17TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST  	Sept 27, 2020, 8:00AM (Classic Grace)

OUR WORSHIP TODAY
We continue our reflections upon the parables Jesus told about the nature of the Kingdom of God. The theme for today is on the value of repentance. The Gospel reemphasizes the Old Testament reading in that only those who repent will enter the kingdom of God. Repentance does not mean mere speech---but not doing. It is a turning from not saying or doing (unbelief) to both saying and doing (repentance), thereby possessing the mind of Christ Himself. 

Pastor Humor: “What is the best way to get to paradise? Turn right and go straight in following God’s grace in Jesus.”
Pastor Thought for the Week: “A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.”

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 “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name 	LSB 549 stz.1,2,7
1. All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem  And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all.
2. Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God, Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse's rod And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse's rod And crown Him Lord of all.
7. Oh, that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall!
We'll join the everlasting song And crown Him Lord of all.
We'll join the everlasting song And crown Him Lord of all.

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 an 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:	O God, who by grace has made us righteous for the sake of Your dear Son Jesus, grant us ears to hear, mouths to speak, legs to walk, and a will to do those things which are Your ways. Teach us to be not only hearers of Your Word, but doers as well, through Jesus Christ, Your only Son, 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 Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32      	(Page 842 in Pew Bible.)
(The Lord issues a call to repentance and renewal of faith through the prophet Ezekiel.)
The word of the LORD came to me: {2} "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? {3} "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. {4} For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die. {25} "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? {26} If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. {27} But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. {28} Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. {29} Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? {30} "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. {31} Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? {32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! (NIV)
Lector:	This is the Word of the Lord.
People:	Thanks be to God.

SECOND LESSON Philippians 2:1-4,14-18 	(Page 1179 in Pew Bible.)
(Shine like stars as you reflect the love of God in humble service and witness.)
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, {2} then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. {3} Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. {4} Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. {14} Do everything without complaining or arguing, {15} so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe {16} as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. {17} But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. {18} So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (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 21:23-32 	(Page 989 in Pew Bible.)
(Jesus answers the questions of the people with a question of His own regarding faithful following.)
Pastor:	The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 21st chapter.
People:	Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?" {24} Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. {25} John's baptism--where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' {26} But if we say, 'From men'--we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet." {27} So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. {28} "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' {29} "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. {30} "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. {31} "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. {32} For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (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 “To God Be The Glory”	TOS 241
1. To God be the glory, great things He hath done, 
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in. 
Refrain:	Praise the Lord, praise the Lord Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, thro’ Jesus the Son, 
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.
2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes, 
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. (Refrain)
3. Great things He has taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing thro’ Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. (Refrain)

MESSAGE
(We thank Pastor Helmer for filling in for Pastor Wehmeier and sharing today’s message.)

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: “Above All Others” (Please feel free to join in the singing.)	420
“Renew Me, O Eternal Light”	LSB 704
1. Renew me, O eternal Light, And let my heart and soul be bright,
Illumined with the light of grace That issues from Your holy face.

2. Remove the pow'r of sin from me And cleanse all my impurity
That I may have the strength and will Temptations of the flesh to still.

3. Create in me a new heart, Lord, That gladly I obey Your Word.
Let what You will be my desire, And with new life my soul inspire. 

4. Grant that I only You may love And seek those things which are above
Till I behold You face to face, O Light eternal, through Your grace.

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 “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name 	LSB 549 stz.3,5,6
3. Ye seed of Israel's chosen race, Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace And crown Him Lord of all.

5. Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget The wormwood and the gall,
Go, spread your trophies at His feet And crown Him Lord of all.
Go, spread your trophies at His feet And crown Him Lord of all.

6. Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe On this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all.

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.