July 2, 2023

Leading our service today is Pastor Dennis Himm, recently retired from Gloria Dei, in Grand Blanc, MI and now residing in Manistee. Welcome Pastor Himm and wife Kay !

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

July 2, 2023 - Pentecost 5 - Persecution/Temptation

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, it’s nice to be part of Your family. Thanks for adopting me.  Sometimes other people try to make me miserable because I am Yours.  Help me remember being Yours is a wonderful blessing.

Hymn 472 (refers to sources of temptation/persecution)

Service of Word and Sacrament , front of hymnal, page 26

Prayer: Lord, our God,/ govern the nations on earth/ & direct the affairs of this world/ so that we may worship You in peace & joy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever.  (sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Jeremiah 20:7-13

Jeremiah proclaimed God’s judgment vs. sin. He wanted to quit preaching to avoid persecution, but he could not hold back.  He turned to the Lord for help, confidently committing his cause to the Lord who rescues from oppressors.

 7 O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived;    you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long.  9 But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. 10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!   Report him! Let’s report him!”  All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”  11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;  so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. 12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.  13 Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.


Hymn 419:1-3


Epistle: Romans 5:12-15

All of us descended from Adam die as Adam did because we inherited Adam’s sin.  Jesus the second Adam restored holiness and life to all.


12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Hymn 419: 4-6

Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

We can expect the world to treat us no better than it treated our Master.  What a comfort to know that God gives loving attention to the smallest details of our lives.  Therefore, we are bold in proclaiming His Gospel.


24 “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.


Hymn 770  


Sermon: Gospel

Theme:  "Bold to Speak the Truth" (Retired Pastor Himm)

Nicene Creed, front of hymnal, page 31 


Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that everyone sign the guest register.  


Prayer of the church, pg 32

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer, page 32


Continue page 33

Distribution of Lord’s Supper to the members of St. Paul's & other  WELS or   ELS congregations who by their membership have indicated they are qualified to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:27-29) & to express oneness in faith (1 Cor 10:17). If you are a guest today & haven’t yet had the chance to express your agreement with us & would like to receive the Lord’s Supper together with us in the future, please speak with the worship leader after worship.  We would be delighted to help you come to appreciate a “close” relationship with your Lord, with us and with our congregation                       


Hymn 447 during distribution

(refers to sources of temptation/persecution)


Continue page 36                                 

Hymn 419, verse 7


All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again. Kindly sign our friendship register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family