04/18/26

As We Gather

Today we see Jesus appear to His disciples on the road to Emmaus. They say afterward that their hearts burned within them as Jesus opened up to them the Scriptures. In the Reading from Acts, those gathered on Pentecost are cut to the heart by Peter’s words. And in the Epistle, Peter speaks of purified souls and hearts. It seems our hearts are being greatly affected by Christ. They are cut, burning, and purified by the Word of Christ.

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.

Salvation is the Blessing  “It would be a great error to estimate God’s goodness and grace only by your lot here on earth. It is true, of course, that money and possessions, a sound body, and the like are God’s gifts and blessings. But these blessings do not last forever, for in the end we must leave behind money and possessions. However, the true, supreme, and best blessing, in which we can and should really and truly sense the goodness of God, is not temporal possessions, but the eternal blessing that God has called us to His holy Gospel…. To him who properly appreciates this blessing everything else is a trifle…”  

Easter 3

April 19, 2019

Welcome 

Opening Hymn                            This Joyful Easter Tide                                       LSB  482 

Invocation, Confession and Absolution (Psalm 138: 1-5)

P:   We gather 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:   I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. 

C:   I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name 

P:   for your love and your faithfulness, 

C:   for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. 

P:   When I called, you answered me; 

C:   you made me bold and stouthearted. 

P:   May all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord, 

C:   when they hear the words of your mouth. 

P:   May they sing of the ways of the Lord, 

C:   for the glory of the Lord is great. 

P:   Heavenly Father,

C:   How often we are slow of heart to believe all that the Scriptures speak of Christ and His work.  We have not lived in the truth and have turned to others to listen with our itching ears. We have not deeply loved one another as we should and our loyalties are divided. Forgive us for our futility, renew us by Your resurrection, and lead us back to the lives You want for us together, on account of Jesus. Amen.

Silence for reflection.

P: “The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” That Word of God tells us clearly that almighty God, in His mercy, has given His Son to die and rise for you, and for His sake forgives you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen. We are purified because of the precious blood of Jesus. Amen.

Hymn of Praise                  Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven                         LSB 477

Prayer of the Day

All:   O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

1^st Lesson                               (The Word cuts people to the heart.)       Acts 2:14a, 36–41

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: …  ³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” ³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 

2^nd Lesson                       (The Word of the Lord endures forever.)           1 Peter 1:17–25

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. ²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, ²⁵ but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. 

Gospel Lesson                 (Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus.)         Luke 24:13–35

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. ²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” ³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Message Song                        Come People of the Risen King              Getty and Townend

Come, people of the risen King      Who delight to bring Him praise

Come all and tune your hearts to sing     To the morning star of grace

From the shifting shadows of the earth      We will lift our eyes to Him

Where steady arms of mercy reach     To gather children in

Chorus      Rejoice, rejoice      Let every tongue rejoice

One heart one voice      Oh, church of Christ rejoice

Come those whose joy is morning sun     And those weeping through the night

Come those who tell of battles won     And those struggling in the fight

For His perfect love will never change      And His mercies never cease

                  But follow us through all our days     With the certain hope of peace   Chorus

ome, young and old from every land     Men and women of the faith

Come those with full or empty hands     Find the riches of His grace

Over all the world His people sing       Shore to shore we hear them call

                     The truth that cries through every age      Our God is all in all    Chorus

                   Chorus          Rejoice, rejoice      Let every tongue rejoice

One heart one voice      Oh, church of Christ rejoice

Used with permission CCLI #11390779

Message                                            Spiritual Conversations

1.      Truly open minds discuss    the works        and   wonders       of God. Rom. 12

2.      Confused thinking           happens when we believe      the  voices those who have no capability         to discern              God’s will for man.  1 Cor. 2: 14ff; 2 Thes. 2: 9ff

3.      True faith    and life       that follows Jesus happens when   Jesus     is at the  center     of God’s Word.  1 Peter 1: 23

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                                Doxology                                                       LSB 805

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 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

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

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.   

          Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is

          He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

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

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 197 in the hymnal

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

A gnus 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                           I Lay My Sins On Jesus                                      LSB 606

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                           Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won             LSB 490   vs 1-4
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.”