THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY January 25, 2026

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 (#380) “Lord, ‘Tis Not that I Did Choose You”

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: Lord God, through the conversion of your apostle Paul, you caused the light of the gospel to shine in all the world. Grant that we may follow his example and be witnesses to the truth that is in 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 Acts 9:1–22

¹Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

¹³“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

¹⁷Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²²Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 67 (page 91)

SECOND LESSON Galatians 1:11–24

¹¹I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹²I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

¹³For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

²¹Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. ²²I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they praised God because of me.

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY

M: Alleluia. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—

of whom I am the worst. Alleluia. (1 Timothy 1:15)

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 Matthew 19:27–30

²⁷Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

M: The Gospel of the Lord.

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

HYMN (#385) “Chief of Sinners Though I Be”

SERMON TEXT Galatians 1:11–24

SERMON THEME “Blinded to be able to see”

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 (#552 vs. 1, 12, 3) “By All Your Saints Still Striving”

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

M: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Mary’s son, in the fullness of 

time you came into our world to save us from sin and death:

C: You ushered in the day of grace so long foretold.

M: Beloved Son of the Father, revered by the Magi, baptized by John,

you came preaching and teaching, healing and comforting, 

forgiving and encouraging:

C: You brought the light of life to those walking in darkness, and 

the joy of salvation to those doomed to death.

M: Prince of Peace, shine like a beacon for us and the people of our

world. Let the good news of salvation be heard in the remotest 

corners of the earth. Open our own lips to speak your name to 

those around us who still live without faith or hope:

C: Arouse us and our missionaries to flood the world with the 

light of your gospel.

M: Lord of the Church, let your peace rule our hearts that we may use

our gifts to serve you and each other in willing gratitude and joy.

Watch over our loved ones near and far, that they may remember

your love and rejoice in your salvation. Strengthen the faith of the 

sick and the disheartened. Give hope to those in despair and

comfort those who mourn:

C: Be gracious to all and lead us to reflect your love in everything

we say and do.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow.

M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.

Silent prayer

M: Finally, bring us and all your believers to the heavenly home where we will stand in the full light of your glory and with all your saints and angels sing the everlasting song of triumph.

C: 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 (# 379) “Amazing Grace—How Sweet the Sound”

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY January 25, 2026

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church

​

​THE SCHEDULE    

Wed, Jan. 26 NO Catechism

Next Sunday, Feb. 1, Greeters: Dixon Family

OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS

THANK YOU to Pastor David Russow for sharing God’s word with us this morning. He serves Anchored-in-Christ-Salem/Cross.

PASTOR’S VACATION: Pastor will be on vacation from Jan. 22-29. In case of emergency, if spiritual care is needed, please reach out to Pastor Paul Schuler at 920-284-0172  or Pastor Dave Russow at 763-923-4749.

ANNUAL VOTERS’ MEETING is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 1 after the worship service. Give prayerful consideration to becoming a voting member and, if asked, to serving your church family in any capacity. 

MLC AUXILIARY: There will be a plate offering this week and next to support the Martin Luther College Auxiliary which helps students with non-budgeted items.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS for 2025 offerings are available in the narthex.