First Trinity Lutheran Church

19 July 2026

The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

Lutheran Service Book Divine Service Setting Three

Stand

791 All People That on Earth Do Dwell LSB 791

1 All people that on earth do dwell,. Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice..Him serve with mirth, His praise forthtell;. Come ye before Him and rejoice.

2 Know that the Lord is God indeed;. Without our aid He did us make..We are His folk, He doth us feed,. And for His sheep He doth us take.

3 O enter then His gates with praise;. Approach with joy His courts unto..Praise, laud, and bless His name always,. For it is seemly so to do.

4 For why? The Lord our God is good:. His mercy is forever sure..His truth at all times firmly stood. And shall from age to age endure.

D 5 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,. The God whom heav’n and earth adore,.From us and from the angel host. Be praise and glory evermore.

Text: William Kethe, d. c. 1593, alt..Text: Public domain

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

Invocation

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

Exhortation LSB 184

P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

Confession of Sins LSB 184

P O almighty God, merciful Father,

C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

Absolution LSB 185

P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Kyrie LSB 186

C Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187

P Glory be to God on high:

C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Am 187

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Let us pray.

O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your final judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with You in perfect joy hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 44:6–8

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel. and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:.“I am the first and I am the last;. besides me there is no god..Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.. Let him declare and set it before me,.since I appointed an ancient people.. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen..Fear not, nor be afraid;. have I not told you from of old and declared it?. And you are my witnesses!.Is there a God besides me?. There is no Rock; I know not any.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Psalm Psalm 119:57–64

Heth

The Lord is my portion;. I promise to keep your words..I entreat your favor with all my heart;. be gracious to me according to your promise..When I think on my ways,. I turn my feet to your testimonies;.I hasten and do not delay. to keep your commandments..Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,. I do not forget your law..At midnight I rise to praise you,. because of your just and righteous decrees..I am a companion of all who fear you,. of those who keep your precepts..The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;. teach me your statutes!

Epistle Romans 8:18–27

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia LSB 190

C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the thirteenth chapter.

C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

[Jesus] put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” . . .

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Apostles’ Creed

C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life T everlasting. Amen.

Sit

803 Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee LSB 803

1 Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,. God of glory, Lord of love!.Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,. Praising Thee, their sun above..Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,. Drive the gloom of doubt away..Giver of immortal gladness,. Fill us with the light of day.

2 All Thy works with joy surround Thee,. Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,.Stars and angels sing around Thee,. Center of unbroken praise..Field and forest, vale and mountain,. Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,.Chanting bird, and flowing fountain. Call us to rejoice in Thee.

D 3 Thou art giving and forgiving,. Ever blessing, ever blest,.Wellspring of the joy of living,. Ocean-depth of happy rest!.Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,. Fountainhead of love divine:.Joyful, we Thy heav’n inherit!. Joyful, we by grace are Thine!

Text: Henry Van Dyke, 1852–1933, alt..Text: Public domain

Sermon - Pastor Bill Willson

Offering

The Organist plays as the offerings are being collected.

Stand as the ushers bring forth the offering.

Offertory LSB 192

C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.

Prayers

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For faithful stewardship of all creation, that we may care for it until the Lord sets it free from its bondage to decay and gives it to us anew in His kingdom, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the Church, that she may remain good soil that brings forth an abundant harvest, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For pastors, that they may sow Your Word faithfully in the fields entrusted to them, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the delegates who are assembled in convention this week, that God would give them wisdom to work for the welfare of our Synod; that He would guard the lips of those who speak and the ears of those who hear; that He would give us courage to do with integrity what we promise; and that, according to His will, He would bless and prosper the plans and actions undertaken in His name, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all Christian homes, that they may be places where faith is nurtured and where we may learn to live our new lives in holiness and righteousness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the sick, aged, infirm, mourning or dying, [especially _____________,] that they would be given healing in accord with God’s will and grace to sustain them in their need, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who receive the Lord’s Supper, that we may come with hearts free of pride, presumption or any profaning sin; and that, hoping for what we do not see, we may receive His forgiveness and life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For certainty that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

To Him we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT

Preface LSB 194

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them up unto the Lord.

P Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.

C It is meet and right so to do. 194

Proper Preface

P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

Sanctus LSB 195

C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

The Words of Our Lord

P On the night, in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same also, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Pax Domini LSB 197

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

Agnus Dei 198

C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.

Sit

Distribution

The pastor and those who assist him receive the body and blood of Christ first and then distribute them to those who come to receive, saying:

The Dismissal

In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:

P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart T in peace.

C Amen.

SILENT PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

O blessed Jesus, my Lord and Savior, thank You for giving Yourself to me in this Sacrament. By the power of the Holy Spirit, keep me in the true faith and empower me to live my life for You until that day that I live with You forever in heaven. Amen.

Stand

Nunc Dimittis LSB 199

C Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,

for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,

a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Thanksgiving 200

P O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,

C and His mercy endureth forever.

Post-Communion Collect

P We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Salutation LSB 201

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

Benedicamus 202

P Bless we the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Benediction LSB 202

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C Amen, amen, amen.

802 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise LSB 802

1 Immortal, invisible,. God only wise,.In light inaccessible. hid from our eyes,.Most blessèd, most glorious,. the Ancient of Days,.Almighty, victorious,. Thy great name we praise.

2 Unresting, unhasting,. and silent as light,.Nor wanting, nor wasting,. Thou rulest in might;.Thy justice like mountains. high soaring above.Thy clouds which are fountains. of goodness and love.

3 To all life Thou givest—. to both great and small—.In all life Thou livest,. the true Life of all;.We blossom and flourish. as leaves on the tree.And wither and perish—. but naught changes Thee.

4 Great Father of glory,. pure Father of light,.Thine angels adore Thee,. all veiling their sight;.All laud we would render:. O help us to see.’Tis only the splendor. of light that hides Thee.

Text: W. Chalmers Smith, 1824–1908, alt..Text: Public domain

CLOSING RESPONSE

Acknowledgments

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.