How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen to be His special possession.

Psalm 33,12

The Psalm for this Sunday teaches us to trust in God´s promises:

I was glad because they said to me, “We will go to the LORD’s temple.”
Our feet are standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is a city designed to accommodate an assembly.
The tribes go up there, the tribes of the LORD, where it is required that Israel give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions, on the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love her prosper.
May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity inside your fortresses.
For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors I will say, “May there be peace in you.”
For the sake of the temple of the LORD our God I will pray for you to prosper.

Psalm 122

The holy prophet Moses reminds us of God´s call and sure promise:

In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the desert of Sinai. After they journeyed from Rephidim, they came to the desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom

2nd Book of Moses (Exodus) 19,1-6

The holy apostle St. Paul writes concerning God´s mysterious ways:

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israeluntil the full numberof the Gentiles has come in. And soall Israel will be saved, as it is written:“The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.

Romans 11,25-32

The holy gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.” The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Mark 12,28-34

The sermon for this Sunday is from the 5th Book of Moses

See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ⁷ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? ⁸ And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— ¹⁰ how on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ ¹¹ And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. ¹² Then the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. ¹³ And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. ¹⁴ And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, that you might do them in the land that you are going over to possess. “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, ¹⁶ beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷ the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸ the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. ¹⁹ And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. ²⁰ But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.

Deuteronomy 4,5-20

Prayer of the Church—Responsive Form 

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Gracious Father, we give thanks for Christ Jesus, in whom we receive the things that make for peace. Keep us trusting in Him and eagerly expecting His final day of visitation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord God, Giver of the Holy Spirit, You bless Your servants with a variety of gifts from one and the same Spirit. Grant that each of us may use these gifts for the common good of Your people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, Your name be hallowed among us. Preserve it through pure and right teaching in our churches and in the lives of Your children, lived according to Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

The kingdom belongs to Christ Jesus, Your Son, who makes us partakers of His glory and power in His own body and blood in His Supper. Grant that all who are called to this Supper today would give a glad “amen” to the gifts You give us here. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bring about Your good and gracious will. Bless those You have given authority in our government to break and hinder the plans of the wicked and encourage whatever is righteous and good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Teach us to be wise and generous with the daily bread You provide, as You are generous to us. Defend us from all greed, and remind us that our security is not in our wealth but in Your abundant care. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Defend us from temptation, good Lord, and every craft of the devil. Give us Your Spirit, that we would cling to Your Word at all times and remain steadfast in the faith, sharing Christ’s victory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Deliver Your servants from every evil of body and soul. Provide for those in need, and grant endurance to the afflicted [including Your dear children _____________]. Restore them to health speedily, according to Your will. Keep us together in the ark of Your Church until Your last hour comes. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, because You love to show mercy, hear the prayers we offer for Your ancient people, that acknowledging Jesus Christ, the light of truth, they may be delivered from darkness; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

+ Dominum vobiscum +

The Lord bless Thee, and keep Thee;

The Lord make his face shine upon Thee, and be gracious unto Thee;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon Thee + give Thee peace.

Numbers 6,24-26 (4th Book of Moses)