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EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST— October 1, 2023

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS – 700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016

Holding Fast to the Word of Life

Pastor Dan 1-(920)-341-2025  shepherdatzion@gmail.com

 Bulletin Announcement email: zionclyman@gmail.com

AS WE GATHER –   The number of languages being spoken on our planet today is amazing.  There are currently more than 6500 individual languages in use.  The smallest group that speaks in a singular language is a tribe in Canada, about 50 in number, who speak a distinct dialect of the Tsuu T’ina tongue.  The most widely spoken language on earth is English, with some 1.4 billion users, including a large group for whom English is not their native language.  God is at work to bless many of those people to hear about His Son in their own language including us!  Through Moses, God said to His chosen people: “Lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, . . . as long as the heavens are above the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:18, 21).  We continue to respond to that directive in our generation by holding fast the Word of life—and by sharing it as well!

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

 Hymn  “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word”                   LSB 904

Opening Sentences  Psalm 147:1–5; antiphon: v. 6 –  The LORD lifts the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.     Praise the LORD!  For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.     The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.     Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.     The LORD lifts the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.

 Invocation- In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

Beloved in the Lord!  Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant us forgiveness.    Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.     I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

O Almighty God, merciful Father, I a poor miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment.  But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of 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

Introit    Psalm 25:1–10 –   To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.   Women:  Indeed, none who wait for You shall be put to shame;  Men:  they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.  Women:  Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.  Men:   Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.   Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.  Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord!   Women: Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way.  Men: He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble His way.    All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.  To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame; Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Prayer of the Day – God of love, by Your grace we have come to hear Your Word. Grant that we may ever find in it our greatest treasure and hold fast to it as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.       Amen.

Old Testament Reading   Ezekiel 18:1–4, 25–32 – (The prophet gives words of warning.)    Vs1-4   The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?  As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.  Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.  Vs25-32        Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’  Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just?  Is it not your ways that are not just?  When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die.  Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.  Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.  Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’  O house of Israel, are my ways not just?  Is it not your ways that are not just?  “Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, declares the Lord God.  Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.  Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!  Why will you die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

Epistle  Philippians 2:1-7,14 –18 – (Christians are to look to the interests of others.)     Vs1-7  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, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.      Vs14-18  Do everything without complaining or arguing, 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 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.  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.  So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Gradual and Verse            Psalm 34:9, 19 alt.; Matthew 28:18b –    Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing!         Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.        Alleluia. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.       Alleluia.

 Holy Gospel           Matthew 21:23–32   (Jesus and the elders.)  

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-first chapter.       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?”  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.  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?’  But if we say, ‘From men’–we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”  So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”  Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  “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.’  “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.  “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.  He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.  “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.  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.    This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to You, O Christ.

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.

Hymn:  “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word”   LSB 655

Sermon

Prayers of the Church

 We Gather our Tithes and Offerings

 Offertory  LSB 192

 Service of the Sacrament  

Preface   2 Timothy 4:22 –   The Lord be with you.     And also with you.      Lift up your hearts.       We lift them to the Lord.       Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.       It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface –  It is truly good, right, and proper that we should give thanks to You, O Lord, for in Jesus Christ, the Servant of all, You have shown Your saving love and have given us Your Word to bless and encourage us. Grant that, undeterred by persecution or scorn, we may live in humility and faithfulness, anticipating that time when Jesus, who is our host at this Holy Meal, serves in Your kingdom as the master of the great and eternal heavenly banquet. Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us that we may rejoice in the gifts before us and praise You with thankful hearts.     Amen.

Sanctus  LSB 195

 Prayer of Thanksgiving –   Blessed are You, O Lord eternal, and blessed be Your name.  In Your great love, You sent Your beloved Son Jesus Christ to be the promised Savior.  With thankfulness we receive the blessings He has obtained for us.  Bless and nourish us, so that all we who partake of Christ’s holy body and blood may be strengthened to serve You and our neighbor as You would have us do. To You, O God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—be all honor and glory in Your Holy Church, forever and ever.      Amen

The Words of Our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

Our Lord’s meal of His body and blood remind us of these things and we ask His blessing.  O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment.  So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

The Lord’s Prayer – 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.

Pax Domini – The peace of the Lord be with you always.  Amen

Agnus Dei  LSB 198

 We Celebrate our Lord’s Supper

 Distribution Hymns:  “Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs”  LSB 812     “Hark the Glad Sound”  LSB 349   “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”  LSB 549

Post-Communion Canticle

Nunc Dimittis  LSB 199

Post-Communion Thanksgiving –   Gracious Lord, we thank You for having fed us with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus. Grant that the bread of life and blood of Christ that has been shared and received in this blessed Meal may be for us that life-giving food that sustains us as we hold fast the Word of Life; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.     Amen.

 Benediction     

Hymn:  “Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name ..”     LSB 917

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*Announcements*

 From the Board of Stewardship and Evangelism:   Matthew 21:26 – “But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd…” Foolish Pharisees! They fear men more than they fear God, and so they miss out on the great blessing of knowing Jesus and His love. All our sins are like this: we fear something more than we fear God. And how foolish that is! Just think of the blessings we miss out on whenever we place our fear or trust in something other than God.

The Pewpoint – THEME OF THE DAY –  The Cross of Christ Opens to Us the Way of Repentance to Life with God – The way of the Lord is righteous and just: “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezek. 18:4). However, because the Lord has “no pleasure in the death of anyone” (Ezek. 18:32), He calls sinners to repentance and faith in His gracious forgiveness of sins. The man who is thus turned away from his wickedness, who henceforth lives by the grace of God, “shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezek. 18:28). This way of repentance has been opened for us by the cross of Christ. In the righteousness of faith and love, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death” (Phil. 2:8), and He was vindicated in His resurrection from the dead. Indeed, “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). He has given us this name in our Baptism into Christ, in whom we now “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). He uses the authority that He has received from His Father (Matt. 21:23–27) to preach a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, by which even “the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God” (Matt. 21:31–32).

YES IN CHRIST  —  Saying Yes With Our Treasures    Needed per week to make budget: $3,072                  Sunday Envelopes $1,595     Plate $94     Cemetery Fund $ 110

Attendance:   Sunday Service:   62   Communed:   38       Mid-Week Service:  7    Communed:     7

Brothers and sisters in Christ to lift up in prayer! 

• Ron, DeeDee, and all in our congregation who are facing health challenges or are in need of God’s healing and strength in their lives..

Flowers on the altar today are from Dick and Nancy Basol for celebrating their 50^th anniversary.

 Wish these members a Happy Birthday

AJ B	10/4
Betty H	10/9
Jordan S	10/9
KateLee-Ann B	10/10
Janet O	10/13
Doyle R	10/17
Ashley B	10/18
DeeDee W	10/20
Steven D	10/24
Lisa J	10/28
Chris S	10/28

 

God’s Continued and rich blessings to these couples who are celebrating an Anniversary!

 

Gary & Beth B	10/3
Daniel & Laurel F	10/7
Lonnie & Faye H	10/16
Mark & Lisa F	10/17
Ralph & Nancy K	10/23

 Some of the Years of Blessings listed below! 

 Gary & Beth Baehmann are celebrating 15 years together. Please wish them many more.

30 years or marriage for Lonnie and Faye Hoeft – if you happen to see them, wish them many more.

 45 years of marriage for Dan & Laurel Finger – if you have a chance please congratulate them.

 

LAST DAY – It’s that time of the year people. If you have any ideas for our mission work for 2024 please contact Connie Kreitzman no later than Oct 1^st so your suggestions can be considered at the Council meeting on October 5^th.If you have a suggestion please also have a short description of the mission work that you are suggesting. You can give them to Connie in church or send it to her email address conniek@voclyman.com.

The Chosen Bible Study is scheduled to start October 3rd! Ron and Dee continue to heal after their accident. Please keep them in prayer.

The bible Study will be held at 6pm at the Parsonage/Office next to the church. It will begin at 6pm!

Mark your calendars as classes will be held October 3rd, 17th and 31st. November 7th, 21st, December 5th, and 19th! Class will then take a break until the new year! God’s richest blessings to you all and thank you once again to Ron for offering this study.

Dates to Remember:

Oct. 3^rd    Bible Class @ 6pm in Parsonage

Oct. 5^th    Council meeting @ 6pm.

Oct. 29^th  Zion Cemetery meeting immediately after church

Nov. 5^th   Clocks will fall back!!  Pastor always says if you forget to change your clocks and you come early – he’ll have the coffee ready.