16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST  	Sept. 20, 2020, 8:00AM (Classic Grace)

OUR WORSHIP TODAY
God's ways are not our ways. It seems a cliché, but today's lessons remind us that God deals with humanity in ways far different than we would. Where we would stringently hold a person accountable for their deeds, God is "merciful and quick to forgive" (Old Testament). Our idea of justice is not God's (Holy Gospel), and Paul encourages the Philippian Christians to live a joyful life in the midst of a sad and sinful world.

Pastor Humor: “Lutherans are funny; they want the front of the lunch line, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.”
Pastor Thought for the Week: “The wages of sin is death. Repent before payday.”

PRELUDE	
During the Prelude we prepare for worship reflecting on the Scriptures for the day and prayer.

Ringing of the Bell
WELCOME
+ SERVICE OF PREPARATION +
(We are brought together by the Spirit to take up our part of the holy conversation between God and His church. We call upon our Triune God, claim His mercy, and join God’s family singing His praise.)

OPENING HYMN “We Come to Praise You”	AGPS 254
1. Heavenly Father, we come to praise You, And to say thank You here in our song,
For all the gifts You give through Your kindness, 
Showing Your love, forgiving our wrong.

2. Jesus, our Savior, we love and follow, For all the blessings You died to share;
Life and salvation we have forever, Trusting Your mercy, knowing Your care.

3. Comforting Spirit, move us to worship, Showing Christ’s love in all that we do.
Help us to serve our brothers and sisters, Knowing the off’ring’s given to You.

CALL TO WORSHIP
Pastor:	We remember our baptism into the name of the Father and the + Son and the Holy Spirit.
People:	Amen

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Pastor:	Our help is in the name of the Lord,
People:	who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
Pastor:	If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
People:	But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared. (Psalm 130:3-4)
Pastor:	Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first confess our failure to live as His holy people.
(Silence for personal reflection and self-examination.)
Pastor:	Most merciful God,
People:	I confess that I am by nature sinful and unclean. I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done and by what I have left undone. I have not loved You with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Forgive me, renew me, and lead me, so that I may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen
Pastor:	Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People:	Amen

KYRIE   “Lord, Have Mercy”	(page 204 in LSB)
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. (Mark 10:47)

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS “Glory to God in the Highest”	(page 204 in LSB)
1. To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill from God in heaven Proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing–
Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.

2. To You, O sole begotten, The Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated At God’s right hand on high

3. For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord. 
Forever and forever, Be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit Alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply. (Luke 2:14; John 1:29)

GREETING and PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor:	The Lord be with you.
People:	And also with you.
Pastor:	Let us pray:
People:	Almighty God, You call us to work in Your vineyard and leave no one standing idle. Set us to our tasks in the work of Your kingdom and help us to order our lives by Your wisdom, through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

+ SERVICE OF THE WORD +
(God speaks and we listen. The holy conversation continues as we encounter Jesus, our Lord, in Holy Scripture. Recalling God's mighty acts in history, we find meaning and hope for our daily lives.)

FIRST LESSON  Isaiah 55:6-9	(Page 737 in Pew Bible.)
(My ways are not your ways.)
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. {7} Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. {8} "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. {9} "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)
Lector:	This is the Word of the Lord.
People:	Thanks be to God.

SECOND LESSON Philippians 1:12-14,19-30	(Page 1178 in Pew Bible.)
(Sharing God’s love in all situations.)

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. {13} As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. {14} Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. {19} for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. {20} I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. {21} For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. {22} If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! {23} I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; {24} but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. {25} Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, {26} so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. {27} Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel {28} without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. {29} For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, {30} since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. (NIV)
Lector:	This is the Word of the Lord.
People:	Thanks be to God.

ALLELUIA and VERSE	(page 204 in LSB)
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. (John 20:31)

READING FROM THE LIFE OF CHRIST Matthew 20:1-16 	(Page 987 in Pew Bible.)
(Jesus tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard to emphasize the outrageous grace of God.)
Pastor:	The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 20th chapter.
People:	Glory to you, O Lord.

(Jesus taught) "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. {2} He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. {3} About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. {4} He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' {5} So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. {6} About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' {7} ‘Because no one has hired us,' they answered. He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' {8} When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' {9} The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. {10} So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. {11} When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. {12} 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' {13} But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? {14} Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. {15} Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' {16} So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (NIV)
Pastor:	This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People:	Praise to you, O Christ.

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE
(Our young disciples preschool through 6th grade are invited to come forward for a special message just for them. Parents may accompany their children.)

HYMN OF THE DAY “In God, My Faithful God”	LSB 745 Stz..1,2,5
1. In God, my faithful God, I trust when dark my road;
Great woes may overtake me, Yet He will not forsake me.
My troubles He can alter; His hand lets nothing falter.

2. My sins fill me with care, Yet I will not despair.
I build on Christ, who loves me; From this rock nothing moves me.
To Him I will surrender, To Him, my soul's defender.

5. "So be it," then, I say With all my heart each day.
Dear Lord, we all adore You, We sing for joy before You.
Guide us while here we wander Until we praise You yonder.

MESSAGE 
(Message outline is on the yellow insert. The other side is our prayer ministry requests for the week)

PROFESSION OF FAITH  The 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

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
(After each petition, the Pastor concludes with, “Lord, in Your mercy,” and the people respond, “hear our prayer”.)
(The Pastor concludes:) At this time, O Lord, we lift before You the hopes and hurts on our hearts. (The congregation is invited to offer personal petitions concluding with “Lord, in Your mercy,”)
Pastor:	All these and the petitions which are spoken from our hearts we bring to You, gracious God, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,
People:	Amen

SHARING OF THE PEACE
(We wave to our fellow brothers and sisters in the peace of the Lord while keeping social distance.)

OFFERING 
(You may bring your offering up with you and place it in the offering plate on your way to communion or leave it in the plate upon leaving. Please don’t forget to fill out an attendance card.)

OFFERTORY  “We Give You But Your Own” 	LSB 781 Stz.1,2
1. We give You but Your own In any gifts we bring; 
All that we have is Yours alone, A trust from You, our King.
2. May we Your bounties thus As stewards true receive
And gladly, Lord, as You bless us, To You our first-fruits give.

+  SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT +
(Invited to His table, we eat and drink the body and blood of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins, thus proclaiming His death and resurrection, and giving thanks for our friendship with Him and each other.)

PREFACE	(page 208 in LSB)
Pastor:	The Lord be with you.
People:	And also with you. (2 Timothy 4:22)
Pastor:	Lift up Your hearts.
People:	We lift them to the Lord. (Colossians 3:1)
Pastor:	Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People:	It is right to give him thanks and praise. (Psalm 136)
Pastor:	It is truly... with the angels and archangels and the entire company of heaven:

SANCTUS “Holy, holy, holy”	(page 208 in LSB)
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored; Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name. Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord; Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord! (Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9)

Pastor:	All powerful and ever-living God... As we prepare our hearts and souls, we pray:
All:	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 

WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Pastor:	The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People:	And also with you. (John 20:19)

AGNUS DEI    "O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God"	(page 210 in LSB)
1. O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God, You take the sin of the world away; 
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God, Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2. O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God, You take the sin of the world away; 
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ, And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray. (John 1:29)

DISTRIBUTION
(On your way forward, please respect social distancing. Remain standing at the communion rail as you receive communion. After receiving, place empty cup in the tray on your way back to your seat. There will be one corporate dismissal after all have received.)

Video Hymn “Give Thanks” (Please feel free to join in the singing.)	330
Hymn:"O God of Mercy, God of Might"  	LSB 852 (Tune LSB 560)
1. O God of mercy, God of might, In love and pity infinite,
Teach us, as ever in Thy sight, To live our lives in Thee.
2. And Thou, who cam’st on earth to die That our lost world might live thereby,
O hear us; for to Thee we cry, In hope, O Lord, to Thee.
3. Teach us the lesson Thou hast taught: To feel for those Thy blood has bought,
That ev'ry word and deed and thought May work a work for Thee.
4. All are redeemed, both far and wide, Since thou, O Lord, for all hast died.
Grant us the will and grace provide To love them all in Thee.
5. In sickness, sorrow, want, or care, May we each other's burdens share;
May we, where help is needed, there Give help as unto Thee.
6. And may Thy Holy Spirit move All those who live to live in love
Till Thou shalt greet in heav'n above All those who live in Thee.

NUNC DIMITTIS "Song of Simeon"	(page 211 in LSB)
1. O Lord, now let Your servant Depart in heav’nly peace, 
For I have seen the glory Of Your redeeming grace: 
A light to lead the Gentiles Unto Your holy hill, 
The glory of Your people, Your chosen Israel.
2. All glory to the Father, All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit, Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning, Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding Through all eternity. (Luke 2:29-32)

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
People:	Amen

BLESSING
People:	Amen

SENDING HYMN “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling”   	LSB 826 Stz.1,2,4
1. Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?"
Loud and long the Master calleth; Rich reward He offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I. Send me, send me"?
2. If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment's dread alarms,
You can lead the little children To the Savior's waiting arms.
4. Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do,"
While the multitudes are dying And the Master calls for you.
Take the task He gives you gladly; Let His work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when He calleth, "Here am I. Send me, send me!"

POSTLUDE
Hymnody from Lutheran Worship © 1982, All God’s People Sing © 1992, Hymnal Supplement ‘98 © 1997, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 and Creative Worship by Concordia Publ. House, St. Louis, MO. Other hymnody under CCLI license #224610. Bible Quotations from New International Version © 1984 Zondervan Publ. House.