​​​​​​​​​​​​​3RD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SUNDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2025

​

INTRODUCTION​

We have no good apart from God. That makes Jesus’ call to follow him an
     invitation to freedom. This is freedom to revel in the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace,
     and patience. This is freedom to not be imprisoned by anything that would keep
     us from the fullness of the life God has given us. This is the path of life.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Sovereign God, ruler of all hearts, you call us to obey you, and you favor us with
     true freedom. Keep us faithful to the ways of your Son, that, leaving behind all
     that hinders us, we may steadfastly follow your paths, through Jesus Christ, our
     Savior and Lord. Amen.​

FIRST READING

1ST KINGS 19:15-16, 19-21
     In the story preceding today’s reading, the prophet Elijah flees for his life to the
     security of God’s mountain. There God reveals to Elijah that there are still other
     faithful people in Israel and commissions him to anoint new leaders, including his
     own successor, Elisha.

15 Then the Lord said to [Elijah], “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of
     Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also
     you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and you shall anoint
     Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

     19 So he set out from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing.
     There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah
     passed by him and threw his mantle over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after
     Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow
     you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”
     21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them;
     using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh and gave it to the
     people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah and became his servant.​

​​​​​

PSALM

PSALM 16
(Response) I have set the Lord always before me. (Ps. 16:8)

1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;
I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my good above all other.”
2 All my delight is in the godly that are in the land,
upon those who are noble among the people.
3 But those who run after other gods
shall have their troubles multiplied.
4 I will not pour out drink offerings to such gods,
never take their names upon my lips.
(Response) I have set the Lord always before me. (Ps. 16:8)

5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;
it is you who uphold my lot.
6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
indeed, I have a rich inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
my heart teaches me night after night.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
(Response) I have set the Lord always before me. (Ps. 16:8)

9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;
my body also shall rest in hope.
10 For you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor let your holy one see the pit.
11 You will show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
        and in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(Response) I have set the Lord always before me. (Ps. 16:8)

SECOND READING

GALATIANS 5:1, 13-25
     For Paul, the freedom Christ gives is not permission to do whatever we want. It is
     the invitation to be what we could not be otherwise. The power and guidance of Christ's
     Holy Spirit produce a different kind of life, one marked by the fruit of this Holy Spirit.

1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit
     again to a yoke of slavery.

     13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your
     freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become enslaved
     to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment,
     “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour
     one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

     16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what
     the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed
     to the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what
     you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.
     19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity,
     debauchery, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels,
     dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I
     am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit
     the kingdom of God.

     22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
     generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against
     such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its
     passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

​​​​GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. (John 6:68)

GOSPEL READING

LUKE 9:51-62
        Jesus is unwavering in his commitment to his mission in Jerusalem and will not
     be swayed by pettiness. In a series of striking cases in point, he calls his
     disciples to a similar single-mindedness.

51 When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to
     Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered
     a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival, 53 but they did not receive
     him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James
     and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come
     down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them.
     56 Then they went on to another village.

     57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you
     wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the
     air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another
     he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
     60 And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go
     and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let
     me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 And Jesus said to him, “No one
     who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

​

LICENSES & EXPIRATION DATES
Worship Service Content is used via permission through Augsburg Fortress Liturgies

Annual License #SB144368. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 2/28/2026.
Our Hymns and Worship Music are used via permission through CCLI One
License #11327166. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 1/31/2026.

​

​SERMONS​
(AVAILABILITY VARIES PENDING ON THE MINISTER)

BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2025

DID YOU MISS SERVICE ON SUNDAY?
GET WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT HERE!

TAKING FAITH HOME