FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT March 15, 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 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 (#15) “Hark, A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding”
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 OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ, by your almighty power you opened the eyes of the blind and showed yourself to them. Turn our eyes away from worthless things, and lead us to love you sincerely; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 42:14-21
14 I have been silent for a long time. I have kept still. I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman giving birth, I will scream.
I will gasp and pant. 15 I will dry up mountains and hills. I will make all their grass wither. I will turn rivers into islands. I will dry up pools.
16 I will lead the blind on a way they do not know. Along paths they do not know I will direct them. Ahead of them I will turn darkness into light and rough places into level ground. These are the things I will accomplish for them. I will not abandon them. 17 They will be turned back and completely disgraced— those who trust in an idol, those who say to molten images, “You are our gods.” 18 You deaf ones, listen! You blind ones, watch carefully so that you can see! 19 Who is as blind as my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger whom I sent? Who is as blind as my associate, as blind as the servant of the Lord? 20 You, Israel, see many things, but you do not observe. Israel opens his ears, but he does not hear. 21 Because of his own righteousness, the Lord was pleased to make his law great and glorious. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 27 (page 75)
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, 11 and do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness. Instead, expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention the things that are done by people in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible. 14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
GOSPEL John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39
After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:
C: (Sung) Glory be to you, O Lord!
9 As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him. 4 I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.” 6 After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” Jesus told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
13 They brought this man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight.
“He put mud on my eyes,” the man told them. “I washed, and now I see.” 16 Then some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others were saying, “How can a sinful man work such miraculous signs?” There was division among them, 17 so they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
34 They answered him, “You were entirely born in sinfulness! Yet you presume to teach us?” And they threw him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. When he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 “Who is he, sir,” the man replied, “that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him, and he is the very one who is speaking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” and he knelt down and worshipped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, in order that those who do not see will see, and those who do see will become blind.” (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 (#343) “Christ Is the World’s Light”
SERMON TEXT John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39
SERMON THEME “Real Blindness”
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
M: Heavenly Father, you loved the world and gave your Son to liberate us from sin and death by his obedient death on the cross.
C: We confess that without your love we are lost.
M: Lord of the Church, we thank you for the treasure of the gospel. By your Spirit, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
C: Strengthen our determination to do what pleases you,
no matter what the danger or the cost.
M: Let us pray for those who carry a cross in the name of Christ and
face ridicule and persecution for the sake of the kingdom: missionaries and chaplains, young people who stand up for what is right in the face of pressure to do what is wrong, and all who pay a high price for their faith and their values as Christians.
C: By your Spirit, O Lord, grant them patience and endurance.
M: Let us pray for those who carry heavy burdens in life: the sick
and the chronically ill, the depressed and the lonely, those torn
by conflict in personal relationships, those victimized by war and
injustice, and all who face the terrors of life with a heavy heart.
C: Grant them peace, O Lord, and in your mercy, be their
guardian and friend, their comfort and hope.
M: Let us pray for those who care for others: pastors and counselors;
physicians and nurses; social workers and caring friends; all who
feed the hungry, comfort the hurting, and stand beside the dying.
C: Strengthen them in their work, O Lord, and do not let them
become weary in doing good.
Special prayers and intercessions may follow.
M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent prayer.
M: Help us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Keep
us faithful even to the point of death, that we may receive the
crown of life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
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.
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 brought the gift of salvation to all people by his death on the tree of the cross, so that the devil, who overcame us by a tree would in turn by a tree be overcome. 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 (#121) “Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing” (#379) “Amazing Grace—How Sweet the Sound”
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 (#353) Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”
Growing in Grace
To help apply the sermon text for today, ask yourself these questions:
~ What is the main thing that God teaches me in this passage?
~ What sin does God lead me to confess?
~ For what does God prompt me to give thanks?
~ What action does God want me to take?
Verse of the Day
During the week memorize and think about the verse of the day:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
(Hebrews 12:2)
Remember to Pray–
-For a repentant heart
-For the protection of unborn life
-For first-responders
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT March 15, 2026
THE SCHEDULE
Mon., March 16 7 p.m., Church Council Meeting
Tues., March 17 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study
7 p.m., Choir
Wed., March 18 6:30 p.m., Lenten Service
Thurs., March 19 6:30 p.m., Catechism Class
Next Sunday, March 22, Greeters: Paul Johnson
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
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 sign-up sheets on the island counter in the narthex. For $11 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.
WEST SACRED CONCERT: “God is our refuge and strength” will be the theme for the next West Lutheran High School sacred concert today, March 15, at 2 p.m. featuring Lent and Easter music. West is at 3350 Harbor Lane North in Plymouth.
LENTEN SERVICES: Wednesday evening, March 18, with the theme “It is Finished…The Holy Week Prophecies of Zechariah.”
Please NOTE – Lenten Services will be at 6:30 p.m. this year.
FOOD SHELF: The most recent donations made to benefit the Buffalo Food Shelf totaled 11 pounds plus $20 in cash/checks. Silver-labeled buckets are located in the coat racks in both the upper and lower narthex for this on-going service project with deliveries made monthly.
PASSOVER EVENT–An opportunity to enjoy an interactive, educational, and Christ-centered experience of the Passover. The program begins at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29th at Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church in Rogers. Please RSVP with Pastor Oehlke or go to rglc.org.
FISHERS PALM SUNDAY BREAKFAST: Your Fishers Youth Group invites you to their 33rd annual Palm Sunday Breakfast after the Worship Service on March 29. See insert for details and opportunities.
WEST SUMMER CAMPS: West Lutheran High School is excited to offer a variety of summer camps this year! See the poster and details on the west bulletin board.
WELS GROUP TOUR TO THE ARK: Father’s World Tours and the OWLS (WELS Seniors Group) invite W/ELS members of all ages to an April 17-26 trip to Kentucky. The deluxe motorcoach originates in Minnesota with free parking and pickups offered at WELS churches. Highlights include daily devotions, weekend worship, visits to the Ark Encounter, Creation Museum, and much more. All meals are also included! Registration closes at midnight on the ides of March (3/15). Visit www.fathersworldtours.com or contact Steve Balza at 507-217-1731 for more information or to register. See poster on west bulletin board.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, March 8 54
Wednesday, March 11 65
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: March 8: General Fund-$3,250.60; West-$5; Salem-$7; Fishers-$15; MLC-$5. (Note to consider: General Fund needs about $2,600 per week.) Mission Fund: March 8-$10, March 11-$255; (YTD-$3,825).
