The Virtual Service for September 20, 2020
Worship for Sunday, September 20, 2020
16th Sunday after Pentecost
GATHERING
For the Fruits of All Creation
Francis Jackson
Covered by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
For the fruit of all creation,
thanks be to God.
For God's gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labor
In the help we give our neighbor,
God's will be done.
In our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing,
God's will be done.
For the harvests of the Spirit,
For the good we all inherit,
God’s will be done.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
Most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God
thanks be to God
thanks be to God.
Introduction to the day
Matthew narrates one of Jesus’ controversial parables in which Jesus says that the reign of God is like that of a landowner who pays his workers the same wage no matter what time of day they began to work. When God changes God’s mind about punishing Nineveh for their evil ways, Jonah is angry. Yet God is gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love. In baptism we receive the grace of God that is freely given to all. As Martin Luther wrote, in the presence of God’s mercy we are all beggars.
GATHERING SONG
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (ELW 733)
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who creates, redeems, and sustains us and all of creation.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Faithful God,
have mercy on us.
We confess that we are captive to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
We turn from your loving embrace
and go our own ways.
We pass judgment on one another
before examining ourselves.
We place our own needs before those of our neighbors.
We keep your gift of salvation to ourselves.
Make us humble, cast away our transgressions,
and turn us again to life in you
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God hears the cries of all who call out in need,
and through his death and resurrection,
Christ has made us his own.
Hear the truth that God proclaims:
Your sins are forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ.
Led by the Holy Spirit, live in freedom and newness
to do God’s work in the world.
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
KYRIE
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in the world, for the health of the church, for the unity of all;
for this holy house, for all who worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
That we may live out your impassioned response to the hungry and the poor;
that we may live out truth and justice and grace,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For peace in our hearts, for peace in our homes, for friends and family;
for life and for love, for our work and our play,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
For your Spirit to guide; that you center our lives in the water and the Word;
that you nourish our souls with your body and blood,
let us pray to the Lord, let us pray to the Lord
Kyrie eleison, on our world and on our way,
Kyrie eleison, ev’ry day.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, you show perpetual lovingkindness to us your servants. Because we cannot rely on our own abilities, grant us your merciful judgment, and train us to embody the generosity of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORD
THE READING Jonah 3:10--4:11
A reading from Jonah.
After Jonah’s short sermon in 3:4, the Ninevites all repented and God decided to spare the city. Jonah objected to this and became even more angry when God ordered a worm to destroy a plant that was providing shade. The book ends with a question that challenges any who are not ready to forgive: You, Jonah, are all worked up about a bush, but shouldn’t I be concerned about a hundred and twenty thousand Ninevites?
10When God saw what [the people of Ninevah] did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
4:1But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2He prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
9But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” 10Then the Lord said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MUSICAL MEDITATION
Reckless Love
Caleb Culver | Cory Asbury | Ran Jackson
© 2017 Cory Asbury Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)
Richmond Park Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Watershed Worship Publishing (Admin. by Watershed Music Group)
Bethel Music Publishing
Covered by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
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 in me
You have been so so kind to me
O the overwhelming never-ending reckless
Love of God
O it chases me down fights 'til I'm found
Leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it I don't deserve it
Still You give Yourself away
O 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
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
O the overwhelming never-ending reckless
Love of God
O it chases me down fights 'til I'm found
Leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it I don't deserve it
Still You give Yourself away
O the overwhelming never-ending reckless
Love of God
the overwhelming never-ending reckless
Love of God
GOSPEL: Matthew 20:1-16
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
[Jesus said to the disciples:] 1“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
Amazing Grace
Pastor Carlson
HYMN OF THE DAY
Give Me Jesus (ELW 770)
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Drawn together in the compassion of God, we pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is, ”Hear our Prayer.”
The Prayers conclude:
All these things and whatever else you see that we need, we entrust to your mercy; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
OFFERING
ANTHEM
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Tomlin & Giglio
William Lutz, solo
OFFERING PRAYER
Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.
You have set before us these gifts of your good creation.
Prepare us for your heavenly banquet,
nourish us with this rich food and drink,
and send us forth to set tables in the midst of a suffering world,
through the bread of life, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
BENEDICTION
Mothering God,
Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless you and lead you into the way of truth and life.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Remember the poor.
Thanks be to God.
SENDING SONG
On Our Way Rejoicing (ELW 537)
SENDING
Now Thank We All Our God (Nun danket alle Gott)
Johann Crüger | Martin Rinkart
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices
Who wondrous things has done
In whom God’s world rejoices
Who from our mother's arms
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today
O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us
Please keep us in your grace
And guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next
_____
From sundaysandseasons.com.
Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
