The Word of God
(BCP p. 355)
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever.
Amen.
Celebrant Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hears by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy Name through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn of Praise
(BCP p.356)
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you
Celebrant Let us pray.
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God
Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23
1 Lord, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.
3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
4 You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.
5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.
6 Where can I go then from your Spirit? *
where can I flee from your presence?
7 If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
8 If I take the wings of the morning *
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
9 Even there your hand will lead me *
and your right hand hold me fast.
10 If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, *
and the light around me turn to night,”
11 Darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day; *
darkness and light to you are both alike.
22 Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *
try me and know my restless thoughts.
23 Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *
and lead me in the way that is everlasting
A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans 8:12-25
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For 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!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and 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.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that 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. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and 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. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God
Celebrant The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Another parable Jesus put before the crowds saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And 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?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let 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.’”
Then 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.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
Let God be the Judge
Jesus told another parable about sowing seeds. In this parable there are two sowers: one who sows good seeds to grow wheat, and the enemy who sows weeds among the wheat. Like the Parable of the Great Sower, Jesus interpreted this parable to His disciples.
Today’s parable indicates that there were people who were prepared to mess up what Jesus was about. The Gospel also confirms that since the beginning of time there are people who always want to mess up what is going good at work, at play or in the community.
This parable also shows that the devil is still busy in our world. This parable seems to be a war between God and the Devil.
The sower has sown good seed in his field so there could be a good harvest or great productivity. Somehow at night, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The Scripture says, “when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well” (13:24-26).
When the householder’s slaves noticed the weeds, their first response was to question the quality of the seed which their Master sowed. Listen to what they said: “Master, did you not sow good seeds in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” (13:27) The master replied that an enemy has done this. The slaves were prepared to take care of the problem and root those nasty weeds out. The Master told his slaves not to do this because in gathering the weeds they would uproot the wheat along with them. He orders them to let both grow together until the harvest.
At harvest time the Master said he would send out Angels to collect and burn the weeds and gather the wheat into his barn (13:28-30).
The Master therefore put the slaves in their place. Those slaves should stay in their lane and not try to control their Master.
Jesus interpreted His own parable saying: “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels” (13:37-39).
Everytime that Jesus tells a parable and interprets it tells us that the parable is important to Jesus; and He probably wanted everyone to listen and inwardly digest.
A deeper look at this Gospel reminds me that most people who have bosses always want to test or question their Leaders about what is going on in their organizations. We sometimes do it to God asking why the world is the way it is. Many have asked why some people get things done quickly while others don’t.
Thank God the Master in this Gospel said no to the slaves from removing the weed from the seed.
The truth is that it is difficult to tell the weeds from the wheat, so attempting to uproot the weeds might cause damage to the wheat. This is why it was necessary to allow both weeds and wheat to grow together; and the Angels would separate them at harvest time and they will collect all causes of sin and the evil doers will be thrown into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will be in the Kingdom of God (13:41-43).
Thank God it is the angels who will be asked to gather the wheat at harvest time, this no doubt would remind the slaves to let God be the judge. Ours is to enjoy one another and NOT to judge anyone.
This Gospel also reminds us that Jesus fully expects there will be people who will want to act as weed planters whenever human beings gather. It reminds us not to judge who is faithful and who is not.
When we stop judging one another, we will see the face of Christ in each other. Then we will celebrate and respect one another as people created by God. What a joy this will be.
The Nicene Creed
(BCP p. 358)
We believe in one God
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate
from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is
worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and
apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
In the Anglican cycle of prayer, we pray for the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for Grace Church in Pomeroy, St Francis in Springboro, and St. Luke in Cincinnati.
In our Parish cycle of prayer, we pray for Wayne and Gail Harper; Eric, Deb, and Shanna Harvey; and Vern Hogden.
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially those on our Parish Prayer List (N), give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Celebrant 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. Amen.
(from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 42)
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
St. Mark’s Vestry
Senior Warden: Gary Welch
Junior Warden: Katherine Wagner
Treasurer: Don Nancarrow
Secretary: Dave Reuter
Vestry Members:
Jen Bonifas
Susan Kendall
Carol Nancarrow
Kendall Rubino
Tracey Swartz
Jenna Walch
St. Mark’s Staff
Transitional Priest in Charge The Rev. Dr. John Agbaje
Parish Administrator Katherine Wagner
Music Director Donna Larsen
Sexton Douglas Plummer
Look for us…
On the web: www.StMarksDayton.org
Facebook: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dayton, Ohio
Instagram: stmarksdayton
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