05/17/26

As We Gather

Finally Free: How the Father Deals With His Children

We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil’s call to serve ourselves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father’s home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God? The three freedoms we will look at these three weeks will help us understand how God’s grace in Christ Jesus keeps our focus on the good, right and true things God has instore for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes! Adult Sunday classes will focus more closely on each of the three temptations to being a ‘Belly Slave”, Live in Despair”, “Prideful”.

Children Activity Bags We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit TV to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station on a small rack. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused, and that participation in the Lord’s Supper is an act of confession of faith, we ordinarily commune those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. If you have a question, please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.

 Humble Appreciation of the Gifts of God “In the world inequality of persons, ranks and gifts must remain; but this does not make us unequal before our Lord God. For since nothing can stand before Him except grace, no one can possibly boast and strut in His presence… All of us should learn this and cling to his grace and mercy… What we have, we have from Him alone; and of ourselves we have nothing but sin. Therefore no one should become overbearing, but everyone should humble himself and fear. For if there is good, it is the gift of our Lord God. He should boast of it, not you. But you should use it with thanksgiving and in the fear of God; for He cannot tolerate any strutting, any boasting or bragging.”   What Luther Says # 2091

Seventh Sunday of Easter

May 17, 2026

Welcome 

Opening Hymn                                   Thy Strong Word                          LSB 578  vs 1-3

Invocation, Confession and Absolution (Psalm 16; 1-3; 5-8)

P:   We gather in the name and at the invitation of our great and gracious triune God;

C:   in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P:   Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

C:   I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” 

P:   As for the saints who are in the land, 

C:   they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

P:   Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; 

C:   you have made my lot secure. 

P:    The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

C:   surely I have a delightful inheritance. 

P:   I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; 

C:   even at night my heart instructs me. 

P:   I have set the Lord always before me. 

C:   Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

P:   Gracious heavenly Father,

C:   We come before You knowing that our sin separates us from You. Even though we have been Baptized, brought into Your family and taught the goodness of Your grace in Jesus, we still allow temptations to keep us from being the disciples You call us to be. We lack the satisfaction filled with contentment and peace as a member of Your holy family, the Church. Forgive us and strengthen us in the power that raised Jesus from the dead. May our lives reflect the desire and the grace to serve You by serving one another and our fellow man. We praise You for Your bountiful goodness through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   “…this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” says the Father, whose entreating is full of holy graciousness. This is how God sees you, His child through faith in His Son whose life, death and resurrection earned for you forgiveness of sin, life and peace with Him. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I declare that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn of Rejoicing                            Thy Strong Word                                 LSB 578  vs 4-6

Prayer of the Day

All:  Gracious heavenly Father, You sent Your Son Jesus into this world to do the very thing we could never accomplish for ourselves – the salvation of our souls.  Because of this great salvation brought about His humility in service to mankind, we are mindful of all You continue to do by the Spirit’s work to keep us in the one true faith; through Christ our Lord and in the strength of His resurrection power. Amen..

O T Lesson                         (Daniel is highly esteemed from by God)              Dan 10: 4-12

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, ⁵ I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. ⁶ His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. ⁷ I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. ⁹ Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. ¹⁰ A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

N T Lesson               (The example of Christ’ humility and exaltation)    Phil 2: 1-11

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Lesson                     (The Father’s grace is shown to all)                Luke 15: 21-32

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. ²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Message Song                        How Deep the Father’s Love For Us             Stuart  Townend     

How deep the Father’s love for us,    How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son   To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,   The Sacrifice accepted,

As wounds which mar the Chosen    One  Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross, My sin upon His shoulders;

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life – I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything –   No gifts, no power, no wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,    His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?     I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart.      His wounds have paid my ransom.

CCLI Song # 1558110© 1995 Thankyou Music For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.

All rights reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License # 11390779

Message                                     Pride: The Absence of Humility        

1.      The grace-filled humility     of the father before both sons.

2.      The older son  had no compassion   for      , nor desire   to    see          his brother’s restoration to the family.

3.      Yet, the Father entreated His son to    rejoice        in God’s restorative           grace               without which no one would see kingdom of heaven nor         find their place in it!

Apostles Creed

Offering / Offertory             Fruitful Trees, the Spirit Sowing                         LSB 691 vs 3  

Prayers of the Church  

After each petition:

 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.

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 160 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And also with you.

P:   Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them to the Lord.

P:   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:   ♪ It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P:   It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And ever more praising You and singing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                         page 161 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might: Heaven and earth are full of   

         Your glory. Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is He who  

         comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 163 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.C:  ♪ Amen.  

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                            page 163 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

         Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.

Distribution Hymn                   Children of the Heavenly Father                          LSB  725

Post Communion Canticle                                                      page 164 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Thank the Lord and sing His praise; tell ev’ryone what He has done.  Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name.  He recalls His promises and leads His people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia.

Post Communion Thanksgiving

All:   Blessed are You, heavenly Father, for You have once again fed and nourished us at Your Table through the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. As Lord of our lives, strengthen and support us so that we may walk as children of the light, and, sharing that kindly light, proclaim Your love to all the world. Bless us day by day, and keep us hope-filled as we await Your eternal kingdom, where You live and reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Benediction                                                                                                      

P:   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace. 

C: Amen.
Sending Hymn                              Onward Christian Soldiers                                     LSB 662       

Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”