St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

July 19, 2026 Pentecost 7

WHAT MAKES CHRISTIANS DIFFERENT?

CHRISTIANS ARE PLANTED BY THE WORD

WELCOME – We will be using the Blue Hymnal today

HYMN 833 “I Run to Christ” Sharon Spencer will sing the first stanza (Please stand for the last stanza)

THE SERVICE: Setting 2 – page 172 ff

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your Word. By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy and to bring forth fruits in faith and hope and love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 55:8-11

God’s Word produces the fruit that God desires.

8 Certainly my plans are not your plans, and your ways are not my ways, declares the LORD. 9Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my plans are higher than your plans. 10 Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY – Psalm 65

The seed that falls, that falls on good ground will bring forth food for all.

SECOND LESSON: 1 Corinthians 3:5-11

We sow the seed of God’s Word, but only he can make it grow.

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are ministers through whom you believed, and each served as the Lord gave him his role. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but it is God who causes the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters are united, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For God is the one whom we serve as coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 In keeping with the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. But let each person be careful how he builds on it. 11 In fact, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

P: Alleluia. The Word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. Alleluia.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: God’s Word (sung)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Your words – are – my – joy

And my – heart’s – de – light.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Jesus pictures ministry as a planter scattering seed.

1 That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 A large crowd gathered around him. So he stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown. 9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

18 “So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. 20 The seed that was sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately

receives it with joy, 21 yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed that was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it produces no fruit. 23 But the seed that was sown on the good ground is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 895 “Preach You the Word”

SERMON: Isaiah 55:8-11

The LORD’s Effective Word

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 181

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

HYMN 644 “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast”

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER (Traditional)

BLESSING C: Amen.

HYMN 927 " Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing"

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's & the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) have joined together to do the Lord’s work here and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry. The basket is located next to the water dispenser.

PLEASE SIGN OUR GUEST BOOK IF YOU ARE VISITING.

It’s located in the entryway by the stairs going to the basement.

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version ® (EHV ®)