In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit
Amen
Gracious Lord, we give You thanks for the day,
especially for the good we were permitted to
give and to receive. The day is now past, and
we commit it to You. We entrust to You the
night and rest in Your peace, for You are our
help, and You neither slumber nor sleep. Hear
us for the sake of Your name. Amen.
God Loves Me Dearly
God loves me dearly,
Grants me salvation,
God loves me dearly,
Loves even me.
Refrain
God Loves Me Dearly
Therefore I’ll say again:
God loves me dearly,
God loves me dearly,
Loves even me.
God Loves Me Dearly
He sent forth Jesus,
My dear Redeemer,
He sent forth Jesus
And set me free.
Refrain
God Loves Me Dearly
Therefore I’ll say again:
God loves me dearly,
God loves me dearly,
Loves even me.
God Loves Me Dearly
Jesus, my Savior,
Himself did offer;
Jesus, my Savior,
Paid all I owed.
Refrain
Public domain
God Loves Me Dearly
Therefore I’ll say again:
God loves me dearly,
God loves me dearly,
Loves even me.
The Psalm
 “Children and parents gather together to pray, share,
sing, and speak the poetry of God, words that promise
Jesus for His children. Select verses are in bold print to
encourage responsive reading”
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Litany
 Holy One, Your Son taught with authority. Through those You have
called into His holy ministry, use that authority to forgive sins,
strengthen faith and empower lives of good works, so that the
people of this world see Your love in us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
 Gracious Creator, Your Son commanded demons and they obeyed
Him, so that afflicted people were set free. Give courage, faith,
peace and relief to our sisters and brothers in faith around the
world who are persecuted for confessing Christ. Protect their lives
and hold them in Your care. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 Father and source of all healing, Your Son restored Simon’s mother-
in-law and countless others who were brought to Him. Through
Him, we bring to You now those in need of healing and help,
especially, Jeff Bierman, Shirley Betts & Keith Houseman. In the
way and at the time You know best relieve their suffering. Grant
them faith and patience as they wait for You. Lord, in Your mercy,
hear our prayer.
 Father and source of all healing, Your Son restored Simon’s mother-in-
law and countless others who were brought to Him. Through Him, we
bring to You now those in need of healing and help, especially, Jeff
Bierman, Shirley Betts & Keith Houseman. In the way and at the time
You know best relieve their suffering. Grant them faith and patience as
they wait for You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 Creator of life, we marvel that before we were even formed in the
womb, You knew us and set us apart. In Holy Baptism, You named us
Your own. Keep us thirsting for the living water of Your Word, for the
gift of the Supper, for the embrace of Your forgiveness. Renew those
observing baptismal birthdays [] and also each of us in the faith of our
Baptism and draw back to Your church all who have strayed from the
faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 Heavenly King, You govern all who govern on earth. Guide our
president, Congress and judiciary; our governor, legislature and judges;
and our local leaders. Provide for their needs. Protect our citizens,
restrain evil and defend the unborn and those who cannot defend
themselves. Watch over our armed forces and give them courage and
strength for their tasks. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 We marvel, O Father, at the love that brought Your Son
down from heaven to die our death and bring us everlasting
life. Pour into us His love, which is patient and kind, does
not envy or boast, is not proud, rude, self-seeking or easily
angered, always protects, always trusts, always hopes and
always perseveres in its care even for those who seem least
lovable. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 Father of glory, as we gather at Your Son’s wedding feast to
receive His body and blood, strengthen our faith, establish
our love and make us bold witnesses to the hope of eternal
life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we
pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, heavenly Father, You have blessed us with
the joy and care of children. Give us calm strength and
patient wisdom that, as they grow in years, we may
teach them to love whatever is just and true and good,
following the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ, our
Lord.
Amen.
Readings
2 Samuel 18:31-19:6……..page 270
Jeremiah 31:15-17………...page 659
Luke 15:11-24……………….page 874
The Crosses of Parenthood
 Parenting after the fall IS NOT EASY
 The parents love wants the best for their children.
 Parents are subject to the pain of their children in their
compassion AND ALSO pain their children cause them.
 Parents authority is limited
 cannot force the child to obey from the heart
 Cannot protect their child from all tribulations, trials and
temptations they will encounter.
 Parts of a child’s life are beyond parental control –
much to their anguish
 Some assume the right parenting can cure any “problem
child” – that we can transform the child with the right
training or enough love.
 The child’s life is not beyond God’s control
 We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)
 We parent by faith
 THE WORK OF PARENTS
 To raise children…raise = lift up





Discipline
Educate
Provide for
Equip them for eternal life
Prepare their children for their callings
 As family members
 As Productive members of society
 As Christians
Tribulations in Parenting
 There is much to worry about in parenting (What worries
you?)
 There are also acute concerns – a hurt child tears at a
parents heart – just watch a parent run when they hear
“that scream”
 Jeremiah 31 – Rachel’s daughters tears have been wiped
away by Jesus, Son of David, son of Judah, son of Leah
 These tribulations are indeed crosses to bear
 Sacrifice to help child
 Grief when a child dies
 Love combined with compassion (suffering with) intensifies
the relationship – can be healing when reciprocated
Prodigal Children
 Sometimes, no matter what the parent does, the child
rejects the parents and what they stand for.
 Can be very faithful loving, can be harsh and controlling
 The emotional response is to reject the child – this is
exactly the wrong thing to do!
 Disinheriting a child rends the one flesh union that is
the family. It is saying no to the cross of parenthood, to
the vocation of parent.
 It is critically important that the parent continues to
be there when the child falls away. The child is still
family.
 Must demonstrate to the child that their sin does not
cancel out your love.
 Showing this radical love, of continuing to contact,
invite, help the child is manifesting God’s grace –
bearing the cross.
 We are those rebellious children – yet God brought us
back (While we were still sinners Christ died for us)
 The constant love can reach the child’s heart.
 Keep praying for the child no matter what.
 St. Augustine’s mother was a devout Christian, kept
praying for him through all of his heresies and sins and
in her last year of life he converted to Christianity.
Conclusion
 The Bible is filled with dysfunctional families.
 2 Samuel chapters 13-20
 David’s son Absalom staged a rebellion against him and
drove him from his throne.
 Children must bear the responsibility for what they do –
it is not always the parents fault.
 Parents are to consider if they followed their vocation
to the best of their ability and leave the results in God’s
hands – Sometimes parents are prodigals – Most often
both sides need to seek forgiveness
 David had many wives – one-flesh union?
 Each wife had her own children, they schemed for
advantage – half-brothers/sisters became rivals.
Violated family unity
 Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar.
 King David was very angry, but did not enforce the law
on his own son (stoning), no punishment thus no
justice for Tamar – Clearly torn between father/king
role. David should have demanded justice for his
daughter….did nothing
 Tamar’s brother Absalom vowed revenge – murdered
Amnon – David did nothing! (Incest, rape, murder)
His spirit was pining after his children.
 David banished Absalom – thus rejecting him, cutting




him off…doing the opposite of what a parent should do.
3 years later Absalom was allowed to come back, but
David said “He is not to come into my presence” (14:24)
Absalom hurt and bitter – relationship destroyed –
became angry with whole family – he raised a military,
staged an uprising and drove David out.
David gathered his forces, gave instructions to deal
gently with Absalom, but he ended up getting caught in
a tree and Joab killed him.
David cries out as any parent would, “Would that I had
died instead of you!”
 This is truly bearing a cross, to desire to die rather than




your child.
Another son of David, Jesus Christ, hung on a tree, was
pierced, and died as a substitute for Absalom, for all
prodigal children, and for all of us.
He atoned for the sins of bad parenting – Davids and
ours – and for the sins of Amnon, Absalom and all of
ours.
This is the love of God, to whom we are all Absaloms
and prodigals.
This is the love of Christ’s which is channeled in and
through the vocation of fathers and mothers.
Confession
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful
and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful
and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought,
word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have
left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly
deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake
of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us,
renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will
and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name.
Amen.
Absolution
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die
for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a
called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His
authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the
name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
C Amen.
Creed
First Article
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
Second Article
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.
Third Article
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.
Offering
 We will pass the offering plate around for our general
offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy
on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son
into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant
joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the allavailing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You,
O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and
Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as
He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray,
from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the
marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end.
Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You
alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
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.”
Proclamation of Christ
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we
proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us
Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to
remember and confess Your holy cross and passion,
Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your
resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into
heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So
remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
Pax Domini
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
Distribution
OUR COMMUNION PRACTICE: It is our public confession that each
individual who partakes of the Lord’s Supper here at St. Peter, receives
the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who
participate in this Sacrament publicly bear witness to their unity in
faith and doctrine. We welcome to commune, those who are
confirmed members of St. Peter and of other congregations of our
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. If you have not previously
communed here at St. Peter, please speak with one of the pastors prior
to communing.
Post-Communion Collect
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 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.
Amen.
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
1
I want to walk as a child of
the light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the
world.
The star of my life is Jesus.
Refrain
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of
God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on
my path,
And show me the way to the Father.
Refrain
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of
God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
I’m looking for the coming of Christ.
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the
race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus.
Refrain
© 1970, 1975 Celebration. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License
.NET, no. 100013758.
I Want to Walk as a Child of the
Light
In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of
God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
Evening Prayer
Merciful Father, whose guiding hand has brought us to
the completion of this day, we humbly pray You to stay
with us and shelter us in quiet hours of the night that
we, who are wearied by the changes and chances of
this passing world, may rest in Your changeless peace;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
AMEN
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
Amen.