Mt. Olive Ev. Lutheran Church

 

www.mtolive-wels.net

 

1460 Almond Avenue

St. Paul, Minnesota  55108

 

651.645.2575

 

A Praying Church

 

Carl R. Henkel, pastor

651.631.8625

carl.henkel@juno.com

 

The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

 

July 22, 2007    9:00am

 

Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us.  We're glad you're here!  Do come again!  If you do not have a local church home, we invite you to make your home with us.  You will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth, warm friendships, and an appreciation of being part of God’s family.

 

Please Don’t Rush Off After The Worship Service.  Stick around for a time of socializing and refreshments.  We hope you are able to stay for at least a few minutes!

 

Large Print Hymnals and personal sound devices are available at the usher's station to help make worship more meaningful for those who may appreciate such assistance.  Just ask one of the ushers before the service.

 

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

 

The Tim Wiedmann family and Dottie Wezler, greeters

Greg Schuyler, head usher

Bob Averbeck, organist

 

We Gather To Worship The Lord

 

WORDS OF WELCOME

 

Today, as we gather in the name of our gracious Lord Jesus, we are reminded once more of His great love for us and His willingness to sacrifice all, even His life, for us.  His love is also reflected in us, as we seek to love one another. 

 

+ PREPARATION +

 

OPENING HYMN                                                                                                       Hymn #240

"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"

 

INVOCATION

 

Pastor:        In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People:      Amen.

 

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

 

Pastor:        We are standing in the presence of the holy God, and are very conscious of our unworthiness!  In the presence of the Holy One, our sin is ever before us.  Thus, we make our confession, asking God to forgive all our sins.

People:      Father, we desire to live our Christian lives according to Your will, but our sin leads us away from You.  We have sinned both in the evil we have done in Your sight, and in the good we have failed to do to Your glory.  We can in no way claim the right of forgiveness.  We seek Your mercy for the sake of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the blood He shed for our forgiveness on Calvary's cross.

 

Pastor:        Upon this your confession, I as a called and ordained servant of the Word announce the grace of God to you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

PRAYER

 

Pastor:        Lord God, heavenly Father, You have shown Your love through the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.  He has revealed to us in word and deed what it means to be a neighbor to each other.  Because we were lost in our sinfulness, He came to rescue us and deliver us to the safety of Your eternal kingdom.  Enable Your Church today to know Your love and to reveal this love to others in word and deed; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever.

People:      Amen.

 

+ WORD +

 

OLD TESTAMENT                                                                                      Deuteronomy 30:9-14

(To experience the blessing of God is a reality in the life of His redeemed people.)

 

Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as He delighted in your fathers, if you obey the Lord your God and keep His commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

 

RESPONSE                                                                               (sung to the tune of Hymn #613)

 

Alleluia to our God,

He now gives us His own Word---

Word that is so close to us,

In our mouths and in our hearts.

Let us live in this great Word

That His truth we may proclaim.

Shine, O God, Your Gospel truth

Through our lives for all to see.

 

EPISTLE LESSON                                                                                          Colossians 1:1-14

(The Apostle Paul speaks of future blessings in God's eternal kingdom.

He also speaks of our life as the people of God here in this world.)

 

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints--the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the Gospel that has come to you. All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 

RESPONSE                                                                                (sung to the tune of Hymn #613)

 

Glory to our God on high

Praise His name in all the earth

Meditate on all His deeds.

Celebrate with all your heart.

Lord, Your works I will proclaim

'Til the world shall know Your name.

Great and awesome is our God;

None can match His boundless love.

(c) Russell A. Nebhut, 2003

 

GOSPEL LESSON                                                                                                Luke 10:25-37

(Jesus teaches that true love for God is found in the love we share with one another in this life.)

 

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" He replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

 

APOSTLES’ CREED                                                                     (page 19 in front of the hymnal)

 

HYMN                                                                                                                       Hymn #459

“O God, My Faithful God”

 

PASTOR’S MESSAGE                                                                                          Luke 10:25-37

“Help Me To Love Both Great And Small”

 

GATHERING OF THE OFFERINGS

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH AND THE LORD'S PRAYER

 

Pastor:      We pray today for all the people of God in Christ Jesus and for all those of the world who have yet to come to know Him.

 

Lord God, heavenly Father, we pray today for the Church, for our congregation and for all those who call upon Your name.  May they know the love You have for them. In the security of Your love, may we reach out to our neighbors and give our love, openly and freely, especially to those in need.  Lord, in Your mercy,

People:    hear our prayer.

 

Pastor:      We pray for all who are sick and in need of healing.

 

Lord Jesus, as You walked in the midst of Your creation, You witnessed the grief and pain that sin has brought upon Your people.  In love and mercy You reach out to those who are sick, and grant healing.  Use us today to be Your hands, expressing Your love and mercy through us to all in need.  Lord, in Your mercy,

People:    hear our prayer. 

 

Pastor:      We pray for all those who so often serve us, even in sacrificial ways, who so often go unnoticed.

 

Father, You have revealed Your selfless love to us by sending Your Son to be our Savior.  His sacrifice of love gives us new life.  We see examples of sacrificial love in our world and we thank You for all who serve in such a way as to be a blessing to others.  Be with and bless all law enforcement personal, hospital doctors, staff, and nurses, and ambulance crews, and with all who serve in our fire departments.  Sustain them in their work and keep them safe.  Lord, in Your mercy,

People:    hear our prayer.

 

Pastor:      We entrust all for whom we pray to Your care, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we join to pray:

People:    Our Father, who art in heaven…

 

HYMN                                                                                                                       Hymn #525

“The Son of God, Our Christ”

 

CLOSING PRAYER

 

BENEDICTION

 

CLOSING HYMN                                                                                                       Hymn #564

“There Is a Balm in Gilead

 

 

 

This Week At Mt. Olive

 

Today:                 9:00am        Family Worship

                           10:00am        Social Time

Monday:            11:30am        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                             6:30pm        Mt. Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14

                             7:00pm        “Time of Grace” Bible Study

Tuesday:              7:00pm        “More Than Rubies” Bible Study

Thursday:            6:00pm        Altar Guild Meeting (Petersen’s house)

Saturday:           10:00am        “Walk With The Animals” Neighborhood Outreach

                             4:00pm        Baby Shower for Angela Young

Next Sunday:      6:30am        “Time of Grace” on KMSP, Channel 9

                             9:00am        Family Worship Service

                           10:00am        Farewell for Ryan and Angela Young

 

Copies OfMovin’ On,” Chris Driesbach’s brand new CD, are available today in the narthex.  Chris writes, “I mean for these to be free of charge for folks, but I’ve also enclosed self-addressed envelopes in case anyone would like to make a donation or write to me.”  It’s a great CD!

 

Please Note That “Time Of Grace” is back on at the old time: 6:30am on channel 9, because channel 23 didn’t reach many of those who had become regular viewers.

 

Join Us For Monday Evening Bible Study.  Called “Time of Grace,” it begins with a viewing of the weekly “Time of Grace” church service with Pastor Mark Jeske, and continue with a discussion of that week’s text and topic.  We meet in the air-conditioned Fireside Room at 7:00pm.  Plan to attend!

 

“Walk With The Animals” is coming THIS SATURDAY!  Pray for God’s blessings!  Thanks to all who have volunteered to help!

 

A Baby Shower For Angela Young is being planned for this Saturday, July 28, at 4:00pm.  Sign-up today!  We’ll bid farewell to the Young’s next Sunday, July 29, as they leave for their new home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.