St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901
website: stpaulsmanistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
Telephone: 231-299-1022
Pastor Joshua Free is leading worship and Bible Study today. He is one of the pastors serving St Paul's Livonia MI.
July 23, 2023 Pentecost 8 – Word/Seed/Fruit
Prayer Before Worship -
Lord, the seeds I planted in April & May are now producing beans, lettuce, etc. Lord, the seed You planted in my heart is also producing fruit. That makes me able to cope with life much better.
Hymn 544
Service of the Word, front of hymnal page 38
Prayer: God of all power & might,/ You are the giver of all that is good. Help us love You with all our heart. Strengthen us in true faith. Provide us with all we need. Keep us safe in your care/ through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 55:10-11
Just as rain & snow water the earth so it brings forth bread for today & seed for next season, so God’s Word always brings the results He desires. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Psalm 65, front of hymnal, page 89
God has shown His goodness to all by producing bountiful harvests.
Epistle Acts 18:1-11
Paul planted the seed of the Word in Corinth. He switched fields. He went to the Gentiles. God promised fruit.
1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
Verse: Alleluia! The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. Alleluia!
(Sing) Alleluia!......pg 40
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
God plants His Word in our hearts. It produces saving faith & fruits of faith. Any failure lies in an unreceptive heart.
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Hymn 568
Sermon
Apostles’ Creed, front of hymnal, page 41
Thankoffering & Guest Register
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 our visitors sign the guest register.
Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 42
Special Prayers
Lord’s Prayer, page 43
Hymn 255
Continue page 43, front of hymnal
Hymn 324
All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again. Kindly sign our guest register. Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family.