SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
My Yoke Is Easy and My Burden Light
July 5, 2026
AS WE GATHER
On this day when our thoughts and minds attend to the independence of our nation, we hear a study of contrasts between the mighty King who comes to us on a colt, the foal of a donkey, and the mystery that befuddles the wise revealed to the child. We also hear Paul wrestle with the paradox of his own nature as saint by virtue of the merits of Christ and sinner—all in the same body. Though it is our nature to try and solve such paradoxes and resolve such contrasts, the path of faith is to appreciate what each reveals to us and to trust in the Lord for all things. We might find it frustrating to chafe under the tension of what is and what should be, yet even the child can discern the gracious will of God in Christ and rejoice of His easy yoke. Thanks be to God.
+ PREPARATION +
HYMN All Creatures of Our God and King LW 436 vs 1-4
All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice with us and sing Alleluia Alleluia
O burning sun with golden beam And silver moon with softer gleam
Oh praise Him Oh praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia
O rushing wind and breezes soft O clouds that ride the winds aloft O praise Him Alleluia
O rising morn in praise rejoice O lights of evening find a voice
Oh praise Him Oh praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia
O flowing waters pure and clear Make music for your Lord to hear O praise Him Alleluia
O fire so masterful and bright Providing us with warmth and light
Oh praise Him Oh praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia
Dear mother earth who day by day Unfolds rich blessings on our way O praise Him Alleluia
The fruits and flow’rs that verdant grow Let them His praise abundant show
Oh praise Him Oh praise Him Alleluia alleluia alleluia
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Psalm 103:10
Pastor: He does not deal with us according to our sins,
People: nor repay us according to our iniquities.
Pastor: Holy and gracious God,
People: I confess that I have sinned against You this day. Some of my sin I know—the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed—but some is known only to You. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask forgiveness. Deliver according to Your mercy and grant peace to my heart so that I may serve You with all my mind, body, and soul.
Pastor: By the mercy of God we are redeemed by Jesus Christ, and in Him we are forgiven. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: He who began this good work within you will bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The peace of the Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Amen.
+ WORD +
HYMN OF PRAISE A Mighty Fortress Is Our God LSB 657 vs 1-4
A mighty fortress is our God A sword and shield victorious He breaks the cruel oppressor’s rod And wins salvation glorious
The old satanic foe Has sworn to work us woe With craft and dreadful might He arms himself to fight
On earth he has no equal
No strength of ours can match his might We would be lost rejected But now a champion comes to fight Whom God Himself elected
You ask who this may be? The Lord of host is He Christ Jesus mighty Lord God’s only Son adored
He holds the field victorious
Though hordes of devils fill the land All threat’ning to devour us We tremble not unmoved we stand They cannot over-pow’r us
Let this world’s tyrant rage In battle we’ll engage His might is doomed to fail God’s judgment must prevail
One little word subdues him
God’s Word forever shall abide No thanks to foes who fear it For God Himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit
Were they to take our house Goods honor child or spouse Though life be wrenched away They cannot win the day
The Kingdom’s our forever
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: Let us pray. Gracious God, our heavenly Father, Your mercy attends us all our days. Be our strength and support amid the wearisome changes of this world, and at life’s end grant us Your promised rest and the full joys of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Zechariah 9:9–12 (Rejoice! Your King comes to you.)
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.
EPISTLE Romans 7:14–25a (I know that nothing good lives in me apart from Christ.)
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 11:25–30 (“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”)
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
SONG Come Unto Jesus
Come unto Jesus all you who are weary Come to the mercy seat fervently kneel
Here bring your wounded heart broken and needy Come unto Jesus mighty to heal
Chorus: Come unto Jesus come unto Jesus
Lay down your burdens He is enough
Come unto Jesus rest in His love
Joy of the comfortless light for the staying Hope of the penitent peace in our strife
Here speaks the Comforter tenderly saying My yoke is easy my burden is light (Chorus)
Come now and follow Him this life forsaking All that was gain count as nothing but loss
Trade all this world for His kingdom unfading Come unto Jesus take up your cross (Chorus)
SERMON
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
GREETING/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Pastor: With the boldness of Your promise alone, O Lord, we come to petition Your mercy on behalf of the church, the world, all people as they have need, and ourselves. Grant us Your grace to hear and answer us for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Bestow upon Your church, O Lord, grace to keep what You have commanded and to proclaim with boldness the Gospel You have given us in Jesus Christ, that many may hear, and in hearing believe in Jesus Christ and know the comfort of His mercy in their travail. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Govern Your church, O Lord, in mercy, granting to us faithful pastors who will preach Your Word and administer Your Sacraments and raising up church workers to serve us in Your name. Bless those now preparing for church work vocations and the schools in which they are being formed for Your service. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Having a deep and abiding gratitude for the manifold blessings You have shown to us as a nation and a people, we pray You to continue to bless and provide for us so that we be a blessing for many. Raise up for us good and wise leaders who will honor the legacy of liberty and enable Your people to serve You with a quiet mind and live in peace with all. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Bless the members of the armed services who defend our nation at home and abroad and protect and defend the police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and disaster relief workers. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Give to the sick and to the suffering the blessing of Your presence and healing, that those suffering in body or mind may be comforted in their afflictions and brought to perfect healing in Christ. Bless the caregivers who provide for them and give to all for whom we pray answer to prayers we offer in Christ’s name. [Hear us especially for . . .] Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Bless the missionaries at home and abroad, strengthen all congregations by Your Word and Spirit, and prosper all the institutions of the church established to fulfill Your bidding and glorify Your name. Make us good stewards of Your gifts and generous in support of our neighbor in need and the work of Your kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: O Lord, give to husband and wife the grace of forgiveness that they may keep their vows and promises once made and bless the homes of Your people that they be places of blessing and love. Give the grace of children and sustain those whose longing is not fulfilled, that we be content in our vocations and serve to the glory of Your name. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Help us to make the worthy communion, believing the word and promise of Christ and discerning His flesh in this bread and His blood in this cup. Grant that what we here receive at His Table we may keep in holy hearts and reflect in holy lives, manifesting the unity of doctrine and the blessing of good will. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: To You be all glory and power and might, O Lord God, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whom with the Spirit You are one Lord, one God, now and forevermore.
People: Amen.