A study of the Easter hymn, Alleluia! Jesus is Risen

Update on Our Services

Dear members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church,

Christ is risen!

That’s our Easter acclamation and the source of our eternal hope. Where Christ is, there He wants us to be.

Here’s an update on our Church services. The Church Council met last night, April 28, to evaluate our options and consider a course of action during this time of health emergency. We will continue to offer only online services for the next two Sundays. The Council plans to meet again on Tuesday, the 12^th of May and reevaluate our plans, considering if we can meet on Sunday, May 17.

Our first gathering at church after this long absence, whether on May 17 or later, will be different. We will likely have a limited attendance -- vulnerable members won’t yet be ready to return to public gatherings. We will be implementing careful, responsible precautions, to keep each other safe. It might be a while before I again shake everyone’s hand. We don’t plan on passing the offering plate through the pews, but you will drop off your offering in a basket or box as you enter or leave. Holy Communion will be distributed with great care. Social distancing has become our shared responsibility.  

Even when we announce the opening of church, each individual will have to determine if they are ready to return. Under normal circumstances, it is sinful to despise and neglect the word and sacraments of the church. That’s what the 3^rd commandment teaches. But during a time of disease and plague, the righteous thing to do may be to stay away from the gathering of the church to protect your health and the the health of others. That’s what the 5^th commandment teaches. I am praying for all of you and the Spirit of God’s help for you to make decisions you’ve probably never had to consider before.

I would like to hear from everyone. Send me a message or give me a call:

1. How are you doing?

2. What thoughts and concerns do you have about when you return to church?

3. Do you have any trouble getting my messages, online services, and studies?

At the time of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army conquered Jerusalem and took Daniel and many others captive. Exiled in Babylon, these people of God were not able to work as they should, social as they wanted or worship as they were taught. Yet God was with them. He protected them from the mouths of lions (Daniel 6) and the flames of the furnace (Daniel 4). God even prospered these his servants in their time of exile such that their unbelieving captors became aware of God’s power and mercy. King Nebuchadnezzar himself through the witness of Daniel and the others, learned to call on God, praising him this way, “his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.”

Let’s pray for a similar conversion in our day.

O God of power and mercy, You kept Daniel and his friends safe in their time of exile and distress. So we pray you to watch over your people here and scattered throughout the world. Protect us in this time of pestilence. We plead for your mercy to bring a swift end to this pandemic. Prosper our work and our economy. But above all we pray that in this time of testing you would work repentance in the hearts of people everywhere, that they would turn from their sins and look to you for deliverance from all evil, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

Pastor Ron Koch

Ronnie.l.koch@gmail.com

319-269-2220

http://stpaulfburg.blogspot.com/

Sunday School for the 3rd Sunday of Easter

Third Sunday of Easter

Manuscript for the 3rd Sunday of Easter

489 HAIL THEE, FESTIVAL DAY

ref Hail thee, festival day!
Blest day to be hallowed forever;
Day when our Lord was raised,
Breaking the kingdom of death.

1  All the fair beauty of earth
From the death of the winter arising!
Ev’ry good gift of the year
Now with its master returns: Refrain

2     Rise from the grave now, O Lord,
The author of life and creation.
Treading the pathway of death,
New life You give to us all: Refrain

3 God the Almighty, the Lord,
The ruler of earth and the heavens,
Guard us from harm without;
Cleanse us from evil within: Refrain

4 Jesus, the health of the world,
Creator of all and redeemer,
Son of the Father supreme,
Only-begotten of God: Refrain

6 Praise to the giver of good!
O Lover and Author of concord,
Pour out Your balm on our days;
Order our ways in Your peace: Refrain

Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: CPH Limited Promotional License no. 119000000

L O Lord, open my lips,

C and my mouth will declare Your praise.

L Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C make haste to help me, O Lord.

C 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. Alleluia.

Psalm 23 ;

¹The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
²He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

John 10:11–16

¹¹[Jesus said:] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

RESPONSORY LSB 221

L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

SERMON

Our Shepherd Knows, Loves and Calls Us

John 10:14-16

In our Gospel reading for this morning, Jesus says,   "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14 16) This is our text.

Three things to hear in this Gospel reading are:

1. Our Shepherd knows us.

2. Our Shepherd loves us. And

3. Our Shepherd calls us.

I. Jesus, the Good Shepherd Knows us His sheep.

He says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

Jesus contrasts the Good Shepherd with a hired man who cares nothing about the sheep.  The hired man has a job to do and the sheep are it.  He doesn’t care about them anymore than the money he is to earn by tending them.  The Good Shepherd knows them.

Jesus said earlier that the Good Shepherd “calls his own sheep by name.”  A shepherd who cares about his sheep probably has some pet names for them.  

Psalms 50:10 11  for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.  That verse has always been a special one for me.  It shows the wisdom, the omniscience of God.  Think of all these cattle: dots on one hill after another.  How can anyone know each of them?  Some of us who can’t appreciate the finer points of animal husbandry, might ask “Why would anyone want to know each of them?  You seen one cow you seen ‘em all.  Seen one sheep you’ve seen ‘em all.”

But God knows each beast, each bird. So God knows each human.  God knows each one of us.  He knows us by name.  As God told Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”  God knows you.

There are 7.8 billion people in the world.  That’s not an easy number to grasp.  You are just one out of 7.8 Billion.  But God is big enough and wise enough and knowing enough to know you, to know you by name.  He is loving enough to notice you.  He loves you so much that He can pick you out of the crowd.  He loves you so much that if you were the only one, he still would have sent His Son to the cross to redeem you.

Which brings us to the second point,

2. Our Shepherd loves us.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd “lays down His life for His sheep.” With these words, Jesus defines what it means to be the Good Shepherd.  He said: Greater love has no man than this that He lay down His life for His friends.  

Love for Jesus means this sacrificial, self-giving love.  It’s a love that seems foolish to our foolish minds.  Imagine how foolish that a shepherd would be so attached to His sheep that He would risk His own life to save them from the bear or the wolf or the cliff.  But this is what the Good Shepherd does.

 Imagine the Son of God, who with His Father and the Holy Spirit, creates a world and fills it with people, and they like sheep, go astray, turning against Him despising Him and His designs. They work against His plans.  They disobey His commands.  And He in turn gives up His life for them.  

Seems foolish doesn’t it.  But nevertheless it is the wisdom of God. The true glory of God is in the cross and sacrificial death of Jesus the Good Shepherd of the sheep.  

3. Our Good Shepherd calls us.

Can you picture the scene of the Shepherd out in the field with His sheep. Calling them with familiar voice to a better pasture, a smoother flowing stream. The Shepherd calls the sheep to guide them out of trouble, out of harm’s way,  to guide them to the safety of the sheepfold.  

So Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls His chosen ones out of the world, into His flock.  Out of the great mass of humanity the voice of the Good Shepherd calls the ones He chooses by name, they hear His voice and they come in His direction.  

Thank God that He doesn’t just say, “Seen one sheep, seen ‘em all.”  He knows each sheep.  He knows you.  

Your Shepherd calls for you. He calls and says, “I am your Good Shepherd.  You have nothing else to want. I am leading you to pleasant pastures and clear waters. I am restoring your soul. When you must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will be with you, to protect you and guide you with my goodness and mercy and I will have you dwell with me in my house forever. Amen.

+ PRAYER +

KYRIE LSB 227

C Lord, have mercy;

Christ, have mercy;

Lord, have mercy.

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.

COLLECTS

L O Lord, hear my prayer.

C And let my cry come to You.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

COLLECT IN TIME OF PESTILENCE

O God, You desire not the death of sinners, but rather that we turn from our wickedness and live. Graciously behold Your people who plead to You, and spare us. Withdraw the scourge of Your wrath and be moved in mercy to turn away this pestilence from us; for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

COLLECT FOR GRACE

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

BENEDICAMUS LSB 228

L Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

BENEDICTION LSB 228

P The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C Amen.

710 THE LORD’S MY SHEPHERD, I’LL NOT WANT

1 The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;

    He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
    The quiet waters by.

2 My soul He doth restore again
    And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
    E’en for His own name’s sake.

3 Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
    Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
    And staff me comfort still.

4 My table Thou hast furnishèd
    In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
    And my cup overflows.

5 Goodness and mercy all my life
    Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore
    My dwelling place shall be.

Text: Public domain

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Matins from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.

He's Risen, He's Risen

Please sing along.

Sunday School for the Second Sunday of Easter

Second Sunday in Easter

Text of the 2nd Sunday of Easter

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

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.

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 In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C Amen.

KYRIE LSB 152

A In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

A For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

A 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.

A For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy.

A Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C Amen.

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

PSALM Psalm 33

¹Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
²Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
³Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
⁵He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

⁶By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
⁷He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
⁹For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
¹¹The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
¹²Blessèd is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

¹³The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;
¹⁴from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
¹⁶The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
¹⁷The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
¹⁹that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
²¹For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
²²Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,  even as we hope in you.

HOLY GOSPEL

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the twentieth chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

¹⁹On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

²⁴Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

²⁶Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

471 O SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KING

ref Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

1 O sons and daughters of the King,
Whom heav’nly hosts in glory sing,
Today the grave has lost its sting!
    Alleluia!

2 That Easter morn, at break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
    Alleluia!

3 An angel clad in white they see,
Who sits and speaks unto the three,
“Your Lord will go to Galilee.”
    Alleluia!

4 That night the_apostles met in fear;
Among them came their master dear
And said, “My peace be with you here.”
    Alleluia!

5 When Thomas first the tidings heard
That they had seen the risen Lord,
He doubted the disciples’ word.
    Alleluia!

6 “My piercèd side, O Thomas, see,
And look upon My hands, My feet;
Not faithless but believing be.”
    Alleluia!

7 No longer Thomas then denied;
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
“You are my Lord and God!” he cried.
    Alleluia!

8 How blest are they who have not seen
And yet whose faith has constant been,
For they eternal life shall win.
    Alleluia!

9 On this most holy day of days
Be laud and jubilee and praise:
To God your hearts and voices raise.
    Alleluia! Refrain

Text and tune: Public domain

John 20:23

If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.

So that’s the first thing Jesus talks with His disciples about after He rose from the dead.

Clearly, that wasn’t the thing that was foremost on the minds of the disciples.

They were thinking about the Jews. Would the rulers of the Jews be coming for them next, now that the Leader of their little band had been taken out, would the Jews be rounding up His disciples next?

They were thinking about the Romans. The government had for years enforced some overbearing and just plain mean policies. What would happen next? What were these 11 men to do

They must have been thinking about their future. “We’ve left everything to follow you!” Some of the disciples had once told Jesus. Now they had to figure out what they were going to do for a living, and a future for themselves and their families.

And overarching all their thoughts was fear. Fear of the times, fear of the unknown, fear of their enemies, fear of failure, fear of shame.

Well, Jesus addressed that fear right off the bat, “Peace be with you.”

But then he wasted no time with all the nitty gritty specifics of what they were worried about, what dangers lay ahead, how they were going to get the money to meet their needs.

He got right to his point and his point was this: “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

That’s the point of their future as His disciples and apostles. That’s the point of the Church as it was being founded around them and their preaching. That’s the point of the cross. Jesus was God’s answer and solution to the problem of our race’s sin. That bloody death was because of our sin and it was the salvation of us sinners.

Now the only really pressing matter for Jesus to bring up to His disciples in that locked room, was sin and forgiveness. That’s the point.

He died and rose again for just that point. Now He wants His disciples to take that forgiveness to all the world. That’s the point.

Dear Christian, you’ve got all kinds of things on your mind. What’s going on in this world? What’s next? Is this all real? Is this worth the alarm? What should I be doing today so I’m ready for whatever might come tomorrow? When can I again do the things I’m supposed to do and want to do?

Slow down for a moment and listen. The Lord is with you. And here’s what he wants you to do. Repent of your sins. Acknowledge your sinful nature, your inability to be perfect and please him. Have some sorrow for your selfish and wicked thoughts, words and actions; for what you’ve done and for what you have left undone.

Then, trust the forgiveness of your sins won for you at Jesus cross. Hear Jesus’ words, If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; What happened here on earth on Good Friday has heavenly and eternal results. So likewise what happens to you here and now when you listen to and believe Jesus’ words of forgiveness has heavenly and eternal results. He says, your sins are forgiven. They are forgiven. Above all else, Jesus wants you to think on, remember, believe and trust that point.

Psalm 33, appointed for today, says this:

13  The Lord looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

14  from where he sits enthroned he looks out

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

When things get chaotic and feel so out of control, it makes us think God isn’t involved or able to help. Not so, says the Bible. He looks down on us children of man. He sees our works, he hears our words, he knows our attitudes.

He sees our sins and desires that we seek forgiveness.

Psalm 33 continues:

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
¹⁹that he may deliver their soul from death

As Jesus came to find His disciples with words of peace and forgiveness, so He finds His people today. The ongoing apostolic mission we have and hold dear is the same: Sins are forgiven. That’s what Jesus wants, for me, for you and for all.

Psalm 33 concludes:

²⁰Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
²¹For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
²²Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

Amen.

APOSTLES’ CREED

C 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 T everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Almighty God, You desire that we sinners confess our sins and seek your gracious forgiveness. Hear our prayers for mercy for Jesus’ sake. Strengthen our faith, drive out our worries and fears, even as we are not gathering to worship you as we should. We pray for your intervention into this world wide pestilence, that we may be set free soon.  Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Gracious God, Your Son appeared to His disciples in His resurrected flesh to ordain them and to send them out into the world, that repentance and the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name. Continue to raise up for us faithful men to serve in the Office of the Holy Ministry, and bless their service among Your people who, with St. Thomas, confess Jesus as their Lord and God. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Merciful God, remember those who have wandered from the household of faith. Faithful to Your promises, work all things in their lives to remind them of their need for Your unending grace and steadfast love, that they might return to the faith and rejoice in Your Son who has died and is risen for them. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Almighty God, You appoint rulers and officials for the sake of order and peace. Bless those whom You have placed in authority over us at the federal, state and local levels. Give to them the desire to serve with integrity and honor, and to work for the benefit of all. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Gracious God, look with mercy upon all who suffer in this vale of tears especially Paul, the Father of Dennis Schwake who is struggling with the effects of  a stroke, Mary Lantow, who was hospitalized last week, the family of Cheryl Schwake at the passing of her brother-in-law Dan, our shutins who in isolation: Marge, Bernice, Spencer, Florence, Vivian and Janiece’s father, Don; and all others whom we name in our heart.  Provide them with loving and compassionate care, and comfort them with the reminder that everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world, and that, believing that Jesus is the Christ, they have life in His name. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

Lord’s Prayer

BENEDICTION LSB 166

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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.