09/06/26

As We Gather

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 6, 2026

Welcome 

Opening Hymn                      Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now                     LSB 902

Invocation, Confession and Absolution      (Psalm 32:1-7)

P:   We gather at the invitation of our great and gracious triune God:

C:   In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

P:   Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  

C:   Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

P:   When I kept silent, my bones wasted away 

C:   through my groaning all day long. 

P:   For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; 

C:   my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 

P:   Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. 

C:   I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— 

All:   and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

P:   Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; 

C:   surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 

P:   You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble 

C:   and surround me with songs of deliverance.

C:   Almighty and merciful God, like the Psalmist, we too suffer from unconfessed guilt and do not recognize the shame we walk in. Thank you for bringing to our minds the need to be honest with You and one another so that in the forgiveness You grant we may honor You rightly with our lives. We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   Brothers and sisters in Christ, be reminded that God’s forgiveness is free and full. As a called and ordained servant of Jesus Christ and by His authority, I declare that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the ✠Son and of the Holy Spirit. Be at peace with God, for He is at peace with you!

C:   Thank You Lord for the mercy and grace that is always through Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Hymn of Praise                      The Lord, My God, Be Praised                      LSB 794  vs 1-3

Prayer of the Day

All:  O God, from whom all good proceeds, grant to us, Your humble servants, Your holy inspiration, that we may set our minds on the things that are good, true, and right and, by Your merciful guiding, accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

OT Lesson                                (Ezekiel warns the wicked.)                           Ezekiel  33:7–9

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself. 

NT Lesson              (Paul reflects on the source of all authority)         Romans 13:1–10

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Gospel Lesson             (Responding to God’s grace with childlike faith)         Matt. 18:1–20

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Message Song                                        Good, Good Father                                Brown/Barrett

I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night
    And You tell me that you’re pleased     And that I’m never alone   

Chorus        You’re a good  good father      It’s who You are, it’s who You are,

 it’s who You are       And I’m loved by You       

It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching     For answers only you provide
                  Because you know just what we need        Before we say a word     Chorus

 Bridge    You are perfect in all of Your ways    You are perfect in all of Your ways
                                    You are perfect in all of Your ways to us    (2x)  

It’s love so undeniable   I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable        I can hardly think
                  As you call me deeper still [3x]    Into love, love, love        Chorus

CCLI Song # 7036612 Anthony Brown | Pat Barrett CCLI License # 11390779

Message                                                 Becoming Like Children

1.      become – to confess and receive the forgiveness Jesus earned for us.

2.      humbles – who eagerly desire to be in the family of our heavenly Father.

3.      welcomes – others for whom Jesus suffered, died, and rose again.

Explanation to 1^st Article of the Apostles Creed

All: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

P:         What does this mean?

C:          I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

Offering

Offertory                              Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow              LSB  805      

Prayers of the Church  

After each petition:

 P:  Lord, in your mercy,

 C:  hear our prayer.   

The 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.

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.   

          Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is

          He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 197 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C:  ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                            page 198 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world; 

         grant us Thy peace.  A – men.

Distribution Hymn                              Lord Jesus, Think on Me                         LSB 610

Nunc Dimittis                                                                                   page 199 in the hymnal        

C: ♪ Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.                                                                                                                                          

 Post Communion Collect

All:  Gracious God, giver of every good gift, You are worthy to receive the devotion of our hearts and the dedication of our lives. We thank You for having refreshed us at Your Table. By the working of Your Holy Spirit within us, lead us to be people who faithfully offer to You the best of all that we have and all that we are with thankfulness and joy. This we ask in the name of Jesus, our loving Savior. Amen.

Benediction                                                                                                    

P:   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Sending Hymn of Praise               O For a Thousand Tongues               LSB 528   vs 1-5 

Announcements
Dismissal

P:  Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God!

Postlude 

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”