August 30th, 2020 - The Faith of the Canaanite Woman
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
“Yet their little dogs…”
Summer School in Jesus’ Classroom - Week 6
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 faith of the Canaanite woman. We see that the gospel of Christ calls people of all nations and races to be a part of the communion of saints.
Opening Hymn - Still, My Soul, Be Still
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. Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift of grace that we come into your presence and offer true and faithful service. Grant that our worship on earth may always be pleasing to you, and in the life to come give us the fulfillment of what 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 - Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
The Holy Christian Church would not only be for the Jews, but even in the days of the prophet Isaiah, God predicted that his church would be a "house of prayer for all the peoples of the wordld." By the grace of God alone, those who were previously excluded, that is, the Gentiles, can now offer acceptable sacrifices at the altar of God.
1 This is what the LORD says. Protect justice, and carry out righteousness, because my salvation is coming very soon. My righteousness is ready to be revealed.
6 Then the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him and to love the name of the LORD and to become his servants, every one of them who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, those who take hold of my covenant— 7 I will bring them to my holy mountain, and I will make them glad in my house of prayer. Their whole burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar. For my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples of the world. 8 This is the declaration of God the LORD, who gathers Israel’s dispersed people: “I will gather still more people to my house besides the ones already gathered.”
Second Lesson - Romans 11:13-15, 28-32
For centuries the promise of salvation was revealed only to the Israelites, but when they rejected the Messiah, God sent his holy apostles to preach to the Gentiles as well. As the text says, at one time or another, "God imprisoned all in disobedience” in order to call the elect from among the Jews and the Gentiles to faith.
13 I am speaking to you Gentiles. For as long as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I am going to speak highly of my ministry. 14 Perhaps I may make my own people jealous, and so save some of them. 15 For if their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, what does their acceptance mean other than the dead coming to life?
28 In regard to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But, in regard to election, they are especially dear for the sake of the patriarchs, 29 because God’s gracious gifts and call are not regretted. 30 For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy due to their disobedience, 31 so also now they have become disobedient, so that by the mercy shown to you they may be shown mercy too. 32 For God imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.
Gospel - Matthew 15:21-28
In this reading, it seems that Christ does not want to help or show mercy to a foreign woman. Yet the woman persisted until Christ granted her what she asked for. In this reading we not only have a very good example of persistent faith, but we also see that God's love is for all nations.
21 Jesus left that place and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 There a Canaanite woman from that territory came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! A demon is severely tormenting my daughter!”
23 But he did not answer her a word.
His disciples came and pleaded, “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But she came and knelt in front of him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26 He answered her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to their little dogs.”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet their little dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! It will be done for you, just as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.
Children's Message
Hymn of the Day - When Peace Like a River
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
Out of thanksgiving for God’s message of grace and forgiveness, if you would like to support our ministry with a financial gift you may do so with zero fees through our Facebook page by following the previous link. We thank you for your gracious support.
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