St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street

Manistee, MI 49660

website: StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

phone: 231-299-1022

September 3, 2023 Pentecost 14 The Church will stand forever.

May the LORD, “I AM who I AM, bless your worship.

WELCOME

HYMN 238 – please stand for last stanza

SERVICE OF WORD & SACRAMENT - page 26

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; 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: Exodus 6:2-8

The LORD identifies himself as “I AM who I AM.” meaning that he is the living God who will preserve his Church forever.

2 God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD.3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them.4I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreign-ers 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’”

PSALM 31 - page 77

The LORD is our refuge and fortress.

SECOND LESSON: Romans 11:33-36

Paul records a great doxology fit for our Redeemer God.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Alleluia. Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Alleluia. (Sing) Alleluia.....page 30

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

Who do people say the Son of Man is? That question is as applicable today as it was in Matthew’s Gospel.

13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

HYMN 76

SERMON: Matthew 15:21-28

Who Is Jesus?

NICENE’ CREED - page 31

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION LITURGY - pages 33-35

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION

THANK THE LORD & PRAYER - pages 36

BLESSING pages 37

(sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 528

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.

NO SERVICE AT ST. PAUL’SNEXT SUNDAY

➢ NEXT SUNDAY we will travel to Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church in Hart to join them for their Mission Festival. Worship is at 10:30 am with a potluck to follow. Please bring a dish to pass. All are welcome!

Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church

2087 N Water Rd

Hart, MI 49420

SERVING YOU TODAY:

➢ Pastor Em. Dennis Himm

➢ Organist Nancy Skory

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