The Eighteenth Sunday after the Festival
of the Holy Trinity
The Twentieth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
Money “Matters”
A man had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. He wasn’t supposed to receive many visitors because he couldn’t get all that excited. While in the hospital a rich uncle died and left him ten million dollars. His family wondered how to break the news to him with the least amount of excitement. It was decided to ask his pastor if he would go and break the news quietly to the man. The pastor went, and gradually led up to the question. He asked the patient what he might ever do if he inherited ten million dollars. He said, “I think I would give half of it to the church.”………….The pastor dropped dead.
It’s a cute story…..but one that also can help us to pause and ponder this question: “What would I do if, suddenly, a small fortune was literally dropped into my lap?” …..Would I give half – or any – of it to my church? (And, would my pastor fall over dead, from shock, if I did?)……Would I use it to pay off all my debts? Would I use it to set myself and my family up for a more secure future? Could I even use some of it to “enjoy life” by taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to an exotic place. Would I, perhaps, buy myself a few of those luxury “toys” (like a really fancy sports car) I’ve always admired but have never been able to afford?……… Just what would I (or you) do if we suddenly inherited a small fortune?
As Christians – and whether or note we ever receive a large inheritance – you and I ought to always approach our management (or stewardship) of life’s blessings from a decidedly Christian perspective, asking “how can I be sure that what I do with the material assets God entrusts to me is pleasing to my LORD – and not sinful?”
Obviously, the answer to that question can be found – not in our hearts or feelings, but – only in God’s Word. And so this morning we’re going to be heading into the Word of our Lord, as we always do, but this time to consider the topic of “Money matters.” In particular, we’ll be addressing the issues of (1) why God gives His children material resources [and everything we have comes from and belongs to the Lord – see Psalm 24:1]; and (2) how we’re supposed to mange God’s assets so that He regards us as His wise and faithful stewards.
In order to accomplish those goals, we’re going to start by going to the Old Testament book of Malachi. Here the Lord rebukes the people of Judah for their unfaithfulness and selfishness in the matter of their bringing offerings to Him. Although He deserved their very best offerings, they had been robbing God by giving Him inferior, lesser-quality offerings compared to what they were keeping for themselves. In our reading the Lord challenges them (and us) to be more faithful and more generous in bringing Him our best offerings possible. He further promises that He will be even more generous to those who bring Hm generous “first fruits” offerings.
“First fruits,” incidentally, refers to that produce which not only comes off the vine/tree first, but which is typically the largest and best fruit. In our Children’s Lesson we’ll talk more about “first-fruits,” tithing (the Old Testament practice of giving the Lord 1/10th of ones income as an offering), and the believer’s desire to be generous (rather than selfish) with our offerings…. through a visual lesson built around ten apples.
In today’s Epistle Lesson Paul encourages the Christians in the congregation at Corinth to participate in a church-wide benevolence offering for their fellow believers in Jerusalem who were in material need. He motivates them — not with threats, feelings of guilt, or the false “carrot” that they might earn God’s favor through giving sizeable gifts, but – with the example of Christ’s selfless sacrifice for their souls’ salvation. He also reminds them that those who are “cheap” when it comes to their giving to the Lord should not expect abundant generosity from the LORD in return.
In this morning’s Gospel Lesson Jesus teaches us that those who love their material possessions and wealth more than they love the Lord are not nearly as wealthy as they might think…..no matter how much they possess. In fact, their love for the material things and comforts of life can cost them eternally, if they make their possessions their idol.
Finally, this morning’s Sermon – titled “How you ‘Mite’ Give Y Your Offerings” – will be based on the account of the “Widow’s Mite” and the generosity of that woman who truly gave it all (all she had) as an offering to her Lord. Please keep in mind that God does not require us to return to Him every penny that we possess (which He’s entrusted to us). However, as New Testament Christians who have been freed from obligation to the OT Jewish religious/ceremonial laws (see Colossians 2:16-17, among others), while we aren’t bound to give Him everything (like the widow did), or even 10 percent of our income and assets (the tithe to which OT believers were bound) as offerings to Him, God does expect us to be gratefully generous in our giving. And what will motivate us in our Christian giving (of our treasures, as well as our time and talents) is not the tithing Law of God that the Old Testament believers had to obey. Instead what should move us to give our Savior-God our heart-felt, best offerings is the love of Christ our Savior for us and the genuineness of our love for Him. He gave us far more than all the money in the world could buy when, in love, Jesus sacrificed Himself for us and our salvation. Consequently, we have no way to adequately “repay” Christ…..nor does He require repayment. But we can and – I pray – will want to show our genuine thanks by the way in which we bring Him grateful, generous offerings as our way of saying “Thank you, Lord, for all that You have given and have done for me.”
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version
Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission. Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-Service Prayer Lord God, merciful Father, I thank You that You have safely brought me to this hour of worship. Through Your Holy Spirit open my heart to the wondrous truths of Your salvation which I will hear this morning and grant new strength to my faith and greater confidence in You to my soul. Bless the preaching and teaching of Your Word both in our congregation and throughout Your Church on earth. Give power and conviction to Your ministers here and everywhere, that their testimony to Your holiness, sovereignty, and grace may be clear and true to Your revealed Word. Grant me the grace to bring all my sin-burdens before Your altar and leave them there at Your feet. Keep me from mere formalism in my worship, from praying with my lips while my heart is far from you, and from failing to personalize Your words of rebuke, instruction and comfort that I will soon be hearing. Receive my offerings, humble though they are, as expressions both of my trust in You as the Provider of all good things and of my commitment to being a partner in the growth of Your Kingdom. And, after this service closes, enable me to live according to Your Word and for Your glory throughout this week. All this I ask, in the name and for the sake of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Silent Prayer on entering the chapel
Pre service music
The Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
We Begin Our Worship
The Opening Hymn Hymn 304 Jesus, Sinners Does Receive
1 Jesus sinners does receive; Oh, may all this saying ponder
Who in sin’s delusions live And from God and heaven wander.
Here is hope for all who grieve– Jesus sinners does receive.
2 We deserve but grief and shame, Yet his words, rich grace revealing,
Pardon, peace, and life proclaim; Here their ills have perfect healing
Who with humble hearts believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
3 Sheep that from the fold did stray Are not by the Lord forsaken;
Weary souls who lost their way Are by Christ, the shepherd, taken
In his arms that they may live– Jesus sinners does receive.
4 Come, O sinners, one and all, Come, accept his invitation.
Come, obey his gracious call; Come and take his free salvation!
Firmly in these words believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
5 I, a sinner, come to you With a penitent confession.
Savior, show me mercy, too; Grant for all my sins remission.
Let these words my soul relieve– Jesus sinners does receive.
6 Oh, how blest is it to know, Were as scarlet my transgression,
It shall be as white as snow By your blood and bitter passion,
For these words I do believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
7 Jesus sinners does receive. Even I have been forgiven.
And when I this earth must leave, I shall find an open heaven.
Dying, still to him I cleave– Jesus sinners does receive.
After which the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
We Make Confession of Our Sins To God
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, + I confess that I am by nature sinful + and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; + I have done what is evil in Your
sight + and have failed to do what is good. + For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, + both now and for eternity. + But I am truly sorry for all my sins, + and trusting in the perfect life + and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, + I plead: + God have mercy on me, a sinner.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, under His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you.
Congregation Amen.
Lord Have Mercy
P: For all that we need in life, and for the wisdom to use all Your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.
C: (sung) Lord have mercy
p: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from Your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ:
C: (Sung) Christ have mercy.
P: For the well-being of Your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord
C: (Sung) Lord have mercy.
p: Merciful God, Maker and Preserver of life, uphold us by Your power, and keep us in Your tender care:
C: (sung) Amen.
P: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; His name is worthy of praise.
(Sung) O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
Almighty God, merciful Father, Your crown our life with Your love.
You take away our sin; You comfort our spirit;
You make us pure and holy in Your sight.
You did not spare Your only Son, but gave Him up for us all.
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
O Son of God, eternal Word of the Father,
You came to live with us; You made Your Father known;
You washed us from our sins in Your own blood.
You are the King of glory; You are the Lord!
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
The Early Prayer
Almighty and merciful God, + You never despise what You have made + and always forgive those who turn to You. + Create in us such new and contrite hearts + that we may truly repent of all our sins + and obtain Your assurance of our full and gracious pardon; + through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, + Who lives and reigns along with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one true God, + now and forever.
+ Amen.
after which the Congregation may be seated
We Give Our Attention to The Word of Our Lord
The Children’s Lesson Proverbs 3:9-10
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits from your entire harvest.
10 Then your barns will be filled to capacity,
and your wine vats will overflow with fresh wine.
Left-Overs….or….First fruits: What Do You Offer?
The Old Testament Lesson Malachi 3:6-12
6 Certainly I, the Lord, do not change. That is why you, sons of Jacob, have not come to an end. 7 Since the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.
You say, “In what way should we return?”
8 Will a man rob God? You are robbing Me!
You say, “How have we robbed You?”
In regard to the tithe and the special offering. 9 You are being cursed since all of you, the whole nation, are robbing Me. 10 Bring the complete tithe to the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Just test Me in this, says the Lord of Armies. See whether I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour down blessing on you, until there is more than enough. 11 I will restrain the devouring swarm so that it will not destroy your produce from your soil. Your vine in the field will not be without fruit, says the Lord of Armies. 12 All the nations will call you blessed, because you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of Armies.
The Epistle Lesson II Corinthians 8:1-12; 9:6-15
Now brothers, we want you to know about the grace of God that was given in the churches of Macedonia: 2 In a severe test of trouble, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty overflowed into an abundance of their generosity. 3 I testify that of their own free will they gave according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, 4 pleading with us with an urgent request for the gracious privilege of joining in this service to the saints. 5 And they did this not as we had expected, but in keeping with God’s will they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us. 6 As a result we urged Titus, since he had already made a beginning, to bring to completion this gracious gift on your part. 7 But just as you overflow in every way—in faith, in word, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you also overflow in this gracious gift.
8 I do not say this as a command, but to test how genuine your love is, by comparing it with the eagerness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.
10 And I am giving advice in this matter because it is going to be helpful for you. Last year, you were not only the first to take action, but also the first to be willing. 11 Now bring the work to completion too, so that your eagerness to start may be matched by your completing it with what you have. 12 For if the eagerness is there, a gift is acceptable according to what someone has, not according to what he does not have.
……6 This is what I mean: The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. The one who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each one should give as he has determined in his heart, not reluctantly or under pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will overflow in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He scattered; He gave to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”
10 And He Who provides seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing, and will increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you may be generous in every way, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.
12 To be sure, the administration of this service is not only making up for what is lacking among the saints, but it is also overflowing in many prayers of thanksgiving to God. 13 By proving yourselves in this service, many people are glorifying God, as they see the obedience shown in your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity shown in your sharing with them and all people. 14 At the same time as they pray for you, they also express their longing for you, because of the extraordinary measure of God’s grace given to you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Verse of the Day
Alleluia. Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. Alleluia.
The Gospel Lesson Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed Me to be a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 Then He said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because a man’s life is not measured by how many possessions he has.”
16 He told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced very well. 17 He was thinking to himself, ‘What will I do, because I do not have anywhere to store my crops?’ 18 He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and goods. 19 And I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your soul will be demanded from you. Now who will get what you have prepared?’
21 “That is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 485 We Give Thee But Thine Own
1 We give thee but thine own, Whate’er the gift may be;
All that we have is thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from thee.
2 May we thy bounties thus As stewards true receive
And gladly, as thou blessest us, To thee our firstfruits give.
3 Oh, hearts are bruised and dead, And homes are bare and cold,
And lambs for whom the shepherd bled Are straying from the fold.
4 To comfort and to bless, To find a balm for woe,
To tend the lone and fatherless, Is angels’ work below.
5 The captives to release, To God the lost to bring,
To teach the way of life and peace– It is a Christ-like thing.
6 And we believe thy Word Though dim our faith may be:
Whate’er for thine we do, O Lord, We do it unto thee.
After which, at the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Pre-Sermon Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! Amen.
The Sermon Luke 21:1-4
Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the offering box. 2 He saw a poor widow there putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than everyone, 4 for all these put in some of their leftovers as gifts to God, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”
How You “Mite” Give Your Offerings?
After the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May the God of peace, Who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, now equip you with everything good for doing His will! Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts and Prayers to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
We will be passing an offering plate through our chapel at this point. For those unable to worship with us in person, if you would like to participate in this offering, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
As the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation rises for prayer
The Litany Prayer
P Lord God, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier:
C: We humbly come before Your throne of grace, + asking for Your blessings upon the Church at large, + our congregation, + and each one of us.
P Fill us with thankful hearts for every gift, opportunity, and challenge that You provide.
C: Merciful God, though we do not deserve them, + continue to grant us our daily bread + and all of our other needs of body and spirit.
P Instill in us, as Your people, a genuine hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Allow us to continue to properly read, learn, and inwardly digest Your holy, true and mighty Word –
C: that our hearts and minds might remain firmly focused on You + as the true God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that we might be eternally sustained + in this one, true, saving Christian faith.
P: Grant us all a strong faith especially in those times when we face temptation and doubt, so that we might trust in You with unwavering confidence.
C: Guard us from the wiles of the Devil, + the ways of this wicked world, + and our own sinful nature. + Preserve us from all forms of selfish love and sinful ambition.
P: We also ask for your blessing our nation and all its residents, as well a for every country on earth. But we especially pray for all those people who are in harm’s way – particularly those serving in our military and in our country’s law-enforcement agencies – Almighty God we implore You to continue to send Your protective angels + to guard both the defenseless and those who defend others.
C: We further pray for those who are sick + and those who are suffering in the midst of injuries, difficulties, + heartache, loneliness and other sources of pain. + Enable them to fix their eyes and hearts on You, Lord, + trusting in You day by day + for healing, relief, strength, and hope.
P: Lord God, work powerfully through Your Spirit in the hearts of those who do not yet believe, that none might perish eternally, but instead will be brought to that land flowing with milk and honey—heaven itself.
C: That we might personally share in extending Your kingdom, + grant each of us such a faith + that we will boldly and confidently confess You + through our lives and with our voices + as the only true God, + upon Whom – alone – our everlasting salvation depends.
P: For all other things unspoken and hidden in our hearts, we pray that You, O Lord, would give Your gracious and wise attention to our necessities and desires, conforming all our hopes and needs to Your perfect will. In closing, we commend ourselves and all those for which we pray into Your hands, O Lord, trusting in Your mercy, for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In His name we offer this prayer and continue now, by praying:
C: 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.
We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation (Sung) And also with You
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation (Sung) We lift them up to the Lord
Pastor – Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation (Sung) It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Pastor – It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, and placed all things under His feet for the benefit of the Church. Now have come the salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ., To Him Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and thanks and glory and honor for ever and ever.
Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The whole earth is full of Your glory.
You are my God and I will exalt You.
I will give You thanks for You have become my salvation.
Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of Your glory.
Consecration of the Communion Elements (Pastor)
Pastor The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation (Sung) Amen.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
Grant us Your peace. Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper
The Distribution of the Lord’s Supper
The Distribution Hymn “Your Table I Approach” (TLH 310)
1 Your Table I approach; Dear Savior, hear my prayer;
Oh, let no unrepented sin Prove hurtful to me there!
2 Lord, I confess my sins And mourn their wretched bands;
A contrite heart is sure to find Forgiveness at Your hands.
3 Your body and Your blood, Once slain and shed for me,
Are taken here with mouth and soul, In blest reality.
4 Search not how this takes place, This wondrous mystery;
God can accomplish vastly more Than what we think could be.
5 O grant, most blessed Lord, That earth and hell combined
May not about this sacrament Raise doubt within my mind.
6 Oh, may I never fail To thank You day and night
For Your true body and true blood, O God, my Peace and Light.
The Second Communion Hymn Hymn 309
“Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord”
1 Draw near and take the body of the Lord,
And drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
Offered was he for greatest and for least,
Himself the victim and himself the priest.
2 He that his saints in this world rules and shields
To all believers life eternal yields,
With heav’nly bread makes them that hunger whole,
Gives living waters to the thirsty soul.
3 Come forward, then, with faithful hearts sincere,
And take the pledges of salvation here.
Before your altar, Lord, your servants bow;
In this your feast of love be with us now.
After the distribution of the elements is completed
the Congregation will be invited to rise for
We Conclude our Worship
The Closing Prayer
Hear the prayer of Your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised You here may glorify You in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of Your Son may long for His coming again, and that all who have received in His true body and blood the pledge of Your forgiveness, may be restored to live a new and holy life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
The Benediction
P: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord in gladness.
The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD look upon you with favor, and give you peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 486 Lord of Glory You Has Bought Us
verses 1, 2, & 5
1 Lord of glory, you have bought us With your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice,
And with that have freely given Blessings countless as the sand
To th’ unthankful and the evil With your own unsparing hand.
2 Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give you Gladly, freely, of your own.
With the sunshine of your goodness Melt our thankless hearts of stone
Till our cold and selfish natures, Warmed by you, at length believe
That more happy and more blessed ‘Tis to give than to receive.
5 Lord of glory, you have bought us With your lifeblood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice.
Give us faith to trust you boldly, Hope, to stay our souls on you;
But, oh, best of all your graces, With your love our love renew.
Silent Prayer
Announcements, Post-Service Music