SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY February 16, 2025
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 Communion
We do not presume to come to your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the Lord who desires always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the body of your dear Son Jesus Christ and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us. Amen.
THE COMMON SERVICE
Beginning on Page 15 in the Hymnal.
HYMN (#435) “The Will of God Is Always Best”
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words,
and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is
good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
LORD, HAVE MERCY
C: (Sung) Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
GLORY BE TO GOD
C: (Sung) Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship you,
we glorify you, we give thanks to you, for your great glory,
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world; receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father; have mercy on us.
For you only are holy; you only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Let us pray: O God of power and might, you know that we live in the midst of many great dangers, and in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Give us strength and protection to support us in all peril, and carry us through all temptations; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 17:5-8
This is what the Lord says. Cursed is anyone who trusts in mankind, who seeks his strength from human flesh, and who turns his heart away from the Lord. He will be like a juniper bush in the wasteland. He will not see good things when they come. He lives in a dry place in the wilderness, in a salty land where no one lives. But blessed is anyone who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by water. It sends out its roots to the stream. It does not fear the heat when it comes. Its leaves will remain green. It is not concerned about a time of drought. It does not stop producing fruit. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 1 (page 64)
SECOND LESSON 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10
I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me, so that I would not become arrogant. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that he would take it away from me. And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will be glad to boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may shelter me. That is why I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For whenever I am weak, then am I strong. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Alleluia. (Psalm 121:8)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL Luke 6:17-26
After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:
C: (Sung) Glory be to you, O Lord!
He went down with them and stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, as well as from the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon. These people came to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were also cured. The whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all. He lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, because yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. Blessed are you whenever people hate you, and whenever they exclude and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of this: Your reward is great in heaven! The fact is, their fathers constantly did the same things to the prophets.” But woe to you who are rich, because you are receiving your comfort now. Woe to you who are well fed now, because you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, because you will be mourning and weeping. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, because that is how their fathers constantly treated the false prophets. (EHV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and became fully human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who in unity with the Father and the Son
is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (#765-S) “Day by Day”
SERMON TEXT Luke 6:17-26
SERMON THEME “Jesus Redefines Blessings and Woes”
After the sermon, the congregation stands and sings:
C: (Sung) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit. Amen.
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Lord God, heavenly Father, plant us as trees by the stream of Christ, our Savior. Root us securely in His Word and wisdom. Do not let us turn from You, nor put our trust in man and this flesh, which fail. Preserve us from all anxiety, and take our fears away through right fear of You. Cause us, by Your Holy Spirit, to bear much fruit and, when affliction and persecution come, to stand firm and rejoice at the great reward that is laid up for those who trust in You; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 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.
THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Lift up your hearts.
C: (Sung) We lift them up unto the Lord.
M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
C: (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lived among us as a human being and revealed his glory as your only Son, full of grace and truth. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
C: (Sung) Holy, holy, holy Lord God of heavenly hosts:
heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he, blessed is he, blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his
disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: (Sung) Amen
O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
C: (Sung) O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us your peace. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS (#383) “Blessed Are They, Forever Blest”
(#336) “Come unto Me, Ye Weary”
THANKSGIVING
SONG OF SIMEON
C: (Sung) Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.
M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
C: (Sung) And his mercy endures forever.
M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this holy supper. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in
the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: 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 (#758-S) “Blest Are They”
VERSE OF THE DAY:
During the week memorize and think about this verse of the day:
The Lord will watch over
your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
(Psalm 121:8)
SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY February 16, 2025
THE SCHEDULE
Tues., Feb. 18 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study
7 p.m., Church Council Meeting
Wed., Feb. 19 6:30 p.m., Catechism Class
Thurs., Feb. 20 6 p.m., Fishers Youth Group
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
BOWLING WITH FISHERS: Fishers would like to invite the congregation to some bowling on Sunday, Feb. 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. Be ready to bowl or join the fun as spectators and cheerleaders. We have 6 lanes reserved.
MEDITATIONS entitled “Point Me Heavenward” have arrived with daily devotions for March 2 through May 31. Large print editions are also available. Feel free to take additional copies of either version to share.
MUSIC AND JESUS (MAJ) is an entertaining opportunity to connect with Christian friends, grow in your faith and perform on stage or in the band. Kids MAJ is a day camp for youth in grades 2-8, and Teen MAJ is an overnight retreat for teens in grades 8-13. The weekend ends with a high-energy performance for family and friends. The retreat also includes team-building activities, faith-deepening devotions and much more. For more information and to register online, visit www.musicandjesus.org. See the West bulletin board for fliers. Contact Julie Gutknecht for Fishers grants to cover the fees for any of our youth participating.
TRAVEL WITH WELS GROUPS: Interested in traveling with other members of our WELS faith family where daily devotion and Christian fellowship are integral parts of the itinerary? The OWLS (WELS Seniors group) is partnering with Father’s World Tours to offer two upcoming trips. Spend time with MLC Professor Emeritus Jim Pope in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, May 10-16. Explore the history of London, Normandy and Paris, June 8 to 25 with MLC professors Pete Baganz, Paul Koelpin, and Keith Wessel. Registration closes March 14. Visit www.fathersworldtours.com or contact Steve Balza (steve@fathersworldtours.com or 507-217-1731) for full details. See West Bulletin board for more information.
BLOODMOBILE: Our first Red Cross Bloodmobile will be on March 21, 2025, please spread the word so we can fill all the time slots. A listing is on the island in the narthex with available openings or contact Julie Durr or Julie Gutknecht who will help with the registration. The date already appears on the Red Cross website so you can also register there for a specific time
LWMS BUS TRIP TO TULSA: The Minnesota Valley LWMS circuit is hosting a bus trip to the Tulsa OK convention in June.
The 5-day trip leaves Minnesota on June 25, returning after the 2025 convention on June 30. See the west bulletin board for details and registration information.
AREA YOUTH GATHERINGS: “My5” is inviting all youth from 8th through 12th grades to fun, opportunities for faith building and fellowship. Mark your calendars for the next three events to meet at Cross Lutheran-Rockford: Feb. 23, March 23 and April 27, all beginning at 6 p.m.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, Feb. 9 69
Personal Devotions?
Consider using the prayers and readings from each Sunday’s worship bulletin during your daily personal/family devotions—
–“Prayer of the Day”
–“Prayer of the Church”
–Re-read God’s Word and reflect upon it and how it applies to you.
–Review the sermon theme and text and its applications for you.
Personal Preparation for Holy Communion
Q: What does God tell me about myself in his holy Word?
A: He says that I am a sinner and deserve only his punishment.
Q: What should I do if I am not aware of my sins or am not troubled by them?
A: I should examine myself according to the Ten Commandments and ask how well I have carried out my responsibilities as a husband or wife or single person, as a parent or child, an employer or employee, a teacher or student. Have I loved God with all my heart, gladly heard his Word, and patiently endured affliction? Have I been disobedient, proud, or unforgiving? Have I been selfish, lazy, envious, or quarrelsome? Have I lied or deceived, taken something not mine, or given anyone a bad name? Have I abused my body or permitted indecent thoughts to linger in my mind? Have I failed to do what is right and good?
Q: When I realize that I have sinned against God and deserve his punishment, what should I do?
A: I will confess before God all my sins, those which I remember as well as those of which I am unaware. I will pray to God for his mercy and forgiveness.
Q: How do I receive his gracious forgiveness?
A: His Word assures me that Jesus led a pure and holy life for me and died on the cross for me to pay the full price for all my sins. Through faith in Jesus, I have been clothed in my Savior’s perfect righteousness and holiness.
Q: What further assurance do I have that Jesus is mine and I am his?
A: In Holy Communion he gives me his body and blood together with the bread and wine as a truly life-giving food and drink to unite me with him and my fellow believers. By means of this sacrament, Jesus not only forgives my sins but sweeps away all my doubts about his love for me, gives me his own strength to live a God-pleasing life, and grants me a joyful foretaste of heaven.
Q: How can I be sure that I receive all these blessings in the Lord’s Supper?
A: I have his own word spoken as his last will and testament on the night before he died. There he tells me: “Take and eat; this is my body. Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Q: How will I respond to this priceless gift from Jesus?
A: I will daily thank and praise him for his love to me. With his help I will fight temptation, do my best to correct whatever wrongs I have done, and serve him and those around me with love and good works.
