18th Sunday After Pentecost, Sunday, October 4, 2020
Livestream at 8:30am
Bulletin for the service
Prayer of the Day
Beloved God, from you come all things that are good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things that are right, and by your merciful guidance, help us to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Scripture readings
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80:7-15
Philippians 3:4b-14
Matthew 21:33-46
Sermon
"Grapes of Grace"
Matthew 21:33-46; Isaiah 5:1-7
Things have gone wrong in the vineyard. In spite of care both meticulous and loving, the grapes have run wild. Instead of a crop of justice and righteousness, the harvest has been bloodshed. In Jesus’ telling, the blood that is shed belongs to the landowner’s son. The religious leaders listening to Jesus’ parable fall into his trap; the tenants deserve punishment, even death. We, too, are convicted. We have failed to faithfully steward the precious vineyard in which God has placed us. Violence and suffering are the bitter wine pressed from our wild grapes. Jesus changes the narrative, however. The Son’s death leads not to retributive measures but to grace, a new world built on the rejected cornerstone. The Son who was dead now lives. In him, we can finally grow aright.
Hymns
Entrance Hymn | ELW 580 | How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord |
Hymn of the Day | LBW 453 | If You But Trust in God to Guide You |
Sending hymn | LBW 507 | How Firm a Foundation |
LBW Lutheran Book of Worship ELW Evangelical Lutheran Worship |
In our prayers we remember Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
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