Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost B

The traditional Christian church calendar is comprised of seasons and special days. We are in the season of Pentecost. The season of Pentecost is the longest season of the church calendar and concludes with Christ the King Sunday. In this season, let us consider how we are empowered to act for God.

Brief Order For Confession and Forgiveness

Music to accompany this worship is on Spotify at:

Pentecost 13 B

Entrance Hymn

Open My Eyes

Kyrie

Hymn of Praise

Prayer of the Day

Holy God, your word feeds your people with life that is eternal. Direct our choices and preserve us in your truth, that, renouncing what is false and evil, we may live in you, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

The First Lesson

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 

2a And Joshua said to all the people,

14 “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 

15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region 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 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 

17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 

18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” 

Psalm

Psalm 34:15-22 (15)

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. 

16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 

17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. 

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all. 

20 He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken. 

21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 

22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

The Second Lesson

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 

11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 

14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 

15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 

16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 

17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 

19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

The Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Lord, to whom | shall we go?*

You have the words of e- | ternal life. Alleluia. (John 6:68)

The Gospel

John 6:56-69

56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 

57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 

58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 

59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. 

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 

61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 

62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 

63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 

64 But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 

65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” 

66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 

67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can 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.”

The Sermon

It is always our choice to live the truth or live a lie.

The Hymn of the Day

Come to Me and Drink

The Creed

The Peace

Peace Train

The Prayers

The Offering

Communion

The Lord’s Prayer

Communion Hymns

Through It All

Communal Blessing

Dismissal

The Bible readings are from the New Revised Standard Version. I wish to thank the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA, and its predecessor bodies for all their teaching throughout the years. I’ve used the Lectionary published on the ELCA website at elca.org in preparation for this worship.

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