​​​​​​​​​​​​​5TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SUNDAY, JULY 13TH, 2025

​

INTRODUCTION​

To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind is to reflect 
     God’s mercy in responding to one’s neighbor. That mercy found its most
     profound expression in the “gospel that has come to you”—namely the life, death,
     and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That gospel mercy comes to us again today: at
     the font, at the table, and from the pulpit. It is very near to you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord God, your mercy delights us, and the world longs for your loving care.
     Hear the cries of everyone in need, and turn our hearts to love our neighbors with
     the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.​

FIRST READING

DEUTERONOMY 30:9-14
   Moses calls the people who are about to enter the promised land to renew the
     covenant God made with their ancestors. Through this covenant God gives life
     and asks for obedience. God’s commandment is neither burdensome nor too far
     off, but dwells in the people’s hearts.

9 The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your
     undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit
     of your soil. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, just as he
     delighted in prospering your ancestors, 10 when you obey the Lord your God by
     observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the
     law, because you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

     11 “Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard
     for you, nor is it too far away. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will
     go up to heaven for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’
     13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other
     side of the sea for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’
     14 No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.​

​​​​​

PSALM

PSALM 25:1-10
(Response) Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. (Ps. 25:4)

1 To you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I put my trust in you; let me not be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 Let none who look to you be put to shame;
rather let those be put to shame who are treacherous.
4 Show me your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
(Response) Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. (Ps. 25:4)

5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love,
for they are from everlasting.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;
remember me according to your steadfast love and for the sake of your
        goodness, O Lord.
8 You are gracious and upright, O Lord;
therefore you teach sinners in your way.
9 You lead the lowly in justice
and teach the lowly your way.
10 All your paths, O Lord, are steadfast love and faithfulness
to those who keep your covenant and your testimonies.
(Response) Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. (Ps. 25:4)

SECOND READING

COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
     The letter to the Colossians was written to warn its readers of various false
     teachings. The first part of the letter is an expression of thanks for the faith, hope,
     and love that mark this community, including a prayer for strength and courage.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
      2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:
      Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

     3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
     Christ, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you
     have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have
     heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6 that has come to
     you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been
     bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended
     the grace of God. 7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant.
     He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he has made known to us
     your love in the Spirit.

     9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you
     and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual
     wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully
     pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the
     knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes
     from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience,
     joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the
     inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of
     darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we
     have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

​​​​GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and let the word of
     Christ dwell in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)

GOSPEL READING

LUKE 10:25-37
     Jesus is challenged to explain what is involved in obeying the greatest
     commandment. He tells a parable rich in surprises: those expected to show pity
     display hard hearts while the lowly give and receive unexpected and lavish mercy.

25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do
     to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you
     read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
     heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and
     your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right
     answer; do this, and you will live.”

     29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
     30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into
     the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half
     dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw
     him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the
     place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while
     traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion.
     34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine.
     Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
     35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said,
     ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you
     spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell
     into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.”
     Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

​

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, JULY 20TH, 2025

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

TAKING FAITH HOME