call, “Belong”, I like to tell people that while going to church is a great blessing for your, you don’t just go to church for yourself. You go for the other people as well. The Scriptures tell us that we belong one to each other.
We need someone to remind us of what we are beginning to forget.
Of course, the people gathered around us are sinners too. Churches can disappoint us. Christians can hurt each other. There will be plenty of opportunities to practice the patience and forgiveness with each other as God does with us every day.
But Christ does not abandon His Church because His people are imperfect.
He continues to gather sinners around His gifts.
So keep gathering.
Not because showing up earns anything from God, but because God knows you need His Word, His Sacraments, and the encouragement of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
And they need you too.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your faithfulness and for the hope You have given me in Christ. Thank You also for gathering me into Your Church and surrounding me with brothers and sisters in the faith.
When I am discouraged, keep me from withdrawing from the gifts You provide. Bring me again to Your Word and Sacraments, and use Your people to strengthen me.
When I am on top of the world and feeling great, keep me from withdrawing from the gifts you provide. Give me eyes to notice those around me who need encouragement, and use me to point them again to the promises of Christ.
Keep us together in faith until the day when Christ returns and gathers all His people into His presence forever.
Through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
This Sunday, September 13th, is our Faith and Food Worship Service where we have a potluck meal during our worship service at 11am.
Bring your favorite dish to share!
We will have most of the normal parts of worship, including confession and forgiveness, the Lord’s Prayer, and Communion, however, the message will be in more of a discussion format.
You are invited to come!
Bringing food is optional, but if you would like to bring some food, please click the link below and sign up and indicate what you are planning to bring.
Also, if you are bringing food, please try to arrive 10 minutes before the service so we can get the food all set up.
“It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.“
When was your last argument? What was it about?
You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.
That’s easier to say than to do. Someone makes an unfair comment about you. A family member brings up THAT issue again. You see something online that is so obviously wrong you can barely resist responding.
And sometimes you should respond. There are truths worth defending and wrongs that need to be confronted.
But not every conflict is one of them.
Proverbs says there is actually honor in staying away from strife. That’s interesting because walking away from an argument doesn’t always feel honorable. Sometimes it feels week or like losing.
We want the last word and want the other person to understand why we’re right. At the very least, we want to make sure everyone else knows why they’re wrong.
So we keep going. One more response. One more text. One more attempt to prove our point. And often nothing improves.
Wisdom knows when to stop.
That doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. There is a difference between peacemaking and simply refusing to deal with problems. Jesus Himself confronted sin and spoke difficult truths. Love sometimes requires us to have conversations we’d rather avoid.
The question is whether we’re trying to resolve something or simply trying to win.
That can be difficult to recognize in ourselves. What begins as a legitimate disagreement can slowly become about pride. We stop listening and start keeping score. Before long, the original issue almost doesn’t matter anymore. We just don’t want to back down.
Proverbs calls that foolishness.
There is another way. You can decide that the sarcastic comment doesn’t need a response or let someone else have the last word. You can recognize that you’ve both said what needs to be said and continuing the conversation will only make things worse. Sometimes, you can simply ignore the comment and move the conversation on or walk away before an argument even begins.
Sometimes wisdom looks like walking away.
Christians have an especially good reason to do this. We don’t need to win every argument to establish our worth. Our identity is already secure in Christ.
Sometimes, Christians have a greater temptation, though. We feel the righteous need to respond. Maybe the person said something false about God or about someone else. And again, sometimes there needs to be a response, but we need wisdom. Proverbs 26-4-5 tells us,
“Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.”
It sounds contradictory at first, but this proverb is telling us that there’s a danger in responding to a fool, you may end up meeting him on his level and sounding like a fool too. The next verse, though tells us that sometimes a foolishness of the fool needs to be addressed. In other words, we need wisdom to know when to respond and wisdom in how we respond when we do. But we don’t always have to respond.
Jesus endured false accusations, insults, and mockery. At times He answered His accusers. At other times He remained silent. He was not controlled by the need to prove Himself. You don’t have to be either.
So the next time you feel yourself being pulled into a quarrel, ask whether this conversation really needs another response.
Sometimes speaking is wise. And sometimes there is honor in letting it go.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
You know how easily pride can draw me into unnecessary conflict. Forgive me for the times I have cared more about winning an argument than loving the person in front of me. Give me wisdom to know when I need to speak and when I should let something go. When difficult conversations are necessary, help me enter them with humility and love. And when they are not, give me the security to walk away in peace, remembering that my identity and worth are already secure in Christ.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
“and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:12-13)“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer begins with God’s name, God’s Kingdom, and God’s will. Then Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily needs.
But He knows we need more than bread.
So the final petitions of the Lord’s Prayer bring us face-to-face with the reality of life as sinners in a broken world.
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Christians never outgrow the need for those words.
Luther points out that we sin every day and deserve nothing but punishment. Yet, we ask our Father not to look at our sins or deny our prayers because of them. Instead, we ask Him to give everything by grace.
That is the Christian life: continually returning to God empty-handed and receiving again what Christ has already won for us.
Forgiveness:
Jesus carried your guilt to the cross. He suffered the judgment your sins deserved. So, your sins are forgiven. Because He rose again, you can approach your Father every day knowing that Christ’s death was enough.
That forgiveness also changes how we treat people who sin against us. We don’t forgive others to earn God’s forgiveness. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We give forgiveness out of the forgiveness we, ourselves, have already received.
Temptation:
Now, being forgiven, we don’t want to fall again into sin. So, Jesus teaches us to pray,
“Lead us not into temptation.”
God does not tempt us to sin, but temptation surrounds us in this life.
The devil, the world, and even our own flesh are against us, so we ask our Father to guard us.
Sometimes the victory He gives is strength to resist temptation and other times it’s a way of escape before we fall. If and when we do fall, He calls us back to repentance and the forgiveness Christ has won. Our lives as Christians are ones of repentance.
Evil:
Finally, we pray,
“Deliver us from evil.”
That petition is enormous. We are asking God to rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation. This includes disease, disaster, violence, grief, sin, the works of the devil and even death itself.
Sometimes God delivers us by removing the trouble. Sometimes He carries us through it.
And one day, He will deliver us from it completely.
That is where the Lord’s Prayer ultimately points us. We are praying toward the day when God takes us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.
Until then, we live as people who need our Father and His mercy every day.
We need forgiveness for yesterday, strength for today’s temptations, and confidence that whatever tomorrow brings, evil will not have the final word.
Jesus will.
He has already defeated sin, death, and the devil through His cross and resurrection. And the Savior who taught you to pray for deliverance will finally deliver you.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
Forgive all my sins for the sake of Jesus Christ. As You have forgiven me, help me to forgive those who sin against me. Guard me from temptation, strengthen me when I am weak, and protect me from every evil. When my last hour comes, grant me a blessed end and graciously take me from this world to Yourself. Through Jesus Christ, my Savior.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
“When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord‘s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.””
What impresses you?
Samuel thought he knew what a king looked like.
God had sent him to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel. When Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, walked in, Samuel was impressed. He apparently was tall and had the appearance of a king, because Samuel immediately thought,
“Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”
But God said no.
“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.”
Then God explains something about Himself that Samuel needed to remember:
“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
This is a lesson we would all do well to learn.
We understand Samuel’s mistake because we make it all the time. We naturally judge by what we can see. Someone appears confident, successful, intelligent, attractive, or put together, and we form an impression. Someone else seems awkward, unimpressive, or unsuccessful, and we form a different one. It’s not a coincidence that the vast majority of political leaders and even leading actors and actresses are tall and pretty good looking.
Sometimes we even do this to ourselves. We compare our appearance, accomplishments, abilities, homes, careers, or families with someone else’s and decide what that says about our worth.
It reminds me of Susan Boyle on Britain’s God Talent from several years ago. (see the video embedded below). No one was impressed with her when she walked out on stage. They judged her by her appearance, but were they ever wrong. Everyone was impressed with her when she walked off the stage having sung “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables beautifully.
But God sees what we cannot.
One by one, Jesse’s sons pass before Samuel, and one by one God says no. Eventually Samuel asks whether there are any sons left.
There is one.
David is so unlikely to be chosen that no one bothered to bring him to the gathering. He’s out watching the sheep.
Yet he is the one God chooses because of his heart.
God even said David is,
“A man after [God’s] own heart.”
This doesn’t mean David had a perfectly pure heart. The rest of his story makes that abundantly clear. David would commit terrible sins and desperately need God’s forgiveness. His hope was never that God looked inside him and found someone without sin.
Rather, God saw what Samuel could not see. He had a heart that loved God, even if imperfectly. And, according to His gracious purpose, God chose the unlikely shepherd to become king.
And through David’s family, God would eventually give Israel another King.
Jesus also didn’t look like the king people expected. He came in humility, born into an ordinary family. Isaiah had foretold that the promised Servant would have no outward majesty that would make people desire Him. Eventually, people would look at Jesus hanging helplessly on a cross and see only weakness and defeat.
But God was accomplishing salvation.
That’s worth remembering when appearances seem convincing. We see only a small part of the picture. God sees what is hidden, knows what is true, and often works through people and circumstances we would have overlooked.
So we don’t have to measure ourselves or others merely by what can be seen.
We can leave the judging of hearts to the One who actually sees them.
Let’s pray…
Heaven Father,
I am often too quick to judge by what I can see. Forgive me for measuring myself and others by outward appearances. Teach me to see people with humility and grace, and help me trust Your wisdom when Your ways are different from what I would expect. Thank You for sending Jesus, the promised King from David’s line, to save me.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.””
Have you ever known someone who seemed to just be going through the motions?
Jesus has finally reached Jerusalem for the last time.
As He approaches the city, He sends two disciples to find a colt. Then He rides into Jerusalem while crowds spread their cloaks and branches along the road, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
and welcoming Him as the One who comes in the name of the Lord. In Jesus’ day, when a king entered a town, it was common for the people to come out of the town and escort him in with songs and celebration.
Jesus is entering Jerusalem as a king.
But He is not the kind of king many expected. He does not arrive on a warhorse at the head of an army. He comes humbly, riding on a colt, fulfilling what God had promised through the prophets.
He has not come to overthrow Rome. He has come to overthrow a greater power.
The next day Jesus enters the temple and finds people buying, selling, and exchanging money. He drives them out, declaring that God’s house was meant to be “a house of prayer for all the nations,” but they had made it a den of robbers.
Jesus is not simply angry about commerce taking place in a religious building. The temple was supposed to be the place where sinners came into the presence of God, where sacrifices were offered and God’s mercy was proclaimed. Yet the religious system itself had become corrupt, both in how it carried out the religious duties with the Jews, but also in that the Jews had not been a light to the Gentiles as they were supposed to be.
The King has come, and He is judging what He finds.
That helps explain the fig tree surrounding this account. Jesus finds leaves but no fruit, and the tree withers after His judgment. Like the tree, Jerusalem’s religious life may have looked impressive, but outward appearances could not substitute for genuine faith. There was no genuine fruit of repentance and faith.
That warning applies to us as well.
It is possible to have the outward appearance of Christianity while our hearts remain far from God. Church attendance, religious knowledge, and Christian habits are good, but none of them can replace faith in Christ.
Thankfully, the King who exposes empty religion has come to do more than condemn it.
Jesus is heading toward the cross, where the old system of sacrifices will find its fulfillment in Him. He will offer Himself once for sinners and open the way into God’s presence. He would then send His Word into the world to lead people of all nations to repentance and to create faith in their hearts. Thankfully, He comes to us humbly, like Jesus on the colt, and for our salvation.
So our confidence is not in how religious we look.
It is in the King who came to save us.
Let’s pray…
Lord Jesus,
Forgive me when my faith becomes merely outward habit. Keep my heart fixed on You and Your saving work. Thank You for coming as my King and giving Yourself for me.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
You are invited to worship with us at 11:00 am on Sunday, September 6, 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.
Welcome
Opening Song: I Just Wanna Be A Sheep
Chorus:
I just wanna be a sheep, baa baa baa baa.
I just wanna be a sheep, baa baa baa baa.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
I just wanna be a sheep, baa baa baa baa.
Verse 1:
Don’t wanna be a goat…nope! Don’t wanna be a goat…nope!
Haven’t got any hope…nope! Don’t wanna be a goat…nope!
Verse 4:
Don’t wanna be a Sadducee. Don’t wanna be a Sadducee.
‘Cause they’re so sad you see. Don’t wanna be a Sadducee.
(Chorus)
Verse 5:
Just wanna be a child of God. Just wanna be a child of God.
Walkin’ the same path He trod. Just wanna be a child of God.
(Chorus) © 1974 Mission Hills Music
Invocation
Confession and Forgiveness:
P: We have come here today to worship the Lord. In worship we hear the Word of God, we receive God’s blessings, and respond with thanks and praise. We begin by seeking God’s blessing of forgiveness. He has promised to remove the guilt and shame of our sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
(a time of silence to reflect and personally confess our sins)
P: Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
P: Heavenly Father,
C: Heavenly Father,
P: I have done things that were wrong.
C: I have done things that were wrong.
P: I have been mean to others.
C: I have been mean to others.
P: I have not obeyed my parents.
C: I have not obeyed my parents.
P: I have not obeyed You, God.
C: I have not obeyed You, God.
P: But I am very sorry.
C: But I am very sorry.
P: Please forgive me.
C: Please forgive me.
P: I love You very much.
C: I love You very much.
P: And I know You love me, too.
C: And I know You love me, too.
P: Amen.
C: Amen.
P: God has heard your apology. He loves you very much. God has told us that when we believe and trust in Him, He makes us His children. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us. He has told me to tell you that you are forgiven. So, as His servant, I forgive you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Song of Praise and Thanksgiving: Jesus Loves Me
Verse 1:
Jesus loves me this I know, For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong, They are weak, but He is strong.
Chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so.
Verse 2:
Jesus loves me, He who died. Heaven’s gates to open wide.
He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in.
(Chorus) © Public Domain
First Reading – Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Children’s Message “Who Did the Work?”
Song: Amazing Grace
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.
T’was grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
than when we’ve first begun.
© Public Domain
Second Reading – Matthew 18:12–14
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Youth Message “When We Wander”
Gospel Reading – Matthew 18:15-20
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to You, O Christ.
Sermon Song: Reckless Love
Before I spoke a word You were singing over me
You have been so so good to me
Before I took a breath you breathed your life into me
You have been so so kind to me
Chorus
Oh, the overwhelming, never-Ending, reckless love of God
Oh it chases me down. Fights till I’m found. Leaves the ninety-nine
Oh I couldn’t earn it. I don’t deserve it. Still, you give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-Ending, reckless love of God
When I was your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so so Good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so so Kind to me
(Chorus)
Bridge
There’s no shadow you won’t light up
Mountain you won’t climb up coming after me
There’s no wall you won’t kick down
Lie you won’t tear down coming after me
Chorus
Oh, the overwhelming, never-Ending, reckless love of God
Oh it chases me down. Fights till I’m found. Leaves the ninety-nine
Oh I couldn’t earn it. I don’t deserve it. Still, you give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-Ending, reckless love of God
© © Heritage Worship Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing), Richmond Park Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing), Bethel Music Publishing, and Remaining portion is unffiliated
Sermon – “God’s Relentlessly Merciful Pursuit”
Prayers: Text in prayer requests to (813) 326-5255
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
Offering (Please click to give online)
Benediction – The online service ends. The closing song is below the lyrics as an embedded YouTube video.
Please see the announcements below as well.
God bless and thank you for worshiping with Faith!
Closing Song: The Wonderful Cross
Verse 1:
When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
Verse 2:
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God.
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
Chorus:
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name.
Verse 3:
See from his head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown.
Chorus:
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name.
Verse 4:
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small
Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
Chorus:
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name.
© 2000 worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP)/sixsteps Music (ASCAP) (both admin. by EMI CMG PUblishing)
Closing Song Video:
Upcoming Events
Today, 11 AM – Baptism of Kaiser Marie Mareth
Faith Lutheran Church
Today, After the Service – Pack a Sack Packing Party
Faith Lutheran Church
Sept. 10, 7 PM – Growth Group Bible Study (Online)
Zoom
Sept. 13, After the Service – In-person Bible Study
Faith Lutheran Church
Sept 13, 6 PM – Faith and Grace Youth Group
Grace Community Church
Sept 15, 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.
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord‘s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.“
Have you ever thrown something away only to discover later that it was valuable?
Maybe you were cleaning out a drawer or garage and came across something that looked useless. Only later did someone tell you,
“Do you know what that was worth?”
Or maybe it wasn’t about its monetary value, but rather you discovered later it was something you needed for a device or could have used in a project. That’s happened to me enough that I have spare parts and tools for things I’m not even sure I own anymore.
Psalm 118 describes something far more significant:
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Imagine builders examining stones for a new building. One stone doesn’t look right, so they set it aside. They reject it as unsuitable for what they’re building.
Then the master builder picks up that rejected stone and makes it the cornerstone, one of the most important stone in the entire structure. It’s the one piece to the IKEA furniture that looked strange at first, but later you find out it holds the whole thing together.
Jesus tells us that Psalm 118 was written about Him.
In Matthew 21, Jesus quotes this passage while confronting the religious leaders who rejected Him. They were supposed to be waiting for God’s Messiah. Yet when He stood right in front of them, they refused to believe.
Soon, that rejection would lead to the cross.
Jesus was betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified. The religious authorities condemned Him. The Roman government executed Him. Even His disciples scattered. By Friday afternoon, Jesus had been thoroughly rejected and discarded by his people.
But Jesus wasn’t rejected by the master builder, God the Father.
On Sunday morning, the stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone.
God raised Jesus from the dead.
Peter later used this same psalm when he preached about Jesus. He said,
“There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12).
The Savior the world rejected is the only Savior the world has…He’s the savior the world needs.
Unfortunately, things haven’t changed all that much.
People build their lives on all kinds of things: success, relationships, money, reputation, their own goodness. Those things may be gifts from God, but none of them can bear the weight of our lives. Eventually, everything in this world gives way. It all crumbles, like a house built on sand.
Jesus doesn’t. He is a strong fortress…our rock.
He has defeated the sin that condemns us and the death we cannot escape. He cast the devil down and has put him under His feet. And our salvation rests entirely on Him.
That’s why the psalm continues,
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Those words aren’t simply telling us to have a positive attitude because God gave us another day. In context, they’re celebrating what God has done with the rejected stone. The Lord has given us a Savior.
The crucified Christ is risen. The rejected stone has become the cornerstone.
And that gives us something worth rejoicing about every day.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son to save me. Forgive me for the times I build my life on things that cannot last. Keep my faith firmly grounded in Jesus, the crucified and risen cornerstone, and fill me with joy in the salvation You have given through Him.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
There is a difference between visiting somewhere and living there.
A visitor may spend a few hours in your home. They may sit at your table, enjoy a meal, and have a wonderful conversation. But eventually they leave.
Someone who lives there is different. Their presence becomes part of the rhythms of the household. They shape what happens there because this is their home.
Paul uses that kind of language when he writes,
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
God’s Word isn’t meant to be an occasional visitor.
It’s easy for that to happen. We hear Scripture on Sunday morning, perhaps read a devotion during the week, and then move on to everything else demanding our attention. Meanwhile, countless other words are dwelling with us. News reports, social media, advertising, entertainment, coworkers, friends, and our own thoughts continually tell us what is true, what matters, what we should fear, and what will make us happy.
Some of those messages are harmless. Some are helpful. Others quietly contradict what God has said.
Paul invites something better: Let the Word of Christ make its home among you.
Notice that he calls it the Word of Christ. Scripture is not simply a collection of religious information or instructions for better living. God’s Word brings us Christ. It tells us what He has done for sinners. It exposes our sin, but it also announces the Savior who carried that sin to the cross. It tells us of the empty tomb and the forgiveness, life, and salvation that are ours because Jesus lives. Christ is the Word made flesh.
And this Word does not merely inform us. God works through it.
God’s Word is living and active. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to create and strengthen faith. Through God’s Word, God comforts troubled consciences, corrects us when we wander, gives wisdom when we do not know what to do, and continually turns our eyes back toward Christ.
Paul also describes something we can easily overlook. He isn’t speaking merely to individual Christians having private devotional time. He tells the whole congregation to let Christ’s Word dwell among them as they teach and admonish “one another.”
The Christian faith was never intended to be lived alone.
We need other Christians to speak God’s Word to us. Sometimes that happens from the pulpit, but sometimes it happens in Bible study or around the dinner table. It can happens when a Christian friend reminds us of a promise we desperately need to hear.
Paul even mentions singing. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs put God’s truth on our lips and into our memories. Long after a sermon has faded from memory, a hymn learned years ago can suddenly return with exactly the words we need.
One of the neat things many people who have cared for the aged have discovered, especially when there are memory issues, is that certain things stick. It’s not uncommon for someone who can’t hold a conversation with you to be able to pray the Lord’s Prayer with you or sing “Amazing Grace.” That Word, those songs, are firmly in the person’s heart and mind.
So let the Word of Christ dwell richly among you. Hear it. Read it. Sing it. Speak it to one another.
Because in His Word, Christ comes to us with His gifts and transforms us. He dwells with us.
Let’s pray…
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving me Your Word and, through it, continually pointing me to Your Son. Forgive me for the many other voices I allow to shape my thoughts while neglecting the voice that gives me truth and life.
Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in me and among Your people. Through Your Holy Spirit, use it to correct me, comfort me, strengthen my faith, and keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. Give me opportunities also to speak Your Word to others so that together we may encourage one another in Christ.
Through Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
