Category Archives: Sermons
Audio Service for the 7th Sunday of Easter – May 24th, 2020
Audio Service for the 7th Sunday of Easter – May 24th, 2020
Liturgy for the Seventh Sunday of Easter – 05-24-2020
Audio Service for the 6th Sunday of Easter – May 17th, 2020
Audio Service for the 6th Sunday of Easter – May 17th, 2020
Click Here for the May 17th, 2020 Liturgy
Audio Service for the 5th Sunday of Easter May 10, 2020
Audio Service for the 5th Sunday of Easter – May 10, 2020
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation LSB 184
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Confession of Sins LSB 184
P Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
C O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Declaration of Grace LSB 185
P Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.
Grant this, Lord, unto us all.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 30:1–5; antiphon: Psalm 149:1
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a | new song,*
his praise in the assembly of the | godly!
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have | drawn me up*
and have not let my foes rejoice | over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to | you for help,*
and you have | healed me.
O Lord, you have brought up my soul | from Sheol;*
you restored me to life from among those who go down | to the pit.
Sing praises to the Lord, O | you his saints,*
and give thanks to his | holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a | lifetime.*
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the | morning.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a | new song,*
his praise in the assembly of the | godly!
Gloria Patri LSB 186
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187
P Glory be to God on high:
C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,
we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray.
O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading Acts 6:1–9; 7:2a, 51–60
1Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
7And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. . . .
2And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. . . .
51You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6
Christ has risen | from the dead.*
[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor.
He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*
he has put all things un- | der his feet.
Epistle 1 Peter 2:2–10
2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation— 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Verse of the Day Romans 6:9; John 14:23
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel John 14:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fourteenth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
1[Jesus said:] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4And you know the way to where I am going.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
12“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
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.
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.
Sermon
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
As newborn infants who long for the pure spiritual milk, so let us come before the Lord seeking His mercy with confidence that His grace will be sufficient for all our needs.
Brief silence
Almighty Father, everlasting God, Your Son has revealed You to us as a merciful Lord. Give to us Your Holy Spirit, that we may believe in Him whom You have sent and do the greater works He has told us we will do in His name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You have promised to build up Your Church to be a holy priesthood, that Your people might offer the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving acceptable to You. Bless Your Church and bring all congregations back together again. Bless all pastors who proclaim Christ to us. Bless all church workers and those preparing for full-time church vocations, that Your Church may be supplied with faithful leaders and servants of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, Your power brought all things into being and still You preserve what You have made. Bless our president, the Congress of these United States, our governor, and all elected and appointed civil servants so that they may honor You and Your purpose, establishing order and justice, encouraging virtue and protecting all life. Give wisdom and moderation to them in their leadership for the well-being of the nation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O merciful Father, You have compassion upon the sick and those in need and have promised not to ignore them in their afflictions. Turn back the pandemic across the globe, and give us relief. Bless the sick with healing, those who suffer with strength and patience, and the dying with peace. Hear us on behalf of those who have requested our prayers [especially Scott Stallings, Robert Galabeas, Pastor Mark Seeger, Nelson Meyer, Weston Swoboda and Bo Wolff. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, You have established the home and blessed those who show us Your love. Bless all mothers and the children in their care. Bless all families and make their homes places of blessing and love, where Your Word is spoken, forgiveness reigns and love is displayed. Give us good examples to inspire youth to all that is good and pure, and to seek after these things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given us the wisdom of faith that through the Spirit we might know Your Son to be the way, the truth and the life. Bless all those who teach and all who learn, that the goal of our knowledge may be to know Christ and to make Him known. Do not let Your Word be bound, but let it have free course among us. Preserve those in isolation from idleness, and instead let our minds be renewed in Scripture and prayer. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Compassionate Father, You are not aloof from the needs of this body and life, and You have called us to love our neighbor in need and give aid to the poor. Give us courage and faith, that we may not fear sharing the resources You have supplied with those who live in want, especially the widow, the orphan and the unemployed. Let love be perfected among us to drive out selfish fears. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Eternal Father of an eternal mercy, You have raised up witnesses in every age and blessed us with those who endured suffering and even death in faithfulness to Christ. We give You thanks for these faithful saints and martyrs, and we pray You to make us strong when we face the day of test, that at length we may be brought with them into the joy of Your presence and the glory of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We praise You, God, for Your goodness in hearing the prayers of Your people and granting us confidence to approach Your throne of mercy. Hear us now in the name of and for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom, with whom and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is Yours, almighty Father, both now and forevermore. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
P 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.
C For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Salutation LSB 201
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Benedicamus LSB 202
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Audio Service for the 4th Sunday of Easter May 03, 2020
Audio Service for the Third Sunday of Easter – May 03, 2020
Liturgy for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Confession and Absolution
Hymn of Invocation
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 95:1–3, 6–7a; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b
I am the good | shepherd.*
I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life | for the sheep.
Oh come, let us sing | to the Lord;*
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our sal- | vation!
Let us come into his presence with thanks- | giving;*
let us make a joyful noise to him with | songs of praise!
For the Lord is a | great God,*
and a great King a- | bove all gods.
Oh come, let us worship and | bow down;*
let us kneel before the Lord, our | Maker!
For he | is our God,*
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep | of his hand.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
I am the good | shepherd.*
I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life | for the sheep.
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187
P Glory be to God on high:
C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,
we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading Acts 2:42–47
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6
Christ has risen | from the dead.*
[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor.
He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*
he has put all things un- | der his feet.
Epistle 1 Peter 2:19–25
19This is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Verse of the Day Romans 6:9; John 10:14
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel John 10:1–10
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the tenth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
1[Jesus said:] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
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.
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.
Sermon
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
Bidden by our Shepherd, let us come before His throne of grace in prayer on behalf of all people according to their needs.
Brief silence
Blessed Shepherd, You established Your Church with Your sacrificial death and mighty resurrection. Grant us devotion, that we may abide in the teaching of the apostles and honor the fellowship of the Church. Guard us against all enemies of Your Word, and keep us within the care of Your flock and staff forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty Shepherd, You hold in Your hands all the might of man, and You hold accountable those who would govern Your people. Grant to us good government and good leaders who will honor Your purpose, protect Your people, serve the cause of justice and defend our liberty against all threats. Give them wisdom and moderation in their pandemic response. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving Shepherd, You loved the world enough to shed Your blood, and You desire that all would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Inspire and equip Your Church and her ministers to speak faithfully and boldly Your Word, and bless all those who serve us on Your behalf. Bless us especially when we are persecuted for the faith or suffer for the sake of the good that honors You and is obedient to Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Shepherd, You have clothed us with Christ’s righteousness and taught us to love all that is good, right and true. Bless all artists and artisans, composers and musicians, and craftsmen and writers, that they may employ all their skills for Your glory and in service to the Gospel and that the arts may testify to Your saving death and resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Shepherd, Your wounds are our healing and Your voice calls us to You in time of need. Hear us on behalf of all those who suffer in body or mind, who grieve those whom they love, and to whom death draws near. We pray especially for Scott Stallings, Robert Galabeas, Pastor Mark Seeger, NelsonMeyer, and Weston Swoboda and those we name in our hearts. Grant them healing according to Your will, grace to sustain them in the day of trouble, and hope of the new and everlasting life to come. Be with the unemployed and the distraught, and return them to health and livelihood. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Shepherd, You seek out those who have fallen and restore the sinner to repentance. Send forth Your Spirit to rekindle faith in the hearts of those who have fallen away from the truth or who have been overcome by temptation and sin. Bring good from ill and increase in all the hunger for Your Word and a recognition of our need, that many may be gathered into Your flock when church doors are opened wide again. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Giving Shepherd, You have not withheld anything from us but emptied Yourself fully upon the cross that we might be saved. Move our hearts to such devotion and teach us such generosity, that we may bring to You the tithes and offerings of a grateful heart and serve our neighbor in need with the resources You have supplied to us so abundantly. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Good Shepherd, You set Your table among us in the presence of our enemies. Hear us because we are beset by so many false voices and tempted by so many false gospels. Help us to hear Your voice and to abide safely in Your Word that remains forever. Equip us with Your Spirit so that we may receive Your body and blood with faith and a repentant heart. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O great Good Shepherd, we pray You to hear Your sheep and answer our prayers with mercy, granting us those things profitable for us and our salvation and keeping from us all things harmful; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
P 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.
C For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Benedicamus LSB 202
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Audio Service for the Third Sunday of Easter – April 26th, 2020
Audio Service for the Third Sunday of Easter – April 26th, 2020
Liturgy for the Third Sunday of Easter
Confession and Absolution
Hymn of Invocation
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation LSB 184
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Confession of Sins LSB 184
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
Absolution LSB 185
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 133; antiphon: v. 1
Behold, how good and pleas- | ant it is*
when brothers dwell in | unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of | Aaron,*
running down on the collar | of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of | Zion!*
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for- | evermore.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Behold, how good and pleas- | ant it is*
when brothers dwell in | unity!
Gloria Patri LSB 186
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187
P Glory be to God on high:
C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,
we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray.
O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading Acts 2:14a, 36–41
14Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, . . .
36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle 1 Peter 1:17–25
17If you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, 21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Verse of the Day Romans 6:9; Luke 24:32
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? Alleluia.
Holy Gospel Luke 24:13–35
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twenty-fourth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
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.
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.
Hymn of the Day
Sermon
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
You have heard our pleas for mercy, O Lord, and given up Your Son to be our Savior. Hear us now as we come to You on behalf of ourselves and all people according to their needs.
Brief silence
Our hearts have burned in us, O Lord, as Your Word has been read and preached. Keep our faith from growing cold and grant us grace, that we may not waver in faith or succumb to temptation. Give to us and to our children receptive hearts, that we may hear and, hearing, believe and, believing, be steadfast in this faith and hope all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
You have cleansed us, O Lord, with water and the Word in Baptism, and You have marked us as Your own people. Give to us grace, that we may live out this faith in holy lives, lifting up Your name in word and works for as long as we live. Guide us, that with souls purified by obedience to the truth, we may love one another earnestly from a pure heart. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless Your Church, O Lord, that she may welcome the stranger in Christ’s name and manifest the unity of the faith in the bonds of love. Gather together those who are separated, and preserve their faith by Your Word until all precautions and shelter measures have passed. Bless Matthew, presiding in our Synod; Michael , our district president; Wayne, our circuit visitor; and Rod, our pastor(s). Bless those training for church-work vocations. Bless each of us as we live out our baptismal vocation of worship, witness, prayer and service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guard our nation, O Lord, that we may enjoy peace and security in the face of threat and danger. Bless Donald, our president; the Congress of the United States; Greg, our governor; and all state and local officials, that they may fulfill their offices faithfully. Bless all emergency and medical workers and the members of the armed forces who protect us, and teach the nations the ways of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Deliver us from all our afflictions, and grant us strength to bear all our burdens, O Lord. Hear us in particular for Scott Stallings, Robert Galabeas, Pastor Mark Seeger, Nelson Meyer, Weston Swaboda and those whom we name in our hearts. According to Your gracious will, heal the sick, relieve those who suffer, comfort the grieving and give peace to the dying. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Stay with us, O Lord, and be our strength in weakness and our hope in time of despair. Your gracious will once kept the saints in faith even unto death. Keep us, we pray, with them in Your faith and fear, that we may be found faithful when Christ comes again in His glory to bring to fulfillment all things, once and forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through the breaking of the bread, O Lord, feed us upon the flesh of Christ and grant us to drink His blood in faith. Forgive our sins, strengthen our faith, build up our unity as a congregation and Synod, and equip us through this communion to love You and love one another as You have loved us. Preserve the faith of those who wish to receive this Sacrament in the presence of the congregation but cannot, and grant them their desire soon. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Accept, O Lord, this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving we bring for all Your goodness and generosity. And with our song of praise, accept our tithes and offerings, that Your Church may have the resources to proclaim Your Gospel and care for the poor and those in need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
These and whatever other things we need, O Lord, we pray You to grant us in the name of and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose death has made full atonement for our sin and whose resurrection has granted to us the promise of our own joyful resurrection to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
P 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.
C For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Salutation LSB 201
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Benedicamus LSB 202
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Audio Service for the Second Sunday of Easter – April 19th, 2020
Audio Service for Sunday, April 19th, 2020 – The Second Sunday of Easter
Liturgy for Second Sunday of Easter
Second Sunday of Easter
Confession and Absolution
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation LSB 184
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Confession of Sins LSB 184
P Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
C O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Declaration of Grace LSB 185
P Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Grant this, Lord, unto us all.
C Amen.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Service of the Word
Introit Psalm 105:1–5, 8; antiphon: 1 Peter 2:2–3
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to sal- | vation—*
if indeed you have tasted that the | Lord is good.
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call up- | on his name;*
make known his deeds among the | peoples!
Sing to him, sing prais- | es to him;*
tell of all his | wondrous works!
Glory in his | holy name;*
let the hearts of those who seek the |LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD| and his strength;*
seek his presence con- | tinually!
Remember the wondrous works that | he has done,*
his miracles, and the judgments he | uttered.
He remembers his covenant for- | ever,*
the word that he commanded, for a thousand gener- | ations.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to sal- | vation—*
if indeed you have tasted that the | Lord is good.
Gloria Patri LSB 186
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187
P Glory be to God on high:
C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee,
we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray. Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading
29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6
Christ has risen | from the dead.*
[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor.
He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*
he has put all things un- | der his feet.
Epistle 1 Peter 1:3–9
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Verse of the Day Romans 6:9; John 20:29b
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel John 20:19–31
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the twentieth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” 24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Apostles’ Creed
C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
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.
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 + everlasting. Amen.
Sermon
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Hymn
Prayer of the Church
Hear us, merciful Father, as we pray for ourselves, for the Church, for our nation and for all conditions and manner of people.
Brief silence
God of mercy, keep us from the doubts and fears that cripple us and prevent us from knowing the fullness of Your saving peace and gracious presence. Teach us to trust in Your Word and to believe with all our hearts, minds, bodies and strength in Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins and raised for our justification. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of grace, bestow upon Your Church Your Holy Spirit and all the gifts that come down from on high. Grant to us faithful pastors who will preach faithfully, and give us ears to hear Your Word proclaimed. Sustain us while apart, and bring Your scattered Church together again quickly. Give us boldness in our witness before the world and courage to speak Your name without fear. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of power, give courage and strength to those persecuted for the faith, and comfort the families of the martyrs. In uncertain times, keep Your Church from being tossed about by the winds of change. Keep her steadfast in the doctrine of the apostles and the faith once delivered to the saints. Help us to admonish those who have fallen away and to restore with gentleness those who have wandered from the truth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of might, counsel the nations and their leaders to act wisely in all matters. Bless us with faithful and just leaders who will protect the sanctity of life and defend us against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Make us wise and discerning citizens who use the gift of liberty for noble purpose. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of love, teach us to love one another as You have loved us. Guide us to make manifest the love and strength of Christ to our troubled and fearful world. Deliver us from disease and everything else that would threaten our homes and families. Protect the police, firefighters, disaster-relief workers and medical personnel who attend to us, as well as the places where we live and work. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of comfort, give Your aid and relief to all who suffer want or need, to the sick in their afflictions, to those troubled in mind, and to those to whom death draws near [especially _____________]. Heal and sustain them according to Your gracious will, and preserve them in faith to eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of hope, be with those who grieve the loss of a loved one. Point them to the promise of the resurrection and the gift of everlasting life to all who die in Christ. Deliver us from distractions, that we may focus on Your needful Word and Sacraments and so be found faithful when our Lord returns in His glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of compassion, bless us with the good gifts of the earth, with the fruits of our honest labors, and with kind and generous hearts. Accept the worship of our hearts and voices, along with the tithes and offerings we bring in gratitude and thanksgiving. Look with mercy on the unemployed, and open our eyes and hearts to the needs of the poor, that we may serve them in Your name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O blessed God and Lord, hear the prayers of Your people and teach us to trust in Your will to answer our prayers with all that is needful and beneficial, both for us and for all for whom we pray; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer LSB 196
P 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.
C For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Salutation LSB 201
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Benedicamus LSB 202
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and + give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Audio Service and Service Folder for Easter Sunday, April 12th, 2020
He has Risen! He has Risen indeed! Alleluia!
Audio Service for Easter Sunday
Below is the Service Folder for our Easter Sunday Audio Service
Please start the audio, and then you can scroll down through the Order of Service
+ Confession and Absolution +
Hymn of Invocation 457 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Stand
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Kneel/Stand
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Stand
+ Service of the Word +
Psalm Psalm 118:15–29; antiphon: v. 1
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!
C Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
P the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”
C I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
P The Lord has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
C Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
P This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
C I thank You that You have answered me and have become my salvation.
P The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
C This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
P This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
C Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!
P Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
C The Lord is God, and He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
P You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; you are my God; I will extol You.
C Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
P Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187
P Glory be to God on high:
C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,
we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray.
Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Job 19:23–29
23“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
25For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
28If you say, ‘How we will pursue him!’
and, ‘The root of the matter is found in him,’
29be afraid of the sword,
for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
that you may know there is a judgment.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6
Christ has risen | from the dead.*
[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor,
He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*
he has put all things un- | der his feet.
Epistle 1 Corinthians 15:15–57
15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30Why am I in danger every hour? 31I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
50I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia LSB 190
C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Verse 1 Corinthians 5:7b–8a, c
Alleluia. Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel Mark 16:1–8
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Hymn of the Day 458 Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
Sermon “Angel Eyes” (Mark 16:1–8)
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Stand
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Sit
Offering
Stand
Prayer of the Church
The Lord’s Prayer
Salutation LSB 201
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Benedicamus LSB 202
A Bless we the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
Hymn to Depart 461 I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Audio Sermon for Good Friday – April 10th, 2020
Pastor Rod Houppert’s Message:
Audio Sermon for Maundy Thursday and Holy Week
Pastor Rod Houppert’s Maundy Thursday Message:
Holy Week Message: