FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT March 30, 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 Worship

Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and sing your praise. 

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Beginning on Page 38 in the Hymnal.

HYMN (#397) “Just As I Am, Without One Plea”

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 OF THE DAY

M: Let us pray: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, you receive us as your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge your merciful goodness, give thanks for all your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience; 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 Isaiah 12:1-6

12 In that day you will say: I will give thanks to you, Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away, and you comfort me. ²Surely God is my salvation. I will trust him and will not be afraid, because Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. ³ Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ In that day you will say: Give thanks to the Lord! Proclaim his name. Declare among the peoples what he has done. Proclaim that his name is exalted! ⁵ Sing to the Lord, for he has done amazing things! Let this be known in all the earth! ⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, daughter of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is great among you!                  (EHV)

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 32 (page 78)

SECOND LESSON Romans 8:1-10

8 So then, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³ Indeed, what the law was unable to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, God did, when he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin. God condemned sin in his flesh, ⁴ so that the righteous decree of the law would be fully satisfied in us who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. ⁵ To be sure, those who are in harmony with the sinful flesh think about things the way the sinful flesh does, and those in harmony with the spirit think about things the way the spirit does. ⁶ Now, the way the sinful flesh thinks results in death, but the way the spirit thinks results in life and peace. ⁷ For the mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot. ⁸ Those who are in the sinful flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the sinful flesh but in the spirit, if indeed God’s Spirit lives in you. And if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person does not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but your spirit is alive because of righteousness.         (EHV)

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY

M: There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.    (Luke 15:10)

GOSPEL Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

15 All the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to hear him. ² But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ³ He told them this parable:

¹¹ Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all that he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his wealth with reckless living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He would have liked to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, and I am dying from hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 

²⁰ “He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, hugged his son, and kissed him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate. ²⁵ “His older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ²⁷ The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here! Your father killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹ “He answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I’ve been serving you, and I never disobeyed your command, but you never gave me even a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours arrived after wasting your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ “The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’”           (EHV)

M: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN OF THE DAY (#379) “Amazing Grace-How Sweet the Sound”

SERMON TEXT Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

SERMON THEME “Grace of the Father”

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 (#384) “By Grace I’m Saved”

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For contrition over our sin and joy in confession and absolution, that God would give us a proper knowledge of the evil we have done and deal with us according to His steadfast love, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the baptized who have left the faith and departed the household of God, that God would lead them to repentance; and for their parents, grandparents and others who mourn their departure, that God would preserve these in faithful patience to wait and pray, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those in need of mercy, healing and help, including _____________, that the Lord would deliver them according to His will and remind them of the day when sorrow and sickness will be no more, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and 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.

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 (#446) “I Am Trusting You, Lord Jesus”

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT March 30, 2025

THE SCHEDULE   

Tues., April 1 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study

Wed., April 2 5-6:30 p.m., Soup Supper

7 p.m., Lenten Service

Thurs., April 3 6:30 p.m., Catechism Class

Next Sunday, April 6, Greeters:  Jencks Family

Flowers: The flowers on the narthex table are in memory of Richard Liefert who moved on to his eternal home March 30, 2024.

OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS

LENTEN SERVICE:  The theme for this year is “Kyrie Eleison,” drawn from the Penitential Psalms. On Wednesday Pastor Christopher Oehlke will preach on Psalm 130, “We Repent—With Awe at God’s Greatness.” The Benzers and Bakkes are again hosting the Soup Suppers from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Consider lending a helping hand with the weekly clean-up. 

FISHERS PROJECT:  Fishers will meet at 2 p.m. on Sun,, April 6, to assemble tray favors for our Palm Sunday Breakfast.

BLOODMOBILE: The American Red Cross sent a thank you, noting we had 34 donors. (There were 6 first-time donors and 18 type O donors). Since we value your opinion, please talk to Julie Durr about whether we should make this a regular event.

EASTER GARDEN: We will again offer an opportunity to help decorate the church for Easter. If you would like to purchase a plant (or two), there are pink sign-up sheets on the counter in the narthex. For $10 each, a plant will be placed “In Memory/Honor of” on a bulletin insert (and then after Easter, the plant will be yours to take). While we can’t be specific, there will be a variety of Easter Lily, Asiatic Lily, hyacinth, daffodil and tulip plants. Deadline to order will be March 30.

ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE: 

Sunday, March 23 73

Wednesday, March 26 45

FOR THE LORD’S WORK: March 23: General Fund-$1,358; Salem-$2.