SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 17th 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: 907 “God Himself Is Present”
THE INVOCATION
P. We begin our worship in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C. Amen.
THE PSALM FOR THE DAY: Psalm 26
P. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
C. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
P. for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.
C. I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
C. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD,
P. proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
C. I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.
P. Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with bloodthirsty men,
C. in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
P. But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me.
C. My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.
THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY BAPTISM
Noah David Lyons
HYMN: 601 “All Who Believe And Are Baptized
THE OPENING ADDRESS
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Who brings this child to be baptized?
Parent(s): We do.
Pastor: Listen now to the Word of God concerning baptism.
Our Lord commanded baptism saying to his disciples in the last chapter of Matthew: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me. Therefore, as you are going, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Holy Apostles of the Lord have written: “The promise is for you and your children.” and, “Baptism now saves you.”
We also learn from the Word of God that we are conceived and born sinful and are in need of forgiveness. We would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation. But the Father of all mercy and grace has sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who died for the sin of the world, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
PASTOR TO THE CHILD BEING BAPTIZED
Receive the sign of the cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.
PASTOR
Hear how our Lord Jesus Christ has opened the kingdom of God to little children. People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this
he was very angry and said to them; “Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I tell you the
truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
People: Praise to you, O Christ.
PASTOR TO THE PARENTS
As Christian parents it is not only your task to provide for the physical well-being of your children, but also for their Christian upbringing and education. After this child has been baptized, do you promise to provide for him Christian education, providing opportunity to study God’s Word and to participate in his Holy Church?
Parents: Yes, with the help of God.
PASTOR TO THE GODPARENTS
It is your task as Christian witnesses to confess with the whole church the faith in our God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. After this child has been baptized, you as godparents, are at all times to remember your godchild in your prayers, put him in mind of his baptism, and, as much as in you lies, counsel and aid, especially if he should lose his parents, that he be brought up in the true knowledge and worship of God, that he would read and study the Scriptures, participate in the ministry of the Church, as God has enabled, and grow in Christian maturity throughout his life. This do you gladly and willingly intend to do?
Godparents: Yes, with the help of God.
Pastor: May God enable you both to will and do this faithful and loving work and with his grace fulfill what we are unable to do.
PASTOR
I ask you now, parents, relatives, and friends to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church, the faith in which we baptize. Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and all empty promises?
People: I do.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Father?
People: Yes, I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People: Yes, I believe 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 shall come to judge the living and the dead.
Pastor: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
People: Yes, I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
THE BAPTISM
Pastor: Noah David Lyons, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Now may the Lord who has given you new birth through the water and the Spirit, and who has forgiven all your sins, strengthen you with his grace to life everlasting.
Assistant: (After having lit the baptismal candle from the Christ candle.)
Receive this burning light, live always by the light of Christ. And let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
THE PARENTS PRAYER
THE INTRODUCTION
Pastor: Through baptism, God has added Noah to his own people to declare the wonderful deeds of our Savior who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
People: Amen.
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THE FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 55:6-9
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
THE SECOND LESSON: Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you
again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved — and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
THE GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
“About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.
“He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
HYMN: 744 “Amazing Grace”
THE SERMON: “While There Is Breath, There Is Hope”
text: Matthew 20:16
THE OFFERING
AN OFFERING SONG (783)
Take my life, that I may be consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use every pow’r as thou shalt choose.
THE INSTALLATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
P. Dear Friends. Our Lord has called you into service in this place, Christ The King Lutheran Church. He has blessed you with his gifts and equipped you with skills to carry out his work among his people. This is indeed a challenge and a wonderful privilege! God has not said that your task will be easy. But he promises to sustain you as you bring to the children and adults the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ . Be assured that you do not labor alone but with the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:6). I ask you now in the presence of this congregation, “DO YOU WILLINGLY ACCEPT THE TASK OF WORKERS IN GOD’S KINGDOM, ASSURED THAT OUR LORD WILL GUIDE AND SUPPORT YOU AS YOU CARRY OUT HIS WILL AND WORK?”
Teachers: I DO WITH THE HELP OF GOD
P. The task and blessings of sharing the faith through God’s Word belongs to every member of our congregation. I now ask the congregation, DO YOU JOYFULLY AND WILLINGLY SUPPORT THE WORK OF THESE FAITHFUL LABORERS AS THEY SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST WITH THE MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S BODY HERE AT CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH?”
C. We give God glory for the sharing of his Word among us and pledge our joyful and faithful support to those he has chosen to lead us in this task.
P. Lord, we pray for our teachers and our learners. Through your Holy Spirit bless the preaching, teaching and hearing of your Holy Word. Empower us, here in our congregation and in the schools, high schools, colleges, and seminaries throughout our church, to be grateful and faithful in your Word and work. Give us joyful hearts and increase our love for one another. Bless us, and for Jesus’ sake help us to be a blessing to others.
C. Heavenly Father, show us the way to better serve you. For Jesus’ sake continue to share with us the Spirit’s presence. Help us to celebrate both our unity in Christ and the diversity of gifts with which you have blessed us individually. In your mercy and grace forgive us when we fall, and lead us joyfully to know and do your will. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.
P. We go in peace. Amen.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
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.
THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
We invite to the Lord’s Table all who have been baptized, accept the Bible as God’s authoritative Word, and believe that the body and blood of the risen Christ are really present in the bread and wine; given for the forgiveness of our sins. If you prefer the individual cup, please extend one index finger as your hands are folded on the altar railing. This will alert the communion assistants of your preference. Also, if for some medical reason you are not able to consume alcohol, non-alcoholic wine is available in the individual cups. The non-alcoholic wine is “red” while the wine is “white”.
ADMONITION TO COMMUNICANTS
P. As we approach the Lord’s table, we confess our belief in the Triune God, and that in this Sacrament we are receiving the precious body and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, together with the bread and the wine for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of faith. Come to the Lord’s supper with thanksgiving; gratefully accepting his invitation and asking his blessing upon your reception.
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
THE SANCTUS (Sung to the tune “Holy, Holy, Holy” 507)
Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty!
Day and night we join to praise
Your love and majesty.
You alone are holy, worthy and righteous,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
We rejoice to join the hymns
Of earth and sky and sea.
Generations praise you, with saints and angels.
Holy and bless’d through all eternity.
THE DISTRIBUTION
HYMNS: 637 “Draw Near And Take The Body Of The Lord”
746 “Through Jesus’ Blood And Merit”
645 “Built On The Rock”
THE AGNUS DEI (Sung to the tune “My Faith Looks Up To Thee” 702)
O Lamb of God, we pray:
Take all our sins away---
Our faith increase.
Have mercy on us all,
Strengthen us when we fall,
Answer our fervent call
And grant us peace.
A CLOSING PRAYER
Almighty and ever living God, we thank you for having fed us with the body and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, assuring us thereby that we are truly members of his body, the Church. And we ask you to help us by your Holy Spirit that we may continue in this fellowship and do the good works which you desire us to do; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, to whom with you and the same Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
THE BLESSING
P. May our triune God, who has brought you safely to the beginning of this day, grant you his peace, now and always.
C. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: HYMN: 685 “Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus”
