July 23, 2023
TIME AFTER PENTECOST—LECTIONARY 16

INTRODUCTION
It is an age-old question: why is there evil in the world? In the parable of the wheat and the weeds Jesus suggests that both grow together until the harvest. With Paul, we long for the day when all creation will be set free from bondage and suffering. Having both weeds and wheat within us, we humbly place our hope in the promises of God, and from the Lord's table we go forth to bear the fruit of justice and mercy.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
Blessed be the holy Trinity,+ one God,
who greets us in this and every season,
whose word never fails,
whose promise is sure.
Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God
and of our neighbors.

Merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned.
We have hurt our community.
We have squandered your blessings.
We have hoarded your bounty.
In the name of Jesus,
forgive us and grant us your mercy.
Silence is kept for reflection.

Righteous God,
we confess that we have sinned.
We have failed to be honest.
We have lacked the courage to speak.
We have spoken falsely.
In the name of Jesus,
forgive us and grant us your mercy.
Silence is kept for reflection.

God is a cup of cold water when we thirst.
God offers boundless grace when we fail.
Claim the gift of God's mercy:
you are freed and forgiven
in the name of + Jesus Christ.
Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your children with firmness and compassion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. My word shall accomplish that | which I purpose,* and succeed in the thing for | which I sent it. Alleluia. (Isa. 55:11)

READINGS AND PSALM
Isaiah 44:6-8
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 (Alternate)
Psalm 86:11-17
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth. (Ps. 86:11)
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

FIRST READING: Isaiah 44:6-8
There are no other gods besides God: the word of the Lord does not fail to come to pass. We can trust in God, through whom Israel—and we—are redeemed.

6Thus 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. 7Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. 8Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.

FIRST READING (ALTERNATE): Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
God's deeds of forgiveness and gift of hope indicate that God's faithful people must also show kindness. No other god cares for all people.

13For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly; 16For your strength is the source of righteousness, and your sovereignty over all causes you to spare all. 17For you show your strength when people doubt the completeness of your power, and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it. 18Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for you have power to act whenever you choose. 19Through such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be kind, and you have filled your children with good hope, because you give repentance for sins.

PSALM: Psalm 86:11-17
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth. (Ps. 86:11)

11Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk | in your truth;
	give me an undivided heart to re- | vere your name.
12I will thank you, O Lord my God, with | all my heart,
	and glorify your name for- | evermore.   R
13For great is your | love toward me;
	you have delivered me from the | pit of death.
14The arrogant rise up against me, O God,
and a band of violent people | seeks my life;
	they have not set you be- | fore their eyes.
15But you, O Lord, are gracious and full | of compassion,
	slow to anger, and full of kind- | ness and truth.
16Turn to me and have mer- | cy on me;
	give your strength to your servant,
	and save the child | of your handmaid.
17Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me
may see it and be | put to shame;
	because you, Lord, have helped me and com- | forted me.   R

SECOND READING: Romans 8:12-25
For Paul, true spirituality means that we experience the reality of the Spirit, which enables us to pray as God's children, keeps us in solidarity with creation, and gives us unseen hope that God will liberate us and creation from bondage to death and decay.

12So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—13for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Jesus tells a parable about the coexistence of good and evil in this world. God's judgment will remove all evildoers and causes of sin, but not until the end of human history.

24[Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" 36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 37He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
The prayers are prepared locally for each occasion. The following examples may be adapted or used as appropriate.
Confident that God receives our joys and concerns, let us offer our prayers for the church, those in need, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
O God, you call your church to announce the gospel of reconciliation and truth both near and far. Guide your church as it seeks your wisdom and shares it, trusting your Spirit bearing witness among us. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
You brought forth all creation and called it good. Direct policymakers to protect lands and seas. Bring rain to sun-parched fields and protect areas impacted by natural disasters (especially). Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
You desire peace among nations and peoples. Guard our neighborhoods from hatred, watch over police officers and firefighters, and teach us to advocate for those who live in fear. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
You are gracious and merciful, comforting those who suffer any affliction (especially). Sustain your people living with HIV/AIDS, provide shelter for all who are unhoused, and release any who are unjustly imprisoned. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
You name each of us as your children. Guide our hospitality ministry to welcome all, our education ministry to equip us for faithful living, and our social ministry to enact the gospel in our community. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Here other intercessions may be offered.
You send faithful people to proclaim freedom from bondage and to renew your church. Encourage us by the witness of the faithful departed (including Birgitta of Sweden, whom the church commemorates today), so that we live into that same hope. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray, in the name of the one who reconciled all creation to himself, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
God of field and forest, sea and sky,
you are the giver of all good things.
Sustain us with these gifts of your creation,
and multiply your graciousness in us,
that the world may be fed with your love,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION
All people are called to Christ's table.
Come, eat what is good.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
We thank you, generous God,
for the refreshment we have received
at your banquet table.
Send us now to spread your generosity into all the world,
through the one who is our dearest treasure,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

BLESSING
The God who calls across the cosmos
and speaks in the smallest seed
+ bless, keep, and sustain you
now and to the end of the age.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Share the harvest.
Thanks be to God.

Reprinted from Words for Worship, copyright 2022 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission. Scripture quotations (except psalms) from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. All rights reserved. Used by permission.