BOTH SERVICES
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
My Pleasure
September 27, 2026
AS WE GATHER
From the beginning, God implanted His life-creating power into His creation with the command “Be fruitful and multiply” to animals (Genesis 1:22) and to humans (1:28), with one important difference. You are not an accident or only a product of biology. Every human being is a personal soul. So we confess, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them” (Small Catechism, Creed, Explanation of the First Article). Because of our inherited sin, however, “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). Nevertheless, God’s design is for life—eternal life. He declares, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone” (18:32). Because God so loves you, He sent His Son to take away your sin by the shedding of His blood on the cross. Therefore, “we preach Christ crucified, . . . the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23–24). Christ died to sin for you. By Holy Baptism, you died with Christ and are raised to new life in Him. The love of God is yours today by faith in the cross of Jesus Christ. The Father’s declaration of Jesus now becomes yours: “My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
+ PREPARATION +
HYMN Crown Him with Many Crowns TLH 341 vs 1, 3-5
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns all music but its own!
Awake my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King thro’ all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of Love! Behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wond’ring eye at mysteries so bright.
Crown Him the Lord of Life! Who triumphed o’er the grave;
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring and lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of heav’n! Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, For He is King of all.
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 43:4; 124:8; Isaiah 25:9
Pastor: I will go to the altar of God,
People: to God my exceeding joy.
Pastor: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
People: who made heaven and earth.
Pastor: Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us.
People: This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: God invites His whole creation to the great feast of His salvation. That we may boldly enter into His gates of mercy, let us lift up our prayer of repentance and faith.
People: Lord God, heavenly Father, with thanksgiving for Your great love and promise of new life and hope for living, we confess to You all our sins, our waywardness, our neglect of Your call, as well as our failure to be of help to our neighbor and one another. We humbly pray, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew and cleanse our hearts and minds, and give us true faith in Your promised grace and deliverance.
Pastor: The feast of God’s salvation has already begun for you by your Baptism into Christ. Now receive the Lord’s abiding forgiveness, faith, strength, and help to live in the certain hope of eternal life in fellowship with Him: I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
+ WORD +
HYMN OF PRAISE To God Be The Glory CH 56 vs 1 & 3
To God be the glory - great things He hath done!
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Refrain: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus, the Son,
And give Him the glory - great things He hath done!
Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son.
But purer and higher and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. [Refrain]
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty God, You exalted Your Son to the place of all honor and authority. Enlighten our minds by Your Holy Spirit that, confessing Jesus as Lord, we may be led into all truth; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Ezekiel 18:1–4, 25–32 (“I have no pleasure in the death of anyone.”)
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. 27 Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
EPISTLE Philippians 2:1–4, 14–18 (Christ’s example of humility)
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 21:23–27 (The authority of Jesus is challenged.)
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song.
This cornerstone, this solid ground
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when striving cease.
My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone – who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones He came to save.
‘Til on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious day up from the grave He rose again.
And as He stands in victory sin’s curse has lost its grip on me.
For I am His and He is mine –
bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the pow’r of Christ in me.
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from His hand.
‘Til He returns or calls me home, here in the pow’r of Christ I stand.
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: Almighty God, we give You thanks for all Your goodness and loving kindness that You have bestowed on us as Your own creation. For Your whole creation and the blessings of this life, we give You praise and thanks. Continue Your gift of life and grant that all look to You as their Creator and Giver of life through the gift of Your redemption in Christ Jesus, the Lord. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Grant Your blessing and guidance on Your holy church in this world to be the beacon of the light of Your salvation for all who look to You for the salvation of their souls and for every help in need. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Send upon the ministers of Your church and the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace, making all pastors diligent to preach Your Holy Word, and send Your people faithful obedience that they be comforted and strengthened in faith and do all things that are well pleasing to You. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Guide and direct the governments of all nations to seek the ways of Your will in peace and justice, especially in the face of any and all adversity. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: Help all who call upon You in any need, that they have patience in times of sorrow or suffering and be released from their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: We remember before You all those who have loved and served You and who now rest from their labors. Keep us in fellowship with all Your saints and bring us at last to the joys of Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Pastor: All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us for the sake of Him who died and rose again and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.