The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost July 26, 2020 10:30 a.m.

PRELUDE “Bist du bei mir” J. S. Bach

OPENING HYMN “God, When Human Bonds Are Broken” (see end of bulletin)

INVOCATION AND PRAYER OF THE DAY

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from generation to generation. Amen.

Let us pray. Beloved and sovereign God, through the death and resurrection of your Son you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy. By your Spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

READING Romans 8:26-39 26The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.   28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.   31What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who

indeed intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor 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.

Word of God. Word of life. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 The holy gospel according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.

31[Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field;32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”   33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”   44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.   45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.   47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.   51“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY “The Reign of God, Like a Farmer’s Field” (see end of bulletin)

CANTICLE During this Pentecost season we are exploring the great canticles of the church, many of which are creedal in nature. This morning we use the traditional canticle for Morning Prayer - the “Benedictus es,” Zechariah’s song from the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel. A canticle, by narrow definition, is a Psalm-like (song) text found in another part of scripture - but can also be an historic composite of related scriptural passages.

Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel,

you have come to your people and set them free. You have raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of your servant David. Through your holy prophets, you promised of old to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us, to show mercy to our forebears, and to remember your holy covenant. This was the oath you swore to Abraham and Sarah: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship you without fear, holy and righteous before you, all the days of our life. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way, to give God’s people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Confident of your care and helped by the Holy Spirit, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

Each petition ends: God of love, hear our prayer.

In the certain hope that nothing can separate us from your love, we offer these prayers to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

BENEDICTION 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.

God, the creator, ☩ Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the comforter, bless you and keep you in eternal love. Amen.

CLOSING HYMN “O For a Closer Walk with God” Charles Villiers Stanford

O for a closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame; a light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb!

Return, O Holy Dove, return, sweet messenger of rest; I hate the sins that made thee mourn,

and drove thee from my breast.

So shall my walk be close with God, calm and serene my frame; so purer light shall mark the road that leads me to the Lamb.

William Cowper (1731-1800)

PEACE The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you.

POSTLUDE Variations on “In the Garden” arr. Charles Schuetze

Chancel flowers this weekend are given by the Floral Guild. If you wish to donate

flowers, contact Judy Korogi 10 days in advance at 612-788-1288.

SHARE THE PEACE VIDEOS Following the postlude we will be posting

“sharing the peace” videos. Please consider sending a video from you/your

household to Pastor Stephanie at sfriesen@centralmpls.org by Thursday for

posting the next Saturday/Sunday.

Worship Leaders Preaching: Pastor Peter Nycklemoe Presiding: Pastor Melissa Pohlman Assisting: Pastor Stephanie Friesen

Harpist: Nikki Christopher Organist: Deacon Cantor Mark Sedio Quartet: Froya Olson, Robin Helgen,

Bill Pederson, David Gindra Sound and Video: Mark Kieffer

Stanzas 1, 2 and 4

Reprinted under OneLicense A-704051

Reprinted under OneLicense A-704051

The Reign of God, Like a Farmer’s Field