| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – We Three Kings of Orient Are
We three kings of Orient are: Bearing gifts we traverse afar— Field and fountain, moor and mountain— Following yonder star. Refrain
Refrain: Oh, star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain: Gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign. Refrain
Frankincense to offer have I, Incense owns a Diety nigh; Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship Him, God on high. Refrain
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering gloom— Sorr’wing, sighing, bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Refrain
Glorious now behold Him arise: King and God and Sacrifice; Alleluia, Alleluia! Earth to the heav’n replies. Refrain
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father, C: who called Abram and promised him and his heirs a land flowing with milk and honey; P: and of Jesus, His Son, C: who was offered once for all as a sacrifice for our sins; P: and of the Holy Spirit, C: who calls people through Word and Sacrament to believe in Jesus and a gives them a place to live beyond all imagination. Amen.
Opening Sentences - Colossians 1:15–20 P: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. C: For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. P: And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. C: And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. P: For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, C: and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. Confession and Absolution P: Let us confess our sins to God our Father. C: Most merciful God, I confess that I am by nature sinful and unclean. I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. P: Do you recognize the truth—that you have not loved God with your whole heart nor loved your neighbor as yourself? C: I confess that I have failed to keep the two great commandments by what I have done and what we have failed to do. Heavenly Father, I don’t deserve Your forgiveness, but ask for it because of the greatest love shown at the cross. P: Hear the great news: God has used two common earthly elements—water and blood—to forgive your sins and make you His very own. Through the cross of Christ and the blood of Jesus shed there, and because you have been baptized, I forgive you all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Thank You, Lord, for revealing Your mercy and grace to me on this great day of Epiphany. P: Lord Jesus, thank You for shedding Your blood and giving us the waters of Holy Baptism, C: by which You sacrificed Your life for ours and made us a part of Your family forever. Amen.
+ Word +
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Almighty God, on this day of Epiphany, we ask that You would shine forth upon our hearts, that we may be renewed by Your grace; this we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who with You and the Holy Spirit is one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – Isaiah 60:1–6 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Ephesians 3:1–12 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Matthew 2:1-12 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the second chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
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.
Children’s Hymn – I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (LSB 411)
I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus. Refrain
Refrain: In Him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God. I want to look at Jesus. Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path, And show me the way to the Father. Refrain
Children’s Message – Pastor Scott
Hymn of the Day – As with Gladness Men of Old (LSB 397)
As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright; So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led by Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped, Savior, to Thy lowly bed, There to bend the knee before Thee, whom heav’n and earth adore; So may we with willing feet Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
As they offered gifts most rare At Thy cradle, rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin’s alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heav’nly King.
Holy Jesus, ev’ry day Keep us in the narrow way; And when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
In the heav’nly country bright Need they no created light; Thou its light, its joy, its crown, Thou its sun which goes not down; There forever may we sing Alleluias to our King.
Sermon
Offering
Offertory
Prayers + Celebrating birthdays this week: 8 – Pat Price; 10 – Norma Bentzinger, David Williams, Sophia Lane
Special Celebrations and Needs: + Church family members: Carol Froesel, dealing with back issues; Sue DeFosset, undergoing knee replacement surgery 12/31; Shirley Williams, in rehab at Laclede Groves; Paul Schultz, in hospice; Sherman Moore; Sharon Gaal, recovering from surgery; Ken Kight + Friends of our congregation: Linda Teaters, upon the death of her father; Christine Neuman, mother of Ally Philpot, for healing; Judy Lubben, recovering from surgery; Karen, extended family member of Valerie Wehmueller, diagnosed with cancer; Barbara Huggins, in rehab + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jane Keathley, Vicki Lucas, Cindy Smith, Shirley Williams
+ Sacrament +
Preface P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the long-awaited prophet and Savior, the Holy One who has destroyed the power of the devil and gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation by His sacrifice on the cross. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Prayer of Thanksgiving P: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, 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. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
The Words of Our Lord P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Proclamation of Christ P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer 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.
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.
Distribution
Distribution Hymn – Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray (LSB 623)
Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly pray That we may feast on You today; Beneath these forms of bread and wine Enrich us with Your grace divine.
Give us, who share this wondrous food, Your body broken and Your blood, The grateful peace of sins forgiv’n, The certain joys of heirs of heav’n.
By faith Your Word has made us bold To seize the gift of love retold; All that You are we here receive, And all we are to You we give.
One bread, one cup, one body, we, Rejoicing in our unity, Proclaim Your love until You come To bring Your scattered loved ones home.
Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly pray: O keep us steadfast till that day When each will be Your welcomed guest In heaven’s high and holy feast.
Blessing
Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. Lord Jesus, we give You thanks for this Meal of Your all-availing sacrifice of Your true body and blood on the cross. Continue to reveal Yourself to us through Your Word and Spirit until that great day comes when we join You at the marriage feast of the Lamb in Your kingdom, which will have no end. This we ask in Your name, who with the Father and Holy Spirit is one God, yesterday, today, and forever. C: Amen.
Benediction P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace. C: Amen.
Closing Hymn – Thy Word Is a Lamp (AGPS 247)
Refrain: Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet And a light unto my path. (repeat)
When I feel afraid, think I’ve lost my way, Still You’re there right beside me, And nothing will I fear, as long as You are near. Please be near me to the end. Refrain
I will not forget Your love for me and yet My heart forever is wandering. Jesus, be my guide and hold me to Your side, And I will love You to the end. Refrain
Postlude
+ + +
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Communion – Mike Toney & Seminary Student Lector – Beth Nicolaus Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck Ushers – Sandy Barbercheck, Jeanne Lipinski, Ken Clark, Jack Hurley Greeters – Greg & Karen Frimel | 
