St Paul’s

Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

September 8, 2024 15th Sunday after Pentecost

FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST OBEY HIS LAW FROM THE HEART

WELCOME

HYMN 459 “O God, My Faithful God” (stand for last stanza)

SERVICE OF THE WORD - pages 38-44

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

O Lord Jesus Christ, preserve the congregation of believers with your never-failing mercy. Help us avoid whatever is wicked and harmful, and guide us in the way that leads to our salvation; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Sung) Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Deuteronomy 4:1,2,6-9

God is serious about his law because he knows that when his children follow the law carefully, the result is blessing and honor.

1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you….6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? 9 Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 119c – page 111

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

SECOND LESSON: Romans9:30-10:4

Followers of Christ obey the law, not to attempt to become righteous, but to show heartfelt love to the God who declares us righteous through faith in Jesus.

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Alleluia. Your words became a joy to me, and the delight of my heart. Alleluia. (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

These words are written that we may believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

GOSPEL: Mark 7:1-8,14,15,21-23

The Pharisees established traditions which they thought safeguarded obedience to God, but they missed God’s desire for heartfelt love

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”…14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”…21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewd ness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: (sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 286 “The Law Commands and Makes Us Know”

SERMON: Mark 7:1-8,14,15,21-23

Jesus Doesn’t Want You Religious

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 41

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER (Traditional)

HYMN 541 (1-5) “Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide”

PRAYER - page 43 C: (sung) Amen.

BLESSING - page 44 C: (sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 455 “Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You”

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.

PLEASE SIGN OUR GUEST BOOK IF YOU ARE VISITING.

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

SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT BIBLE CLASS is held before worship at 9 am. You and your family are always invited to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord as we study his living Word.

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