Hymn “For All the Saints” LSB # 677
1 For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor's crown of gold! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4 Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way. Alleluia! Alleluia!
8 From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia! Alleluia!
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C: who made heaven and earth.
P: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. 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.
Hymn “By All Your Saints in Warfare” LSB #517 (vv, 1,4,3)
1 By all Your saints in warfare, For all Your saints at rest,
Your holy name, O Jesus, Forevermore be blest!
For You have won the battle That they might wear the crown;
And now they shine in glory Reflected from Your throne.
4 Apostles, prophets, martyrs, And all the noble throng
Who wear the spotless raiment And raise the ceaseless song –
For these, passed on before us, We offer praises due
And, walking in their footsteps, Would live our lives for You.
3 Then let us praise the Father And worship God the Son
And sing to God the Spirit, Eternal Three in One,
Till all the ransomed number Fall down before the throne,
Ascribing pow'r and glory And praise to God alone.
(Sung)
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth;
Good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing,
Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.
To You, O sole-begotten, the Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated at God’s right hand on high.
For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever, be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray.
Collect for the day:
Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reign with You and the holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Scripture Readings
First Reading (Revelation 7:9-17)
7 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (1 John 3:1-3)
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
P: The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 5th chapter.
C: (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.
(Matthew 5:1-12)
5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.
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.
Hymn “Behold a Host, Arrayed in White” LSB# 676
1 Behold a host, arrayed in white, Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright!
With palms they stand; Who is this band Before the throne of light?
These are the saints of glorious fame, Who from the great affliction came
And in the flood Of Jesus' blood Are cleansed from guilt and shame.
They now serve God both day and night; They sing their songs in endless light.
Their anthems ring As they all sing With angels shining bright.
2 Despised and scorned, they sojourned here; But now, how glorious they appear!
Those martyrs stand, A priestly band, God's throne forever near.
On earth they wept through bitter years; Now God has wiped away their tears,
Transformed their strife To heav'nly life, And freed them from their fears.
They now enjoy the Sabbath rest, The heav'nly banquet of the blest;
The Lamb, their Lord, At festal board Himself is host and guest.
3 O blessed saints in bright array Now safely home in endless day,
Extol the Lord, Who with His Word Sustained you on the way.
The steep and narrow path you trod; You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;
Rejoice and bring Your fruits and sing Before the throne of God.
The myriad angels raise their song; O saints, sing with that happy throng!
Lift up one voice; Let heav'n rejoice In our Redeemer's song!
Sermon
Offering/Offertory
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.
Hymn “Jerusalem the Golden” # 672
1 Jerusalem the golden, With milk and honey blest--
The promise of salvation, The place of peace and rest--
We know not, oh, we know not What joys await us there;
The radiancy of glory, The bliss beyond compare!
2 Within those walls of Zion Sounds forth the joyful song,
As saints join with the angels and all the martyr throng.
The Prince is ever with them; The daylight is serene;
The city of the blessed Shines bright with glorious sheen.
3 Around the throne of David, The saints, from care released,
Raise loud their songs of triumph To celebrate the feast.
They sing to Christ their leader, Who conquered in the fight,
Who won for them forever Their gleaming robes of white.
4 O sweet and blessèd country, The home of God's elect!
O sweet and blessed country That faithful hearts expect!
In mercy, Jesus, bring us To that eternal rest
With You and God the Father And Spirit, ever blest.