August 24, 2025

THE SERVICE

ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST—THE DOOR IS NARROW

When it comes to the uncomfortable topic of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, it is natural to want to avoid the issue. One way we do that is to direct our attention to more theoretical questions. “What is heaven like?” “How old will we be there?” Today someone asks, “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?” Jesus brushes all such questions aside. Instead, he answers the question we should be asking. “How might I be saved?” Jesus explains there is only one way—entering through a very narrow door. Jesus’ words cut deep! For he teaches that it is very easy to develop a false sense of security about our standing before God based on some superficial familiarity we have with him. Jesus warns that many who think they are on the path to heaven will end up shut out. These wounding words of Jesus provide healing, pushing us toward that narrow door: faith in him.

OPENING HYMN 700 Draw Us to Thee

1     Draw us to thee,
    for then shall we
walk in thy steps forever
    and hasten on
    where thou art gone
to be with thee, dear Savior.

2     Draw us to thee,
    Lord, lovingly;
let us depart with gladness
    that we may be
    forever free
from sorrow, grief, and sadness.

3            Draw us to thee;
    O grant that we
may walk the road to heaven!
    Direct our way
    lest we should stray
and from thy paths be driven.

4           Draw us to thee
    that also we
thy heav’nly bliss inherit
    and ever dwell
    where sin and hell
no more can vex our spirit.

  5           Draw us to thee
    unceasingly;
into thy kingdom take us.
    Let us fore’er
    thy glory share;
thy saints and joint heirs make us.

Text: Friedrich Funcke, 1642–1699; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain

Please Stand

INVOCATION 154 Setting One

In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

CONFESSION

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father,
    I am sinful by nature
        and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
    I have not loved you with my whole heart;
    I have not loved others as I should.
        I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
    But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
        with his innocent suffering and death.
    Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Silence for meditation and reflection

ABSOLUTION 154

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

SONG OF PRAISE 624 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear
now to his temple draw near,
joining in glad adoration!

2 Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
and, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen
how all that’s needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

3 Praise to the Lord, who has fearfully, wondrously, made you,
health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you.
What need or grief
ever has failed of relief?
Wings of his mercy did shade you.

4 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew
what the Almighty can do
as with his love he befriends you.

5 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the amen
sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him!

Text: Joachim Neander, 1650–1680; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–1878, alt.
Text: Public domain

THE WORD

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Be seated

FIRST READING Isaiah 66:18–24

Many of those closest to God’s saving acts will reject them and perish. Meanwhile, many who seemed to be far from the kingdom will hear of God’s grace, believe, and be saved.

18“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.

19“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. 20And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. 21And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.

22“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 24“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING Hebrews 12:18–24

Entering the narrow door into eternal life has nothing to do with keeping the Law of Moses. It has everything to do with Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, who paid for our sin with his blood.

18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Please Stand

GOSPEL (in English and Karen) Luke 13:22–30

Jesus urges, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, 24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

26“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

28“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ!

Be seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY 402 Glory Be to Jesus

1 Glory be to Jesus,
who in bitter pains
poured for me the lifeblood
from his sacred veins.

2 Grace and life eternal
in that blood I find;
blest be his compassion,
infinitely kind.

3 Blest through endless ages
be the precious stream
which from endless torment
did the world redeem.

4       Abel’s blood for vengeance
    pleaded to the skies,
but the blood of Jesus
    for our pardon cries.

5       Oft as earth exulting
    lifts its praise on high,
angel hosts rejoicing
    make their glad reply.

6       Lift we, then, our voices,
    swell the mighty flood;
louder still and louder
    praise the precious blood!

Text: Italian, c. 18th cent., abr.; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–1878, alt.
Text: Public domain

SERMON

Please Stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed 325 & 381 AD

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, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. 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, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian 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.

Be seated

OFFERING PRESENTED BEFORE THE ALTAR

INSTALLATION OF SENIOR VICARS

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

O God, you are the Judge of all, yet you have sprinkled us with the blood of Christ and count us as your righteous ones.