THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER April 14, 2024
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Prayer Before Worship
O Lord, my creator, redeemer and comforter, as I come to worship you in spirit and in truth, I humbly pray that you would open my heart to the preaching of your Word so that I may repent of my sins, believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior and grow in grace and holiness. Hear me for the sake of His name. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
HYMN Salem Bell Ringers performing “New Day”
M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.
In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away
my guilt.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.
C: Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
C: (Sung) Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues forever.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray. O risen Lord, you came to your disciples and took away their fears with your word of peace. Come to us also by Word and sacrament, and banish our fears with the comforting assurance of your abiding presence; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Acts 18:1-11
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. (NIV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 16 (page 68)
SECOND LESSON 1 John 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. (NIV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia. (John 20:29)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
These words are written that we may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL John 20:19-31
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they
are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (NIV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
HYMN OF THE DAY (#165) “The Day of Resurrection”
SERMON TEXT John 20:19-31
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there 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.
THANKSGIVING
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
HYMN (#756 S) “We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight”
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O Lord God, our strength, our song, and our salvation, you fulfilled your promises by the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead.
Thanks be to God! You give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In your compassion you sent Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life to rescue the lost.
Drive out all doubt and gloom that we may delight in your glorious triumph.
Lift our eyes heavenward to see him who lives to make intercession for the saints, and grant us confidence in the greatness of his power. Keep before us the vision of your redeemed people standing before your throne and singing the song of victory:
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive wisdom and power and honor and glory and praise.
Make us instruments of your peace as we bring the good news of hope and new life to those around us. Guide us in the use of all that you have entrusted to us: our time, our talents, and our treasures.
Risen Lord, live in us that we may live for you.
Merciful Lord Jesus, grant healing to the sick, and strengthen the faith of the suffering and the dying. Assure them of your abiding presence, and comfort them with the hope of eternal life.
Special prayers and intercessions may follow.
Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent prayer.
Gracious Father, you have restored to us the joy of your salvation. With happy hearts, we come before you and say:
Alleluia! Thanks be to God! Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: 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.
M: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your
saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
HYMN (#321) “Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name”
Verse of the Day
During the week memorize and think about this verse of the day:
Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.
(John 20:29)
-7-
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER April 14, 2024
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Tues., April 16 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study
7 p.m., Endowment Committee Meeting
Thurs., April 18 Fishers has been rescheduled—watch for info
Next Sun., April 21: Greeters: Paul Johnson
Shut-In Visitors for April: Lila Rancour and Olga Bruska
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
THANK YOU to Pastor Ben Pederson for sharing God’s Word with us this morning. Pastor Pederson serves Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids.
THANK YOU to the Salem Elementary Handbell Club and their director, Merry Leerssen. Students in the club learn a variety of techniques relating to handbells and experience a new type of teamwork through music.
FORWARD IN CHRIST: It is time to renew subscriptions to the Forward in Christ magazine. Please review the list on the table in the narthex to be sure names and addresses are correct—please also review family members’ listings for accuracy/additions/cancelations.
QUARTERLY VOTERS’ MEETING is scheduled for Sunday, April 28 after the worship service. While the meeting is open to the entire congregation, voting is done by those men over 18 who have requested and been accepted by the voters’ assembly. Give prayerful consideration to becoming a voting member.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, April 7 50
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: April 7: General Fund-$1,563.12 (Minimum Weekly Amount Needed=$2,375), Salem-$2.
