For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 19,10
Introit
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
With all that is within me, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Do not forget all his kind deeds.
He is the one who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases,
who delivers your life from the Pit, who crowns you with his loyal love and compassion,
who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
The Lord does what is fair, and executes justice for all the oppressed.
The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses, his deeds to the Israelites.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.
He does not always accuse, and does not stay angry.
He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.
As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.
For he knows what we are made of; he realizes we are made of clay.
A person’s life is like grass.
Like a flower in the field it flourishes, but when the hot wind blows, it disappears,
and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.
But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, and is faithful to their descendants, to those who keep his covenant, who are careful to obey his commands.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven; his kingdom extends over everything.
Praise the Lord, you angels of his, you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders.
Praise the Lord, all you warriors of his, you servants of his who carry out his desires.
Praise the Lord, all that he has made, in all the regions of his kingdom.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.Psalm 103
Old Testament lesson
Who is a God like you?
Who forgives sin and pardons the rebellion of those who remain among his people?
Who does not stay angry forever, but delights in showing loyal love?
Who will once again have mercy on us?
Who will conquer our evil deeds?
Who will hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea?
You will be loyal to Jacob and extend your loyal love to Abraham, which you promised on oath to our ancestors in ancient times.Micah 7:18-20
Epistle
I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, and our Lord’s grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them!But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the eternal king, immortal, invisible, the onlyGod, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.
1. Timothy 1,12-17
Holy Gospel (Sermon)
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them this parable: “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle. Then after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was longing to eatthe carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him.Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate,because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the slaves and asked what was happening. The slave replied, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.’ But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him,but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends!But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours. It was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15
Dr. Martin Luther´s sermon on the 3rd Sunday after Trinity (Luke 15,1-10)
My sermon on the holy Gospel Lk.15,1-3.11ff:
The Christian Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Nicene Creed
Hymn for the week
Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, mein Hoffnung steht auf Erden. Ich weiß, dass du mein Tröster bist, kein Trost mag mir sonst werden. Von Anbeginn ist nichts erkorn, auf Erden ward kein Mensch geborn, der mir aus Nöten helfen kann; ich ruf dich an, zu dem ich mein Vertrauen han.
Mein Sünd’ sind schwer und übergroß und reuen mich von Herzen; derselben mach mich frei und los durch deinen Tod und Schmerzen; und zeige deinem Vater an, dass du hast g’nug für mich getan, so werd ich los der Sünden Last. Erhalt mich fest in dem, was du versprochen hast.
Gib mir durch dein Barmherzigkeit den wahren Christenglauben, auf dass ich deine Gütigkeit mög inniglich anschauen, vor allen Dingen lieben dich und meinen Nächsten gleich wie mich. Am letzten End dein Hilf mir send, damit behend des Teufels List sich von mir wend.
Ehr sei Gott in dem höchsten Thron, dem Vater aller Güte, und Jesus Christ, seim lieben Sohn, der uns allzeit behüte, und Gott, dem werten Heilgen Geist, der uns allzeit sein Hilfe leist, dass wir ihm wohlgefällig sein hier in der Zeit und folgen ihm in Ewigkeit.
Konrad Hubert 1540/1541 (LKG 215)
Prayer of the week
Heavenly Father, pardon our iniquity and pass over our transgressions for the sake of Your only begotten Son, who, out of His great compassion, trod all our iniquities under His foot on the cross, that we might delight in Your steadfast love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood is named, we give You thanks for spiritual fathers. Preserve Your ministers from all error, false belief or other great shame and vice. Bless the preaching of Your Law, that we might not be caught unawares by the snares of Satan; bless also the preaching of the Gospel, that many would join in the feast of salvation and forgiveness. Lord, in Your mercy,hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You watch and wait for the return of Your wandering children. Look with compassion on our brothers and sisters who have left Your house and squandered their inheritance in Christ. By Your Spirit, call them to repentance, that they may return to Your family, embraced in Your forgiving love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood is named, we give You thanks for fathers of office, especially our president, congressmen and judges. Make their authority respected and honored by all, and let them use it according to its institution for the sake of those under their care, that all may flourish under Your order. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, since our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, by Your Spirit keep us sober-minded and watchful, that we may resist him firm in our faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You are the Great Physician of body and soul. Give rest, healing and relief to all who are sick or in any need. Be with all expectant mothers and their children. Invite them and us to cast all anxiety on You, and so live in the certainty of Your steadfast love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, there is no other God like You, who pardons iniquity and delights in steadfast love. Give faith to all who commune this day, that receiving Christ’s true body and blood, we may be certain that our sins are taken away by His death — cast into the depths of the sea. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood is named, we give You thanks for earthly fathers. Give them confidence in their station and zeal for their task to care for their families faithfully. Make them examples to their children of godly life and love of Your Word. Bless their work of bringing up children in the fear and instruction of the Lord, and give them the comfort of Your absolution over all their shortcomings. Gather us together with all our fathers to Your eternal household; through 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 6,24-27
If you are called to preach this weekend, may the holy one and triune God give You joy and strength, wisdom, knowledge and insight, that You preach His holy will faithfully and His gracious promises invitingly. His most precious Gospel is “the power of God to save all who believe.” (Rom 1:16) and His good Word and Luther´s true teaching remains forever – just as His one, holy Christian Church + Amen.
Wilhelm's space 