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The Healing of the Possessed at
Gadarene
Frank Wesley (1923-2002)
“This is an unusual work
for Frank Wesley because of its abstract form combined with detailed, realistic
human faces and hands. The impact is of greater momentum than that found in
many other of his paintings. The movement of the demons out of the two twisted
figures swirls through the canvas in almost full circle, gradually becoming the
head of a thousand-headed cobra as it spills down the hillside in the bodies of
the pigs. Demonic faces of men and animals are picked out indistinctly in red,
blue and grey. All seem to rush with violence and speed to the lower left
corner where the wild-eyed swineherds are looking over their shoulders as they
race from the frightening event. Jesus is holding the twisting, writhing bodies
of the two naked men with gentleness, his head bowed over them in concern and
caring. He holds the shoulder of one man from underneath to support him while
his other hand is grasping the chin of the frothing naked man who is breaking
the chains with which he is bound. Earlier these chains were broken in madness;
now their destruction signals a return to sanity. The artist says that Jesus
always meets the needs of people where they are and with only what they require
and are able to use or accept at that moment. At the lower right of this work,
sharp jagged rocks symbolize the harsh place to which the men were exiled – the
world where we all live until healed of our madness by God’s love…The bodies of
these two who are healed are the same mixture of the ugly and unexpected
beauty. The beauty is Jesus’ love exercised so firmly and gently in this
terrifying situation…Between their writhing bodies and that of the healer is a
space of sky-blue color, indicating the presence of God.” From Frank
Wesley: Exploring Faith with a Brush by Naomi Wray.
THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Jesus delivers from the power of evil
The color
green, used for the vestments and paraments in the season
after Pentecost, symbolizes growth and life in the Holy Spirit.
FIRST
READING: The words ‘sit inside tombs and spend the night in
secret places’ refer to the fact that the people of Israel are participating in
the occult practice of attempting to consult the dead regarding their fortunes,
rather than trusting in the living LORD. Blessed Martin Luther explains the
Second Commandment in the Small Catechism:
You shall
not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God. What is
this?
We should
fear and love God, so that we do not curse, swear, practice magic, lie, or
deceive using God’s name, but instead use that very name in every time of need
to call upon, pray to, praise, and give thanks to God.
God brings his rebellious people to judgment for this
and many other evils. Nevertheless, God will preserve a faithful remnant,
delivering them from their possession in the midst of an unfaithful people.
SECOND
READING: Having exalted faith in Christ as the way of salvation,
Paul now considers the question of why the Law was necessary. He uses the
metaphor of a ‘guardian’ of a minor. While faith in Christ was yet to be known,
the Law was like a disciplinarian who kept order. But now that faith has come,
the people are to be ‘mature’ sons and daughters of God. Anyone who believes,
either Jew or Gentile, is offspring of Abraham, who is the father of faith.
GOSPEL: The details
of the story of the Gerasene demoniac -- the sudden appearance of the man who
lived in the tombs, the casting of the demons into the swine, the response of
the swineherds and the population to Jesus’ act of power – make this story memorable.
The story serves to emphasize Jesus’ lordship over all that would oppress the
people of God, an act which confirms his proclamation of God’s kingdom. We
pray, ‘deliver us from evil,’ in confidence that he will indeed deliver us from
every power which opposes his glorious and gentle rule.
OPENING MUSIC
Rise, Shine, You People –
David P. Dahl
God
of Grace, and God of Glory – Paul Manz
BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Stand
The
sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
In the name of the Father, and of
the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Almighty God, to whom all hearts
are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may
perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen
If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful
and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1
John 1:8-9)
Silence for reflection and
self-examination.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we
are in bondage to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
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.
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
Almighty God, in his mercy, has
given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a
called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I
therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name
of the Father, and of the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
THE HOLY COMMUNION
I will go
to the altar of God;
the God
of my joy and gladness.
WHymn God of Grace, and God of Glory Green LBW 415
1 God
of grace and God of glory,
on
your people pour your pow’r;
crown
your ancient church’s story;
bring
its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant
us wisdom, grant us courage
for
the facing of this hour,
for
the facing of this hour.
2 Lo!
The hosts of evil round us
scorn
the Christ, assail his ways!
From
the fears that long have bound us
free
our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant
us wisdom, grant us courage
for
the living of these days,
for
the living of these days,
3 Cure
your children’s warring madness;
bend
our pride to your control;
shame
our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich
in things and poor in soul.
Grant
us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest
we miss your kingdom’s goal,
let
we miss your kingdom’s goal.
4 Save
us from weak resignation
to
the evils we deplore;
let
the gift of your salvation
be
our glory evermore.
Grant
us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving
you whom we adore,
serving
you whom we adore.
Text: Harry E. Fosdick, 1878-1969
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you. 2 Corinthians 13:13
HYMN OF PRAISE
PRAYER OF
THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
O Lord God, we bring before you the cries
of a sorrowing world.
In your mercy set us free from the chains
that bind us,
and defend us from everything that is evil.
Grant this through our Lord, Jesus
Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen
I will
declare your name to my brethren;
in the midst
of the congregation I will praise you. Psalm 22:21
Let us hear the Word of the Lord.
Sit
FIRST READING
Isaiah 65:1-9
1I was ready to be sought out by
those who did not ask,
to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
to a nation that did not call on my name.
2I held out my hands all day long
to a rebellious people,
who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own devices;
3a people who provoke me
to my face continually,
sacrificing in gardens
and offering incense on bricks;
4who sit inside tombs,
and spend the night in secret places;
who eat swine’s flesh,
with broth of abominable things in their vessels;
5who say, “Keep to yourself,
do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.”
These are a smoke in my nostrils,
a fire that burns all day long.
6See, it is written before me:
I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will indeed repay into their laps
7their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together,
says the Lord;
because they offered incense on the mountains
and reviled me on the hills,
I will measure into their laps
full payment for their actions.
8Thus says the Lord:
As the wine is found in the cluster,
and they say, “Do not destroy it,
for there is a blessing in it,”
so I will do for my servants’ sake,
and not destroy them all.
9I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah inheritors of my mountains;
my chosen shall inherit it,
and my servants shall settle there.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
PSALM 22:18-27
18 Be not far a- | way, O Lord;*
you
are my strength; hast- | en to help me.
19 Save me | from the sword,*
my
life from the power | of the dog.
20 Save me from the | lion's mouth,*
my
wretched body from the horns | of wild bulls.
21 I will declare your name | to my brethren;*
in
the midst of the congregation | I will praise you.
22 Praise the Lord,
| you that fear him;*
stand
in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;
all
you of Jacob's | line, give glory.
23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their
poverty;
neither does he hide his | face from them;*
but
when they cry to | him he hears them.
24 My praise is of him in the | great assembly;*
I
will perform my vows
in
the presence of those who | worship him.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the | Lord
shall praise him:*
"May
your heart | live forever!"
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn | to
the Lord,*
and
all the families of the nations shall | bow before him.
27 For kingship belongs | to the Lord;*
he rules o- | ver the nations. R
SECOND READING Galatians 3:23-29
23Now before faith came, we were
imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24Therefore
the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified
by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to
a disciplinarian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God
through faith. 27As many of you as were baptized into Christ have
clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is no longer Jew or Greek,
there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all
of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then
you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Stand
VERSE
Gospel Luke 8:26-39
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke.
Glory to you, O
Lord.
26[Jesus and his disciples] arrived at the country of the
Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27As he stepped out on land, a
man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes,
and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw
Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have
you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment
me”—29for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the
man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with
chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon
into the wilds.) 30Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He
said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31They begged him
not to order them to go back into the abyss.
32Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and
the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33Then
the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down
the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34When the swineherds
saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country.
35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came
to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet
of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36Those
who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been
healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the
Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So
he got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons
had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39“Return
to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away,
proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to
you, O Christ.
Sermon Pastor Frontz
Stand
WHYMN OF THE DAY
Rise, Shine, You
People! Green
LBW 393
CONFESSION OF FAITH Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the
Father almighty,
creator of
heaven and earth.
I
believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of
the Holy Spirit
and born of the
virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius
Pilate,
was crucified,
died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at
the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the
living and the dead.
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
Let us pray
for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to
their needs.
A brief
silence is kept.
O God,
deliver your Church from the oppression of evil, that we may be set free to
praise you forever and tell of the good things you have done for us. Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Deliver us
from the desire for revenge, from coldness of heart, and from fear of the
future. Deliver us from all that would harm us in body or spirit. Give us faith
in your saving promises. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Deliver the people of the world from terror, war, famine, plague, and
environmental degradation. Let the poor eat and be satisfied. Raise up leaders
and innovators, and bless those in civil authority, that they may firmly resist
whatever is demonic. We pray for nations and people in need… Lord, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Deliver those imprisoned by any malady of body or spirit, and show them
signs of your healing grace, that they may be witnesses to your goodness. Hear
the cries of those who call upon you.
The
pastor reads the names submitted for prayer.
The
people are invited to offer prayer and thanksgiving.
Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Deliver us from the fear of death, and strengthen us to walk the way of
faith, that at your call we may join all those who praise you in eternal life. We
especially remember this day our fathers who have died and who have received
your paternal welcome. Lord, in
your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Into your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray,
trusting in your steadfast love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
On this
day in which our nation honors fatherhood, let us give thanks for our earthly
fathers and for all who have shown us the care of fathers, and pray for those
who have been given the holy vocation of fatherhood.
Silence
for reflection and thanksgiving.
O God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you entrusted your Son to the care of Joseph,
and you bless with your heavenly grace all those who are called to act as fathers
to children. We give you thanks for our fathers and for our fathers in faith,
and for all the good you have done to us through them. Empower all fathers to
be wise and faithful servants, that with gentleness and strength they may
provide for, teach, and guide their daughters and sons. Make them examples of
faith active in love, that generations to come may praise you; through Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
Amen
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also
with you.
The people exchange
the sign of peace with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
O Bread of Life from Heaven (LBW 222), stanza 1
1 O Bread of life from heaven,
O Food to pilgrims given,
O Manna from above:
feed with the blessed sweetness
of your divine completeness
the souls that want and need your love.
Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation:
through
your goodness we have this bread to set before you,
which
earth has given and human hands have made.
It
will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation:
through your goodness we have this wine to set before you,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become for us the cup of salvation.
Blessed be God for
ever.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
You are
indeed holy, almighty and merciful God;
you are most holy, and great is the
majesty of your glory.
You so
loved the world that you gave your only Son,
that whoever believes in him may not
perish
but
have eternal life.
Having come
into the world, he fulfilled for us your holy will
and accomplished our salvation.
In
the night in which he was betrayed,
our
Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke
it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body,
given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of
me.
Again, after supper, he took the
cup, gave thanks,
and
gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people
for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of
me.
Remembering,
therefore, his salutary command,
his life-giving Passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and
ascension,
and his promise to come again,
we give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
not
as we ought, but as we are able;
and
we implore you mercifully
to accept our praise and thanksgiving,
and, with your Word and Holy Spirit,
to bless us, your servants,
and these your own gifts of bread and
wine;
that
we and all who share in the body and blood of your Son
may
be filled with heavenly peace and joy,
and,
receiving the forgiveness of sin,
may be sanctified in soul and body,
and
have our portion with all your saints.
All honor and glory are yours, O God, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit,
in
your holy Church, now and forever. Amen
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using
the words he gave us.
Christ
is in our midst.
By the power of the Spirit,
we pray to his Father, saying:
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 Matthew 6:9-15
The poor shall eat and be
satisfied;
and those
who seek the LORD shall praise him. Psalm 22:25
Thanks
be to God.
O Bread of Life from Heaven, stanza 2
2 O Fount of grace redeeming,
O River ever streaming
from Jesus’ wounded side:
come now, your love bestowing
on thirsting souls, and flowing
till all are fully satisfied.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
They may receive the Lord’s
Body and Blood who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus
Christ, crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of
bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
Please come forward, take
a communion cup from the tray, and kneel at the altar rail on your ‘side’ of
the worship space. Please make an effort to leave some distance between your
family unit and the next family unit. When your side has finished communing,
please place your empty cup in the tray provided.
WDISTRIBUTION HYMN
O God of Light
Green
LBW 237
When all have
received, the congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
O Bread of Life from Heaven, stanza 3
3 We love you, Jesus, tender,
in all your hidden splendor
within these means of grace.
Oh, let the veil be riven,
and our clear eye in heaven
behold your glory face to face.
Almighty God, you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for
sin and a model of the godly life. Enable us to receive him always with thanksgiving,
and to conform our lives to his; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sit
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR THE FAITH FAMILY
Stand
Silence for meditation.
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 X give you
peace.
Amen
WCLOSING HYMN
Sent
Forth by God’s Blessing Green LBW 221
DISMISSAL
Go
in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
From
Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted
by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New
Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of
America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Wesley,
Frank, 1923-2002. Healing of the Possessed at Gadarene, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59202 [retrieved
June 6, 2022].
Agnus
Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org.
St Stephen Lutheran Church
55 Forsythe Road
Pittsburgh PA 15220
(412) 279-5868
office@ststephenpittsburgh.org
Saturday Evening Worship – 6:30 pm
Sunday Morning Worship – 9:30 am
