In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and local recommendations, we are continuing to post our digital services for the time being for those who feel more comfortable worshiping at home. Socially-distanced in-person worship is now resuming each Sunday at 12pm. Please click the audio bar below to listen to today’s service. Scroll down to follow along with the service text.
Hymn “Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen” LSB # 474
1 Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light!
Splendor, the Lamb, Heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight!
Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
2 Walking the way, Christ in the center Telling the story to open our eyes;
Breaking our bread, Giving us glory: Jesus our blessing, our constant surprise.
Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
3 Jesus the vine, We are the branches; Life in the Spirit the fruit of the tree;
Heaven to earth, Christ to the people, Gift of the future now flowing to me.
Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
4 Weeping, be gone; Sorrow, be silent: Death put asunder, and Easter is bright.
Cherubim sing: “O grave, be open!” Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light.
Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
5 City of God, Easter forever, Golden Jerusalem, Jesus the Lamb,
River of life, Saints and archangels, Sing with creation to God the I AM!
Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: 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)
(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)
P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. 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. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. 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.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
(Sung)
P: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
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.
Scripture Readings
First Reading (Acts 8:26-40)
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (1 John 4:1-11)
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
All: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia.
P: The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 1st chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(John 15:1-8)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day “Christ, the Word of God Incarnate” LSB # 540
1 Christ, the Word of God incarnate, Lord and Son of Abraham;
Christ, the radiance of the Father, Perfect God, the great I Am;
Christ, the light, You shine unvanquished, Light and life You bring to all;
Light our path with Your own presence, Grant us grace to heed Your call.
2 Christ, the living bread from heaven, Food for body, food for soul;
Christ, the manna daily given, Nourish, strengthen, make us whole.
Feed us with the food of heaven, Fore-taste of the feast to be;
Quench our thirst with living water Springing up eternally.
3 Christ, the shoot that springs triumphant From the stump of Jesse’s tree;
Christ, true vine, You nurture branches To bear fruit abundantly.
Graft us into You, O Savior; Prune our hearts so we remain
Fruitful branches in Your vineyard Till eternal life we gain.
4 Christ, our good and faithful shepherd, Watching all Your lambs and sheep;
Christ, the gate that guards the sheepfold, Never failing vigil keep.
When we stray, Good Shepherd, seek us, Find us, lift us, bear us home;
Lamb of God, our shepherd, keep us; Let us hear Your voice alone.
5 Christ, the way that leads unfailing To the Father’s home on high,
Christ, the truth that frees the captive, Christ, the life that cannot die.
Mediator to the Father, Sacrifice and great High Priest:
Lead us to Your heav’nly mansions, There to share Your wedding feast.
6 Christ, the Alpha and Omega, Christ, the firstborn from the dead,
Christ, the life and resurrection, Christ, the Church’s glorious head:
Praise and thanks and adoration And unending worship be
To the Father and the Spirit And to You eternally.
Sermon
Confession of Faith -- 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 of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy
C: hear our prayer.
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.
Benediction
P: 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 + give you peace.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn “Abide, O Dearest Jesus” LSB #919
1 Abide, O dearest Jesus, Among us with Your grace
That Satan may not harm us Nor we to sin give place.
2 Abide, O dear Redeemer, Among us with Your Word,
And thus now and hereafter True peace and joy afford.
3 Abide with heav'nly brightness Among us, precious Light;
Your truth direct and keep us From error's gloomy night.
4 Abide with richest blessings Among us, bounteous Lord;
Let us in grace and wisdom Grow daily through Your Word.
5 Abide with Your protection Among us, Lord, our strength,
Lest world and Satan fell us And overcome at length.
6 Abide, O faithful Savior, Among us with Your love;
Grant steadfastness and help us To reach our home above.