I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.

Mt. 25,40b

Introit

Praise the Lord! How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands. His descendants will be powerful on the earth; the godly will be blessed. His house contains wealth and riches; his integrity endures. In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.
It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.
For he will never be shaken; others will always remember one who is just.
He does not fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the Lord. His resolve is firm; he will not succumb to fear before he looks in triumph on his enemies. He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored. When the wicked see this, they will worry; they will grind their teeth in frustration and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 112

Old Testament lesson (Sermon text)

The Lord spoke to Moses: “Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. Each of you must respect his mother and his father, and you must keep my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God… You must not oppress your neighbor or commit robbery against your neighbor. You must not withhold the wages of the hired laborer overnight until morning.You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear your God; I am the Lord. “‘You must not deal unjustly in judgment: You must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly. You must not go about as a slanderer among your people. You must not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord. You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him. You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord…When a resident foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him. The resident foreigner who lives with you must be to you as a native citizen among you; so you must love the foreigner as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 

Leviticus 19,1-3.13-18.33-34

Epistle

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God. The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love. By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1. John 4,7-12

Gospel

On that same occasion Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. All things have been given to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.” Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” 

Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus replied: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead.Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him.He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring olive oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’ Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Luke 10,25-37

Luther´s sermon

Hymn of the week

Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, ich bitt, erhör mein Klagen; verleih mir Gnad zu dieser Frist, laß mich doch nicht verzagen. Den rechten Glauben, Herr, ich mein, den wollest Du mir geben, Dir zu leben, meim Nächsten nütz zu sein, Dein Wort zu halten eben.

Ich bitt noch mehr, o Herre Gott – Du kannst es mir wohl geben –, daß ich nicht wieder werd zu Spott; die Hoffnung gib daneben; voraus, wenn ich muss hier davon, daß ich Dir mög vertrauen und nicht bauen auf all mein eigen Tun, sonst wird’s mich ewig reuen.

Verleih, daß ich aus Herzensgrund mein Feinden mög vergeben; verzeih mir auch zu dieser Stund, schaff mir ein neues Leben; Dein Wort mein Speis lass allweg sein, damit mein Seel zu nähren, mich zu wehren, wenn Unglück schlägt herein, das mich bald möcht verkehren.

Laß mich kein Lust noch Furcht von Dir in dieser Welt abwenden; beständig sein ans End gib mir, Du hasts allein in Händen; und wem Du’s gibst, der hats umsonst, es mag niemand erwerben – noch ererben – durch Werke Deine Gunst, die uns errett’ vom Sterben.

Ich lieg im Streit und widerstreb, hilf, o Herr Christ, dem Schwachen; an Deiner Gnad allein ich kleb, Du kannst mich stärker machen. Kommt nun Anfechtung her, so wehr, daß sie mich nicht umstoße; Du kannst maßen, dass mirs nicht bringt Gefähr. Ich weiß, Du wirsts nicht lassen.

Johann Agricola vor 1530 (LKG 245)

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

Church prayer for this Sunday

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

Heavenly Father, Your Son has triumphed by His cross. Give grace to Your Church to proclaim His victory throughout the world — the victory of the love that hate could not destroy, and the life that death could not overcome. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless this parish, town, city, country and continent, that we together with all the world may grow in the true knowledge of You Lord and love Your commandments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father in heaven, by our wickedness we merit all and more of the evils that befall us; nevertheless, cut short Your wrath. Make room for true repentance, and forgive us all for the sake of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear our prayers for our country and all the nations of the world. Overcome war, hate and bloodshed by peace, justice and mercy. Keep safe the soldiers and servants in our armed forces. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father, into Your loving hands we commend those who have requested our intercession Edith, Ingrid, Karin, Hilary, Annette, Christoph, Paulina. Lead them and us out of trouble. Deliver us from all evil. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer and grant us Your peace.

God of all righteousness, You command us to be holy as You are holy and You sanctify us with Your Son’s body and blood. Prepare the hearts of all who partake of the Sacrament today, that they might repent of their sin, trust in Your promises and find their righteousness in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank You that You have granted us to live in this accepted time when we may hear Your holy Gospel, know Your fatherly will and behold Your Son, Jesus Christ! We implore You, most merciful Father, let the light of Your Word remain with us and so govern our hearts by Your Holy Spirit that we may never forsake Your Word, but remain steadfast in it and, finally, obtain eternal salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

+ Dominum vobiscum +

The Lord bless You, and keep You; The Lord make His face shine upon You, and be gracious unto You; The Lord lift up His countenance upon You + give You peace.

Numbers 6,24-27

If you are called to preach this weekend, may the holy, triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the one true and only God give You His rich measure of faith, hope, love, joy and strength, wisdom, knowledge and insight, clarity of speech, that You preach His holy Will faithfully and His gracious Promises invitingly and faithfully according to His biblical Word recorded by apostles and prophets. His most precious Gospel grants saving grace. It is His “power to save.” (Rom 1:16 cf. 2.Corinthians 12,9). 

God´s Word and Luther´s teaching remain forever just as His, holy Christian Church. Hallelujah + Amen. Amen.