August 9th, 2020 - Treasure
Directly below in English and here in Spanish is an at-home Worship Service to be read through with the family. Included are links to hymns and pastoral messages (English, Spanish, Bilingual, and children's message) which will be made available Saturday night on Youtube and on Facebook later on Sunday. They can be used individually or as a group. The head of the household can lead (L) and others can respond (C) and take turns reading the readings. Use the links for the hymns and sermons at the appropriate time. Do not feel pressured to go through the whole thing in one sitting, use the parts as you are able so that it works with you and your family.
If you have any prayer requests, or if you worship in this way this weekend, please use or fill out our online connect card, or linked below in the liturgy. Comment to let us know how it went and any suggestions you may have!
If you choose, you can also give your offering here, by clicking on the blue "Donate" button on our Facebook page, or by following the link below at that point in the service. You may also bring or send your offering directly to Pastor Schoell's house, or have your bank mail a check directly to the church at 1215 S 8th St. Milwaukee, WI 53204.
Finally, for this week’s news update click here.
May God bless your at-home worship service this weekend.
Pastor Dunn and Pastor Schoell
Treasure
Summer School in Jesus’ Classroom - Week 3
We continue our 6-week summer school class with Jesus. Our teacher, Jesus, will answer all kinds of questions that may be on your mind including: Why does God allow evil to continue in this world? What exactly is “The Kingdom of God”? How can I think through setting priorities in life? Does Jesus really care about my physical well being? What if I have weak faith? What do I do if I’m scared? Who did Jesus come to save? We will join Jesus and his disciples in the classroom as he tells parables. We will observe him teaching in the real world as he performs miracles and teaches us life lessons and eternal life lessons. Our primary objective for this “Summer School” worship series is this: That as we gather around Jesus and his Word, our faith grows.
Today we consider the Parables of the Priceless Treasure. We see that through the Holy Word of God, we receive a treasure that is worth much more than all the gold and silver in the world. We receive heaven.
Opening Hymn - In Christ Alone
Invocation
L. In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C. Amen.
Confession and Absolution
L. Let us approach God with a true heart and confess our sins, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.
C. Lord of life, I confess that I am by nature dead in sin. For faithless worrying and selfish pride, for sins of habit and sins of choice, for the evil I have done and the good I have failed to do, you should cast me away from your presence forever. O Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Forgive me, for Jesus’ sake.
L. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. In his great mercy, God made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our sins. Hear the word of Christ just as he proclaimed to the paralytic: "Take heart, your sins are forgiven.” Let us take this forgiveness to heart and proclaim it to each other in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer of the Day
L. O Lord, your ears are always open to the prayers of your humble servants, who come to you in Jesus’ name. Teach us always to ask according to your will that we may never fail to obtain the blessings you have promised; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C. Amen.
First Lesson - 1 Kings 3:5-12
God offered to grant King Solomon whatever he wanted, but instead of asking for the "treasures" of this world such as money, power, or honor, Solomon recognized the great responsibility that God had given him and, therefore, asked for wisdom to be able to serve God and his people with justice. God, therefore, granted Solomon not only what he asked for, but also riches and honor.
5 The LORD appeared to Solomon in Gibeon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon said, “You have shown great mercy and faithfulness to your servant, my father David, just as he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward you. You have shown this great mercy and faithfulness to him and have given him a son who is seated on his throne to this very day. 7 O LORD my God, now you have made your servant king in the place of my father David, but I am a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And I, your servant, am among your people whom you have chosen, a great people, who cannot be counted or numbered because they are so many. 9 Now give to your servant a perceptive heart to judge your people, to distinguish between good and evil, for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”
10 In the eyes of the LORD, Solomon’s request was good. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have asked for this, and you have not asked for a long life, nor have you asked for riches, nor have you asked for the lives of your enemies, but you have asked for discernment to reach just verdicts, 12 therefore I will act according to your words. Yes, I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you before you, nor will anyone like you rise up after you.
Second Lesson - Romans 8:28-30
For the believer who trembles at the tribulations of this world, there is no sweeter consolation than this: Before He created us, God knew us and chose us to be His dear children. Therefore, God also called us to faith and has justified us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing all this, we have the assurance that there are no accidents in this world nor is our future in the hands of destiny, because we know that God arranges everything for our good.
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, 29 because those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified. And those he justified, he also glorified.
Gospel - Matthew 13:44-52
Jesus continues to instruct his disciples and also us through parables. In the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl, he teaches us the great value of our salvation. In the parable of the net, he teaches us that at the end of the world God will separate believers and unbelievers. Those who do not believe, God will send to their eternal damnation in hell, but those who believe, He will lead them to his eternal treasure in heaven.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again. In his joy, he goes away and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls. 46 When he found one very valuable pearl, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When the net was filled, they pulled it onto the shore. They sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is how it will be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous who are among them. 50 And they will throw the wicked into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 51 Jesus said to them, “Did you understand all these things?”
They answered him, “Yes.”
52 He said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained as a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure both new things and old things.”
Children's Message
Hymn of the Day - Jesus Priceless Treasure
English Sermon -or- Bilingual Sermon
Confession of Faith - The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Offering
Online Connection Card
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
Any special prayers or petitions may follow.
The Blessing
L. The Lord bless us and keep us.
The Lord make his face shine on us and be gracious to us.
The Lord look on us with favor and ☩ give us peace.
C. Amen