St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Telephone: 231-299-1022

October 8, 2023 Pentecost 19 Our God wants real repentance that leads to true obedience.

May the LORD’s full and free forgiveness produce joy & peace.

WELCOME

HYMN 304 (1-5) – please stand for last stanza

COMMON SERVICE - page 15

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, for without your help we are unable to please you; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

(Sing) Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32

Ezekiel brings a strong warning for Christians who grow lax in their faith or dismissive of their sin. Repent and live!

1“The word of the LORD came to me: 2“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die…. 25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live;

they will not die. 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

PSALM 25, page 74

We lift up our souls and trust in the LORD God.

SECOND LESSON: Philippians 2:1-11

Paul quotes a hymn of humiliation and exultation as a model to shape our attitudes.

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Alleluia. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Alleluia.

(Sing) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

True obedience, however, in not merely saying what God wants to hear, but doing what God wants done.

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard. 29 ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not

believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

HYMN 306

SERMON: Galatians 2:11-16

Spiritual Insincerity or Honesty

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 19

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN 458

PRAYER - page 25

HYMN 394

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway.

VOTERS’ MEETING next Sunday after worship.

SERVING YOU TODAY:

• Pastor John Eich – Circuit Pastor from Good Shepherd, Alma

• Organist: Nancy Skory

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.