| Prelude Greeting and Welcome Lighting of the Candles Hymn of Invocation – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (LSB 790) Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation! Let all who hear now to His temple draw near, Joining in glad adoration! Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining. Have you not seen all that is needful has been Sent by His gracious ordaining? Praise to the Lord, who has fearfully, wondrously, made you, Health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you. What need or grief ever has failed of relief? Wings of His mercy did shade you. Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you; Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do As with His love He befriends you.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him! All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him! Let the Amen sound from His people again; Gladly forever adore Him! + Preparation + Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit C: Amen. Confession and Absolution P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination. P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. + Word + Introit P: Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge! C: Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! P: Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. All: 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 P: Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge! Kyrie P: In peace let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. C: Amen. This Is the Feast This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Power, riches, wisdom and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation. Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Salutation and Collect of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. O God, our refuge and strength, the author of all godliness, hear the devout prayers of Your Church, especially in times of persecution, and grant that what we ask in faith we may obtain; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. First Reading – Genesis 50:15–21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, ‘Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Epistle – 2 Timothy 4:1-8 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober- minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Alleluia and Verse Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia. Holy Gospel – Matthew 18:21-35 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eighteenth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord. Peter came up and said to [Jesus], “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ. Children’s Hymn – Do Lord! (AGPS 89) Refrain: Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh, do remember me! Look away beyond the blue! You’re my light and my salvation, I won’t be afraid! You’re the stronghold of my life, by You all things were made. Foes attack me, hassle me, but I will never fade, For I move in the strength of the Lord. Refrain Children’s Message – Janet Leet Hymn of the Day – Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice (LSB 556, verses 1-4) Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice, With exultation springing, And with united heart and voice And holy rapture singing, Proclaim the wonders God has done, How His right arm the vict’ry won. What price our ransom cost Him! Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay; Death brooded darkly o’er me. Sin was my torment night and day; In sin my mother bore me. But daily deeper still I fell; My life became a living hell, So firmly sin possessed me. My own good works all came to naught, No grace or merit gaining; Free will against God’s judgment fought, Dead to all good remaining. My fears increased till sheer despair Left only death to be my share; The pangs of hell I suffered. But God had seen my wretched state Before the world’s foundation, And mindful of His mercies great, He planned for my salvation. He turned to me a father’s heart; He did not choose the easy part But gave His dearest treasure.
Sermon Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence 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. Prayers + Celebrating birthdays this week: 17 – Carol Froesel; 18 – Judith Anderson, Sue Shatzman; 19 – Frank Moret; 20 – Emma DeBord; 21 – Abigail Dawdy; 22 – Valerie Wehmueller Special Celebrations and Needs: + Church family members: Jan Hurley, undergoing radiation and chemotherapy; Ken Clark, upon the sudden death of his brother; Sue DeFosset; Ken Kight, battling cancer + Friends of our congregation: Sally, sister of Judy George, recovering from leg surgery; Linda, friend of a member, upon her breast cancer diagnosis; Gary Schouten, cousin of Valerie Wehmueller, fighting kidney cancer; Rebecca Guion, daughter-in-law of Mary Guion, in the hospital + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jerry & Jane Keathley, Jim & Judy Thielker, Shirley Williams | 
