[A] PENTECOST INTROIT: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful people, and begin in them YOUR exciting love. Praise God! O Lord, how-many are YOUR works; with wisdom YOU made everything; the earth is full of YOUR things. All these wait for YOU to give them food at the correct time. Happens YOU give to them, then they eat. Happens YOU send YOUR Spirit, then they begin to live, and YOU make new all-over the earth. COLLECT: O God, on this day YOU taught the hearts of YOUR faithful people by sending the light of YOUR Holy Spirit to them. Give to us today the same Spirit that we will have a correct understanding in all things and always enjoy the Holy Spirit's comfort. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JOEL 2:28-29 28. God says, after these things happen, I will pour-out MY Spirit upon all people. Your sons and your daughters will speak prophecy, your old men will dream, and your young men will see future things. 29. And I will also pour-out MY Spirit on your slaves, both men and women, during those days. ACTS 2:1-21 1. Happened that day named PENTECOST, all Jesus followers stayed in one place. 2. And while they sat in the house, quickly a noise from heaven came and filled the whole house. That noise seemed same-as a strong wind. 3. And small fires appeared on the heads of the followers. 4. And the Holy Spirit filled them all, and they began to speak in other languages, same-as the Spirit permitted them to speak. 5. Now in the city JERUSALEM lived Jewish people from every nation on earth; and they were religious people. 6. Happened the people heard the noise, then they assembled and seemed confused, because each one heard Jesus' followers speak in his-own language. 7. They were-surprised and said with much wondering, "Look-at these men speak. They are from GALILEE, correct? 8. And how can each one of us hear the language of our home nation? 9. Among us are people named PARTHIANS, MEDES, ELAMITES, people from the nations of MESOPOTAMIA, JUDEA, CAPPADOCIA, PONTUS, and ASIA. 10. People from PHYRGIA, PAMPHYLIA, EGYPT, and places in AFRICA near CYRENE, and also visitors from ROME, both Jewish people and non-Jewish people, 11. And people from CRETE and ARABIA, we hear them speak in our languages about the wonderful works of God." 12. And all were-surprised and dumbfounded, and they said to one-another, "What can this mean?" 13. But others mocked and said, "These men are full with new wine." 14. Then PETER stood-up with the eleven followers, and PETER spoke with a loud voice, "Jewish friends and all you people living in the city of JERUSALEM, understand and listen to me. 15. These men are not drunk, same-as you think. No! Because the time is only nine in the morning. 16. These are the words the prophet JOEL spoke, 17. 'God says in the last few days I will give MY Spirit to many people. Then your sons and daughters will speak prophecy, the young men will see future things, and the old men will dream. 18. In those days I will give MY Spirit to MY servants, both men and women, and they will speak prophecy. 19. I will show you surprising wonders in the sky and wonderful showing on the earth. 20. You will see blood, and fire, and a cloud of smoke; the sun will become dark and the moon will change to red before the Lord's great day comes. 21. Then everyone praying in the name of the Lord will be-saved.'" GRADUAL: I will give MY Spirit to all people. Your sons and daughters will speak prophesy. With the heart a person believes and becomes holy, and with the mouth the person confesses and is saved. JOHN 16:5-11 5. Now I go again to heaven. God sent ME, and none of you asks, "Where are YOU going?" 6. Because I told you these things, your hearts are sad. 7. But I tell you the truth, it-is-better for you that I leave. Why? Because after I leave, then the Comforter will come. If I stay, then the Comforter will not come. 8. The Comforter named the Holy Spirit will show the world about sin, about getting forgiveness from God, and about judgment. 9. The Spirit will prove the people are sinners, because they don't believe in ME. 10. The Holy Spirit will prove to them about forgiveness, because I am going to the Father and you will not see ME any more. 11. And the Spirit will prove to the world about true judgment, because the reigner of this world, the devil, is finished judged. [A] THE HOLY TRINITY INTROIT: Praise to the Holy Trinity. Let us give glory to God, because HE shows mercy to us. Give to the Lord, you strong people, give glory and power. Give to the Lord the glory for HIS name; worship the holy Lord. The Lord's voice is powerful; HIS voice is beautiful. The Lord reigns over the waters; the Lord reigns our King forever. The Lord gives strength to HIS people, the Lord blesses HIS people with peace. COLLECT: Almighty God our Father, YOU reign with honor and wisdom. YOU give new life to YOUR people through YOUR eternal Spirit. And YOU show YOUR glory through YOUR Son, Jesus Christ. Take-away our doubt. Take-away our fear. Help us worship YOU, with YOUR Son and Spirit, One God, living and reigning forever. Amen. DEUTERONOMY 4:32-34, 39-40 32. Now ask about the days in the past, in history back to the time God created people on earth, search from one end of heaven to the other, ask whether anything happened the same great or heard same-as this? 33. The whole nation heard the voice of God speaking from the middle of fire, same-as you, and continued living? 34. Or any other time do you know God moved the whole nation from slavery through troubles, terrible PLAGUES, mighty wonderful happenings, and war? But the Lord your God did that for you in EGYPT in-front-of your eyes. 39. Know and think about this today -- the Lord is God both in heaven and on earth -- there is no other God. 40. You must obey the laws and Commandments that I tell you today. Then all will happen good with you and your children, and you will live for a long time upon the earth in the land the Lord your God gives you forever. II CORINTHIANS 13:11-14 11. Finally, Christian friends, I say goodbye! Continue trying to be perfect. Follow my example. Agree with one-another, live in peace, and then the God of love and peace will be with you. 12. Happen you meet one-another, then give that person a holy kiss. 13. All God's holy people say hello to you. 14. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 28:16-20 16. Jesus' eleven followers went to the country named GALILEE and went to the mountain, the place Jesus commanded them to go. 17. The followers saw Jesus and worshipped HIM. But some followers doubted, didn't believe. 18. Jesus met them and said, "I received all power in heaven and on earth. 19. You go to all people, make them MY followers, baptize people in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 20. Teach people to obey all the things I told you. And remember! I will stay with you until the end of the world." [A] SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Become for me strong rock, a hiding place for me, O Lord. O YOUR goodness is great, that goodness YOU prepared for those people honoring YOU, that YOU give to those people trusting in YOU in-front-of all people. O, love the Lord, all you HIS holy people, the Lord protects HIS faithful people; but the Lord gives the correct payment to the proud people. Become brave and let your heart become strong, all you people hoping in the Lord. COLLECT: O God, YOUR wisdom reigns all things in heaven and earth, we ask YOU to take-away all things that hurt us and give us those things profitable to us. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. DEUTERONOMY 11:18-21, 26-28 18. Now, remember these commandments. Engrave these commandments on your JEWELRY and wear them on your wrists and forehead. 19. Teach these commandments to your children. Talk about them while you sit at home, while you walk, at bedtime and in the morning! 20. Write these commandments on the doors of your homes and on the gates. 21. If you learn these commandments and obey them, you and your children will live a long time in the land God promised to your fathers. 26. Which do you want? --God's blessing or God's curse? 27. The Lord your God will bless you if you obey these commandments that I give you today. 28. But HE will curse you if you refuse to obey and worship the gods of other nations. ROMANS 3:21-25, 27-28 21. But now God named another way making HIM a friend with people. That way is not by the Jewish Law. The Law and the prophets told about that way. 22. People become friends with God by trusting in Jesus Christ. God will accept people coming that way. 23. Indifferent because all people sinned and all people lost the glory of God. 24. God became a friend with them because of HIS loving free gift. Jesus paid with HIS blood and made us free from our sins. 25. God gave Jesus to the world so that people trusting in the blood of Jesus will have the forgiveness of their sins. 27. Why should we be proud people? We have nothing to boast about. Why not? Because we have obeyed the Law? No! We are saved because we trusted in Jesus. 28. We all learned that a person becomes a friend of God by believing in Christ. We don't become friends of God by obeying the Laws. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 7:21-29 21. Not everyone praying, "Lord, Lord!" will enter the holy nation of heaven. Only the person doing things MY Father in heaven wants will enter heaven. 22. Many people will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, YOU remember we preached in YOUR name? YOU remember we sent-out devils in YOUR name? YOU remember we did wonderful powerful things in YOUR name?" 23. Then I will say to them in clear words, "I never knew you. Leave ME, you evil doers." 24. Anyone hearing these words of MINE and obeys MY words will be the same-as a wise man building a house on a rock. 25. The rains-poured. The wind-blew against the house. But the house didn't collapse, because the house was-built on a rock. 26. Everyone hearing MY words and refusing to obey will be the same-as a foolish man building a house on sand. 27. The rains-poured. The water flooded-over. The wind-blew against the house. And the house collapsed and broke-apart. 28. Jesus finished speaking, and the people were-surprised and wondered about HIS teaching. 29. Jesus taught with power to make people obey. The Law teachers had NO power. [A] THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Anyone giving a thank-offering honors ME, and prepares the way that I can show God's salvation. Our mighty God and Lord speaks to the earth from sunrise to sunset. "Listen, MY people, and I will speak; O ISRAEL, I will speak against you. I am God, your God. I accept you no-matter your gifts and offerings put in-front-of ME. I don't need your cow or your goats, because every animal in the forest is MINE, and the cows on a thousand hills are MINE. Bring thank-offerings to God and remember your promises to HIM, and pray to ME in the day of trouble; I will help you, and you will honor ME." COLLECT: O God, all good things come from YOU, help YOUR humble servants to think the things correct and with YOUR holy guidance help us to do those things. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. HOSEA 5:15 - 6:6 15. God says, "I will go to MY place and wait until they confess their sins and seek MY face. Happens they are in trouble, then they will come to ME." 6:1. Come, let us go again to the Lord; HE hurt us - HE will heal us. HE breaks - HE will fix again. 2. In two or three days HE will establish us again, and we shall live in-front-of HIM. 3. If we try to know the Lord, we will know HIM. And HE will bless us. We can depend on HIS blessing same-as we depend on the sunrise and the rains of Springtime. 4. Oh, EPHRAIM and JUDAH, what will I do with you? Because your love disappears same-as morning clouds, and disappears same-as the morning wetness. 5. I sent MY prophets to warn you about future destruction. I threatened you with MY words; threatened you with death. I wish your decisions were correct same-as the light. 6. I don't-want your animal gifts - I want your love; I don't-want your offerings - I want you to know ME. ROMANS 4:18-25 18. ABRAHAM believed indifferent no hope, he still believed God's word that he would become the father of many nations. 19. ABRAHAM was almost 100 years old, but his faith didn't begin to doubt, indifferent both ABRAHAM and SARAH were far-past the time for having children. 20. His faith didn't doubt. ABRAHAM believed God's promise. His faith became more strong, and he gave praise to God. 21. ABRAHAM knew surely that God can do anything HE wants. 22. That is the reason God accepted ABRAHAM same-as a righteous holy man. 23. Those words "God accepted same-as a righteous holy man" are not written only about ABRAHAM, but are written about us also. 24. If you believe that God raised-up Jesus our Lord from the dead, then God accepts you same-as a righteous and holy person. 25. Jesus died because of our sins, and Jesus arose to live forever and to announce us righteous holy people. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 9:9-13 9. Jesus was-leaving that place, then HE saw a man collecting taxes. That man's name was MATTHEW. Jesus said, "Come, follow ME." MATTHEW stood-up and followed Jesus. 10. Jesus went to eat at MATTHEW'S house, and many other tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and HIS followers. 11. Some of the Jewish Law Teachers saw this and asked the followers of Jesus, "Why does Jesus eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12. Jesus heard that and answered, "Healthy people don't need to go to a doctor. But sick people need to go to a doctor. 13. Go and search the Holy Writings and find the meaning of the words, 'I don't want animal gifts, I want mercy and kindness.' I didn't come to ask holy people to show sorrow, but I came to ask sinners to show sorrow." [A] FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Serve the Lord with happiness; come in-front-of HIM with singing. Shout with happiness to the Lord, all things on earth. Serve the Lord with happiness; come in-front-of HIM with singing. Know that the Lord is God; HE made us and we didn't make ourselves. We are HIS people and HIS holy sheep. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving, and enter HIS house with praise. Give thanks to HIM and praise HIS name. Because the Lord is good; HIS mercy stays forever, and HIS faithfulness continues forever. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love, that we can receive the things YOU promised; and make us to love YOUR commands. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EXODUS 19:2-8 2. After leaving the place named REPHIDIM, the Jewish people came to MT. SINAI and set-up their tents in-front-of the mountain. 3. MOSES went-up the mountain to meet God. MOSES arrived near the top, and God called to him and said, "You tell the Jewish people, 4. 'You saw the things I did to the EGYPTIANS, and how I brought you here to ME quickly, same-as flying. 5. Now if you will obey ME and remember your agreement with ME, you will be MY special people; no other nation will be the same-as you; because all the earth is MINE. 6. And you will be a kingdom of priests to serve ME; you will be a holy nation.' Tell the Jewish people that." 7. MOSES went-down and called the leaders of the people and told them all God's words. 8. All the people answered together, "We will do everything the Lord commanded." ROMANS 5:6-11 6. At the correct time while we were still helpless, Christ died for all sinners. 7. Now it is hard for anyone to die instead-of someone doing nothing wrong. Maybe someone would die instead-of a good man with a little-bit wrong. 8. But God shows us how-much HE loves us, because we were still sinners and Christ died for us. 9. Jesus' blood made us holy people, now we can know surely that Jesus will save us from God's anger. 10. Before we were enemies of God, but God became our friend again through the death of HIS Son. Now we are God's friends, and we know surely that God will save us though Jesus' resurrection. 11. And much more we rejoice that Jesus made God our friend. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 9:35-10:8 35. Jesus travelled-around, visiting all the cities. HE taught in the Jewish churches. HE preached about the kingdom of God. HE healed sick people. 36. Jesus saw the many people, and HE pitied them, because those people worried and were helpless, the same-as sheep without a shepherd. 37. Then Jesus said to HIS friends, "Those people are the same-as a large farm with many-many seeds growing finished, but only a few workers to collect the food. 38. You should pray to the Lord, because that food belongs-to HIM, and ask the Lord to send workers to gather HIS people." 10:1. Then Jesus called HIS twelve friends. HE gave them power to remove bad spirits out-of people. And HE gave them power to heal people from all various sicknesses. 2. The names of Jesus' twelve friends are: (1) SIMON PETER (2) his brother ANDREW (3) the sons of ZEBEDEE named JAMES (4) and JOHN (5) PHILIP 3. (6) BARTHOLOMEW (7) THOMAS (8) the tax collector named MATTHEW (9) JAMES, the son of ALPHAEUS (10) THADDAEUS 4. (11) SIMON, a man from the country named CANAAN (12) the man betraying Jesus named JUDAS ISCARIOT 5. Jesus sent those twelve men to preach. Jesus said, "Don't go to any city in the country named SAMARIA. And avoid people non-Jewish. 6. Go only to Jewish people, because the Jews are the same-as lost sheep. 7. And while you travel, you announce: 'The kingdom of God is near!' 8. Heal the sick people; make alive the dead people; clean people sick with LEPROSY; send out devils. Do these things free without pay, because you received the power free from God." [A] FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The Lord is my light and my Savior; I will fear nothing. One thing I asked the Lord, and I searched; that I can live in the house of the lord all the days of my life; and to see the beauty of the Lord, and enter HIS temple. Because in the day of trouble HE will hide me in HIS room; HE will hide me in HIS secret house; HE will put me high on a rock. Then I will be above all my enemies; I will shout with happiness in HIS house; I will sing praises to the Lord. COLLECT: O Lord, YOU always guide and reign over those people that love and worship YOU, make us always honor and worship YOUR holy name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 20:7-13 7. Then I said, "O Lord, YOU fooled me, because YOU promised me YOUR help. I must preach YOUR word to them, because YOU command me and YOU are-stronger than me, but now all the people in the city mock me. 8. YOU never once let me preach the good story to them; always I must preach bad happenings, terrible happenings and destruction to them. Now they laugh at me and mock me and make fun of me. 9. I wanted to quit preaching YOUR words, but I can't quit, because I feel guilty and YOUR word I know is true, and I can't keep quiet. 10. Every place I go I hear them whispering threats against me, and I am afraid. They say, 'We will tell the king about your preaching.' also my past friends are-watching me, waiting for me to make a mistake. They say, 'He will trap himself, and then we will get-revenge against him.' 11. But the Lord is with me same-as a mighty Defender, now they will stumble and fall. They can't defeat me. They will get shame. They will not succeed. They will have a bad name forever. 12. O Lord, YOU know those righteous people, and YOU search the thoughts in our hearts and minds, let me see YOUR revenge against them. Because I trust YOU and leave that in YOUR hands." 13. Sing to the Lord, you praise the Lord, because HE saved the soul of the poor from evildoers. ROMANS 5:12-15 12. One man, ADAM, brought sin into the world, and sin brought death. Then death spread to all people, because all people sin. 13. True, sin was in the world before God gave the Jewish Law. But if there is NO law, then God doesn't remember sins. 14. But the power of death reigned over all people from the time of ADAM until the time of MOSES, indifferent some people didn't sin the same-as ADAM'S law breaking. ADAM was a copy of the person coming later named Jesus. 15. But ADAM and Jesus aren't the same, because God's free gift and ADAM'S sin aren't equal. Yes, many people received death from ADAM'S sin, but many more people receive mercy from God. God's mercy is a great free gift from One Man, Jesus Christ. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 10:24-33 24. The student isn't over the teacher; the slave isn't over the boss. 25. The student must be-satisfied to become same-as the teacher; the slave must be-satisfied to become same-as the boss. If the boss of the house is named BEELZEBUB, then the people in the house will be-named the same. 26. Don't be-afraid of people wanting to hurt you because you follow ME. Because the things covered now will become open. Secrets will be informed. 27. The words I tell you in secret at night, you tell in the day. The teaching I tell you in secret, you announce to all people. 28. Don't be-afraid of people. Maybe they can kill your body, but they can't kill your soul. No! You honor God, because HE can destroy both body and soul in hell. 29. You can buy two small birds for a penny. But not one small bird dies without your Father's permission. 30. And God knows how-many hairs you have on your head. 31. Then don't be-afraid, because you are more important than a small bird. 32. If you tell people that you belong-to ME, then I will tell MY Father in heaven also that you belong-to ME. 33. But if you tell people that you don't belong-to ME, then I will tell MY Father also that I don't-know you. [A] SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Lord, hear my prayers; show mercy to me and answer me. The Lord is my light and my Savior; I will fear nothing. The Lord gives strength to my life; I will not be-afraid. Don't hide YOUR face from me; don't push-away YOUR servant in anger. You always helped me; don't throw-away me, O God my Savior. COLLECT: O God, YOU prepared for YOUR people good things above our understanding, pour into our hearts much love that we can receive YOUR promises. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 28:5-9 5. All the priests and the people gathered in the Lord's house. Then the prophet JEREMIAH said to the prophet HANANIAH, 6. "Amen! Let your prophecies happen exactly! I hope the Lord will do everything you say and bring back from the country named BABYLON the precious things of this Temple, and also our people. 7. But listen to the words I speak to you in-front-of all these people. 8. The prophets living before you and me spoke against many nations, always warning about war, famine, and terrible happenings. 9. Now a prophet speaking peace has the responsibility of proof, to show that God truly sent him. If his prophecy happens, then we know God sent him. If it doesn't happen, we know God hasn't sent him. ROMANS 6:1-11 1. Do you think we should continue sinning, then God will show more love to us? 2. No! Our old sinful life is finished dead. Can we continue living with sin? 3. All of us with baptism in Christ Jesus, we shared in Jesus' death through our baptism. 4. Now because we shared in HIS death, the same-as the Father arose Christ from death, we also can now walk in a new life. 5. Because if we joined in a death same-as HIS, then we will join with HIM in a resurrection same-as HIS. 6. Our old sinful life got-crucified. We know that. And that destroys the sin in us, so-that we no more become slaves to our sins. 7. Because if a man dies, then he is free from sin. 8. If we died with Christ, we believe we will live with HIM. 9. Because we know Christ arose from death and will never die again, now death has no more power over HIM. 10. Happen Jesus died, HE died once for all sins; but in HIS life, now HE lives with God. 11. Also you must think yourselves with dead sins, but living with God in Christ Jesus. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 10:34-42 34. Jesus said, "Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth. I didn't bring peace, but a sword. 35. I came to oppose a son against his father. I came to make a daughter Become against her mother. I came to make a daughter-in-law to become against her mother-in-law. 36. A man will be hated by his own family. 37. A person loving his father and mother more than ME, Jesus, is not good enough for ME. Any person loving a son or daughter more than ME, is not good enough for ME. 38. Any person refusing to accept his cross and following ME, is not good enough for ME. 39. Any person wanting to save his life will have his life taken-away. Any person giving-up his life because of ME, will get his life again. 40. Any person accepting you, accepts ME. Any person accepting ME, accepts the Father sending ME. 41. Any person accepting the preacher speaking for God...and any person accepting one of God's good people... that person will share in the blessings God gives. 42. For sure, I tell you, anyone giving a cup of cold water to one of my children, that person will receive a blessing." [A] SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Because-of YOUR name, Lord, make me strong again; in YOUR righteousness happily lead my soul from trouble. Lord, hear my prayer, attend to my words; because YOU are faithful, answer me in YOUR righteousness. Don't judge YOUR servant, because in YOUR sight no person is holy. Happen morning begins, show mercy to me; because I trust YOU. COLLECT: Lord, YOU reign over everything that happens in the world, let us in YOUR Church serve YOU in peace and quietness. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ZECHARIAH 9:9-12 9. Rejoice greatly, O MY people! Shout with joy! Because your King now comes! HE is the Righteous One, the Victor! But HE is humble. HE rides on a donkey! 10. I will take-away all the things connected with war; HE will bring peace to all the nations. HIS kingdom will spread from sea to sea, from river to river, and all over the earth. 11. O Holy City, we sealed our agreement with blood. I let your prisoners free. Your people no more live in the empty prisons. 12. Prisoners, go home! Now you have a hope. I tell you now; I truly am-coming again to you! ROMANS 7:15-25 15. I don't understand myself. I want to do the correct thing, but I don't do that. Instead, I do the opposite, the thing I hate. 16. Happens I do the wrong thing, that shows me that the Law is correct and good. 17. So, I am not doing it. Sin living in me is doing this. 18. I know truly there is nothing good in me, my body. Because I want to do good, but I don't. 19. I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I always do the wrong things I don't-want to do. 20. If I am always doing the things I don't-want to do, that means I am not doing that myself. It is the sin living in me. 21. This becomes my way of life. Happens I want to do the correct thing, I always do the opposite wrong thing. 22. My hand and heart agree with God's Law. 23. But deep inside me is a different law working fighting against my mind. This law of sin holds me with its power because sin is still in me. 24. Truly, there is no happiness in me! Who can make me free from my old sinful life? 25. I thank God because HE frees me through our Lord, Jesus Christ. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 11:25-30 25. Jesus said, "Thank YOU, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because YOU hid these things from the wise people and from those people with much learning. YOU showed them to little children. 26. Yes, Father, that was the best way in YOUR eyes. 27. Everything finished given to ME from MY Father. No one knows the Son, but the Father. No one knows the Father, but the Son, and those people the Son wants to show the Father. 28. Come to ME, all you working and having heavy burdens. I will give you rest. 29. Carry my burden and learn from ME. I am gentle and don't have pride. You will have rest for your souls. 30. For MY way of carrying a burden is easy, and MY burden is not heavy." [A] EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: O, taste and see that the Lord is good; happy is the person trusting in HIM. The Lord chose Mt. ZION; HE wants that for HIS living place. This is MY resting place forever; here I will live, because I wanted that. I will truly bless you with much food; I will satisfy the poor people with bread. I will give salvation to the priests, and the holy people will sing with happiness. COLLECT: O almighty and most merciful God, in YOUR great goodness protect us from all things that maybe would hurt us, then we will be ready in body and soul to happily do all the things YOU wish. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 55:10-11 10. Same-as the rain and snow come-down from heaven and give water to the earth and make the seed grow and give food to the farmer and bread for the people. 11. Same also is MY word. I send MY word out and that always gives help. MY word will do everything I want and will succeed every place I decide. ROMANS 8:18-25 18. Now I believe we can't compare any suffering we have now with our future glory, and God arranged that for us, and HE will show this glory to us. 19. All the world waits eagerly and wants to see God show HIS children in-front-of all. 20. Because now all the world has no goal, not because the world wanted that, but God arranged that, and God gave hope also. 21. Because finally, God will free all the things HE made from the habit of destruction to the glorious freedom same-as HIS children. 22. Until now all things suffer same-as a woman suffers during child birth. 23. And we know more. We now have the Holy Spirit's first blessings and we suffer in ourselves also while we wait for the salvation of our bodies. Then we shall see we are truly HIS children. 24. For in this hope we are saved. Hope that you can see is not true hope. No one hopes in things he can see. 25. But if we hope in things we cannot see, then we wait for that to happen with patience. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23 1. The same day Jesus was-leaving the house and went and sat near the lake. 2. But many people gathered around Jesus that HE must enter a boat, and Jesus sat-down while the people stood on the shore. 3. Then Jesus began to teach them with a story. 4. "A farmer went-out to sow-seeds. While the farmer sowed-seeds, some fell along the road, and the birds came and ate it. 5. Some seed fell on the rocky ground and couldn't go into the deep dirt. Then it grew slowly. 6. At noon time the sun was hot and burned that plant because the plant had no good roots, and the plant died. 7. Some seed fell among the thorns and both grew and the thorns choked the good plants. 8. But some seed fell on good ground and grew strong and multiplied 100, 60, 30 times more." 9. Jesus said, "You have ears to hear, now listen. 18. Listen to the story about the farmer. 19. Happens anyone heard the story of the kingdom of God, but doesn't understand that, then the devil comes and takes-out the words of God from his heart. That is the same as the seed falling on the road. 20. Next the sed fell on the rocky ground. That means a person is happy to hear God's word, but God's word doesn't enter deep in his heart. 21. He believes for a short time, but happens trouble comes or pain comes, then he quickly becomes full of doubts. 22. Next the seed falls among the thorns. That is the same-as a person hearing God's word, but the worries of the world and the foolish pleasures and money are more important than God's word, and God's word can't grow. 23. The last seed fell on the good ground. That is the same-as a person hearing God's word and understand it and shows God's word in his life by doing many good things, sometimes 100 good things, sometimes 60 good things, sometimes 30 good things." [A] NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: YOUR word is a light for my feet to show the way. Teach me YOUR way, O lord, and I will walk following YOUR true word; let my heart honor YOUR name. I will praise YOU, O Lord, with all my heart; and I will give glory to YOUR name forever. Because YOUR mercy to me is wonderful; and YOU saved my soul from the depths of hell. COLLECT: O Lord, give us YOUR Holy Spirit to think and do always those things pleasing in YOUR sight that we can live agreeing with YOUR holy wishes. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 44:6-8 6. The Lord, the King of the Jewish people, and the Savior, the Lord of the armies of heaven, says, "I am the First and the Last. I know no other God. 7. Who else can tell about future things? Let them if they can, and prove their power. Let them do the same-as I did since the beginning. 8. Fear not, don't be-afraid! Not true? I prophesied a long time ago that I would save you? You are MY witnesses. Is there any other God? No! None that I know." ROMANS 8:26-27 26. We are weak, but the Holy Spirit helps us. We truly don't-know how to pray in a way pleasing God. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with feelings deeper then words can explain. 27. God knows the things people think. God knows the things the Holy Spirit thinks. The Holy Spirit prays for Christians same-as God wants. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 13:24-30 24. Jesus gave the people another picture story saying, "The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a farmer sowing-seed for good WHEAT in his field. 25. Then during the night the enemy came and sowed WEEDS in the field among the WHEAT, and then went-away. 26. The plants-grew. The WHEAT appeared, then the WEEDS appeared also. 27. The servants came to the farmer and said, 'You sowed good WHEAT in your field, correct? Then why do we have WEEDS?' 28. The farmer said, 'An enemy did this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go and gather the WEEDS?' 29. The farmer answered, 'No, because you maybe will pull-out the good WHEAT with the WEEDS. 30. Let both grow until the harvest. And at harvest time I will tell my workers to pull-out the WEEDS first and tie-in-bundles for burning, but gather the WHEAT into my BARN.'" [A] TENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: YOU are righteous, O Lord, and YOUR judgments are correct. Oh, I love much YOUR teaching; all day I study YOUR word. YOUR commandments make me wise-most than my enemies, because I always remember the commandments. Truly YOUR words are sweet, more sweet than the taste of HONEY. YOUR word shines on my feet and lights my way. O Lord, accept the praise I offer and teach me YOUR laws. Your words I love forever, because that brings happiness to my heart. COLLECT: O God, YOU protect those people trusting in YOU, only YOU are holy and strong, increase YOUR mercy to us that with YOUR leading and reigning over us we will live through our earthly troubles and not lose our eternal gifts. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. I KINGS 3:5-12 5. At a place named GIBEON the Lord appeared in a dream to SOLOMON that night. God said, "Ask for anything you want, and I will give that to you." 6. SOLOMON said, "YOU showed kindness to my father DAVID, because he was-honest and true to YOU, and obeyed YOUR commandments. And now YOU continue YOUR kindness to him because YOU let his son follow him for king. 7. O Lord, my God, YOU made me king following my father DAVID, but I am same-as a little child and don't-know how to reign over YOUR people. 8. Here I am among YOUR own people, a great nation, many, many people, I can't count. 9. Give me understanding so I can reign over YOUR people and know the difference between correct and wrong. Because without YOUR help no one can judge the many people!" 10. The Lord was-pleased to hear SOLOMON'S prayer. 11. The Lord said to him, "Because you asked for wisdom to reign over MY people, and you not ask for a long life or riches for yourself, and you not ask for the destruction of your enemies, 12. Yes, I will give you the thing you want. I will give you wisdom and understanding more than anyone else in the past or in the future." ROMANS 8:28-30 28. We know God makes everything happen good for people loving HIM and living according to HIS plans. 29. Why? Because God chose us and wants us to become the same-as HIS Son; then Jesus becomes the oldest brother of God's many children. 30. Yes, God chose us, and HE invited us and HE forgave us, and HE gives us HIS glory. GRADUAL: The Lord is great and deserves all praise; no one can understand HIS greatness. I will think about YOUR wonderful works, and I will announce YOUR great deeds. MATTHEW 13:44-52 44. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a box filled with riches, buried in the ground. A man finds the box, and then hides and buried that again. That man is happy! He sells everything he has and buys that ground. 45. The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a man buying and selling. 46. That man searches-for beautiful PEARLS. Happens he finds one expensive perfect PEARL, he sells everything he has and buys that PEARL. 47. The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a large NET thrown into the lake, catching many various fish. 48. The NET was full with fish; the men pulled the NET to dry land. They sat-down and separated the fish. The good fish were put into a box; the worthless fish were thrown-away. 49. That is the same-as will happen at the end of the world; the angels will come and separate the bad people and the good people. 50. They will throw the bad people into the fire named HELL. There they will scream and cry. 51. Do you understand my three picture stories?" Jesus' friends answered, "Yes, we understand." 52. Jesus said, "Then everyone teaching God's word in the kingdom of heaven is the same-as a man owning a house. That man brings out-of storage both old things and new things." [A] ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Don't stay far-away from me, O God; come quick to help me, O God. Listen all you people; listen all you living in the world, both leaders and followers, both rich and poor. I will speak words of wisdom; from my heart will come words of understanding. I will listen to the wise saying, and I will sing the words and play- the-harp. COLLECT: O Lord, let YOUR continual mercy cleanse and defend YOUR Church; and because the Church can't continue without YOUR help, protect and reign over the Church with YOUR goodness. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 55:1-5 1. Hey! Anyone thirsty? Come and drink! You have no money? Indifferent! Come and drink wine or milk - free! 2. Why do you spend money for bread that doesn't strengthen you? Why do you work or buy things that not really satisfy you? Listen and I will tell you the way to get good that gives joy to your soul. 3. Attend to ME and listen and your soul will live. I am now ready to make an eternal agreement with you, to give you the never failing mercies of king DAVID. 4. He proved MY power by conquering many nations. 5. You also will reign over the nations, and they will hurry to obey you, notbecause of your own power or righteousness, but because I, the Lord your God, gave you glory. ROMANS 8:35-39 35. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? What can make us depart from Christ? Maybe trouble? Maybe problems? Maybe suffering? Maybe hunger? Maybe poor living, with no money? Maybe danger? Maybe death? 36. The Holy Writings say: "Because we belong-to God, we maybe get killed every-day. We are the same-as sheep ready for killing." 37. Do these things bother us? No! No! No! We defeat all these things because Jesus loves us. 38. I know surely that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. Death can't! Life can't! Angels can't! Kings and spirits in heaven can't! Trouble now and future can't! 39. Heaven can't! Hell can't! Nothing in all the world will separate us from the love God gives us through Jesus Christ our Lord. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 14:13-21 13. Jesus heard about JOHN the Baptizer getting killed. Then Jesus began leaving and rode in a boat to a quiet place. Jesus wanted to be alone. But people saw Jesus leave. Then the people walked and followed Jesus. 14. Jesus got-out of the boat. Jesus saw the large crowd of people, and Jesus felt mercy on them. Then Jesus healed the sick people. 15. Night came, and Jesus' friends said, "This place is far, and th day is finished. Tell the people to leave, then they can buy food for themselves in the cities." 16. But Jesus said, "No! Why must they leave? You give them food." 17. The friends answered, "We have five bread cakes and two fish. That is only a little-bit of Food." 18. Jesus said, "Give-ME that food." 19. Jesus told the people, "Sit-down on the grass." Then Jesus took the five bread cakes and the two fish, looked-up to heaven, and thanked God. Then Jesus broke the bread and gave that to the twelve friends, and they gave the bread to the people. 20. All the people ate. Everyone was-satisfied. Then the twelve friends took all the food not eaten and filled twelve baskets with food. 21. How-many people ate? About 5,000 men plus women and children. [A] TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: YOU open-YOUR-hands and satisfy everything that lives. I will praise the Lord always; I will speak words of praise forever. I searched-for the Lord and HE answered me and saved me from all my fears. The people looked at HIM and became shining, and their faces didn't become ashamed. This humble person shouted, and the Lord heard, and saved him from all trouble. The angel of the Lord stands near the people honoring HIM and saves them. O taste see that the Lord is good; happy is the person trusting in HIM. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God, YOU are always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and YOU are always ready to give more than we want or earn, now pour-down on us YOUR great mercy, forgiving us all things bothering us and giving us all the good things for our life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. I KINGS 19:9-18 9. The prophet ELIJAH entered a cave at MT. SINAI to sleep all-night. Quickly, the Lord spoke to him, "ELIJAH, what are you doing here?" 10. ELIJAH answered, "Lord God Almighty, before I always served YOU -- only YOU. But the people of ISRAEL broke their agreement with YOU, destroyed YOUR places of worship, and killed all YOUR prophets. I am the only true prophet still here, and they are trying to kill me!" 11. The Lord said to ELIJAH, "Go, stand in-front-of God on top of the mountain." Then the Lord went near and sent a strong wind separating the mountain and destroying the rocks -- but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, an earthquake happened -- but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12. After the earthquake, a fire happened -- but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, a small, quiet voice spoke. 13. Happened ELIJAH heard that voice, he hid his face with his coat and went outside and stood in-front-of the cave. A voice said to him, "Elijah, what are you doing here?" 14. ELIJAH answered, "Lord God Almighty, before I always served YOU -- only YOU. But the people of ISRAEL broke their agreement with YOU, destroyed YOUR places of worship, and killed all YOUR prophets. I am the only true prophet still here, and they are trying to kill me." 15. The Lord said, "Go again to the city named DAMASCUS through the dry country. Enter the city and pour OIL on HAZAEL to become king of SYRIA. 16. Pour OIL on JEHU, son of NIMSHI, to become king of the Jewish nation; and pour OIL on ELISHA, son of SHAPHAT, from ABEL MEHOLAH to replace you same-as prophet. 17. Any person escaping getting killed by HAZAEL will become killed by JEHU; and anyone escaping from JEHU will get killed by ELISHA. 18. But God will let 7,000 people stay alive in the Jewish nation -- all those people faithful to God and refusing to worship the false god, BAAL, and refusing to kiss his idol. ROMANS 9:1-5 1. I tell you the truth. I belong-to Christ, and I am-not lying. The Holy Spirit tells my heart, "You are-not lying." 2. I have much sorrow; my grief never stops. 3. I wish God would send me to hell and separate me from Christ, if that could save my family, my nation. 4. That is the Jewish nation. God chose those people. God named them HIS sons. God gave them HIS glory. God became their King and Defender. God gave them HIS Law. God showed them how to worship HIM. God made wonderful promises to the Jews. 5. Their fathers before, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB, loved God. And Christ belongs-to that family; Jesus was a Jew. God reigns over everything; praise HIM forever! Amen. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 14:22-33 22. Jesus ordered HIS friends to get into the boat and go across the lake. Jesus stayed and sent all the people home. 23. Then Jesus walked up the hill and prayed. The time was night, and Jesus was alone. 24. But the boat was now far on the lake. The wind blew-hard; the waves beat against the boat. 25. Then about 4:00 in the morning Jesus approached, walking on the water. 26. HIS friends saw HIM and were-scared. They screamed, "It's a ghost!" 27. Jesus quickly said, "Don't be-afraid! It's ME, Jesus. Have trust!" 28. Then PETER said, "Lord, are you really Jesus? Then invite me to walk on the water to YOU." 29. Jesus answered, "Come." Then PETER stepped out of the boat onto the water and started walking to Jesus. 30. But happened PETER saw the wind, he became afraid and started to sink. He cried, "Lord, save me!" 31. Jesus quickly reached out and grabbed him. Jesus said, "You have only a little-bit of faith. Why do you doubt?" 32. Then Jesus and PETER both entered the boat, and the wind stopped and was quiet. 33. The people in the boat worshipped Jesus. "Truly, YOU are the Son of God!" [A] THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The eyes of all things wait for YOU, and YOU give them food at the correct time. O honor the Lord, you HIS holy people; because the people honoring HIM have everything they want. Lions maybe become weak and hungry, but people searching-for the Lord will not become weak and hungry. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to honor the Lord. Drop sin and do good; seek and follow peace. The eyes of the Lord watch-over the righteous people, and HIS ears listen to their prayers. COLLECT: Merciful Father, because YOU gave YOUR only Son to die for our sin, also give us thankful hearts for that forgiving work and then to follow Jesus' way. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 56:1, 6-8 1. The Lord says to HIS people, "Do correct and honest things, because shortly God will save you." 6. The Lord says to people from far-away nations becoming HIS people, loving and serving God, celebrating the Holy Day and faithfully keeping the agreement with God: 7. "God will bring you to HIS holy place; God will give you joy in HIS house of prayer, and accept the gifts you offer at HIS altar. The Temple of God will be named a House of Prayer for the people of all nations. 8. The Almighty Lord, in times past HE led HIS people home from far-away nations, HE promises that HE will lead other people to join HIS people." ROMANS 11:13-15, 29-32 13. Now I am speaking to you non-Jewish people. Because I am sent to you, I will be proud of my work. 14. Maybe I can make some Jewish people jealous, and then maybe they will be saved also. 15. Because the Jewish people rejected God, many other people in the world are saved and become God's friend. Think how happy everyone will be if God accepts the Jews. That will be the same-as dead people becoming alive. 29. God never changes HIS mind happens God calls someone or blesses someone. 30. In the past you people disobeyed God, but now you received God's mercy, because the Jewish people disobeyed God. 31. The Jewish people don't obey God now. God's loving kindness to you maybe will change some of the Jews to love God. Then the Jews will have HIS loving kindness also. 32. God says that all people broke HIS Law, but HE will show loving kindness on all of them. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 15:21-28 21. Jesus was leaving that place and travelled around TYRE and SIDON. 22. And, look, one woman from the country named CANAAN came and called to Jesus, "O Lord, Son of David, show mercy to me. A devil reigns in my daughter." 23. But Jesus never answered the woman. And His friends came and said, "Send-away this woman, because she continues following us and shouting to us." 24. Jesus answered, "God sent ME only to the lost sheep of ISRAEL'S house." 25. But the woman came and knelt in-front-of Jesus and said, "Lord, help me." 26. Jesus answered, "If we take the bread from children and throw that to the dogs, we do wrong." 27. The woman said, "Correct, Lord, but the dogs eat the CRUMBS under the table of the Lord." 28. Then Jesus answered, "O woman, wonderful is your faith. I will answer your prayer." And her daughter became healed in that same hour. [A] FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Honor and glorious strength are HIS. But we will praise the Lord from now to forever. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great, and HIS faithfulness stays forever. Praise the Lord! COLLECT: O almighty God, with YOU we have eternal life, help us to know Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Then following Jesus we will walk the way that leads to eternal life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EXODUS 6:2-8 2. God spoke to MOSES, "I am Lord, the Almighty God. 3. I appeared to ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB, but I didn't tell them MY name. 4. I made an agreement with them. I promised to give to the Jewish nation the land place they lived and visited in the past. 5. Now I hear the complaints of the Jewish people. I know the EGYPTIANS made them slaves, and I remember MY promise. 6. Tell the Jewish people that God says to them, 'I am the Lord; I will save you and make you free from your slavery to the EGYPTIANS. I will use MY mighty power to punish the EGYPTIANS, and I will save you. 7. I will accept you same-as MY people and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God after I free you from slavery in EGYPT. 8. I will bring you to the country that I promised to give to ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and JACOB; and I will give that land to you for your own nation. I am the Lord.'" ROMANS 11:33-36 33. The riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God are deep. HIS judgments are far above our understanding, and HIS works are far above our searching. 34. Because who knows the mind of the Lord? Or who gives advice to HIM? 35. Or who first gave to HIM and then God must pay that man again? 36. Because from HIM and through HIM and in HIM are all things. Give glory to HIM eternally. Amen. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 16:13-20 13. Jesus came into the country named CAESAREA PHILIPPI. Then Jesus asked HIS friends, "Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14. The friends answered, "Some people say YOU are JOHN the Baptist, and some people say YOU are ELIJAH, and other people say YOU are JEREMIAH or one of the other prophets." 15. Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that Iam?" 16. PETER answered, "YOU are the promised Savior, the Son of the living God." 17. Jesus said to him, "PETER, son of JOHN, you should be happy, because you didn't learn that from any person, but MY Father in heaven showed that to you. 18. And I tell you that your faith is strong same-as a rock. And I will build MY church on that strong faith and the power of hell can't defeat that. 19. I will give to you the keys for the kingdom of heaven. Anything that you make illegal on earth, I will make illegal in heaven; and anything you permit on earth, I will permit in heaven." 20. Then Jesus commanded HIS friends, "Don't tell anyone that I am the promised Savior." [A] FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Lord, I love YOUR house and the place that YOUR glory lives. Judge me, O Lord, because I live without blame; I trust the Lord; I will not doubt. Study me, O Lord, and test me; Test my mind and heart. I will wash my hands and be clean; I will walk around YOUR altar, Lord, announcing YOUR praise and telling about all YOUR wonderful works. COLLECT: Lord Almighty, YOU are the Creator and Giver of all good things, write on our hearts YOUR name, increase in us true religion, feed us with YOUR goodness, and help grow in us good works. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 15:15-21 15. JEREMIAH said, "Lord, YOU understand. Remember me and help me. Let me have revenge on people persecuting me. Don't stay patient with those people or they will kill me. Remember, because of YOU people insult me. 16. YOU spoke to me, and I listened to every word. I have YOUR name, Lord God Almighty. YOUR words filled my heart with joy and celebration. 17. I didn't sit with celebrators; I didn't enjoy myself. In obeying YOUR orders, I stayed alone and became filled with anger. 18. Why do I continue suffering? Why are my WOUNDS not healed? Why don't my WOUNDS improve? God, do YOU plan to disappoint me the same-as a stream becoming dry in the summer?" 19. The Lord answered, "If you turn to the Lord again, HE will accept you again, and you will become HIS servant again. If you stop talking foolish, and you begin announcing an important message, you will become God's preacher again. The people will come to you. You will not need to go to the people. 20. God will make you the same-as a strong wall. The people will fight against you, but the people will not defeat you. God will stay with you to protect you and keep you safe. 21. God will save you from the power of the wicked and angry people, says the Lord." ROMANS 12:1-8 1. Because God touches us with mercy, I urge you -- brothers and sisters - give yourselves as living gifts to God. Why? (1) Because that holy gift is pleasing to God, and (2) because that is true spiritual worship. 2. Don't agree to copy the world, but become a new person, as God changes your mind and heart. Then you will understand the things God wants. And you will know God's plan is good and perfect; yes, that pleases HIM. 3. Now God touched me with HIS love, and I say to you all: Don't think proud ideas about yourself or your importance. No, be-honest as you picture your ability. Measure your value compared with the faith God gave you. 4. Now, one body has many different parts and each part has a different work. 5. The picture is the same with the church. We are many different people, but we all join together as one body together with Christ. 6. Now, we must use our different gifts according to the grace God gave us. If God gives us the gift to preach HIS message, then we preach as our faith leads us. 7. If God gives you the gift of serving others, then serve them good. If you are a teacher, then do a good job of teaching. 8. If your job is to encourage others, then do that with eager understanding. If God gives you money, feel kind to help others. If God gives you authority over others, then work hard and work with responsibility. If God gives you the gift of showing mercy, then comfort people with Christian cheer. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 16:21-26 21. After that Jesus spoke clearly to HIS friends: "I must go to JERUSALEM and suffer much from the Jewish leaders and the chief priests and the Law teachers. They will kill ME and on the third day I will arise alive." 22. But PETER led Jesus separate alone to scold HIM. "God will stop that, Lord! This must never happen to YOU!" 23. Jesus looked-at PETER and said, "Leave ME, Satan! You are not thinking the same-as God thinks. You are thinking the same-as a man thinks." 24. Then Jesus said to HIS friends, "If anyone wants to come with ME, then you must give-up all your things, accept trouble in your life, and follow ME. 25. If anyone tries to save his own life, you will lose it. If anyone will give-up his life to follow ME, then your life will be saved. 26. Because what good profit will you have if you earn all the money in the world but your soul dies? How-much profit? Nothing! How-much can you pay to live again after you are dead? How-much? Nothing!" [A] SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: It-is good to give-thanks to the Lord, to sing to YOU, O Most High God. Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the country and enjoy safety. Be-happy with the Lord and HE will give-you all your heart wishes. Follow the Lord, trust in HIM and HE will do all this. The Lord saves HIS righteous people; HE supports them in the time of trouble. COLLECT: Merciful Lord, give to YOUR faithful people forgiveness and peace that we will be cleansed from all our sins and serve YOU with a quiet mind. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EZEKIEL 33:7-9 7. Now, man, God makes you a supervisor for the people of God. Anytime you hear a word from the mouth of God, you must give the people the warning from God. 8. If God announces that an evil person will die, but you don't warn that person to change his ways so that he can save his life, then he will die, still a sinner, and God will make you responsible for his death. 9. If you truly warn an evil person and he doesn't stop sinning, he will die, still a sinner, but your life will be saved. ROMANS 13:1-10 1. Every person must obey the government, because God gives the government authority, and God ordered the government to reign over us. 2. The person not obeying the government also refuses to obey God. And that person will be punished. 3. People doing correct have no fear of the government. Those people doing wrong should be afraid. Do you want to be free from fear of government? Then do correct things, and the government will respect you. 4. The government leaders are God's servants working to help you. If you are doing wrong, then you should be afriad. The government has the authority to punish you. The government is God's servant and punishes people doing wrong. 5. You must obey the government, not only because God punishes wrong, but then your heart will have peace. 6. That is the reason you also pay taxes. The government leaders are God's servants doing their work. 7. Pay everything you owe. If it is your duty, then do that; if taxes, then pay that; if you must show respect, then show respect; if you must give honor, then give honor. 8. Owe nothing to anyone, but love one another. Because everyone with love to another obeys all the Law. 9. Now the Commandments say, "You shall not break the marriage law; You shall not kill; You shall not steal; You shall not jealously want things," and if we have any other Commandments, we gather those Commandments in this one sentence, "You shall love your neighbor same-as you love yourself." 10. Anyone loving his neighbor will not do wrong to him. You must obey the Law with love. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 18:15-20 15. If your friend sins against you, go to that person and show his wrong. But do that privately between the two of you. If that friend listens to you and is sorry, then you have a friend again. 16. But if he refuses to listen to you, then bring one or two other people with you, so that they can witness everything you discuss. 17. And if he still refuses to listen to you, then tell your story to the whole church. Then if he refuses to obey the church, then do to him same-as a non-believer. 18. I tell you honestly, if you don't forgive that person's sins, then I won't forgive his sins. And if you forgive his sins, then I will fogive him. 19. Again I tell you; if two of you here on earth agree to pray for something, then MY Father in heaven will do that. 20. Because happens two or three people meet together in MY name, then I will stay with them. [A] SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The Lord is merciful and righteous; our God is full of love. I love the Lord because HE hears my voice and my prays for mercy. Because HE listened to me, I will pray to HIM while I am alive. The sadness of death is around me; the grief of the grave found me; I became full of trouble and sadness. Then I prayed to the name of the Lord, "O Lord, save me." The Lord is merciful and righteous; our God is full of love. Rest again, O my soul, because the Lord is good to you. Because HE saved my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk in-front-of the Lord in the country of living people. COLLECT: O God, without YOUR blessings we can't please YOU, in mercy let YOUR Holy Spirit lead and reign over our hearts in all things. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. GENESIS 50:15-21 15. After the death of their father, JOSEPH'S brothers said, "What happens if JOSEPH still hates us and plans to revenge against us for all the wrong we did against him?" 16. Now, the brothers sent a letter to JOSEPH: "Before our father died, he told us to ask you, 'Please forgive the sin your brothers did wrong against you.' 17. Now please forgive us the sin that we, the servants of your father's God, did in the past." JOSEPH read the letter and cried. 18. Then JOSEPH'S brothers came and bowed-down in-front-of JOSEPH and said, "We are here in-front-of you same-as slaves." 19. JOSEPH said to his brothers, "Don't fear; I can't make myself God to punish you. 20. You planned evil against me, but God changed that into good, to save the lives of many people living today because of that happening. 21. Don't fear. I myself will take-care-of you and your children." JOSEPH comforted his brothers with kind words touching their hearts. ROMANS 14:5-9 5. One person maybe thinks one day is more important than another day, and another person maybe thinks that every day is same. Each person must know surely his own beliefs. 6. The person thinking one day is more important than other days is doing that for the Lord. And the person eating all different foods is doing that for the Lord. Yes, he gives thanks to God for that food. And the person refusing to eat some foods is doing that for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. 7. None of us lives for himself, and none dies for himself. 8. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong-to the Lord. 9. Christ died and arose again to become Lord over the dead and the living people. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 18:21-35 21. Then PETER came to Jesus and asked HIM, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother sinning against me? Seven forgivenesses?" 22. Jesus told him, "I tell you, not seven forgivenesses, but seventy multiplied by seven forgivenesses. 23. That is the reason the kingdom of heaven is the same-as a king wanting to count the debts of his servants. 24. Happen the king began counting, one servant came with a debt of $10,000,000. 25. But the servant had nothing to pay that debt. Now the king ordered that servant, his wife, his children, and all his things sold to pay the debt. 26. Then the servant knelt and bowed-down in-front-of the king and begged, 'Please be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27. The king felt pity for the servant, freed him, and cancelled his debt. 28. But happened the servant was-leaving, he saw another servant owing him $16; he grabbed-his-neck and shook him saying, 'Pay all you owe me.' 29. Then the second servant knelt and begged him, 'Please be patient with me, and I will pay you.' 30. But the first servant refused and put him in jail until he paid all his debt. 31. Happened all the other servants saw everything happen, they felt sad. And they came and told the king all the things. 32. Then the king called the first servant and said, 'You bad servant. I forgave all your debt, because you asked me. 33. I showed mercy to you; now you have the duty to show mercy to your friend servant the same-as I showed mercy to you, correct?' 34. And the king became angry and gave that bad servant to the jail keepers until he paid his full debt. 35. The same MY father in heaven will do to you, if you will not from your hearts forgive your brother." [A] EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Look, God is my helper; the Lord supports my soul. Save me, O God, by YOUR name; use YOUR power to free me. O God, hear my prayer; attend to the words I speak. I will give my offering to YOU; I will give-thanks to YOUR name, Lord, because YOU are good. YOU save me from all my troubles; and my eyes see YOU defeat my enemies. COLLECT: O Lord, we ask you to continue showing mercy to YOUR Church; and because without YOU we will fall, always help us and protect us from hurtful things, and lead us to things that will help in our salvation. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 55:6-9 6. Attend to the Lord. Pray to the Lord, because HE is near. 7. Let the bad people stop their way of life and change their way of thinking. Let the evil people attend to the Lord, our God; HE is merciful and quickly forgives. 8. The Lord says, "MY thoughts are not the same-as your thoughts, and MY ways are different from your ways. 9. The same the sky is high above the earth, the same the ways and thoughts of God are far above your ways and thoughts. PHILIPPIANS 1:1-5, 19-27 1. From PAUL and TIMOTHY, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all God's people living in the city named PHILIPPI, and to all the church leaders and servants, 2. Love and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Every time I think about you, I thank my God; 4. And every time I pray for you, I thank HIM with joy; 5. Because I remember you helping me announce the Good Story about Christ from the time you first believed until now. 19. And I will continue to feel happy, because I know you will pray for me. And same-as the Holy Spirit helps me, everything will happen for my good. 20. I hope very much that I will have no reason to feel ashamed. I want to honor Christ with my body either by my life or my death. I want to honor HIM with full courage now and always. 21. For me Christ is near while I live; to die means I will be with Christ always. 22. But if I stay living here, then I can lead more people to Christ. I don't-know the best answer. 23. I want to do both. I want very much to die and be with Christ, and that will be happy for me. 24. But it is more important for you that I stay alive. 25. I feel correct about this, so I know I will be staying here on earth longer to help you grow in faith with joy. 26. Now, happen I visit you again, you will have more reason to feel happy about me and to praise the Lord Jesus Christ. 27. Live then, same-as the Good Story about Christ tells you to live. If I come to you or not, I want to hear that you are standing together same-as one group telling the Good Story. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 20:1-16 1. The kingdom of heaven is the same-as a man with a large farm. Early-in-the-morning he went and hired workers for his farm. 2. He agreed to pay the workers one DENARIUS ($.15) each day. And he sent the workers out to the field. 3. Then the farmer went about 9:00am and saw other men standing in the center of town not working. 4. And the farmer said to those men, "You go into my fields and I will pay you also." And they went. 5. Again the farmer went about noon and 3:00pm and hired more men. 6. And about 5:00pm the farmer went and found other men in town not working. The farmer asked, "Why do you stand here doing nothing all day?" 7. And they answered, "Because no one hired us." The farmer said, "You go into my fields, also." 8. Evening came, and the farmer told the work boss, "Call the workers and pay them. Begin paying the last workers, and then pay the first workers." 9. Those workers starting at 5:00pm received one DENARIUS. 10. The morning workers came and thought they would receive more money; but they also received one DENARIUS. 11. The workers accepted that, but they complained against the farmer. 12. They said, "These last workers only did one hour of work and you paid them the same-as us. And we did the heavy work during the hottest time of the day." 13. The farmer answered, "Friend, I do nothing wrong. You agreed to work for me for one DENARIUS, correct? 14. Take your money and leave. I want to pay this last worker the same money I pay you. 15. I can spend my money my own way, correct? Maybe your eye is jealous because I am good, correct?" 16. Now, the last will become first and the first will become last. [A] NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: YOUR name, O Lord, stays forever; YOU are famous through all the years. Praise the Lord! Praise HIS name; praise HIM all you servants of the Lord, you people serving in the house of the Lord, you worshipping in HIS temple. Praise the Lord, because HE is good; sing praise to HIS name, because that is pleasing to HIM. YOUR name, O Lord, stays forever; YOU are famous through all the years. Because the Lord will judge righteous HIS people and show mercy to HIS servants. COLLECT: O God, our strong Supporter, in mercy accept our prayer, and because we are weak people and can do nothing good without YOU, give us YOUR help that we can obey YOUR commandments and please YOU in everything. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EZEKIEL 18:1-4, 25-32 1. The Lord spoke to me, 2. "What means these words, 'The fathers ate bitter grapes, and the childrens teeth feel nothing?' 3. Since I live, you will not use these words again in ISRAEL. 4. All people belong-to ME, now a son and a father are the same to ME. The person sinning will die. 25. I hear you saying, 'The Lord is not fair.' Listen to ME, O people of ISRAEL. Who is not fair? ME? Or you? 26. Happens a good man stops doing good and begins doing bad and then dies, he dies because of his bad ways. 27. But if a bad person stops sinning, obeys the law, and does correct, then he will save his soul. 28. Why? Because he understood his actions and stops sinning. He will surely live; he will not die. 29. Still the people of ISRAEL say, 'The Lord is not fair.' O people of ISRAEL, Who is not fair? Not ME! But you are not fair! 30. O ISRAEL, I will judge each of you by your actions, and then either punish or praise you. Change from your sins, or bad deeds will destroy you. 31. Throw-away all sin you did against ME, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why do you want to die, O ISRAEL? 32. I don't enjoy seeing you die, the Lord God says. Change from your sins and live." PHILIPPIANS 2:1-5 1. Are you strong because you belong-to Christ? Does HIS love comfort you? Do you have fellowship with the Spirit? Do you feel kindness and compassion for one-another? 2. Then make me truly happy. Love one-another and agree with one-another. Work together with one heart and mind and purpose. 3. Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble. Think of others same-as better than yourself. 4. Don't always be thinking about your own plans and activities. Be ready to listen while other people share their plans and activities. 5. Think the same-as Christ Jesus thinks; indifferent HE was God, HE didn't try to make HIMSELF equal with God. GRADUAL: God's riches are very great! God's wisdom and knowledge have no end! No person can explain the things God decides. No person can understand God's ways. God made all things. And everything continues through God and for God. To God give glory forever! Amen. MATTHEW 21:28-32 28. Jesus asked, "What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first son and said, 'Son, go and work in the fields today.' 29. 'I don't-want to work,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went to work. 30. The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He amswered, 'I will go, father,' but he didn't go. 31. Which son obeyed the father?" They answered, "The first son." Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will enter God's kingdom before you enter. 32. Because JOHN the Baptist told you to show sorrow and change your ways, and you didn't believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Indifferent you saw that happen, you didn't change your minds later and believe him." [A] TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The Lord bless you from HIS holy mountain all the days of your life. Happy are those people honoring the Lord and walking in HIS ways. You will get praised for your work; blessings and riches will become yours. Your wife will give-birth to many children in your house; you will have many sons around your table. The person honoring the Lord will be-blessed. You will see the city JERUSALEM grow; and you will live to see your grand-children. COLLECT: O God, YOUR power is shown by YOUR mercy and love, give to us YOUR full love, then we will have all the riches of heaven. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 5:1-7 1. Let me sing to my sweetheart a song about his grape garden: My sweetheart had a grape garden on a hill with good soil. 2. My sweetheart dug and removed the stones and planted his garden with the best grape trees. My sweetheart built a fence around the garden, and he built a wine making machine. He waited for sweet grapes, but he only got sour grapes. 3. Now my sweetheart says, "You people living in JERUSALEM and the Jewish nation, judge between my grape garden and me. 4. Is there anything I forgot to do for my grape garden? Then why does my grape garden grow sour grapes and not sweet grapes? 5. Now I will tell you my plans for my grape garden. I will remove the fence around it, destroy the protective wall, and let animals eat the sour grapes. 6. I will let WEEDS grow. I will not cut-down the grape trees. I will not plow the ground. I will let the bad plants to cover it. I will command the clouds that no rain touches the grape garden. 7. The people of God are the grape garden of the Lord. The Jewish nation are the plants. God planted that garden. God wanted HIS people to do good, but instead HIS people killed. God wanted HIS people to do correct, but instead HIS people's enemies begged for correct judgments. PHILIPPIANS 3:12 - 21 12. I don't mean that I succeeded to live a perfect life. I haven't arrived at that goal. But I eagerly try to live that way, because I belong-to Christ. 13. Christian friends, I know I've not-yet succeded to that goal, but I do forget the past things and try to succeed to future things. 14. And I continue watching that heavenly gift, because God prepared that for me through Jesus Christ. 15. All of you finished growing spiritually should think that way. And if you think differently, God will make that clear to you. 16. Let the true things you finished learn guide your life. 17. Christian friends, try to copy my life and copy those other believers life. 18. Many times I told you, and now I tell you with crying, that many people live same-as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19. Finally, they will be destroyed. They live only to please themselves. They do many shameful things and feel proud about that. Their minds are always on earthly things. 20. But our home is heaven, and we watch for our Savior, Christ Jesus, to come. 21. Jesus will change our earthly body to become same-as HIS glorious body with HIS almighty power. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 21:33-43 33. Listen to another story: A man had a farm and planted grapes. He built a fence around it, and built a wine making machine, and built a watch tower. Then some farmers agreed to use that place and pay part of the grapes to him. 34. Then the man went and lived in a far country. Happened the grapes fully grew, the man sent servants to receive his share. 35. But the farmers beat one servant, killed the second servant, and stoned the third servant. 36. Then the man sent more servants to get his grapes, and the same thing happened. 37. Finally the man sent his son. He thought the farmers would respect his son. 38. But happened they saw the son coming, they said to one-another, 'This is the son. Come, let's kill him and steal the land.' 39. Then they grabbed him, threw him out of the land and killed him." 40. Then Jesus asked the Jewish leaders, "What do you think the man will do against those bad farmers?" 41. They answered, "He will kill them and give the farm to other farmers. They will give him his correct share." 42. Jesus said, "Did you forget the Holy Writings? 'The stone the builders refused to use, later that stone becomes the important stone. The Lord did this and that is wonderful to see.' 43. That's the reason I told you: God's kingdom will be taken-away from you and given to people wanting to give God HIS correct part." [A] TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Wonderful is the Lord, and we must praise HIM in the city of our God and on HIS holy mountain. I will praise the Lord always; my mouth will always speak words of praise. My soul will boast about the Lord; let the humble people hear and become happy. Give glory to the Lord with me, and let us praise HIS name together. I searched-for the Lord, and HE answered me; and HE saved me from all my fears. The righteous people pray, and the Lord listens and saves them from all their troubles. COLLECT: O God, we ask YOU to open our minds with YOUR Holy Spirit that we can receive the promises from Jesus and that we will learn YOUR truth. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 25:6-9 6. On the holy mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast for all peoples of the world -- a feast with the best food and the finest wine. 7. On this holy mountain God will destroy the dark cloud of death covering all people. 8. The Lord God will destroy death forever! All crying HE will wipe-away and remove forever all insults and mockery against HIS land and people. The Lord finished speaking -- HE will surely do that! 9. After that happens, then the people will announce, "HE is our God! We trust HIM, and HE saves us! HE is the Lord! We trust HIM, and now we happily celebrate, because HE finished saved us!" PHILIPPIANS 4:4-13 4. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I urge you, rejoice. 5. Let all people know you show kindness. The Lord is near. 6. Don't worry about anything, but thank God for everything. And let God know the things you need in prayer. 7. And the peace of God is more than all understanding. That peace will fill your minds and hearts in Christ Jesus. 8. Finally, my Christian friends, fill your minds with true things, and honest, and correct, and pure, and beautiful, and pleasurable things, and with the good things that correctly get praise. 9. You do the things I told you to do, and copy the things you saw me do. And then our peace loving God will stay with you. 10. I'm very happy to see that you are again interested in me. Before you were interested, but you didn't have an opportunity to show that. 11. And I don't complain about my needs, because I learned satisfaction with the things I have. 12. I experienced poverty, and I experienced riches. I learned the secret to stay happy all the time. 13. If I am full or hungry; if I have too-much or too- little, I have the strength to accept all things by the power that Christ gives me. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 22:1-10 1. And again Jesus spoke to them in comparison stories: 2. "The kingdom of heaven is the same-as one king preparing a wedding feast for his son. 3. And the king sent his servants to call the visitors to the wedding feast. But they didn't-want to come. 4. Again he sent other servants and said, 'Tell the visitors: Look, I prepared the feast, I killed my OXEN and fat CALVES. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.' 5. But they didn't listen and continued working. One man went to his farm and another man went to his store. 6. And the others grabbed the servants and hurt them and killed them. 7. The king was angry and sent soldiers to kill them and burn their city. 8. Then the king said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those people I invited the first time don't deserve to come. 9. Now, go to the streets and invite all people you find to the wedding feast.' 10. And those servants went into the streets and brought all the people they found, both bad and good people. And the wedding feast was full with visitors." [A] TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The Lord watches over you; the Lord is your protector near your right hand. I will look to the mountains; where is my helper? The Lord is my helper; HE made the sky and the earth. HE will not let you fall-down; HE will not sleep while watching over you. Truly, while God watches over HIS people, HE never sleeps or rests. The Lord will protect you from all trouble; HE will protect your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going from now-on forever. COLLECT: Lord, we ask that YOUR love will always be around us and we can continually do good works. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 45:1-7 1. The Lord chose CYRUS to become king and to defeat nations; God sent CYRUS to remove power from kings; the Lord will open the gates of cities for CYRUS. To CYRUS the Lord says, 2. "I, God, will prepare your way. I, God, make the mountains flat. I will destroy strong gates and walls of cities. 3. I, God, will give to you riches from dark, secret places; and you will know that I, God, do this -- I, the Lord, the God of the Jews, call your name. 4. I chose you to give help to MY servant people, the Jewish nation. I give you this great honor, indifferent you don't-know ME. 5. I, God, am the Lord; happens no other god. I, God, will give to you the strength you need, indifferent you don't-know ME. 6. I do this, then every person from East to West can know that I am the Lord; happens no other god. 7. I, God, make both light and darkness; I send good times and bad times; I, the Lord, do all these things." I THESSALONIANS 1:1-5 1. This letter is from PAUL, SILAS, and TIMOTHY, written to the church in the city named THESSALONICA. You belong-to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you with love and peace. 2. We always thank God for you and we pray for you. 3. While praying to God our Father, we always remember the way you showed your faith, the loving things you did, and your continuing hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. Christian friends, we know God loves you, and that God chose you. 5. The Good Story we spoke to you, and you received both the words with power and the Holy Spirit, and you knew those words were true. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 22:15-21 15. Then the Law teachers went and discussed ideas about trapping Jesus with HIS words. 16. And they sent their followers with HEROD'S followers to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, we know that YOU are an honest man. And YOU teach God's way perfectly. And YOU are not afraid of any person, because man's worldly honor and name mean nothing to YOU. 17. Now answer us; what do YOU think? We can pay tax money to king CAESAR, correct or wrong?" 18. But Jesus knew their bad thoughts and said, "You hypocrites, you try to fool ME, why? 19. Show ME the tax money." And they gave Jesus one coin. 20. Then Jesus said to them, "This coin has a picture and a name, whose?" 21. They answered, "King CAESAR'S." Then Jesus said, "Then give to king CAESAR the things you owe; and give to God the things you owe." [A] TWENTY THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: The Lord watches over the righteous people, but the sinful people will die. Happy is the person not following the advice of sinful people, and not standing among the sinners, and not sitting with the mocking people. But the righteous person finds happiness obeying the Law of the Lord, and that person studies God's Law day and night. That person is same-as a tree standing near the rivers and growing good food at the correct time; the leafs on the tree will not fall and die; and everything that person does will succeed. COLLECT: Almighty God, we ask YOU to show mercy to YOUR servants that we will not trust our own good works, and that YOU will judge us with YOUR mercy. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. LEVITICUS 19:1-2, 15-18 1. The Lord told MOSES to speak to the people of God, 2. "Become holy, because I, The Lord your God, am holy. 15. Become honest and correct happens you decide in legal things; indifferent a person is poor or rich. 16. Don't gossip. Don't falsely blame your neighbor about some CRIME. I am the Lord. 17. You must not hate your brother in your heart, but you should discuss quietly with your neighbor, so you don't sin because of that neighbor. 18. Don't want revenge. Don't continue to hate. Love your neighbor the same-as you love yourself. I am the Lord." I THESSALONIANS 1:5-10 5. You remember we lived among you, and you know that we helped you. 6. You copied our way of life and the life of our Lord. You suffered from other people, because you listened to us. But you had no joy in your heart from the Holy Spirit. 7. Because of your good lives, you are showing all the Christians in the nations of MACEDONIA and GREECE the correct way to live. 8. You spoke the word of the Lord in those nations. All the people know about your faith in God, so we don't need to say anything to them. 9. The people all talk about your welcoming us, and they talk about your changing from worshipping idols to worshipping the true living God. 10. The people tell us that you are waiting for HIS Son Jesus to come=down from heaven. God raised Jesus from the dead. And Jesus will save us from the future anger of God. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 22:34-40 34. Happened the Law teachers heard that Jesus made the Jewish leaders shut-up, then the Law teachers met together. 35. And one Law teacher from the group tested Jesus and asked, 36. "Lord, what is the most important command in the Law?" 37. And Jesus said to him, "You will love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38. This is the first and most important command. 39. The second command is the same-as that. You will love your neighbor same-as you love yourself. 40. On these two commands depend all the Law and prophets writings." [A] TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: I bow-down my face to the ground; make me live agreeing with YOUR word. Happy are people that live without blame obeying the Laws of the Lord. Happy are people following God's wishes and searching for God with all their heart. With all my heart I searched for YOU; don't let me wander-away from YOUR commandments. I put YOUR word in my heart, then I will not sin against YOU. Praise I give to YOU, O Lord; teach me YOUR Laws. I am happy with YOUR commands, and I will not forget YOUR words. COLLECT: O Lord, we ask YOU to send YOUR love into our hearts to cleanse our thoughts and minds. Then happens Jesus, YOUR Son, comes, HE will find a pleasant home inside our hearts. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. AMOS 5:18-24 18. Trouble happens for you people waiting for the Lord's day to happen! Can the Lord's day bring good to you? HIS day brings darkness, not light. 19. That is the same-as a man escaping from a lion, and then a bear grabs him. Or a man enters a house and leans against a wall, and then a snake bites him. 20. The Lord's day is dark, not light; cloudy, not bright! 21. I hate your celebrations and I am not pleased with your meetings. 22. If you bring ME burnt offerings and food offerings, I won't accept them; if you bring your fat animals, I won't look-at them. 23. Take-away from ME your noisy songs. I won't listen to your playing harps. 24. The correct things and honest things will continue same-as a steam flowing. I THESSALONIANS 4:13-14 13. Friends, we don't-want you ignorant about people now dead, because we don't-want you sad same-as people without hope. 14. Now we believe God will bring with Jesus all those believer people now dead, because we believe Jesus died and arose again. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 25:1-13 1. Then the kingdom of heaven is the same-as ten virgins. They brought their LAMPS and went to meet the bridegroom. 2. Five virgins were foolish and five were wise. 3. Because the foolish virgins brought their LAMPS, but no more oil. 4. The wise virgins brought jars of oil with their LAMPS. 5. But the bridegroom was slow, and the virgins became tired and slept. 6. But at midnight they heard a shout, "Look, the bridegroom is here. Come and meet him." 7. Then all the virgins stood-up and turned-on their LAMPS. 8. And the foolish virgins said the the wise virgins, "Give us some of your oil, because our LAMPS are almost out." 9. But the wise virgins answered, "No, or maybe we will not have enough for us and you. But go to the salesman and buy oil for yourselves." 10. While the foolish virgins went to buy, the bridegroom came. And the wise virgins were ready and went with him into the wedding feast. And they shut-the-door. 11. After-a-while the other virgins came and said, "Lord, Lord, open for us." 12. But he answered, "Honestly, I tell you, I don't-know you." 13. Now, watch! Because you don't-know the day or the hour. [A] TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST INTROIT: Let us give thanks to the Lord for HIS great love and HIS wonderful works for people. Give thanks to the Lord, because HE is good; HIS love stays forever. Let the people of the Lord, those HE saved from the enemies, say this: HE helped HIS people out-of trouble and let their familes grow large same-as sheep. The righteous people see and are-happy, but all the bad people keep their mouths shut. COLLECT: O God, reign over and lead our hearts and mind by YOUR Holy Spirit that remembering the end of all things and your judgment day we can live a holy here and live with YOU forever in heaven. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. HOSEA 11:1-4, 8-9 1. The Lord says, "Before ISRAEL was a child, I, God, loved ISRAEL and called ISRAEL out-of EGYPY same-as MY son. 2. But happened I, God, called to ISRAEL, MY people turned-away from ME. MY people gave gifts to false idols. 3. I, God, taught ISRAEL to walk. I, God, held-in-MY-arms MY people, but they didn't-know ME. 4. I, God, led them with kindness and love. I, God, took-care of them. I, God, worked hard and fed them. 8. How can I, God, give-up MY people? How can I, God, throw-away you? Can I, God, destroy you the same-as I destroyed ADMAH and ZEBOIM? MY heart will not let ME destroy you! MY love for you is too-strong. 9. I, God, will not punish you in MY anger; I will not destroy ISRAEL again. Because I am God, and I don't-think the same-as a man. I, the holy God, stay with you; I will not come to you in anger. I THESSALONIANS 5:1-11 1. But, friends, you don't need anyone writing to you about the times and seasons. 2. Because you know very good that the day of the Lord will come same-as a thief during nighttime. 3. People will say, "We have peace and good times." But then quickly destruction will come to them same-as birth pains come to a mother. And they will find no escape. 4. But, friends, you are not in darkness. Now, that day will not surprise you same-as a thief. 5. Because you are all the children of light and children of the day. We don't belong-to the darkness and the night. 6. Now, let us not sleep same-as other people; but let us watch and stay awake. 7. Because people sleeping always sleep at night. And people getting-drunk, do that at night. 8. Now we belong-to the day; let us stay awake. Let us put-on the chest protection named faith and love. Our war hat is named hope in HIS salvation. 9. Because God hasn't chosen us to suffer from HIS anger, but HE chose us for HIS salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10. HE died for us, that we can live together with HIM. 11. Now, comfort and help one-another, same-as you now do. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 25:14-30 14. The holy nation of heaven is compared with a man leaving on a trip. The man called his servants and gave them his money to take-care-of. 15. He gave one servant $10,000, another servant $4,000, and the third servant $2,000. Each servant received the money according to his skills. Then the man went on his trip. 16. The servant with $10,000 quickly went to the stores and bought, traded, bought, traded, bought, traded, until he earned $10,000 profit. 17. The servant with $4,000 went and did the same thing and earned $4,000 profit. 18. But the third servant with $2,000 went and dug a hole and hid the money. 19. Later the man came home and asked the servants, "What did you do with my money?" 20. The servant with $10,000 came and brought $20,000. The servant said, "Lord, you gave-me $10,000 and I went and earned a profit of $10,000 more for you." 21. The man said, "You did good; you are a good and faithful servant. You showed me that I can trust you with a few things. Now I will give you much to take-care-of. Come and be happy with me." 22. Then the second servant with $4,000 came and said, "Lord, you gave-me $4,000 and I earned a profit for you. Here is $8,000 for you." 23. The man said to him, "You did good. You are a good and faithful servant. You showed that I can trust you with a few things. Now I will let you take-care-of many things. Come and be happy with me." 24. Then the third servant came with $2,000 and said, "Lord, I knew you were a strict man. You get food from places that don't grow food. 25. I was afraid, so I went and hid your $2,000 in the ground. Here is your $2,000. 26. The man said, "You bad and lazy servant. You knew that I get food from places that I don't plant-seed. 27. You should bring my money to the savings bank. Then happened I came home, you can give-me the $2,00 plus more interest money. 28. I will take-away the $2,000 from you and give it to the man with $10,000. 29. Because the man that uses my things wisely, to him I will give more and more. And the servant that carelessly uses my things, I will take-away those things from him. 30. Throw this bad servant outside into the darkness. Out there he will cry aloud and gnash-his-teeth." [A] THIRD LAST SUNDAY IN THE CHURCH YEAR INTROIT: The person standing strong in faith to the end will be saved. Lord, YOU found pleasure in YOUR land; YOU give success again to JACOB. YOU forgave all the wrong doings of YOUR people, and covered all their sins. YOU took-away all YOUR anger and you changed from YOUR hot anger. Change us, O God of our salvation; stop YOUR anger to us. Show us YOUR mercy, O Lord, and give us YOUR salvation. COLLECT: O Lord, forgive YOUR people for all their sins that happened in weakness, then save us with YOUR great goodness. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. MALACHI 2:1-2, 4-10 1. The Lord says to the priests, "This command is for you: 2. You must honor ME in all your doings. If you will not attend to the things I say, then I will punish you. I will curse your earnings. Truly I finished cursed your earnings, because you don't honor MY commands. 4. Then you will know that I gave you this command, so that MY agreement with your father LEVI will not get broken. 5. In MY agreement I promised to your fathers life and health, and I gave to them these things, so that your fathers could respect ME. In the past your fathers truly respected and loved ME. 6. Your fathers taught correct things, not wrong things. They lived in peace with God. They did correct themselves, and helped many people stop doing bad. 7. The priests should teach the correct knowledge of God. People should go to the priests for learning MY wishes, because the priests are the announcers for the Lord Almighty. 8. But now you priests turn-away from the correct way. Your teaching leads many people to do wrong. You broke the agreement I made with you. 9. Now, I will make the people of God hate you, because you don't obey MY wishes; and happens you teach MY people, you don't act equally to all people. 10. Do we all have the same Father? Did the same God make all of us? Then why do we break our promises to one-another, and why do we hate the agreement that God made with our fathers in the past?" I THESSALONIANS 2:8-13 8. Because we loved you, we were ready to share with you both the Good Story from God and share our own lives. 9. You remember, Christian friends, we worked day and night for our food and clothes, while we preached the Good Story to you, so that you would not be burdened with us. 10. You know, and God knows, that our behavior was always pure and correct without blame. 11. Same-as a father helps his children, you know that we wanted to help you and comfort you. 12. We urged you to live pleasing God, because God wants you to share in HIS kingdom and glory. 13. We always thank God, because you believed after you heard the word of God from us. That was not man's words, but it was truly God's word. And this word is working in the hearts of you believers. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 23:1-12 1. Then Jesus spoke to the many people and to HIS friends. 2. "The Law teachers and the proud religious people have authority to explain the Law of MOSES. 3. You obey the things they tell you to do, but don't copy the things they do, because they do differently from the things they say. 4. They burden the people with very great demands, but they themselves don't try to obey. 5. Everything they do, they want people to notice them. They have words from the Holy Writings written in large words on paper and tie that on their left arms or tie that around their heads, and they have very fancy trimmings on their robes. 6. They like to sit in the important seat at big suppers, and they like to sit in-front-of the Jewish church. 7. They like to have people show respect to them while they stand in the center of town, and they like to be named 'Teacher.' 8. But you must not name anyone chief teacher, because you all have only one teacher, and each one of you are the same-as brothers. 9. You must not name any man here on earth your "heavenly Father," because you have only one heavenly Father, and that is God. 10. You must not name anyone "leader," because Christ is your only true Leader. 11. The greatest person among you is the person that serves you. 12. The person thinking himself important, will find himself truly worthless. The person showing himself humble, will find himself truly important." [A] SECOND LAST SUNDAY IN THE CHURCH YEAR INTROIT: Forgiveness comes from YOU, O God, now we can honor YOU. O Lord, hear my prayer, attend to my prayer for mercy; because YOU are faithful and righteous answer my prayer. My hands I stretch-out to YOU; my soul is thirsty for YOU same-as dry ground. Hurry to answer me, Lord; my spirit eagerly waits; don't hide YOUR face from me, or I will become same-as people in the grave. Save me from my enemies, Lord; I trust in YOU. Because of YOUR name, Lord, make me strong again; in YOUR righteousness become happy to lead my soul from trouble. COLLECT: Almighty and ever-living God, YOU gave great and important promises to people believing in YOU, help us to believe without doubting in YOUR Son Jesus Christ that our faith can grow strong. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 26:1-6 1. A short time after JEHOIAKIM, son of JOSIAH, became king of the Jewish nation, the Lord said to JEREMIAH, 2. "Stand in-front-of the temple and announce everything I, God, command you to say to the people coming from the towns of the Jewish nation to worship at the temple. Give to the people the full announcement; don't remove one word. 3. Maybe the people will listen and stop their ways. Then I, God, will change MY mind about the destruction I plan for them because of all their bad deeds. 4. Tell the people the Lord says, 'I, the Lord. in the past said that you must obey ME by following the teaching I gave to you, and by attending to the words of MY servants, the prophets, that I continually sent to you. 5. You never obeyed the words of the prophets. 6. If you continue not obeying, then I will destroy this temple the same-as I destroyed the tent church at SHILOH, and I will make JERUSALEM a curse word in every nation of the earth.'" I THESSALONIANS 3:7-13 7. So, in all our trouble and suffering we receive courage from your faith. 8. Because now we really live if you stay strong in your faith in the Lord. 9. Now we can give thanks to God for you. We thank HIM for the joy we receive from you. 10. Day and night we ask HIM with all our heart to let us see you face-to-face and give you strength for your faith. 11. May our God and Father HIMSELF, and our Lord Jesus, prepare the way for us to come to you! 12. May the Lord make your love for one-another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you. 13. In this way HE will make your hearts strong, and you will be perfect and holy in-front-of our God and Father on the day our Lord Jesus comes with all HIS believers. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 24:1-14 1. After Jesus walked out-of the temple, HIS friends came and they looked-at all the temple buildings. 2. Jesus said, "Yes, you see all these things? You can look-at them now, but I tell you honestly; not one stone will stay built here, but all will be collapsed." 3. Happened Jesus sat-down on the Mount of OLIVES, HIS friends came to HIm alone and said, "Tell us, when will that happen, and how will we know the day YOU are coming again and the world will end?" 4. Jesus answered, "Watch and don't let anyone fool you. 5. Because many people will come to you using MY name and saying, 'I am Christ,' and many people will be fooled. 6. You will hear the noise of wars near-by and the announcement of wars far-away; but listen, don't be troubled. These things must happen, but that doesn't mean that the end is here. 7. Nations will fight against one-another; kings will fight one-another. There will be hunger and earthquakes everywhere. 8. All these things are the same-as the first pains of childbirth. 9. Then you will be given to people that will make you suffer, and they will kill you, and all nations will hate you because you love ME. Many people will give-up their faith at that time. 10. And betray one-another and hate one-another. 11. Many false prophets will come and lead many people astray. 12. And because bad happenings will grow more and more, love will disappear from most people. 13. But you be patient to the end, and you will be saved. 14. This Good Story of the kingdom must be preached all over the world, so that all nations hear the truth, and then the end will happen." [A] LAST SUNDAY IN THE CHURCH YEAR INTROIT: We are eagerly watching for the new sky and the new earth, the home for the righteous people. Show me, O Lord, the end of my life and how-many days; let me know that my life is quick. YOU made my days on earth a few; all my years pass quickly in-front-of YOU. Every person's life is quick same-as a breath. But now, Lord, what is my future? I trust in YOU. Save me from all my wrong doings; don't let my enemies laugh at me. Hear my prayer, O Lord, attend to my prayer for mercy; look-on my tears. COLLECT: Lord God, heavenly Father, we ask YOU to send YOUR Son to lead home HIS bride, the Church, that all us believers can enter YOUR eternal kingdom. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EZEKIEL 34:11-16, 23-24 11. The Lord God says: "I will search and find MY sheep. 12. I will be the same-as a shepherd searching for his sheep group. I will find MY sheep and save them from all places they scattered in that dark and sad day. 13. I will lead them from far-away countries and lead them to their own place. I will lead them again to the mountains and streams in ISRAEL and will feed them in pleasant places. 14. Yes, I will give MY sheep good food on the hills of ISRAEL. They will rest in peace and eat sweet food. 15. I MYSELF will be the Shepherd for MY sheep, and I will find them a place to rest in peace," says the Lord God. 16. "I will seek MY lost sheep, those sheep straying-away, and carry them home again. I will comfort those hurting and heal the sick sheep. I will destroy the powerful, fat shepherds; because I am a Shepherd doing correct. 23. I will give them a Shepherd the same-as MY servant DAVID. HE will feed them and be their one Shepherd. 24. I, the Lord, will be their God, and a Shepherd the same-as MY servant DAVID will be their leader. I, the Lord, promise this." I CORINTHIANS 15:20-28 20. This is true: Christ arose from death, and that is the proof that those now sleeping in death will also arise to life. 21. Death happened because of one man - ADAM. In the same way arising from death happens because of one man - Jesus. 22. Now all people die because we are joined-to ADAM. In the same way people joined-to Christ will arise to life. 23. This happens first, second, third...Christ arose first. Then happens Christ comes again, all people joined-to Christ will live again. Then the end will happen. 24. Christ will defeat all kings and every power and every spiritual authority, and then HE will give the kingdom to God the Father. 25. Because Christ must reign until God defeats all enemies and puts them under the reign of Christ. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27. For the Holy Writings says: "God put all things under HIS reign." This is clear... the words 'all things' doesn't mean God HIMSELF. HE puts all things under Christ. 28. But after all things finished given under the reign of Christ, then the Son will give HIMSELF under the reign of God the Father. And God will be King over everyone. GRADUAL: These people came out of the great troubles in the world, and washed their clothes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Happy are people trusting in YOU, and attending their life to YOUR heaven. MATTHEW 25:31-46 31. Jesus said, "Happens the Son of Man comes same-as King with all the angels, HE will sit on HIS throne of glory. 32. All people of every nation will meet in-front-of HIM. Then HE will divide them into two groups, the same-as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. 33. The sheep on the right; the goats on the left. 34. Then the King will say to the people on the right: 'You are blessed by MY Father! Come and receive the kingdom HE prepared for you, since the beginning of the world. 35. I was hungry and you fed ME; thirsty and you gave ME drink. 36. I was a stranger and you welcomed ME into your homes; naked and you gave ME clothes. I was sick and you take-care-of ME; in prison and you visited ME.' 37. The righteous people will then answer HIM: 'Lord, when did we see YOU hungry and feed YOU, or thirsty and give YOU drink? 38. When did we see YOU a stranger and welcome YOU into our homes, or naked and give YOU clothes? 39. When did we see YOU sick or in prison and visit YOU? Truly we don't remember!' 40. The King will answer: 'I tell you honestly, these people may seem not important to you, but you did these good things to them. And therefore, you did those good things to ME.' 41. Then the King will say to those people on the left: 'Leave ME, because you are cursed. Away to the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42. I was hungry and you refused to feed ME. I was thirsty and you never gve ME a drink. 43. I was a stranger and you didn't welcome ME. I was naked and you never gave ME clothes. I was sick and in prison, but you refused to take-care-of ME.' 44. Then they will answer HIM: 'Lord, when did we see YOU hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and when did we refuse to help YOU? Truly that never happened!" 45. The King will answer them: 'I tell you honestly, some of these people didn't seem important to you, and you refused to help them. The same you refused to help ME.' 46. These will leave to eternal punishment, and the righteous people will go to eternal life." [A] REFORMATION DAY INTROIT: I will speak YOUR laws in-front-of kings, and I will not be-ashamed. God is our protection and strength, very near with HIS help in trouble. Now we will not fear, no-matter the earth change, and the mountains become moved into the middle of the sea. Let the water make-big-waves and the mountains shake. The Lord reigning over all things is with us; the God of Jacob is our protection. COLLECT: Almighty God, merciful Lord, pour YOUR Holy Spirit on YOUR faithful people. Keep them strong in YOUR love and truth, protect and comfort them in all temptations, defend them from all enemies of YOUR Word, and give to them YOUR peace. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 31:31-34 31. The time will happen, says the Lord, that I will make a new agreement with the people of ISRAEL and JUDAH. 32. Not the same agreement I made with their fathers before while I led them out-of EGYPT; that agreement they broke, says the Lord. 33. But this is the agreement I will make with the people, says the Lord; I will put MY Law inside them and write that on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be MY people. 34. And they will no more teach their neighbor or brother saying, "Learn about the Lord," because they will all know ME both young people and old people, because I will forgive their wrong-doings and forget all their sins. ROMANS 3:19-28 19. The Law commands many things. We know that those commands are for the people living under the Law. This stops all people's excuses and brings all the world under God's judgment. 20. Why? Because no person can become righteous in-front-of God by following the Law. The Law only shows us our sin. 21. But now God named another way making HIM a friend with people. That way is not by the Jewish Law. The Law and the prophets told about that way. 22. People become friends with God by trusting in Jesus Christ. God will accept people coming that way. 23. Indifferent because all people sinned and all people lost the glory of God. 24. God became a friend with them because of HIS loving free gift. Jesus paid with HIS blood and made us free from our sins. 25. God gave Jesus to the world so that people trusting in the blood of Jesus will have the forgiveness of their sins. God did this to show HIS righteousness. In the past God was patient and forgot the sins people did. 26. But now God proves HE is correct in saving people from sin. God shows HE does NO sins and makes anyone holy if they trust in Jesus. 27. Why should we be proud people? We have nothing to boast about. Why not? Because we have obeyed the Law? No! We are saved because we trusted in Jesus. 28. We all learned that a person becomes a friend of God by believing in Christ. We don't become griends of God by obeying the Laws. GRADUAL: The Lord is wonderful and we must praise HIM, in the city of our God and in HIS holy mountain. Walk around the holy city and count the TOWERS. See the strong building and the beautiful houses, then you can tell your future children about that. JOHN 8:31-36 31. Jesus spoke to the Jewish believers, "If you continue to obey MY teaching, then you are truly MY followers. 32. Then you will know the truth. And the truth will make you free." 33. The Jews answered, "We are children from ABRAHAM, and we never were-slaves. Why do you say that we will be-free?" 34. Jesus said, "I tell you truly. Every person that sins becomes a slave to that sin. 35. A slave doesn't stay with a family always, but a son stays with the family forever. 36. Now if the Son makes you free, then you will be truly free. [A] THANKSGIVING INTROIT: I will sing to the Lord while I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my life. O Lord, YOUR works are many, and with wisdom YOU made all things; the earth is full with the things YOU made. All these things wait for YOU to give them food at the correct time. YOU send YOUR Spirit and they begin to live; YOU make new the face of the earth. COLLECT: Almighty God, YOUR mercies come new to us every morning and YOUR goodness gives much for all our needs of body and soul, we ask YOU to give us YOUR Holy Spirit that we will notice all YOUR mercies to us and give thanks to YOU and serve you obediently. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. DEUTERONOMY 8:1-10 1. Be-careful to do everything I command you today, that you will live and have many children and live in the land the Lord promised to your fathers. 2. And remember that the Lord your God led you all the way through the dry country for 40 years to make you humble and test you to see into your hearts if you obey or not. 3. God made you suffer and hunger, and then fed you with bread that you and your fathers didn't make to show that people don't live by eating bread but they live by the words the Lord speaks. 4. Your clothes stayed new all during the years and your feet didn't swell. 5. In your hearts learn this, that the Lord your God is teaching you same-as a father teaches his son. 6. Obey the things the Lord commands, follow HIS way, and honor HIM. 7. The Lord your God brings you into a good land with many rivers from the mountains flowing through the valleys. 8. The land grows WHEAT, BARLEY, GRAPES, FIGS, POMEGRANATES, OLIVES, and HONEY. 9. The land has enough food for all the people and you will need nothing more; the mountains have plenty of IRON and COPPER. 10. You will eat anything you want and praise the Lord your God for all the good land HE gave you. I TIMOTHY 2:1-4 1. First, I tell you to pray and give thanks for all people, 2. Pray for kings and for all government leaders that we can have quiet and peaceful lives with full worship and respect for God. 3. This is good and pleases God our Savior. 4. God wants all people to be saved, and HE wants all people to know the truth. GRADUAL: The eyes of all people look to YOU to give them food at the correct time. YOU open YOUR hands and satisfy every living thing. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all HIS blessings. LUKE 17:11-19 11. Jesus travelled from the country named GALILEE, through the country named SAMARIA, on HIS way to the city named JERUSALEM. 12. Jesus came to a small city and met ten men. Those men didn't come near to Jesus, because they had the sickness named LEPROSY. 13. But the men called to Jesus, "Lord, please help us!" 14. Jesus saw the men and said, "Go and show your bodies to the priests." While the ten men walked to the priest's house, their bodies became healed. 15. One man saw that his body was-healed, ran again to Jesus, and thanked God with a loud voice. 16. The man knelt in-front-of Jesus and thanked Jesus. That man lived in the country named SAMARIA. 17. Jesus said, "Ten men became healed. Where are the other nine men? 18. This man from the country named SAMARIA is the only one to thank God." 19. Then Jesus spoke to the man and said, "Stand-up! You can leave. You became healed because you believed."