01/18/25

As We Gather

  The Lord always sets the right time for the right people to be used for His mission and purposes. As our world grows darker and darker in the areas of sexuality and the unborn, repentance is the last thing the world wants to hear from the lips of God’s people. Yet, as Christ has called us through repentance and faith for forgiveness to do its reconciling work, so too, the people of God seek to be reconcilers between God and the fellow man. May the Lord find us faithful to His Word, the promises He alone can make and to His Son who became THE reconciler to our Father in heaven!

Family Room & 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 T. V. 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. 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 the LCMS ordinarily communes only those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. Please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service if you have a question about this. 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.

Blind and Deaf to Spiritual Treasures “Human nature is so corrupt that it has no desire whatsoever for spiritual things and for eternal life. It is like a newly born infant, which is not interested in the course of the world; and though you promise and offer it all the treasures, wealth, money and pleasures of the world, it takes no notice of them but only snaps at its mother’s breast. So we carnal beings are. When the preaching of the Gospel heavenly treasures and goods, which have been won and promised through Christ, we do not appreciate them or find comfort in them; we find our joy and pleasure only in transient things. This disease, sickness, or corruption human nature neither understands or feels.” What Luther Says # 3116

Epiphany 2 – Life Sunday

January 18, 2026

Welcome

Opening Hymn             O Christ Who Called the Twelve        LSB 856   vs 1-4

Invocation, Confession and Absolution     (Psalm 113:1–3)

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:   Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord,

C:   praise the name of the Lord!

P:   Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!

C:   From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

P: Almighty and ever-compassionate Lord,

C: we are by nature sinful and unclean. We confess our many failures as we have not followed You joyfully and trustingly. We have not loved others as ourselves, and our thoughts, words, and deeds have not been pleasing to You, nor have we sought the equitable justice You require of those who follow You. Forgive our apathy, and the self-centered malaise that breed the narcissism of inactivity. In repentance may our healing begin! Amen.

Silence for reflection

P: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel. Hear and rejoice in the Good News. Jesus Christ died for you, and for His sake, God has compassion. As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce and proclaim that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen. Thanks be to God!

Hymn of Praise   Holy God, We Praise Thy Name       LSB 940  vs 1, 3, 5

Prayer of the Day

All:   Almighty and everlasting God, as the call to follow You comes to us through Your Word, grant us Your Holy Spirit that we trust and serve You in repentance and faith; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

O T Lesson             (The Ninevites Repent through Jonah’s preaching.)      Jonah 3:1–5, 10

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” ³ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. ⁴ On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. ⁶ When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. ⁷ Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. ⁸ But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. ⁹ Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” ¹⁰ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

Gospel Lesson                   (Jesus calls the first disciples to follow Him.)           Mark 1:14–20

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” ¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 

Message Psalm                             (Fearful and wonderfully made)                            Psalm 139

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. ² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³ You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. ⁵ You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” ¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. ¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, ¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸ Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. ¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! ²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. ²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? ²² I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Message Song                 Jesus Saves

Hear the heart of heaven beating, Jesus Saves Jesus saves

And the hush of mercy breathing, Jesus Saves Jesus saves

Hear the host of angels sing, Glory to the Newborn King

And the sounding joy repeating, Jesus saves

He will live our sorrow sharing, Jesus saves Jesus saves

He will die our burden bearing Jesus saves Jesus saves

“It is done!” will shout the cross, Christ has paid redemption’s cost!

While the empty tomb’s declaring, Jesus saves.

Freedom’s calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning bright and true

Day is breaking, night is quaking, God is making all things new.

Message                                               Fearfully and Wonderfully Made 

1.      Hand crafted items are precious        and  valuable          .

2.      We don’t always recognize           this great value in every human life.

3.      This value is revealed           in Christ.

4.      We have been recreated          by Jesus to be    and    to     see    value in every person.

Apostles Creed

C:    I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.  

1. 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 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.

Offering

Offertory                                        We Give Thee But Thine Own                  LSB 781  vs 1-2

Prayers of the Church 

After each petition:

P:    Lord, in Your mercy,

C:    hear our prayers.

The Lord’s Prayer                                                                                  

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.   

Oh to grace, how great a debtor! Jesus saves Jesus saves

All the saints who shout together. “I know that Jesus saves.”

Rising up so vast and strong lifting up salvation’s song,

The redeemed will sing forever, Jesus saves.

Rising up so vast and strong lifting up salvation’s song,

The redeemed will sing forever, Jesus saves.

Jesus saves. Jesus saves.

By: David Moffitt and Travis Cottrell

CCLI # 5059278 / CCLI License # 11390779 All Rights Reserved

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 of Communion

Distribution Hymn                         What a Friend We Have in Jesus                     LSB 770

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:  We give thanks to You, almighty God, for the assurance that sins are forgiven and we are strengthened by the reception of the body and blood of your dear Son in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Strengthen our faith in You and in our love for others in Your kingdom and throughout our community, country, and world, as we hear Your call, follow where You lead, and rejoice in the grace You bestow, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Benedicamus

P:   Let us bless the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

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.

Sending Hymn         Our Father, by Whose Name             LSB 863 

Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude