Hymn “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” LSB # 398
1 Hail to the Lord's anointed, Great David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free,
To take away transgression And rule in equity.
2 He comes with rescue speedy To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in His sight.
3 He shall come down like showers Upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, Spring in His path to birth.
Before Him on the mountains Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness in fountains From hill to valley flow.
4 Kings shall fall down before Him And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing.
To Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end.
5 O'er ev'ry foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest,
From age to age more glorious, All blessing and all-blest.
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever– That name to us is Love.
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
C: amen.
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.
Hymn “O Savior of Our Fallen Race” LSB #403
1 O Savior of our fallen race, O Brightness of the Father’s face,
O Son who shared the Father’s might Before the world knew day or night Alleluia!
2 O Jesus, very Light of Light, Our constant star in sin’s deep night:
Now hear the prayers Your people pray Throughout the world this holy day. Alleluia!
3 Remember, Lord of life and grace, How once, to save our fallen race,
You put our human vesture on And come to us as Mary’s son. Alleluia!
4 Today, as year by year its light Bathes all the world in radiance bright,
One precious truth outshines the sun: Salvation comes from You alone. Alleluia!
5 For from the Father’s throne You came, His banished children to reclaim;
And earth and sea and sky revere The love of Him who sent You here. Alleluia!
6 And we are jubilant today, For You have washed our guilt away.
O hear the glad new song we sing On this, the birthday of our King! Alleluia!
7 O Christ, Redeemer virgin-born, Let songs of praise Your name adorn,
Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore. Alleluia!
(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, by the leading of a star You made known your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead us, who know you by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Scripture Readings
Old Testament Reading (Isaiah 42:1-9)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (Romans 6:1-11)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
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. Matthew the 3rd chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(Matthew 3:13-17)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day “To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord” LSB # 405
1 To Jordan's river came our Lord, The Christ, whom heav'nly hosts adored,
The God from God, the Light from Light, The Lord of glory, pow'r and might.
2 The Savior came to be baptized – The Son of God in flesh disguised –
To stand beneath the Father's will And all his promises fulfill.
3 As Jesus in the Jordan stood And John baptized the Lamb of God,
The Holy Spirit, heav'nly dove, Descended on him from above.
4 Then from God's throne with thund'rous sound Came God's own voice with words profound:
"This is my Son," was his decree, "The one I love, who pleases me."
5 The Father's word, the Spirit's flight Anointed Christ in glorious sight
As God's own choice, from Adam's fall To save the world and free us all.
6 Now rise, faint hearts: be resolute! This man is Christ, our substitute!
He was baptized in Jordan's stream, Proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme
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 “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” LSB # 394
1 Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,
Manifested by the star To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David's stem In Thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
2 Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow'r divine, Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
3 Manifest in making whole Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight, Quelling all the devil's might;
Manifest in gracious will, Ever bringing good from ill;
Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
4 Sun and moon shall darkened be, Stars shall fall, the heav'ns shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine, All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear, All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed, God in man made manifest.
5 Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord, Present in Thy holy Word–
Grace to imitate Thee now And be pure, as pure art Thou;
That we might become like Thee At Thy great epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest, God in man made manifest.