Fourth Sunday in Lent 3/30/2025
THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
MARCH 30, 2025
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FALLS CHURCH, VA
✠ ✠ ✠
PRELUDE In the Cross of Christ I Glory Setting: Lynn L Petersen
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN (Stand) Come To Calvary’s Holy Mountain LSB 435
1 Come to Calv’ry’s holy mountain,
Sinners, ruined by the fall;
Here a pure and healing fountain
Flows for you, for me, for all,
In a full, perpetual tide,
Opened when our Savior died.
2 Come in poverty and meanness,
Come defiled, without, within;
From infection and uncleanness,
From the leprosy of sin,
Wash your robes and make them white;
Ye shall walk with God in light.
3 Come in sorrow and contrition,
Wounded, impotent, and blind;
Here the guilty, free remission,
Here the troubled, peace may find.
Health this fountain will restore;
They that drink shall thirst no more.
4 They that drink shall live forever;
’Tis a soul-renewing flood.
God is faithful; God will never
Break His covenant of blood,
Signed when our Redeemer died,
Sealed when He was glorified.
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
8:00 SERVICE
BAPTISMAL DESCRIPTION
PRESENTATION FOR BAPTISM
QUESTION TO PARENTS AND SPONSORS
PROFESSION OF FAITH (Addressed to all)
Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil and all his empty promises?
I do.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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 the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
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.
✠ THE BAPTISM ✠
Morgan Robert Kruszon
(Son of Edward and Sarah Kruszon)
PRAYER, SIGN OF THE CROSS, PRESENTATION OF THE CANDLE
WELCOME BY THE CONGREGATION
We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you as a fellow member of the body of Christ, a child of the same heavenly Father, and worker with us in the kingdom of God.
8:00 & 10:30 SERVICES
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
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.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
(We kneel and reflect on our need before God)
O almighty God, merciful Father,
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.
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.
Amen.
INTROIT (Stand)
Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and `merciful,
Slow to anger and abounding in `steadfast love.
Jesus said: If any man would come `after me,
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and `follow me.
Christ was wounded for our `transgressions;
He was bruised for our `iniquities.
KYRIE
HYMN OF PRAISE (omitted during Lent)
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Isaiah 12:1-6
You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.
“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
8:00 ANTHEM Jubilation Choir By Gracious Powers
Music: Russell Schulz-Widmar Text: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
By gracious pow’rs so wonderfully sheltered, and confidently waiting, come what may,
we know that God is with us night and morning, and never fails to greet us each new day.
Yet is this heart by its old foe tormented, still evil days bring burdens hard to bear;
O give our frightened souls the sure salvation for which, O Lord, you taught us to prepare.
And when this cup you give is filled to brimming with bitter suff’ring hard to understand,
we take it thankfully and without trembling out of so good and so beloved a hand.
Yet when again in this same world you give us the joy we had, the brightness of your Sun, we shall remember all the days we lived through, and our whole life shall then be yours alone.
10:30 PSALM 32 (Sung responsively)
Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
Blessèd is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
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.
SECOND LESSON 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
10:30 CHILDREN’S SERMON
GOSPEL VERSE (Stand) from One and All Rejoice
O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
GOSPEL Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke the 15th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable:
“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
The Gospel lesson just read is certainly one of the great texts in all of scripture. The story Jesus tells connects with us both intellectually and emotionally and gives us many important messages to think about.
Throughout today’s sermon I’ll be referencing this story. But first I’d like us to notice something about the epistle lesson that the church has paired with it. Second Corinthians chapter five, which we read as our second lesson today, highlights the importance of reconciliation. And certainly this is a topic which the church would like us to explore through this pairing.
In the short section of Second Corinthians which we read, Paul uses various forms of the word “reconciliation” five different times. He tells us how God has reconciled us and the world to himself in Christ, and he shares how God has given his people both the ministry and the message of reconciliation.
Our English word “reconciliation” comes from a Latin word meaning “brought together.” Reconciliation brings together people who were formerly separated, restoring them to a good relationship. In today’s Gospel reading, a father and his son are restored to a good relationship after a time of hurtful separation.
Interestingly, the Greek word for “reconciliation” comes from a root word that simply means “change.” Reconciliation marks the change from a bad relationship back into a good one.
And this word origin can remind us of two very important points. First, like change, reconciliation is rarely easy, for there’s always some resistance. We Lutherans even like to joke about how much resistance there is to change! And second, reconciliation, also like change, may upset the balance of our other relationships. We see this with change all the time.
In applying these thoughts to Jesus’ story in today’s Gospel lesson, let’s begin by thinking about the first one… how reconciliation is rarely easy.
Certainly a reconciliation with his son would have been very hard on the father’s part, for his son had taken significant steps away from him. The first of these steps was to ask for his inheritance ahead of time. Such an action, although not completely unheard of, brought about a definite separation. For as much as the father would have understood his son’s desire to strike out on his own, he would also have been saddened to have his son pull away from him like this and to put at risk all he had worked for.
Even more, however, it would have been incredibly hard for the father to reconcile after learning about his son’s wasteful living. No doubt the father had heard about what his son was doing even though the son was away in a far country. And this had to pain him greatly; anger him too. For if the son had lost the money in a business venture that would have been one thing. But losing it through prodigious, reckless and wild living… that was another.
How hard it would be for the father to accept his son after the son had made such poor choices! The son was not only acting foolishly but also rejecting the teaching and upbringing of his family.
And the son clearly recognized this. He knew about the distance he had created from his father through his squandering of his father’s hard-earned money. And he knew about the shame he had brought to his family through his behavior. Through his actions he had severed the relationship with them and no longer had a right to be considered a son.
But despite this great separation, reconciliation between the father and the son was achieved. How did it happen?
One thing we know about true reconciliation is that it only happens when both sides in a dispute make movements toward the other. Let me say this again… true reconciliation only happens when both sides in a dispute make movements toward the other.
In the story, the son makes a movement toward the father by coming home. He could have stayed away, suffering for the sake of his own pride. This is a choice that lots of people make, preferring to be miserable than admitting they are wrong. But not this son. He turns towards home. His decision may be made more out of desperation than a desire to be reconciled, but at least he was choosing rightly. As the text says, he “came to himself.”
And not only does the son head home, but he also resolves to say the right thing. He will admit his sins to his father and not claim a place as son but rather offer to work as a servant. Whether these words reflected his true beliefs or not we don’t know. But he was certainly swallowing his pride in saying them. And this points to at least some measure of sincerity.
Through his words and actions the son makes important moves towards reconciliation. But these moves pale in comparison to the moves of the father. This is shown to us clearly in the story, for before the son even has a chance to say anything, the father sees his son and runs towards him in joy and excitement. And when he reaches him, he embraces his son and kisses him.
This is the part of the story which often brings tears to my eyes. For I’ve been a child and a parent myself and I know the feelings of joy that come from reconciling after times of separation.
But part of my emotion certainly also comes from the fact that the father’s actions are here so unique. The prevailing wisdom of the world says that the father, rather than doing the right thing that day, totally humiliated himself. A true man of discipline and honor, they say, would never run towards such a wayward child. Nor would a true man offer an embrace and a kiss before any kind of confession could be made.
But this is a different kind of father. This is a father filled with love. And even more, this is a father who knows a wisdom better than that of the world’s.
Did the father know that his child was planning to repent? We’re not told that he did. What the father saw was his son coming towards him. And what we’re told is that the father felt compassion.
Here we should now pause and state the obvious. The father in this story clearly represents God, our heavenly father. As Jesus taught on many occasions, the God of the scriptures is filled with this same great love for his children and knows a wisdom that is much different and much better than that of the world.
What’s more, this God of ours always makes the biggest moves towards reconciliation. This is seen in God’s sending of his own Son, our Savior Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells of this move by saying: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
As we consider this great love and wisdom and initiative of our Father God, we are grateful to be his children, or at least we should be. And we also realize that our efforts pale in comparison to his, for none of us perfectly mirrors this love of our father nor comes anywhere close. Instead, we are filled with doubts and insecurities, with our sincerity often lacking too.
But even so, we are still called to show this love to the best of our ability. And this is a calling that we should gladly accept, for we see what a difference it makes and how wonderfully it works. We see this in today’s story and we see this in the life and ministry of Jesus.
Back to the story. What if the father had not run towards his son? What if he had, instead, made his son first spit out his confession and perhaps require him to grovel and beg too? This is the kind of strategy that we tend to employ, for in our interactions with others we’ve learned to be careful when initiating any kind of movement – not wanting to be hurt by others or to be called a fool.
But what kind of reconciliation does this lead to?
Jesus’ story shows us is that bigger moves lead to better reconciliation. And good reconciliation, in fact, always requires big moves.
God wants his people to be reconciled with one another. As Paul said, he has given us both the message and the ministry of reconciliation. Jesus also spoke to the importance of this when he declared that before we offer our worship at God’s altar we should be reconciled to our brother (Mt. 5:24).
Oftentimes the separation that exists in a relationship is extremely great. But we can get to that sweet place of reconciliation if we are ready to take the right steps… those being the steps of love and forgiveness.
Earlier I mentioned that the root word for reconciliation in the Greek is the word for “change.” And I noted how this signals to us that reconciliation is hard. But I also noted that it signals one other thing as well. It tells us that reconciliation will change the dynamics with others outside the immediate relationship too, for it upsets the balance.
This message is conveyed in the story by the actions of the older son in the family. When the father embraces his younger, prodigal son and throws him a banquet to celebrate his return, the older son becomes resentful. And now there’s more reconciling that needs to take place.
Once again, it is the father in the story who makes the big move. And here he makes the first move as well. The father comes out of the house to speak with his resentful son and entreats him to join in the celebration.
The older son isn’t ready to move on this just yet. He has to speak his mind first, which he does – listing his younger brother’s sins and expressing his displeasure at his father’s actions. When the story ends, we’re left to wonder if he will ever make a move toward reconciliation. Some people never do.
But what we do see in the story is the father making yet one more move towards his son. This he does as he says: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Here the father assures his son not only of his patience as the son sorts out this new reality but also of his commitment to former arrangements. For when the father says: “all that is mine is yours,” he’s not just speaking figuratively. Rather he’s confirming that the younger son has received his inheritance and that what remains belongs, completely, to the older son.
Such clarifications are important when new realities come about. The younger son had been welcomed back and would be treated as a son, and this will certainly impact the older son in certain ways. But in other ways it won’t. For the father still recognizes the value of loyalty and right choices. The older son may need a little time to be assured of this. But with such a wise and loving father, certainly he will come around.
God is both merciful and just. And we who are his children should be thankful for this, for it means that God always forgives our sins but works to curb them too.
In the same way, we who are God’s children are now called to be both merciful and just as well. As ones who have been created anew in Christ Jesus, we have been empowered to live this way through the Holy Spirit. Through our reconciliation to God in Christ Jesus we have received the message and ministry of reconciliation, which we can now extend to others.
Extending mercy and justice isn’t always easy. We will be questioned by some when we show mercy; and questioned by others when we uphold justice.
But when we are employing these towards God’s goals, and especially that of reconciliation, God will guide and bless our efforts. That is his promise.
Who are the people in your life that you need to be reconciled with? What kind of steps towards that goal can you take? What source of pride might you first need to swallow? What other people might be impacted by a reconciliation and what kind of steps might you need to take towards them too?
These are the questions which today’s readings pose to us. And they deserve our thought and attention.
As we address them, let us remember also the great teachings that these readings share. We go about our ministry of reconciliation knowing that Christ has first reconciled us to God. And with the joy and the confidence that this brings we can extend ourselves boldly and sacrificially, knowing that we rest secure in God’s grace.
We have been brought from death to life; from being lost to being found. We are part of God’s family and have received his generous and life-saving inheritance now… and will receive an even greater inheritance in the life to come.
We have been reconciled to God in Christ! May God guide us and empower us as we carry out our work of reconciling with others.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) God Loved the World So That he Gave LSB 571
1 God loved the world so that He gave
His only Son the lost to save,
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive.
2 Christ Jesus is the ground of faith,
Who was made flesh and suffered death;
All then who trust in Him alone
Are built on this chief cornerstone.
3 God would not have the sinner die;
His Son with saving grace is nigh;
His Spirit in the Word declares
How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs.
4 Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son
Forgives all sins which you have done;
And, justified by Jesus’ blood,
Your Baptism grants the highest good.
5 If you are sick, if death is near,
This truth your troubled heart can cheer:
Christ Jesus saves your soul from death;
That is the firmest ground of faith.
6 Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To You, O blessèd Trinity,
Be praise now and eternally!
10:30 APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH (Kneel)
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For contrition over our sin, and joy in confession and absolution, that God would give us a proper knowledge of the evil we have done and deal with us according to His steadfast love, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For pastors, that God would give them every good gift as His ambassadors to proclaim His Word; and that all of us may delight in His truth and wisdom, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the baptized who have left the faith and departed the household of God, that God would lead them to repentance; and for their parents, grandparents and others who mourn their departure, that God would preserve these in faithful patience to wait and pray, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our nation and all in authority, that God would give prudence and wisdom so that we might live in peace and freely make known His message of reconciliation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For effective and helpful stewardship of God’s gift of creation, even while the world is passing away due to sin; and for the preservation of God’s creation until He ushers in the new creation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our catechumens – those preparing for baptism, first communion and confirmation, that the Holy Spirit would guide their instruction and training in God’s Word and bless their confession of faith with a true understanding of Christ’s love and salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who mourn, especially Tamara and her family, that they would be comforted by the promise of the resurrection and encouraged by the joyful reunion that awaits, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those in need of healing and help, including all on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… that the Lord would deliver them according to His will and remind them of the day when sorrow and sickness will be no more, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who rejoice and celebrate, especially the parents and family of young Morgan, that the blessings they have received would encourage them and sustain them amidst the difficulty of life’s journey, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who partake of Christ’s body and blood in Holy Communion today, that they be prepared in penitence and receive the full blessings of this sacrament, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION
OFFERTORY LSB 192
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.
PREFACE TO HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
It is meet and right so to do.
It is truly good right and salutary…evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
THE 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.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world,
grant us Thy peace. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
COMMUNION HYMN O Savior, Precious Savior LSB 527
1 O Savior, precious Savior,
Whom yet unseen we love;
O name of might and favor,
All other names above,
We worship Thee, we bless Thee,
To Thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise Thee and confess Thee,
Our holy Lord and King.
2 O bringer of salvation,
Who wondrously hast wrought
Thyself the revelation
Of love beyond our thought,
We worship Thee, we bless Thee,
To Thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise Thee and confess Thee,
Our gracious Lord and King.
3 In Thee all fullness dwelleth,
All grace and pow’r divine;
The glory that excelleth,
O Son of God, is Thine.
We worship Thee, we bless Thee,
To Thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise Thee and confess Thee,
Our glorious Lord and King.
4 O grant the consummation
Of this our song above
In endless adoration
And everlasting love;
Then shall we praise and bless Thee
Where perfect praises ring,
And evermore confess Thee,
Our Savior and our King!
NUNC DIMITTIS AND CONCLUDING LITURGY LSB 199-202
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,
for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all people,
a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
THANKSGIVING LSB 200
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
and His mercy endureth forever.
POST-COMMUNION COLLECT
Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
SALUTATION LSB 201
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
BENEDICAMUS LSB 202
Bless we the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
BENEDICTION LSB 202
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
Amen, amen, amen.
SENDING HYMN In the Cross of Christ I Glory LSB 427
1 In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
2 When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo, it glows with peace and joy.
3 When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
ANNOUNCEMENTS (Be seated)
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain Setting: Donald Rotermund
FELLOWSHIP: Board of Stewardship
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Steve Berg
Comm. assist: Jim Easterly
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
Violin: Shaw-Hwa Yang
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Charles Fisher
Comm. assist: Dede Dixon
Reader: Dale Rogers
Acolyte: William Dennis
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgements
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 © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.
198 O Come, Let Us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus Text: Hebrews 12:2, alt.
Tune: Mark L. Bender, b. 1951 Text: © 2001 Crossway Bibles. Used by permission: OAR Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2009 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: OAR Hymn License no. 110005326
435 Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain Text: James Montgomery, 1771–1854, alt. Tune: Ludvig M. Lindeman, 1812–87 Text and tune: Public domain
571 God Loved the World So That He Gave Text: Heiliges Lippen- und Hertzens-Opffer, c. 1778, Stettin; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt. Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93 Text and tune: Public domain
527 O Savior, Precious Savior Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79 Tune: Arthur H. Mann, 1850–1929 Text and tune: Public domain
427 In the Cross of Christ I Glory Text: John Bowring, 1792–1872 Tune: Ithamar Conkey, 1815–67 Text and tune: Public domain
Anthem: By Gracious Powers Text: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Translation: Fred Pratt Green Music: Russell Schulz-Widmar
