Welcome & Opening Prayer
Opening song – Thy Word
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
- When I feel afraid, think of I’ve lost my way,
Still You’re there right beside me.
And nothing will I fear
as long as You are near.
Please be near me to the end.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
- Now I will not forget You love for me and yet
my heart forever is wandering.
Jesus be my guide,
and hold me to Your side,
and I will love You to the end.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Litany
Here in this place, there are no foreigners,
for all are welcome in God’s house.
Here in this worship, there is only acceptance,
for love is the language of faith.
Here in our lives, there are no divisions,
for God dwells in each of us.
Come, let us worship in unity and love.
Reading: Matthew 21:23-32
23 When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I have a question for you. If you tell me the answer, I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 25 Where did John get his authority to baptize? Did he get it from heaven or from humans?” They argued among themselves, “If we say ‘from heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’26 But we can’t say ‘from humans’ because we’re afraid of the crowd, since everyone thinks John was a prophet.” 27 Then they replied, “We don’t know.” Jesus also said to them, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go. 31 “Which one of these two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you.32 For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him.
Song – Amazing Love
I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again.
Amazing love, how can it be
that you my king would die for me.
Amazing love, I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor you,
in all I do, I honor you.
I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken.
I’m accepted, you were condemned.
I’m alive and well, your spirit is within me,
because you died and rose again.
Amazing love, how can it be
that you my king would die for me.
Amazing love, I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor you,
in all I do, I honor you.
Jesus, you are my king
Jesus, you are my king
Jesus, you are my king
Jesus, you are my king
Amazing love, how can it be
that you my king would die for me.
Amazing love, I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor you,
in all I do, I honor you.
In all I do, I honor you.
In all I do, I honor you.
Prayers
Closing Song – Be Thou My Vision (ELW 793)
- Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art:
thou my best thought
both by day and by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
- Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.
Thou my soul’s shelter
and thou my high tow’r.
Raise thou me heav’nward,
O Pow’r of my pow’r.
- Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only the first in my heart,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
- Light of my soul, after victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Blessing
We have heard Jesus’ disturbing statement
that notorious sinners may be ahead of us
in entering the kingdom of God.
Let these hard words wake us up
from our smug self-contentment
and make us aware that our life too
is a mixture of Yes and No,
of an honest seeking to do what is right
together with moments of cowardice.
May God give you this insight and bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us go in the peace
and the love of Christ.
Thanks be to God!