Theme of the Day: Grace Is Amazing
Give a single bag of M&Ms to siblings in middle school and tell them to share. You will witness counting done with accounting-like precision. Each child will get an equal amount of candy because that is fair. That’s what’s expected! Human beings have an incredibly strong sense of fairness.
That is why it can be so amazing when we see how God unexpectedly dispenses blessing and grace. The prophet Jonah was perplexed when he saw God’s mercy on a nation that was an enemy to Jonah’s people. Like Jonah, we need to stop expecting God to be fair. He does not give us what we deserve. Instead, in his grace, he shows us mercy. That’s amazing!
Matthew 20:1-16 .
Jonah 3:10-4:11
Romans 9:6-16
Psalm 115A
718 – Though Thoughtless Thousands Choose the Road
558 – Salvation unto Us Has Come
582 – Not unto Us
576 – Amazing Grace
560 – Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ
Prayer of the Day: Lord God, you call us to work in your kingdom and promise to reward us according to your grace. Help us to rid our minds of worldly expectations and rejoice that you freely pour out the blessings of salvation to all people; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Alleluia.