| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God (LSB 941)
We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord, The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored. To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing, The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring: “O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth; Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”
The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise; The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise. The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng, Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song: “O all-majestic Father, Your true and only Son, And Holy Spirit, Comforter—forever Three in One!”
You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son, Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ryone: You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb, Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb; Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve— You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand, Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command. We know that You will come as our Judge that final day, So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray; May we with saints be numbered where praises never end, In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Opening Sentences - Titus 3:3–7 P: For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, C: passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. P: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, C: He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, P: by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, C: whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, P: so that being justified by His grace C: we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Confession and Absolution P: In that divine hope, let us confess our sins to God our Father. C: Merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You by not letting You have Your way with us. We have become deaf to Your Word. Because of our weak love for You and for our neighbor, we have become fruitless trees deserving only Your judgment. Therefore, we return to You today asking Your forgiveness and for the strengthening of our faith and love. By Your Word, restore us and renew us for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. P: Fruitful trees, the Spirit’s sowing: upon this, your confession, I by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word announce the grace of God to you, and 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.
+ Word +
Introit P: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. C: As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; P: for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. C: But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, P: to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. C: The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen P: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – 1 Timothy 1:1–20 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Romans 8:12–17 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the thirteenth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” …“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
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 thence 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.
Children’s Hymn – Jesus, Name Above All Names (AGPS 145)
Jesus, name above all names, Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord, Emmanuel, God is with us Blessed Redeemer, living Word.
Jesus, loving shepherd Vine of the branches, Son of God Prince of Peace, Wonderful counselor Lord of the universe, Light of the World.
Children’s Message – Tim Cosby
Hymn of the Day – When Morning Gilds the Skies (LSB 807)
When morning gilds the skies, My heart, awaking, cries, “May Jesus Christ be praised!” When evening shadows fall, This rings my curfew call: “May Jesus Christ be praised!”
When mirth for music longs, This is my song of songs: “May Jesus Christ be praised!” God’s holy house of prayer Hath none that can compare With “Jesus Christ be praised!”
No lovelier antiphon In all high heav’n is known Than “Jesus Christ be praised!” There to the_eternal Word The_eternal psalm is heard: “May Jesus Christ be praised!”
Ye nations of mankind, In this your concord find: “May Jesus Christ be praised!” Let all the earth around Ring joyous with the sound: “May Jesus Christ be praised!”
Sing, suns and stars of space, Sing, ye that see His face, Sing, “Jesus Christ be praised!” God’s whole creation o’er, Both now and evermore Shall Jesus Christ be praised!
Sermon
Offertory | 
