Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (LSB 549)
All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God,
Who from His altar call;
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
+ Preparation +
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C: who made heaven and earth.
P: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination.
P: O almighty God, merciful Father,
C: I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I 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: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.
C: Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
P: For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
C: Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
P: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
C: Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
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: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.
Kyrie
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Gloria in Excelsis
Glory be to God on High,
and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee.
we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heav'nly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And with thy spirit.
P: Let us pray. O God, the Strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully grant that by Your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
First Reading – Genesis 45:3–15
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 15:21–26, 30–42
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Why am I in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
The Baptism of William Jameson Sowers
Greeting and Prayer
Pastor: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
People: Amen.
Pastor: By water and the Spirit we share Christ's death.
People: And through his resurrection we have new life.
Pastor: O almighty and merciful God, we thank and praise you that you extend your Family through this means of grace and that you have called
William Jameson Sowers to be your child through the water of Holy Baptism and the power of your Word. We humbly pray that you would keep him always aware of this covenant of love that you have made with him and nurture the seed of faith you are planting in his heart, that he may faithfully grow to lead a life pleasing to you and, finally, with all your saints obtain the promised inheritance in heaven; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
People: Amen.
The Blessing
William Jameson Sowers, receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead + and upon your heart + as a sign, symbol and seal of God's love for you.
The Lessons
Our Lord commanded baptism, saying to his disciples in the last chapter of Matthew, "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)
Hear also his invitation, "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16)
The Exhortation to Sponsors
Pastor: It is your task to confess with the whole Christian Church our faith in the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - in whose name he is to be baptized.
Moreover, you are at all times to remember him in your prayers, call to his attention his baptism and, as much as you are able, to lend your counsel and support that he may be nurtured in the true knowledge and love of God through Jesus Christ, that he may grow in faith and witness for as long as he lives.
This, then, you intend gladly and willingly to do?
Sponsors: Yes, with the help of God.
Pastor: May God enable you to will and to do this faithful and loving work and with his grace fulfill what we are not able to do.
The Confession of Faith
Pastor: Parents, in obedience to Christ's command and with faith in his promises, you have presented William here today to receive Holy Baptism and all the gifts that God conveys through it. On his behalf, therefore, I ask you to join with me and the rest of this congregation in the confession of the faith in which we baptize.
Do you renounce the devil, all his works and all his ways?
I do renounce him.
Do you believe in God the Father?
Yes, I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son?
Yes, 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 sits at the right hand of God
The Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and dead.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
Yes, 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.
The Rite of Baptism
Who brings this child to be baptized?
We do, his father and mother.
And what have you named him?
William Jameson Sowers
William Jameson Sowers, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given you the new birth of water and of the Spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with his grace to life everlasting.
William, peace be with you. Amen.
Presentation of Baptismal Candle
Receive this burning light to show that you have received Christ who is the Light of the world. Live always in the light of Christ, and be ever watchful for His coming, that you may meet Him with joy and enter with Him into the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which shall have no end.
Presentation to the Congregation
William Jameson Sowers, infant son of James and Johanna Sowers, was born on December 29, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri. Serving as sponsors for William are Cody and Jennifer Farrell.
Closing Prayer
Almighty and most merciful God and Father, we thank and praise You that You graciously preserve and enlarge Your family and have granted William the new birth in Holy Baptism and made him a member of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and an heir of Your heavenly kingdom. We humbly implore You that, as he has now become Your child, You would keep him in his baptismal grace, that according to Your good pleasure he may faithfully grow to lead a godly life to the praise and honor of Your holy name and finally, with all Your saints, obtain the promised inheritance in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Alleluia and Verse
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel – John 9:24-40
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the ninth chapter.
C: Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
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
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.
Children’s Sermon – Pastor Scott
Hymn of the Day – How Great Thou Art (LSB 801)
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed; Refrain
Refrain: Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze; Refrain
But when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in—
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin; Refrain
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!” Refrain
Sermon
Offertory
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence,
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation,
And uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
