17th Sunday After Trinity ~ 2025

 

Today's Service Leader Rev. Brett Cornelius, Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church

 

Today's liturgy is the Divine Service THREE, page 184ff.

 

816 From All That Dwell Below the Skies

Text (sts. 1–2): Isaac Watts, 1674–1748; (st. 3): William W. How, 1823–97
Tune: Geistliche Kirchengesäng, 1623, Köln
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

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.

 

Kneel/Stand

 

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.

 

Stand

 

Introit Psalm 119:1–2, 5–6; antiphon: vv. 137, 124

Righteous are you, | O Lord,*
and right are your | just decrees.
Deal with your servant according to your | steadfast love,*
and teach me your | statutes.
Blessèd are those whose way is | blameless,*
who walk in the law | of the Lord!
Blessèd are those who keep his testi- | monies,*
who seek him with their | whole heart.
Oh that my ways may be | steadfast*
in keeping your | statutes!
Then I shall not be | put to shame,*
having my eyes fixed on all your com- | mandments.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Righteous are you, | O Lord,*
and right are your | just decrees.
Deal with your servant according to your | steadfast love,*
and teach me your | statutes.

 

Kyrie LSB 186

 

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187

 

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P Lord, we implore You, grant Your people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow You, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

Sit

 

Old Testament Reading Proverbs 25:6–14

⁶Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
⁷for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
⁸do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
⁹Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
¹⁰lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
¹¹A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
¹²Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
¹³Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the soul of his masters.
¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Gradual Psalm 102:15–16

Nations will fear the name | of the Lord,*
and all the kings of the earth will fear your | glory.
For the Lord builds up | Zion;*
he appears in his | glory.

 

Epistle Ephesians 4:1–6

¹I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Stand

 

Alleluia LSB 190

 

Holy Gospel Luke 14:1–11

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the fourteenth chapter.

C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

¹One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. ²And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. ³And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” ⁴But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. ⁵And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” ⁶And they could not reply to these things.

⁷Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, ⁸“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, ⁹and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

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

 

557 Seek Where You May to Find a Way

Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Arthur P. Voss, 1899–1955, alt.
Tune: Johann Stobäus, 1580–1646
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

Sermon ~ Luke 14:1–11 - Rev. Brett E. Cornelius, Pastor

 

Stand

 

Offertory LSB 192

 

Sit

 

Offering

 

Stand

 

Prayer of the Church

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Gracious Father, grant to us a humble faith and joy in Your mercy that has raised up the poor and undeserving and given us a place at Your table. Bestow on us Your Spirit, that we would be brought to repentance and kept from thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P O Lord, preserve and give success to the preaching of Your Holy Word. Through pastors, missionaries, church workers and the priesthood of all believers, send forth Your Son’s gracious invitation to repent and believe and cause it to be received with joyful faith. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Heavenly Father, grant that we, as Your children by Baptism, would fulfill our calling to love You above all and love our neighbors as ourselves. Give us grace in our vocations as husbands, wives, parents and children. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Almighty God, You have ordered the nations and brought up their rulers for the punishment of wickedness and the praise of goodness. Pour out a spirit of wisdom, that all those mired in disputes among us would pursue justice, godliness and the common good. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Merciful Lord, look in kindness upon those who have been humbled by the troubles of this life [especially _____________]. Lift them up in healing, and renew their strength to serve You in what You have called them to do. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Divine Master, You prepare for us a heavenly feast this day. Grant us faith to cherish this banquet of forgiveness, life and salvation and, being honored by a place at Your table, inspire us to spurn all the small and fleeting honors of this world. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Lord God, Author of all concord, You will that Your people be one. Knit together Your Holy Church, that according to their vocations, they may join in humble service to the world and jubilant praise of You, the only God. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Heavenly Father, we give You thanks that through the Holy Word You have called us to Your great Supper. Enliven our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, that we may not hear Your Word without fruit, but prepare ourselves rightly for Your kingdom and not allow ourselves to be hindered by any worldly care; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Preface LSB 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. 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

 

Lord's Prayer

C 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 Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

 

Pax Domini LSB 197

 

Agnus Dei LSB 198

 

Sit

 

Distribution Hymns

 

585 Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide

 

5 Restrain, O Lord, the human pride
That seeks to thrust Your truth aside
Or with some man-made thoughts or things
Would dim the words Your Spirit sings.

 

6 Stay with us, Lord, and keep us true;
Preserve our faith our whole life through—
Your Word alone our heart’s defense,
The Church’s glorious confidence.

Text: tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913–2001, alt.; (st. 1): Philipp Melanchthon, 1497–1560; (st. 1): German version Geistliche Psalmen, 1611, Nuremberg; (sts. 2–6): Nicolaus Selnecker, 1532–92
Tune: Geistliche Lieder D. Martini Lutheri, 1589, Leipzig
Text: © 1982 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

618 I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table

Text: Friedrich Christian Heyder, 1677–1754; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, abr.
Tune: Emskirchner Choral-Buch, 1756, Leipzig
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

644 The Church’s One Foundation

Text: Samuel J. Stone, 1839–1900, alt.
Tune: Samuel S. Wesley, 1810–76
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

Nunc Dimittis LSB 199

 

Thanksgiving LSB 200

 

Post-Communion Collect

A Let us pray.

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

 

Benedicamus LSB 202

 

Benediction LSB 202

 

655 Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word

Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Tune: Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert, 1543, Wittenberg, ed. Joseph Klug
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book

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.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.