Historic Scripture Lessons for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Old Testament

Isaiah 65:1-2 NIV "I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call on My Name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' 2 All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations.”

Epistle Ephesians 5:15-21 Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the LORD's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the LORD, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Gospel Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who prepared a wedding banquet for His Son. 3 He sent His servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared My dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' 5 "But they paid no attention and went off – one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The King was enraged. He sent His army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the King came in to see the guests, He noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' He asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13 "Then the King told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen." ∆ ۩

Our Savior Lutheran Church Lakeland, FL ELS 20th Sunday after Trinity Confirmation & Perseverance

Ingrate Banquet Guests October 9th, 2016, 9:30am

Woodcut illustration from a 1695 Bible – Matthew 22:1-14

The one at the Wedding Banquet without wedding clothes is bound and cast out of the wedding banquet into the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Image courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University http://www.pitts.emory.edu/dia/detail.cfm?ID=1390

OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH

6920 N Socrum Loop Road / (north) Lakeland, FL 33809 USA Phone: (863) 859-3400 ~ Web: www.osllakeland.org

BIBLE CLASS 8:30 AM WORSHIP 9:30 AM FELLOWSHIP 10:45 AM A.R. Burmeister 863-430-5859 Organ: Janice Thomas (813) 650-9198

October 9, 2016 Trinity-20 Confirmation & Perseverance

WELCOME to Our Savior! We are so happy to have you worship with us today. If you are visiting us for the first time (or in a long time), we ask that that you please fill out a visitor card found in the pew cardholder and place it in the offering plate. Come and worship with us again! The LORD bless you. OUR ORDER OF WORSHIP On gold liturgy sheets and in red TLH hymnal p.5

Service Invocation Hymn 451 (4v) Stand Up! – Stand Up for Jesus Hymn of the Day 292 (9v) LORD Jesus Christ, with Us Abide Offertory Verse 334 (3v) Sing verse 1 Let Me Be Thine Forever Distribution Hymn 332 (6v) Arm These Thy Soldiers, Mighty LORD Closing Hymn 338 (5v) Thine Forever, God of Love

Suggested Bible readings for the week of the 20th Sunday after Trinity Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Isaiah 43:1-13 Isaiah 41:1-20 Habakuk.2:1-4 Isaiah 63:7-19 Isaiah 64:1-12 Isa. 5:1-7 Mark 4:1-41 Luke 13:18-35 Matt. 13:31-58 Matt. 16:13-20 II Co.3:10-4:18 IICo5:1-21

PROPERS for the TWENTIETH SUNDAY after TRINITY OCTOBER 9TH INTROIT O LORD, King Almighty, Your power is over all things; there is no one who is able to resist Your will. You have made heaven and earth and all things enclosed by the heavens. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. …Daniel 9:14

COLLECT Grant, we beseech You, merciful LORD, to Your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve You with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our LORD, Who lives, and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen

GRADUAL C: The eyes of all wait upon You, O LORD, and You give them their meat in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. Alleluia! Alleluia! Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD. LORD, hear my voice. Alleluia! …Psalm 145:16-17 & 130

SCRIPTURE LESSONS (printed on the outside back page of the bulletin) O.T. Isaiah 65:1-2 The LORD perseveres with an unfaithful nation. Epi. Ephesians 5:15-21 Be careful how you live – Be wise, not unwise. Gos. Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding Banquet.

#334, 1. Let me be Thine forever, - Thou faithful God and LORD; Let me forsake Thee never - Nor wander from Thy Word. LORD, do not let me waver, - But give me steadfastness,

And for such grace forever - Thy holy name I'll bless. A--men.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Member or Relation Pray for… (Hurricane) Matthew Thank the LORD it wasn’t worse. Pray for those affected Linda Avant (Al’s mother) Had skin cancers removed and has more tests Jim & Elma Hendricks Health and strength. Both have health challenges Mary Lou Knigge Has been in and out of Hospital. Doing quite well though Linda Kryszak 3wks of chemo (3/wk) then one week off. Lives with Amy Dee Kurczewski (David) Dee’s ongoing health, both physical and emotional Martha Sawyer (Grand’Mother) Our newest member. Welcome to OSL Janice Thomas Janice is at home (till 2017) has PET scan 11th; surgery 20th James Vanesky & Delores Pray health and strength for both Jim and Delores Steve & Ethel Wendt Steve had MRI. Ethel had eye surgery. Both at home Matthew Wold (Mark)Young Matthew is back at St. John’s Hopkins – chemo 2

Volunteers Today Next Sunday Greeters Elma & Jim Hendricks Ethel & Steve Wendt Treaters Elaine Jones (Volunteer) (Head) Usher John Weber John Weber

Statistics Last week Year to date / Avg. Sunday Attendance/(Communion) 30 / (28) 24 / 22 Bible Class Attend/Sunday School 8 / 0 9 / 0 Sunday Offering for The LORD $.00 YTD Total $ Calendar of Events Today, Sunday 9th Trinity-20 Sunday Perserverance, Conf.

8:30 am 9:30 am

10:45 ff…

Bible Study – Hebrews Ch.3 Faithful Son Divine Worship (No Holy Communion) Fun, Fellowship, Coffee… Please stay

Today to Saturday - all week - Pr. in Minneapolis at Pr.s’ Conference Next Sunday 10/16 Trinity-21 Sunday

8:30 am 9:30 am

10:45 ff…

Bible Study – Hebrews Ch.4 Sabbath Rest Divine Worship (W/ Holy Communion) Fun, Fellowship, Coffee… Please stay

Our Savior Elders: Tom Temple 213-4622; Jim Vanesky 644-7807; John Weber 853-5458 & Don Wienke 815-8892. Please contact with concerns.

From Martin Luther’s Sermon on Trinity 20 Matthew 22:1-4 Confirmation & Perserverance 9. Behold, this He shows us in the every-day picture of the wedding feast or of the

married state, where we see the love and faithfulness of pious wedded persons; also in the marriage feast, in the bride and the bridegroom's joy and riches; that we learn to believe this and that we also think that Christ's heart and mind are truly thus disposed to His bride the Church; but with far greate r love, faithfulness and grace. This He clearly shows us in His Word of the Gospel and by the Holy Spirit, Whom He gives to His Church; and prepares the glorious, joyful marriage feast, at which He is wedded to His Bride and He takes her to Himself, and, to speak in our childish and human way, leads His bride to the dance as with fife and drum, and takes her in His arm; again, He honors and adorns her with all His finery, that is with the blotting out and washing away of sins, with righteousness and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and with His light, knowledge, strength and all the gifts which belong to that life. These are different chains, rings, velvet, silk, pearls, treasures and jewels from the earthly ones, which are only a dead picture of those heavenly treasures. www.Scholia.net

Next Sunday 10/16 Trinity-21 (W/ L.S. p.15) TLH #s: 658 528 441.1,2 377 46

TRINITY-20 Matt.22:1-14 “‘PERSEVERE IN FAITH & THE WORD" 10.09.16 OSL INTRODUCTION The parable of the wedding of the king’s son teaches us about the kingdom of heaven. The king is God. His son is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The marriage is the joining of Christ with His bride, the holy Christian Church. The servants that the king sends out are the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament. They are abused, mistreated, and even killed. Those who persecute the prophets and the apostles are the leaders of God’s holy nation of Israel. Their city, Jerusalem, was destroyed as Jesus warned it would be. Everyone is invited to the wedding, but only those who believe in the gospel of Christ are wearing the wedding garment. They are covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness. They partake of the wedding banquet, the eternal joys of heaven. Those who come to the wedding celebration without wearing the wedding garment are those who reject the gospel even though they are outwardly attached to the church. They are thrown into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. That’s a description of hell.

The church on earth is the kingdom of grace. The church in heaven is the kingdom of glory. The only way into the kingdom of glory is through the kingdom of grace. Outside of the church there is no salvation. Outside of faith in Christ there is no membership in the church. Only those who trust in the holy life and the innocent suffering and death of Jesus for their salvation are saved. Those who presume to stand before God wearing the dirty clothes of their own manufactured righteousness will be thrown out of the presence of God forever.

The grace of God defines His kingdom. We cannot understand what it means to be a Christian or a member of Christ’s church if we don’t understand grace. This story illustrates God’s grace for us. It sets forth three features of God’s grace for His church. From this parable we learn of the persistence of God’s grace, the nature of God’s grace, and the necessity of God’s grace.

First, this parable teaches us the persistence of God’s grace. God’s prophets were ignored, but God persisted in sending prophets. Then they were despised, but God kept sending them. Those to whom the prophets were sent came up with all sorts of excuses to ignore their teaching, but God was not deterred. He kept sending them. Even when the prophets were murdered, God kept sending more. When Jesus sent out His apostles, He knew what awaited them. He even described to St. Peter the kind of death he would suffer. Of the original twelve apostles, only John died a natural death. Ten were killed because they testified to Christ. They died as martyrs. The word martyr comes from the Greek word for witness. In our language it refers to someone who dies for His cause. This is because the apostles who were witnesses for Christ died on account of their testimony. This was as Jesus said it would be.

God will never give up on bringing His Holy Gospel to those who need it. We might think that that person to whom we have confessed the faith and invited to church and who has never shown any interest is beyond God’s help. But what do we know? Are we the authors of faith or is God? God watched as prophet after prophet, apostle after apostle, preacher after preacher, was ignored, mocked, persecuted and killed. God did not stop sending preachers. His gospel has never been silenced. Never in the history of the human race has the gospel of Christ not been proclaimed. God won’t be quiet. His grace is persistent. He urges sinners to

repent and when they abuse His messengers, He sends His messengers to other sinners urging them to repent. But He keeps on sending them. He keeps calling out to those who trust in themselves to set aside their false faith.

Jesus was a preacher. He refused to be silent. True, He did not cast His pearls before swine. When He was brought before Herod, the mocker, He said not a word. But before Pilate, Jesus confessed the faith. He proclaimed the gospel. He offered the truth, even in the face of Pilate’s cynical denial of the very possibility of absolute truth about God. And we know what Christ’s persistence cost Him. It cost Him His very life.

Second, this parable teaches us the nature of God’s grace. By giving up His holy life Jesus purchased the wedding garment for us. The nature of God’s grace is that it covers up our shame and guilt with the wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness. To know the nature of God’s grace we must look at the life of Christ. God’s grace caused His Incarnation. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” (John 3:16) God loved the world in this way, in the way of giving His only begotten Son. When God became a man not only did God assume a human nature God’s grace assumed its nature. God’s grace is His love for us sinners who do not deserve His love. God doesn’t love us because we have elicited love from Him. God loves us because God is love. The nature of God is to love. Therefore, the nature of God is to be gracious and to love the unlovable.

This is not only demonstrated in God sending His Son into the world. The sending of His Son into the world is the grace of God. There is no grace apart from Jesus and in Jesus there is nothing but grace and truth. The nature of God’s grace is more than the Incarnation of God’s Son. It is the living and dying of the Incarnate Son of God. That God would take on human flesh and blood is gracious condescension beyond what we could have imagined. But God’s grace is even greater than that. The incarnate Son of God who is now our holy brother chooses to be numbered among sinners. He chooses to receive, by God’s imputation, the sin of all sinners. Sin is impossible for Him to commit. He cannot do sin because He is wholly innocent. But He can bear sin. And so He does.

What happens when the innocent Man who lived a life without sin bears all sin of all sinners? God’s righteousness is fulfilled in man. Our brother Jesus does what God requires of us all. He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He offers in our stead the life of obedience that we all owe to God. The nature of God’s grace is that God covers up all our sin by clothing us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself. Isaiah spoke of this. He wrote:

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

How does God cover us with the robe of righteousness? St. Paul tells us. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)

Faith and Baptism go together. We are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Those who have faith in Christ put on Christ in Holy Baptism. The robe of righteousness is given to us to wear in Holy Baptism. We are clothed in this robe through faith. Baptism does not clothe us with Christ apart from faith. Faith

doesn’t exist apart from baptism. Faith will either be bestowed in Holy Baptism as is the case with an infant or faith will lead us to baptism, as is the case with an adult. In either case, faith and Baptism go together. This is how St. John put it in Revelation 7:13-14.

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Our robes are washed in Holy Baptism. The blood of the Lamb is applied to us. The nature of God’s grace is that it covers up sin. We don’t cover our own sin. We confess it. But God covers it with Christ Himself. We reveal the sin to God. We don’t hide it. Only God can hide it. He hides it beneath the righteousness of Jesus. This is what we wear. This is what makes the church beautiful.

Third, this parable teaches the necessity of God’s grace. Jesus gives a stern warning. He warns about hell. Hell is the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. There is no forgiveness of sins in hell. Sin remains forever unforgiven. When sin remains, so does the regret and sorrow of sin. It never goes away. Weeping cannot wipe it out.

Could my zeal no respite know, - Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone, - Thou must save and Thou alone

The reason God is so persistent in bringing His grace to sinners is because they need it. The reason God gave the greatest Gift God could give so that grace might come to sinners is because they need it. You need to wear the wedding garment. If you’re not wearing it, you must spend eternity in hell. This is what Jesus says. Yet at no time during the history of Christ’s church has this teaching of the Lord Jesus been so widely criticized. To say that only those who are clothed in Christ’s righteousness can go to heaven is to anger the religiously respectable of our day, just as Jesus’ parables so angered the religious leaders of His own day. The reason is obvious. To say that we must be wearing the robe of righteousness that Jesus alone can give or we wi ll be thrown into outer darkness is another way of saying that we all deserve to be thrown out into outer darkness. But nobody wants to admit this. It is too terrifying an admission. CONCLUSION / APPLICATION The reason we don’t want to admit what our sins deserve is because it is of the nature of sin to justify itself. This is why all religions ever invented by men are works-righteous religions. Only Christ offers forgiveness of sins freely. Only Christianity teaches that we are justified and saved by grace alone, through faith alone. Yes, it is a humbling truth because it reminds us of our utter unworthiness before God. But it is a comforting truth as well. We daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment. But we do not receive what we deserve. We are clothed in robes of such unsurpassed beauty that when God sees us He smiles at us. We can celebrate the marriage feast with pure joy. And we don’t need to wait until we get to heaven. We can sing and make melody in our hearts, always giving thanks to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here in God’s kingdom of grace we enjoy the foretaste of the joy yet to come. IJ’N, Amen.

SDG

Possible Prayer of Church for 20th Sunday of Trinity October 18th, 2015 Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people

according to their needs. (Possible) Brief silence Having been called into God’s house and having heard His Word, let us pray to

the Lord our God. (Possible) Brief silence

For the wisdom from above, that we would receive with joy the gifts of God, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For hearts filled with compassion, that we would welcome the wicked and unrighteous who repent, rather than using their past against them, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those who have authority in the governments of this world, that they would carry out their vocations with diligence, making the best use of their time of service, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all those whom God has joined together as husband and wife, that they would remain faithful and devoted to each other and not be separated, and for those who mourn a broken marriage, that they would be comforted, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those who have suffered abuse and neglect, that they would receive healing, love and the strength to refrain from abusing others as they have been abused, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all those who strive to help those who have suffered abuse, especially those who foster children in their time of need, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all those who are sick or frail, [especially _____________,]

PRAYER REQUESTS: Member or Relation Pray for… (Hurricane) Matthew Thank the LORD it wasn’t worse. Pray for those affected Linda Avant (Al’s mother) Had skin cancers removed and has more tests Jim & Elma Hendricks Health and strength. Both have health challenges Mary Lou Knigge Has been in and out of Hospital. Doing quite well though Linda Kryszak 3wks of chemo (3/wk) then one week off. Lives with Amy Dee Kurczewski (David) Dee’s ongoing health, both physical and emotional Martha Sawyer (Grand’Mother) Our newest member. Welcome to OSL Janice Thomas Janice is at home (till 2017) has PET scan 11th; surgery 20th James Vanesky & Delores Pray health and strength for both Jim and Delores Steve & Ethel Wendt Steve had MRI. Ethel had eye surgery. Both at home Matthew Wold (Mark)Young Matthew is back at St. John’s Hopkins – chemo 2 …

that they would be given courage to face their trials and would receive healing according to God’s gracious will, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Then, The Lord’s Prayer