02/01/26

As We Gather

 These weeks of Epiphany bring before us God’s Kingdom: what it is like, how it operates and who belongs to it. And often times it runs counter to what God people have been taught (at least in the culture of Jesus’ day). And while we are no more ‘righteous’ than those of that day, we, too, struggle with the understanding that to be blessed by God means more than overflowing bank accounts and houses stuffed with stuff! It means, despite our poor, spiritual condition, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has made provision to forgive and restore our lives. God’s people who are empowered to respond with thanks and praise understand it is only by the mercy and grace that flows from the cross our Jesus died upon. Understanding our need before God is the beginning of the salvation Christ won for us and the Kingdom He has placed us in! Let us rejoice and share this love of Christ with all!

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.

The Gospel Liberates Man for Loving Service “We must distinguish between the Christian life lived in faith and that lived in love. Faith is queen over all laws: the Christian means to be justified through grace alone, so that he is free from all laws… but in the other area(that of love) the Christian is subject to all laws, bears the Law and the burdens of the Law according to the old man, seeks to serve and to promote the good of his neighbor. Here Romans 13 applies.” What Luther Says # 2421

Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

February 1, 2026

Welcome

Opening Hymn                    Praise to the Lord, the Almighty                              LSB  #790  

Invocation, Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness (Psalm 1)

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:   For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

C:   Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands 

      in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

P:   but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.

C:   He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its 

      season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

P:   The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

C:   Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the 

       congregation of the righteous.

C:   Gracious God, we confess to You that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and deeds. We confess the weakness of our fears and failures and our forgetfulness of Your mercy toward us. Forgive us and grant Your provision of faith, hope, and love, and so enable us to face all challenges of life and remain faithful to You with love for all. Amen.

P:  Our Lord hears your plea for forgiveness and for Jesus’ sake forgives you all  your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of Christ reign in your life as you serve Him!!

C: Amen. Thank You Lord Jesus for Your mercy that is unending and the grace to live for You.  Amen.

Song of Praise                                   O Worship the King                          LSB  804 vs 1, 2, 6

O T Lesson                                        (Listen, Indeed!) Micah 6: 1-8 

Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead your case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. ²Hear, O mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. ³“My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. ⁴I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. ⁵My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” ⁶With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? ⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? ⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. 

New Testament           (Christ is the wisdom and the power of God.) 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31 

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”²⁰ Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²² Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 

²⁶ Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 

Gospel Lesson           (Marks of the Kingdom of God)                Matthew 5: 1-12

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them, saying:  ³  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴   Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵   Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶    Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ⁷    Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ⁸   Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  ⁹   Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. ¹⁰  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹   Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

Message Song                                                 By Faith

By faith we see the hand of God   In the light of creation’s grand design.

In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness   Who walk by faith and not by sight.

By faith our fathers roamed the earth   With the pow’r of His promise in their hearts

Of a holy city built by God’s own hand   A place where peace and justice reign.

Chorus

We will stand as children of the promise.  We will fix our eyes on Him, our soul’s reward.

Till the race is finished and the work is done,  We’ll walk by faith and not by sight.

By faith the prophets saw a day   When the longed-for Messiah would appear

With the pow’r to break the chains of sin and death   And rise triumphant from the grave.

By faith the church was called to go   In the pow’r of the Spirit to the lost

                 To deliver captives and to preach good news   In ev’ry corner of the earth.  Chorus

By faith the mountain shall be moved    And the pow’r of the Gospel shall prevail

     For we know in Christ all things are possible     For all who call upon His name.   Chorus

©2009, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townend CCLI Song # 5469291

• Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)  CCLI License #11390779

Gettymusic (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

Message                                             Be At Your ‘Tude’ 

1. When you see how spiritually _poor________ you are then you can see how _  graciously rich             _________  

                         God is towards you!  Ps. 51; 2 Cor. 7: 10

2. If it is not producing a _heavenly____ reward or increasing    spiritual  fruit        , don’t take Satan’s bait.    2 Peter 1: 3ff  (His divine power has given you… make every effort to add… Therefore be all the more eager…)

       3.      __Believing_________________ God and His Word is the first step towards the life His Word of promise offers.  Micah 6: 8  (He has shown you…)

Apostles Creed

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

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                                        Praise to You And Adoration                                  LSB 692

Prayers of the Church 

After each petition:

P:    Lord, in Your mercy,

C:    hear our prayers.

The Lord’s Prayer   

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bred and forive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; Lead u 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 of Communion

Distribution Hymn             Lord of Glory, You Have Brought Us                            LSB 551

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, almighty God, for by You we have been fed and nourished with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to treasure the wisdom of our Lord and see in Him the fullness of Your divine presence in our darkened world. Grant us Your abiding peace in each day of our lives as we await Your eternal kingdom. In the name of Jesus, our hope and comfort, we pray.

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                 Jesus Shall Reign                           LSB 832

Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude