Lectionary resources Ordinary 16 A

Lectionary - Ordinary 16 Year A

Genesis 28:10-19a Jacob's ladder, a dream on his journey to find a wife
Psalm 139:1-12,23-24 O Lord, you have searched me and known me
Romans 8:12-25 All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 The parable of the wheat and the weeds

Suggested Hymns (From Denis Towner. TIS = Together in Song; AHB = Australian Hymn Book; SA = Sing Alleluia)

lesson	Hymns for Sunday 16, Yr.A	TIS	AHB	SA
G	All who love and serve your city	634	562
O/G	Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)	129	56
E	Baptized into your name most holy	481
O	Beyond the mist and doubt			13
E	Breathe on me, breath of God	407	320
O/E/G	Come, we that love the Lord		356
G	Dear Father, Lord of humankind	598	519
E/G	Father in heaven, grant to your children	465	399
bap	Father welcomes all his children	491		34
E	Father, Lord of all creation	631	567
G	For the fruits of all creation	168		37
	Give to our God immortal praise	84	43
O	God himself is present	121	47
O/E/G	God is love, his mercy brightens		66
G	Help us accept each other	648
E	Holy Spirit, come confirm us	413	327
O	I am alone, yet not alone	605
E/G	In Christ there is no east or west	459	391
O	In suffering love, the thread of life	177
hc	Jesus invites his saints	505	426
E	Lord God, the Spirit blest	404	317
G	Lord Jesus, we belong to you	686
E	Lord of creation, to you be all praise	626	557
E	Lord, bring the day to pass		106
G	Lord, let me see, see more and more	681
Ps	Lord, the light of your love is shining	675
O	Lord, you have been our dwelling-place	144	76
Ps	Lord, you have searched me, and you know		90
E	O for a heart to praise my God	568	476
O	O God of Bethel, by whose hand	564	49
Ps	O Lord you have searched me and known me	88
O	O Love that wilt not let me go	602	525
O	Our God, we know your providence	169	48
E	Praise the Spirit in creation	415
G	Praise to the Lord the Almighty	111	28
E	Stand up and bless the Lord	449	383
E	Stars and planets flung in orbit	186
E	The church's one foundation	457	385
E/G	The great love of God is revealed in the Son	164	105
	The Lord Jehovah reigns	117	37
G	The Lord will come and not be slow		194
E	There's a light upon the mountain	276	207
G	There's a wideness in God's mercy	136	[72]
E	Touch the earth lightly	668
G	We plough the fields and scatter	130	59
Ps	You are before me, Lord, you are behind	87		97
O/G	You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord	48

Other Possible Hymns

(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia. TIS = Together in Song)
SA 26 (TIS 391) Come, God's people, sing for joy
11 (TIS 83) Let us with a gladsome mind
44 (TIS 90) I'll praise my maker while I've breath
70 (TIS 135) All things bright and beautiful
80 (TIS 143) Immortal, invisible, God only wise
465 (TIS 560) All my hope on God is founded

Sermon summary (click here for complete sermon)

Wheat and weeds growing together

The message from the gospel today [Matthew 13:24ff] is basic and straight forward. It is about trusting God to sort things out in the end and not being too quick ourselves to sort out the good from the bad. At the same time the early Christians knew that a general doctrine of inclusiveness regardless of what people did or believed is not Christian teaching. Truth and unity mattered. So there was a real struggle in which they recalled the teaching of Jesus about letting the wheat and the weeds grow together. [See also Matt 7:15; 9:11; 20:30; Mark 10:47; 1 Cor 5:1-2]

Later the explanation is given that the wheat is the children of God and the weeds the children of the evil one. They are to be allowed to grow together. [Matt 13:27-30]. In the story as Jesus told it he was contrasting a false grain with a true grain. As he said on a number of occasions, it is by their fruits you will know them. [Matthew 7:17]. They would be sorted out later, when the Son of Man comes into his kingdom. [Matt 13:41]. If you cannot trust God to bring in the kingdom you might well think it is your job to sort out the wheat from the weeds.

The Christian faith leads us to expect fulfilment of God's purpose that we human beings should fulfill our potential to become children of God. [Romans 8:19-21]. While we wait we have no need to be ashamed of what we believe. The difference does matter. Faithfulness is required while the wheat and the weeds grow together.

Order of Service (including baptism) - Ordinary 16 (Pentecost 8) Year A - | DB Home | RCL Resources Index |

The Gathering of the People of God

CALL TO WORSHIP
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through he resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

HYMN All things bright and beautiful TIS 135, AHB 70

PRAYER OF ADORATION
CONFESSION
Most merciful God we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbour. We have taken great benefits with little thanks and we have been more ready to insist upon our rights than to see the needs of others. Have mercy and forgive us, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS ... Christ's word of grace to us: Your sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God.
DOXOLOGY: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER

Sacrament of Baptism

INTRODUCTION
PRESENTATION ...., daughter of ....; elder .....
SCRIPTURE READINGs Matthew 26:18-20; Ephesians 4:4-6
THE MEANING OF BAPTISM The minister explains the purpose and asks the parents:
N and N what do you ask of God's church for Sarah?
We ask that she be baptised into the faith and family of Jesus Christ.
In the light of the covenant promise and of your request, I ask you now: Do you believe that the gospel enables us to turn from the darkness of evil and to walk in the light of Christ? We do.
Let us confess the faith into which we are baptised The people stand.

Do you believe in God, who made you and loves you?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, your Saviour and Lord?
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, and the continuing work of our salvation?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The people remain standing.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING The elder pours water into the font.

The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The minister offers a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of water and its significance in salvation history and asks God's blessing on the water and the child to be baptised.

THE BAPTISM The people remain standing for the act of baptism .. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The people respond: Amen.

The Aaronic Blessing is sung after the new member is presented to the congregation.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6: 24-26

RESPONSES The minister asks the parent(s) to make promises to bring up the child in the Christian faith, and then addresses the people:
I charge you, the people of this congregation, to maintain the life of worship and service, that this child and all the children among you may grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the knowledge and love of God.
With God's help, we will live out our baptism as a loving community in Christ: nurturing one another in faith, upholding one another in prayer, and encouraging one another in service.

PRAYERS

HYMN Come, God's people, sing for joy TIS 391 SA 26

Service of the Word

FIRST READING Genesis 28:10-19a Jacob's ladder, a dream on his journey
PSALM 139:1-12,23-24 O Lord, you have searched me and known me
EPISTLE Romans 8:12-25 All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God
GOSPEL Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 The parable of the wheat and the weeds

HYMN Father welcomes all his children TIS 491 SA 34

SERMON

HYMN Father in heaven / grant to your children TIS 465 AHB 399

OFFERING AND DEDICATION
SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of the Hymn Book]

The Sending Forth of the People of God

HYMN There's a light upon the mountains TIS 276 AHB 207
The child's baptismal candle is lit from the Easter candle and the parents process out with the minister and elder.
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.