Virtual Service for June 6, 2021
Second Sunday after Pentecost
PRELUDE
Ave Verum Corpus, W.A. Mozart
GATHERING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
A house divided against itself cannot stand. Jesus makes this observation in light of charges that he is possessed. He is possessed, not by a demon, but by the Holy Spirit. We who have received the Holy Spirit through baptism have been joined to Christ’s death and resurrection and knit together in the body of Christ. Those with whom we sing and pray this day are Jesus’ family. With them we go forth in peace to do the will of God.
The congregation stands.
GATHERING HYMN
\Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty (LBW 250) Vs. 1-2, 5
1. Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
where my soul in joyful duty
waits for God who answers prayer.
Oh, how blessed is this place,
filled with solace, light, and grace!
2. Gracious God, I come before thee;
come thou also unto me;
where we find thee and adore thee,
there a heav'n on earth must be.
To my heart, oh, enter thou,
let it be thy temple now!
5. Speak, O God, and I will hear thee,
let thy will be done indeed;
may I undisturbed draw near thee
while thou dost thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows;
here is balm for all our woes.
Text: Benjamin Schmolck, 1672-1737; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, alt.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity,☩ one God,
the God of manna,
the God of miracles,
the God of mercy.
Amen.
Drawn to Christ and seeking God’s abundance,
let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God, our provider,
help us.
It is hard to believe there is enough to share.
We question your ways when they differ from the ways
of the world in which we live.
We turn to our own understanding
rather than trusting in you.
We take offense at your teachings and your ways.
Turn us again to you.
Where else can we turn?
Share with us the words of eternal life
and feed us for life in the world.
Amen.
Beloved people of God:
in Jesus, the manna from heaven,
you are fed and nourished.
By Jesus, the worker of miracles,
there is always more than enough.
Through Jesus, ☩ the bread of life,
you are shown God’s mercy:
you are forgiven and loved into abundant life.
Amen.
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
All-powerful God, in Jesus Christ you turned death into life and defeat into victory. Increase our faith and trust in him, that we may triumph over all evil in the strength of the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
WORD
FIRST READING
Genesis 3:8-15
A reading from Genesis.
Immediately after Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, they hide from God. Neither takes responsibility for their sin, instead blaming each other, the snake, and even God. The curse on the snake was understood as a messianic prophecy by the early church, who associated Eve’s “offspring” with Christ.
[Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you among all animals
and among all wild creatures;
upon your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALMODY
Psalm 103
Out of the depths
I cry to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If you were to keep watch over sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
Yet with you is forgiveness,
in order that you may be feared.
I wait for you, O Lord; my soul waits;
in your word is my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than those who keep watch for the morning,
more than those who keep watch for the morning.
O Israel, wait for the Lord, for with the Lord there is steadfast love;
with the Lord there is plenteous redemption.
For the Lord shall redeem Israel
from | all their sins.
SECOND READING
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
A reading from 2 Corinthians.
Life in the present is transitory and cannot compare with the eternal home God has prepared for us. So we do not despair no matter what life might bring because we know that as God raised Jesus from the dead, God promises to bring us into eternal life.
Just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The congregation stands.
GOSPEL
Mark 3:20-35
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
In response to charges that he is possessed, Jesus wonders aloud how anyone who is demon-possessed can cast out demons. Those who do the will of God are possessed by the Holy Spirit, siblings of Christ.
[Jesus went home;] and the crowd came together again, so that [Jesus and the disciples] could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The congregation is seated.
SERMON
Breaking Free of the “Strong Man”!
Pastor Harkness
The congregation stands.
HYMN OF THE DAY
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LBW 229)
1. A mighty fortress is our God,
a sword and shield victorious;
he breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
and wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
has sworn to work us woe!
With craft and dreadful might
he arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.
2. No strength of ours can match his might!
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
whom God himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is he!
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.
3. Though hordes of devils fill the land
all threat'ning to devour us,
we tremble not, unmoved we stand;
they cannot overpow'r us.
Let this world's tyrant rage;
in battle we'll engage!
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.
4. God's Word forever shall abide,
no thanks to foes, who fear it;
for God himself fights by our side
with weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
goods, honor, child, or spouse,
though life be wrenched away,
they cannot win the day.
The kingdom's ours forever!
Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship
Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
AFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM: CONFIRMATION
The congregation is seated.
A pastor addresses the congregation.
Dear friends, we give thanks for the gift of baptism and for these people, one with us in the body of Christ, who are making public affirmation of their baptism.
Those making affirmation are presented by a representative of the congregation:
I present Andrew Patrick Eisele, who desires to make public affirmation of his baptism.
The pastor continues with prayer.
Let us pray.
Merciful God, we thank you for this brother,
whom you have made your own by water and the Word in baptism.
You have called him to yourself,
Enlightened him with the gifts of your Spirit,
and nourished him in the community of faith.
Uphold your servants in the gifts and promises of baptism,
and unite the hearts of all whom you have brought to new birth.
We ask this in the name of Christ.
Amen.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
A pastor addresses those making public affirmation of baptism.
The congregation stands and joins in the responses.
I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church.
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God,
the powers of this world that rebel against God,
and the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
*Or, “he descended into hell,” another translation of this text in widespread use.
The congregation is seated.
AFFIRMATION
The minister addresses those making public affirmation of baptism.
You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism:
to live among God’s faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?
Response: I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.
A pastor addresses the congregation.
People of God, do you promise to support this brother and pray for him in this life in Christ?
We do, and we ask God to help and guide us.
Those making affirmation kneel. A pastor prays for God’s blessing.
Let us pray. We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give us new birth, cleanse us from sin, and raise us to eternal life.
The pastors lay both hands on the head of the person and say:
Father in heaven, for Jesus’ sake, stir up in Andrew Patrick the gift of your Holy Spirit; confirm his faith, guide his life, empower him in his serving, give him patience in suffering, and bring him to everlasting life. Amen.
Those making public affirmation stand and face the assembly, who also stand.
Let us rejoice with this brother in Christ.
We rejoice with you in the life of baptism.
Together we will give thanks and praise to God
and proclaim the good news to all the world.
The Congregation stands.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Let us come before the triune God in prayer.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord, in your mercy,” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
We lift our prayers to you, O God, trusting in your abiding grace.
Amen.
The congregation is seated.
OFFFERING
OFFERTORY
Give me Jesus African, Spiritual arranged by Jeremy Camp
Solo: Chris Simcox
The congregation stands.
OFFERING PRAYER
Jesus, Bread of life,
you have set this table with your very self,
and called us to the feast of plenty.
Gather what has been sown among us,
and strengthen us in this meal.
Make us to be what we receive here,
your body for the life of the world.
Amen.
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.
SENDING
BLESSING
The blessing of God,
who provides for us, feeds us, and journeys with us,
☩ be upon you now and forever.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN
Rise, Shine, You People! (LBW 393)
1. Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered
our human story; God in him is centered.
He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,
with grace unbounded.
2. See how he sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;
he brings us freedom, light and life and healing.
All men and women, who by guilt are driven,
now are forgiven.
3. Come, celebrate; your banners high unfurling,
your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.
To all the world go out and tell the story
of Jesus’ glory.
4. Tell how the Father sent his Son to save us.
Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.
Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation
his new creation.
Text: Ronald A. Klug, b. 1939, alt.
© 1974 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. You are the body of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
The King of Love My Shepherd Is, Henry Baker
From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SB125183.
Permission to reprint, podcast, and / or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-738200. All rights reserved.
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