| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Jesus Sinners Doth Receive (LSB 609)
Jesus sinners doth receive; Oh, may all this saying ponder Who in sin’s delusions live And from God and heaven wander! Here is hope for all who grieve: Jesus sinners doth receive.
We deserve but grief and shame, Yet His words, rich grace revealing, Pardon, peace, and life proclaim; Here our ills have perfect healing. Firmly in these words believe: Jesus sinners doth receive.
Sheep that from the fold did stray No true shepherd e’er forsaketh; Weary souls that lost their way Christ, the Shepherd, gently taketh In His arms that they may live: Jesus sinners doth receive.
I, a sinner, come to Thee With a penitent confession. Savior, mercy show to me; Grant for all my sins remission. Let these words my soul relieve: Jesus sinners doth receive.
Oh, how blest it is to know: Were as scarlet my transgression, It shall be as white as snow By Thy blood and bitter passion; For these words I now believe: Jesus sinners doth receive.
Now my conscience is at peace; From the Law I stand acquitted. Christ hath purchased my release And my ev’ry sin remitted. Naught remains my soul to grieve: Jesus sinners doth receive.
Jesus sinners doth receive; Also I have been forgiven; And when I this earth must leave, I shall find an open heaven. Dying, still to Him I cleave: Jesus sinners doth receive.
Opening Sentences – Psalm 51:15; 70:1 P: O Lord, open my lips, C: and my mouth will declare Your praise. P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me; C: make haste to help me, O Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Praise to You, O Christ, Lamb of our salvation.
Collect of the Day P: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, Your Son has cleansed us with His precious blood, forgiven all our sin, and revived our spirits in hope. Look upon us in compassion, and restore to us the joy of our salvation, that we no more may suffer the lament of our souls in despair. Keep us, through the comfort of the Holy Spirit, from anxiety and uncertainty amid the trials and troubles of this mortal life, and deliver us into Your perfect peace on high; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading - Ezekiel 37:1–14 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Second Reading – Romans 8:1–11 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Catechism – The Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer P: What is the Third Petition? C: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. P: What does this mean? C: The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. P: How is God’s will done? C: God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.
Gospel – Matthew 25:14–30 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn – Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart (LSB 806)
Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son. (sing twice)
And now let the weak say “I am strong,” Let the poor say “I am rich,” Because of what the Lord has done for us. (sing twice)
Give thanks, give thanks.
Sermon
Hymn – When Peace, like a River (LSB 763)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way; When sorrows, like sea billows, roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain: It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate And hath shed His own blood for my soul. Refrain
He lives—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain
And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend; Even so it is well with my soul. Refrain
Versicles P: Hear my prayer, O Lord; C: let my cry come to You. P: In the day of my trouble I call upon You, C: for You answer me. P: Hide Your face from my sins, C: and blot out all my iniquities. P: Create in me a clean heart, O God, C: and renew a right spirit within me. P: Cast me not away from Your presence, C: and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. P: Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, C: and uphold me with a willing spirit. P: Because Your steadfast love is better than life, C: my lips will praise You. P: For You have been my help, C: and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. P: Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; C: unite my heart to fear Your name. P: I give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, C: and I will glorify Your name forever. P: May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You. C: May those who love Your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” P: Save Your people and bless Your heritage! C: Be their shepherd and carry them forever. P: Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; C: listen to my plea for grace.
Prayers P: Let us pray. Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. P: Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church. Abide with us at the end of the day, at the end of our life, at the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your holy Word and Sacraments, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair, the night when death draws near. Abide with us and with all the faithful, now and forever. C: Amen. P: Heavenly Father, ruler of all things and generous with mercy to all who call upon You, Your Son granted healing and relief to many who came to Him in their need. Mercifully come to the aid of Your servants for whom we pray now, that in accord with Your will, they may be restored to health and given patience for the day of their trouble and hope at the last, until with a thankful heart they rejoice in Your presence with saints and angels in perfect healing; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen.
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Benedicamus P: Let us bless the Lord C: Thanks be to God.
Blessing P: The Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. C: Amen.
Hymn – Now the Light Has Gone Away (LSB 887)
Now the light has gone away; Father, listen while I pray, Asking Thee to watch and keep And to send me quiet sleep.
Jesus, Savior, wash away All that has been wrong today; Help me ev’ry day to be Good and gentle, more like Thee.
Let my near and dear ones be Always near and dear to Thee; O bring me and all I love To Thy happy home above.
Now my evening praise I give; Thou didst die that I might live. All my blessings come from Thee; Oh, how good Thou art to me!
Thou, my best and kindest Friend, Thou wilt love me to the end. Let me love Thee more and more, Always better than before.
Postlude
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas Pianist – Janet Leet Sound/Video – Tony Petzoldt | 
