14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August 25, 2024
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Prayer Before Worship
Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and sing your praise. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Beginning on Page 38 in the Hymnal.
HYMN (#395) “Seek Where You May to Find a Way”
M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.
In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.
C: Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
C: (Sung) Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues forever.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray: Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life that we may boldly confess him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18
24 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he summoned the elders of Israel, its heads, its judges, and its officers, and they presented themselves before God. 2 Then Joshua told all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said.” From ancient times your ancestors, including Terah, who was the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they served other gods.
14 Joshua said, “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly and faithfully. Remove the gods that your fathers served in the region across the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if you see no benefit in serving the Lord, then choose for yourselves today whomever you will serve—whether the gods that your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household—we will serve the Lord!” 16 The people responded by saying, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord in order to serve other gods! 17 For the Lord our God, he is the one who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, where we were slaves. He is the one who performed these great signs right before our eyes and protected us on the whole journey that we made and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 The Lord drove out of our presence all the peoples and the Amorites who were living in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God!” (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 119c (page 111)
SECOND LESSON Hebrews 11:24-28
24 By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy sin for a little while. 26 He considered disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s wrath, because he persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not strike them down. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. (John 6:68)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
These words are written that we may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL John 6:51-69
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 At that, the Jews argued among
themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55 For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. 56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like your fathers ate and died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 He said these things while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 When they heard it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching! Who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this cause you to stumble in your faith? 62 What if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh does not help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65 He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is given to him by my Father.” 66 After this, many of his disciples turned back and were not walking with him anymore. 67 So Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
(EHV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
HYMN OF THE DAY (#283) “Speak, O Savior; I Am Listening”
SERMON TEXT John 6:51-69
SERMON THEME “The Words of Eternal Life”
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there 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.
THANKSGIVING
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
HYMN (#477) “What Is the World to Me”
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the family of God; for every nation, tribe, people and language; and for all those who hunger for the true bread of life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For steadfastness to work for the food that endures to eternal life, that we would never hunger or thirst for anything but Christ and His righteousness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the ministry of this congregation in our community, that many may embrace Jesus as the Christ and believe He is the true bread of God come from heaven, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all homes and schools, especially the schools, and seminary of our church, that we may remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the sick, that in accordance with His will they would give thanks to God; and for the depressed, the lonely and those who mourn the death of loved ones, that God would strengthen their faith and assure them of His presence in all circumstances, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: 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.
M: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your
saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
HYMN (#596) “Let Me Be Yours Forever”
14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August 25, 2024
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Tues., Aug. 27 7 p.m., Sunday School Teacher’s Meeting
Next Sun., Sept. 1: Greeters: Durr Family
Shut-In Visitors for September: Herman & Kathy Ernst
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
CATECHISM CLASS & SUNDAY SCHOOL: Catechism will resume on Wed., Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday School will begin on Sept. 15.
HELP WANTED at WISE PENNY: The Wise Penny Thrift Shoppe in Buffalo has an immediate opening for a PAID part-time store cashier for approx. 15-20 hours per week. Students encouraged to apply! See west bulletin board for more details. A full job description and application is available at www.thewisepenny.com/aboutus.html. For more information, please contact Brittany McFadden, Wise Penny store manager, at (763) 682-4178 or wisepennythrift@outlook.com.
MEDITATIONS entitled “Your Kingdom Come” have arrived with daily devotions for Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. Large print editions are also available. Feel free to take additional copies of either version to share. A free-will offering would be gratefully accepted to help defray the costs.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, Aug. 18 65
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: Aug. 11: General Fund-$1,757; (Minimum Weekly Amount Needed-$2,375); West-$20; Salem-$2. Aug. 18: General Fund-$6,534.86; West-$940; Salem-$687; Fishers: $685.
