Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, July 7, 2024
Entrance Hymn: LBW #569 “God Bless Our Native Land”
Prayer of the day:
O God, Your almighty power is made known chiefly in showing mercy. Grant us the fullness of Your grace that we may be called to repentance and made partakers of Your heavenly treasures; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading:
Ezekiel 2:1–5
1 He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Psalm 132:13–16; antiphon: Psalm 34:8
L: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
C: Blessèd is the man who takes refuge in him!
L: For the Lord has chosen Zion;
C: he has desired it for his dwelling place:
L: “This is my resting place forever;
C: here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
L: I will abundantly bless her provisions;
C: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
L: Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
C: and her saints will shout for joy.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
C: Blessèd is the man who takes refuge in him!
L: For the Lord has chosen Zion;
C: he has desired it for his dwelling place:
L: “This is my resting place forever;
C: here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
L: I will abundantly bless her provisions;
C: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
L: Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
C: and her saints will shout for joy.”
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
L: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
C: Blessèd is the man who takes refuge in him!
C: Blessèd is the man who takes refuge in him!
Epistle:
2 Corinthians 12:1–10
1I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel:
Mark 6:1–13
1[Jesus] went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. 7And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Message Hymn: LBW #229 “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
Closing Hymn: LBW #401 “Before You, Lord We Bow”