Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

Revelation 3,5

Introit

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.
O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments.
I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.
I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!

Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and observe thy word.
Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psalm 119,1-8.17-18

Old Testament lesson

So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. ¹⁹ All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.

²⁰ Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. ²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though^[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

²² “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

¹⁷ So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Genesis 8,18-22; 9,12-17

Epistle lesson

And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. ⁴ Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, ⁶ who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life. ⁷ Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such splendor that the Israelites could not look at Moses’ face because of its brightness, fading as this was, ⁸ will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor? ⁹ For if there was splendor in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor.

2. Corinthians 3,3-6 (7-9)

Gospel (Sermon)

And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” ¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” ¹³ And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

Mark 10,2-9 (10-12) 13-16

Prayer of the church

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

Receive, O Lord, our praise and thanks for every good gift of Your grace. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we might walk wisely and redeem the time You give us on this earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Merciful Lord, preserve the invitation of Your saving Gospel among us, that many may come into Your Son’s eternal wedding feast. Protect and vindicate Your servants who preach and teach Your Word. Guard their families from those who oppose their ministry and way of life. Open our ears to listen diligently to Your living and life-giving Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious God, we give You thanks for the institution of holy marriage and the myriad blessings of family. Grant that these gifts would be cherished and honored in our society and especially in the Church. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, graciously preserve our nation and cause our leaders to serve faithfully and wisely, making God-pleasing decisions and walking in integrity. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, give us bread that satisfies and everything needful — not for our sakes, but graciously on account of Christ. Provide, we pray, for every need of body and soul [especially for June, Ingrid, Karin, Angelika, Maria, Tamara, Christoph, Friederike & Olly +, Detlev & Biljana, Matthias, Markus, Hans-Jörg, Matt & Kathy, Mark and Mindy, Abigail, Andrew, Alexander, John, Sara, Vazlav, Thomas, Annette, Vivian, Bernhard, Felix, Vadim, Mario.]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, clothe all who appear before Your altar this day with the wedding garment of Your righteousness, that they may be worthy guests. Nourish them with Your Son’s body and blood, that their faith may be strengthened through the forgiveness, life and salvation You so freely bestow. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord, You received the praise of harp and psaltery in Your temple of old. Bless the efforts of sacred musicians today to lead the praises of the ascended Lord among us to the edification of Your Church. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Giver of every good and perfect gift, we confess that no one living is righteous before You. Mercifully grant us grace, that we may stand before You on the Day of Judgment, clothed completely in the righteousness of Christ and giving You endless thanks and praise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.