SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2026 8th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH
PASTOR: Rev. Harry M. Krolus
CHURCH: 410-356-3400 CELL: 410-707-7663
Church email: ctklclcms@yahoo.com
Church Web Site: ctklchurch.org
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WELCOME to everyone who is worshiping with us today. We are glad that you are here! We pray that your worship experience here at Christ The King is spiritually uplifting and rewarding. If you are visiting, please sign our guest book and introduce yourself to Pastor Harry.
(Please turn off all electronic devices before worship begins; or, if you are using a Bible app to enhance your worship experience or to use PayPal, please enable the do not disturb function on your phone.)
WORDS OF WELCOME
THE HANDSHAKE OF CHRISTIAN PEACE
OPENING HYMN: 915 “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
L. We lift up our hearts to the Lord! We praise you, our Father; Giver of all things. We acknowledge you as Creator and Source of all that is.
C. Lord God, you made us! You have poured out your bounty upon us. You have opened your hand and satisfied the needs of every living thing!
L. We praise you, Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man. You are the Lamb of God; the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
C. Lord Jesus, you have gone to the cross for us, and by your death and resurrection, you have made it possible for us to be restored to life. You have opened your hands, loved us, embraced us, and made us your own!
L. We praise you, Spirit of God, our Counselor and Lord of Life. You were sent from the Father and the Son to call us to faith and to new life.
C. Holy Spirit, you are the Giver of Life. You breathe in us, and we are made new. You open your hands, and we are recreated, redesigned, and remodeled. Open our hearts, we pray, that we may walk in your way, praising you in all things and serving you with gladness!
RESPONSE: “Oh That I Had A Thousand Voices” (811)
Oh, that I had a thousand voices
To praise my God with thousand tongues!
My heart, which in the Lord rejoices,
Would then proclaim in grateful songs
To all, wherever I might be,
What great things God has done for me.
THE CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
L. We confess our sins together.
C. O Lord our God, you call us to life in you, and to follow you. Sometimes, we flatly refuse. Forgive our arrogance, O Lord, and remodel us once again for service in your Kingdom.
O Lord our God, you call us to life in you and to follow you. Sometimes, we say “yes,” but mean “no.” Forgive our foolish and dishonest games, O Lord, and remodel us once again for service in your Kingdom.
O Lord our God, you call us to life in you and to follow you. Sometimes, we say “yes,” and mean “yes,” but wander off and do our own thing anyway. Forgive our weakness, O Lord, and remodel us once again for service in your Kingdom.
L. We all like sheep have gone astray; we each have turned to our own way.
C. But, the Lord laid on Christ the iniquity of us all.
L. He bore our griefs.
C. He carried our sorrows.
L. He was wounded for our transgressions.
C. He was bruised for our iniquities.
L. We have good news to share with one another! Because of Jesus
Christ our Savior, because of his suffering, death, and resurrection; we are really free! Our sins are forgiven! Our Savior even gives us the power we need to live for him, to follow him, and to serve in his Kingdom.
RESPONSE: “Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow” (805)
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, O heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
THE PSALM FOR THE DAY: Psalm 119:57-64
L. You are my portion, O LORD; I have promised to obey your words.
C. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
L. I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.
C. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.
L. Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.
C. At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.
L. I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.
The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
THE FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 44:6-8
“This is what the LORD says — Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come — yes, let him foretell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
THE SECOND LESSON: Romans 8:18-27
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
VOLUNTEER TIME
THE GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
THE SERMON HYMN: 740 “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb”
THE MESSAGE
THE OFFERING
RESPONSIVE PRAYERS
L. Almighty and everlasting Lord, we thank you for entrusting to us your holy Word. Its light shines in the darkness of this world to enlighten us, to strengthen us, to change and remodel us by the grace of Christ.
C. Hear our prayer of thanksgiving.
L. We pray for all people according to their needs. We also remember
to pray for ourselves.
(A moment for personal petitions)
L. From the spiritual storms of life that sometimes rage within us, weakness of faith; lack of spiritual growth; lack of trust in your care; selfishness, pride, and unchristian character; even when you so lovingly have remodeled us in Christ:
C. Good Lord, deliver us.
L. From the daily storms that rage about us in our world, attacks on your teaching and your way of living; attacks on families and children from peers and media; attacks directly, especially on those who have been redesigned by Christ:
C. Good Lord, deliver us.
L. From the physical storms of life that seem always present; perils of weather; quarrels and violence; illness and death; unemployment and job related troubles; helplessness and fatigue:
C. Good Lord, deliver us.
L. For the joys we receive at your hand, both spiritual and temporal; for your forgiveness and love; for Word and Sacrament; for unity and peace; for good government, families, homes, churches, schools, and for one another:
C. Good Lord, receive our thanks!
L. For all the ministries of the Church, for professional church workers and laymen; for parents, teens, and children; for old and young; for missionaries everywhere:
C. Good Lord, receive our thanks, grant to them all, your blessing.
For the many opportunities and abilities to love and serve yowhom we adore:
C. Good Lord, receive our thanks!
L. For unity in the Church, that we could join together as one, living for him who died and was raised again; and that all who have been redeemed and remodeled by Christ might proclaim and live your grace and Gospel:
C. Good Lord, grant us your Spirit.
L. Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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.
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THE DISMISSAL
L. Father, we thank and praise you for all things...
C. For the giving of your Son to be our Savior; for the pouring out of your Spirit that we might have faith; for the admonition and direction of your Word; for making us, and remaking us; for life, and life in Christ, and eternal life; for the meal we have shared; for loved ones, friends, and each other; for opportunities to live as your children; and for the privilege of sharing the Gospel. Empower us, that we may give ourselves to you and to your service. Amen.
THE BENEDICTION
L. Go now in the spirit of our risen Lord. Seek his will in all things. And may he guide us and bless us.
C. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: 923 “Almighty Father, Bless The Word”
