7/19/2026

8th Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 11

Pastor Robert Hetzel

 

Gathering

Confession and Forgiveness

Celebrant: Remembering our Baptism into Christ's death

and resurrection, we begin: Almighty God, to whom all

hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no

secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the

inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love

you and worthily magnify your holy name, through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one another.

All: Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we

have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin.

We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion 

forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have

done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you,

and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve

you in newness of life, through Jesus Christ, our Savior

and Lord. Amen.

Celebrant: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was

given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins.

As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and

by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness

of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and

of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Gathering Song: We plow the fields and scatter the good seed...ELW 681

Greeting

Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the

communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Kyrie/Canticle of Praise...........ELW 203&204a

Prayer of the Day

 

First Reading: Isaiah 44:6-8.........Bible 673

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer,

the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there

is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and

set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come?

Let them tell  us what is yet to be. Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not

told you from of old and declared it? You are my Witnesses!

Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Responsive Reading: Psalm 86:11-17...............ELW book

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;*

   knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.

I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart,*

   and glorify your Name for evermore.

For great is your love toward me;*

   you have delivered me from the nethermost Pit.

The arrogant rise up against me, O God, and a band a violent men

seeks my life;*

   they have not set you before their eyes.

But you, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion,*

   slow to anger, and full of kindness and truth.

Turn to me and have mercy upon me;*

   give your strength to your servant; and save the child

of your handmaid.

Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it

and be ashamed;*

   because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

 

Second Reading: Romans 8:12-25......................Bible 158

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live

according to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you will die;

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did

not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a

Spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing

witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs,

heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if, in fact, we suffer with him so that

we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present

are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the

creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for

the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the

one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its

bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains  until now;

and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit,

groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in

hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what

is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia! Lord and Savior.......ELW 205a

 

Holy Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43...................Bible 14

Another parable Jesus put before the crowds: "The kingdom of heaven may be

compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was

asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.

So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.

And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow

good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered,

'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?"

But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.

Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers,

Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my

barn.'" Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him,

saying, "Explain to  us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who 

sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the

children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who

sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of

sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be

weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of

their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"

The Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you Lord Christ.

 

The Sermon..............................................Pastor Bob Hetzel

Hymn of the Day: Almighty God, your word is cast like seed..............ELW 516

Nicene Creed....................................ELW p.104

Prayers of Intercession

Passing of the Peace

 

Offertory Hymn: Praise and thanksgiving, God, we would offer.......ELW 689

 

Offering Prayer: Let us pray. God our provider, you have not fed us with bread alone,

but with words of grace and life. Bless us with these your gifts, which we receive from

your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty, and our joy, that we should at all times and in

all places give thanks and praise. Therefore we praise your name and join

in the unending hymn:

Sanctus.............................ELW p207

You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God. You are most holy, and great is

the majesty of your glory. You so loved the world that you gave your only Son, so

that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. We give you thanks

for his coming into the world to fulfill for us your holy will and to accomplish all things for our salvation.