Fifth Sunday after Epiphany 2/8/2026
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
FEBRUARY 8, 2026
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE (8:00) Christ is Our Cornerstone Setting: J. Wayne Kerr
(10:30) Pauline Bell Ringers Christ is Our Cornerstone Setting: Bill Ingram
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN Christ is Our Cornerstone LSB 912
1 Christ is our cornerstone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heav’n are filled.
On His great love
Our hopes we place
Of present grace
And joys above.
2 Here may we gain from heav’n
The grace which we implore,
And may that grace, once giv’n,
Be with us evermore
Until that day
When all the blest
To endless rest
Are called away.
3 Oh, then, with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring;
Our voices we will raise
The Three in One to sing
And thus proclaim
In joyful song,
Both loud and long,
That glorious name.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 203
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
KYRIE LSB 204
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS LSB 204
1 To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill from God in heaven
Proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father;
Your holy name, we sing—
Our thanks for Your great glory,
Lord God, our heav’nly King.
2 To You, O sole-begotten,
The Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior,
You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus;
Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated
At God’s right hand on high—
3 For You alone are holy;
You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever,
Be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit
Alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory.
“Amen!” our glad reply.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O Lord,
keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope
of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; 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 28:3-9a
“‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
8:00 PSALM 112:1-9 (Sung responsively)
Praise the Lord!
Blessèd is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
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 I Corinthians 2:1-12
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
10:30 Cherubim Choir (PreK/K) This Little Light of Mine Henry Dixon Loes
Seraphim Choir (1-6) I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light Kathleen Thomerson
GOSPEL VERSE (Stand) LSB 205
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Matthew 5:13-20
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 5th chapter.
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
“You are the salt of the earth,” says our Lord Jesus. Salt is a preservative, and followers of Christ help preserve the world by proclaiming its Savior and by living according to God’s teachings.
Salt also adds flavor. Therefore, Jesus’ words tell us that we not only help to preserve the world but also make it better and more interesting. We spice it up a bit, so to speak.
With this understanding, I thought I’d begin today’s sermon by pointing out someone among us who, it seems to me, has brought us more of these “salt” benefits than most – Pastor Yang. As a Chinese Christian, whose journey has taken him back and forth between nations, teachings and outlooks, he is certainly more interesting than most of us. And as a pastor who has worked hard to teach and spread the Christian faith, he has definitely carried out Christ’s preserving task.
On this day when we both install Pastor Yang in his new calling and say “thank you” to him for his past service among us, I thought it would be appropriate to make this sermon one that addresses both him in his new work and all of us in our ongoing work. And although I’ve begun this sermon with a reference from our Gospel reading, for the rest of it I’ll be exploring lessons from today’s second reading, from First Corinthians.
In this reading, St. Paul builds on what he has said in previous verses – the summary of which can be gleaned by his phrase: “we preach Christ crucified.” Through this phrase, Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that the message of Christ will appear weak to many, but that in fact, it gives a message of great strength instead – a strength of freedom and love. The freedom it teaches is our freedom from sin and its punishment, which is earned by Jesus’ death on the cross. The love it teaches comes as we see God’s great love for us in the sacrifice of his beloved Son.
Today’s verses build on this by showing how the message was realized among the Corinthian Christians themselves. In the verses we read last week, Paul shared thoughts on this already by pointing out that not many of them “were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth,” (v.26) but even so, God still chose them.
In today’s verses, Paul reminds them that when he came to them years earlier and started their church, he didn’t come with a form of speech that people would recognize as strong and powerful – one they might characterize as “lofty and wise.” Rather, he came “in weakness and in fear and much trembling.” His “speech and message” he explained, were only about “Jesus Christ and him crucified,” and “not in plausible words of wisdom.”
When Paul mentions this kind of the speech – the kind that others use and he does not – he suggests that such speech moves people through two strategies. One is by using arguments which are logical and make sense. Such words are “lofty” because they have an air of truth to them and “wise” because they make propositions which seem “plausible.” The other strategy is using words which impress people or move them emotionally through their beauty. Such words are “lofty” because they rise above what is normal and mundane. And they are “eloquent” – as Paul explained earlier – because they are pleasing to hear.
This kind of speech can also be labeled as “attractive, beguiling, enticing and persuasive” – all words which other translators use for these verses and which capture the sense here well. As we know, well-constructed arguments and sentences can have a strong effect simply on their own.
But this is not the kind of speech Paul uses. Nor does he commend it, since it might distract from the real message. In verse 17, Paul told how he came to the Corinthians “not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
The effectiveness of Christ’s message comes not from its logic or beauty but through what Paul calls “demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” In other words, the message is proved by works of the Holy Spirit.
When we think of such works, we might think first of miracles – the kind which Paul and the apostles saw aplenty in their day. Among those great miracles was the one where Paul escaped from the jail in Philippi because an earthquake opened the doors of the prison and loosed his chains (Acts 16:26).
But the greater work of the Spirit is that of conversions to faith. An example of this is the story of Paul’s days in Corinth, as recorded in the book of Acts, when the ruler of the synagogue, Crispus, who had earlier led the people in rejecting Paul, suddenly believed the Gospel (Acts 18:8). And after this happened, many other Corinthian hearers also believed and were baptized.
This understanding reinforces the fact that preaching is to be our most important task. We are to preach Christ crucified with the knowledge that “faith comes from hearing the Word of God.” This is the preaching done by the pastor at the pulpit, for sure, but also the preaching which comes anytime the word of God is shared.
Here I’d like us to think about Paul’s phrase “the demonstration of the Spirit and of power” in one additional way as well. Pastors and preachers must proclaim the Word as their primary task, yes, but the word “demonstration” reminds us that we are also to show by our actions what the Word teaches.
In these first chapters of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul highlights what is preached through words. But as the letter goes on, he includes a short description of how Christ’s message impacts the way he lives. What we notice, clearly, is that Paul does not put forth a life of wealth and comfort as proof of the message’s power. Rather, proof comes from the message’s power to endure and to serve. Paul says: “To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. [But] when reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things” (4:11-13). Paul points out that it is his endurance of such difficulties which truly demonstrates the power of the message, not the achievement of worldly success.
When Paul mentions here how he “labors, working with his own hands,” he’s probably referring to his work as a tentmaker – the work he often did to support himself on his missions. When funding from others wasn’t available, Paul could do this other work to support his needs.
Those preachers who don’t have to labor in such a way are blessed indeed. But they should probably find other kinds of work to do with their hands. Such work is healthy, and it demonstrates the Christian message well.
The Christian who rolls up his sleeves and serves in the trenches will gain the respect of others. And he will serve them too. Such service reflects the serving work of Christ.
Today, I know that much of the work we do with our hands comes as we type messages on our computer, and that’s important work for sure. But this can’t be the only work we do with our hands. We should engage in old-fashioned labor too.
All this being said, we must remember, too, that we can’t work others into the kingdom. People only come into the kingdom through the message of Christ crucified and the work of the Holy Spirit.
In today’s text, Paul goes on to point out that the message of Christ crucified is still a message of wisdom in one way – it is a wisdom of God. As such, it is one that people can’t discover on their own, for this is a wisdom, as Paul explains, which is “a secret and hidden wisdom of God.”
The word translated here as “secret” is literally the word “mystery.” And that’s important to note, because the Christian faith doesn’t have any secrets, rather, we bring to light that which was previously unknown and which continues to be mysterious to those who don’t understand.
Paul uses this language of mystery in many of his letters. And it’s true, the Christian message is mysterious in many ways. But thanks be to God, the Spirit has revealed its meaning to us so that we may believe it and live according to it.
Here I’d like to pivot from our examination of today’s text by having us think more about that phrase I just used in my last sentence. I used the phrase “thanks be to God” very intentionally, because I’ve noticed over the years, and perhaps you have too, that this is a favorite phrase of Pastor Yang – one that I recall him saying in just about every one of his sermons.
“Thanks be to God” is an excellent phrase because it rightly gives God the credit he is due and serves, too, as an indicator of the good to come. The phrase usually comes after we’ve heard the law and been convicted by it, where it then introduces the sweet help and forgiveness of the Gospel.
What I’ve discovered, by doing a little research, is that “thanks be to God” is not only a favorite phrase of Pastor Yang, but also of St. Paul.
In Romans chapter six, when addressing the need of a Christian to refrain from sin, Paul equates continued sinning as a form of slavery. He then says: “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17).
In the very next chapter, where Paul addresses the frustration we experience in trying to rid ourselves of sin, he cries out: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” And after this, he immediately answers his own question, saying: “Thanks be to God… through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).
When writing his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul culminates his efforts with a great chapter dedicated to the resurrection – chapter fifteen. And near the end of the chapter, where he explains that “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law,” he immediately adds: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
And in his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul uses the phrase three times. He says: “But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you” (2 Corinthians 8:16). And “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And “thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
This last use of the phrase corresponds well with our theme today. For with it, Paul celebrates the fact that Christ always leads his people in spreading his message and building his church. Christ makes these journeys ones of “triumphal procession” where the beautiful “fragrance” of his word brings blessings to the world.
Today, our brother Chris begins a new journey in his mission work. And he will process halfway around the earth to do so, engaging with new people and getting to know them so that he can share the message of Jesus as a trusted and respected neighbor and friend.
Like all of us, he will need to roll up his sleeves and get into the weeds with people to demonstrate the love of Christ properly. And there will likely be times of hunger and thirst, reviling and persecution, just as there was for Paul.
But he need not despair. Nor should we in our work. For we know the message of Christ crucified, which reminds us that we have God’s strength, given amidst our weakness.
As we all go forward then, with our tasks, let us do so with the power of “Christ crucified” and the joy of “thanks be to God.” These messages will sustain and empower us.
And let us go forward also with prayer. Here’s one to close us. “Lord, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, through pathways yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Thy Strong Word LSB 578
1 Thy strong word did cleave the darkness;
At Thy speaking it was done.
For created light we thank Thee,
While Thine ordered seasons run.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
2 Lo, on those who dwelt in darkness,
Dark as night and deep as death,
Broke the light of Thy salvation,
Breathed Thine own life-breathing breath.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
3 Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous;
Bright with Thine own holiness,
Glorious now, we press toward glory,
And our lives our hopes confess.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
4 From the cross Thy wisdom shining
Breaketh forth in conqu’ring might;
From the cross forever beameth
All Thy bright redeeming light.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia without end!
5 Give us lips to sing Thy glory,
Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim,
Throats that shout the hope that fills us,
Mouths to speak Thy holy name.
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the light which Thou dost send
Fill our songs with alleluias,
Alleluias without end!
6 God the Father, light-creator,
To Thee laud and honor be.
To Thee, Light of Light begotten,
Praise be sung eternally.
Holy Spirit, light-revealer,
Glory, glory be to Thee.
Mortals, angels, now and ever
Praise the holy Trinity!
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.
10:30 INSTALLATION OF REV. XINHONG “CHRIS” YANG, MISSONARY
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
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the one, holy church of Christ, that she may be salt and light to the world, giving bold witness to the redemption provided in Jesus and expressing God’s love by showing compassion to all in need, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our Synod and her congregations, schools, leaders, pastors, teachers, deaconesses, musicians and all her faithful servants, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For Pastor Yang as he begins his new calling, and for his family in this time of change, that God would guide their steps, provide for them according to his love and mercy, and bless their work in his name, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all husbands and wives, parents and children, that the Lord would guide them to serve each other in love; and that our homes would be places of blessing and peace where God’s Word is spoken, forgiveness is shown, and love is demonstrated, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the rulers of this age whom God has placed in authority over us, that they may fulfill their duties with wisdom, honesty and integrity, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the sick, the suffering, the grieving and the dying, including all those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… that they would receive healing, relief, comfort and peace according to the Lord’s will; and that they would be delivered from their afflictions, sustained in their struggles, and be granted patience in their adversities, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who commune this day, that Christ, whose righteousness goes before us and whose glory is our guard, would visit His people at the altar with grace and salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the mind of Christ, that we would not dismiss His gifts as folly, but judge and discern all things according to His wisdom, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
All these things we pray, O Lord, in confidence of Your mercy – trusting that you supply us with all things needed and beneficial and keep us from all things harmful, so that we may rest our fears in You and be granted a clear conscience and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY VERSE Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful LSB 955
1 Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
✠ ✠ ✠
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE (Stand) LSB 208-210
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right, and salutary … 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 LSB 208
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
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 LSB 210
1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
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 S avior of Our Fallen Race Sts. 1-5 LSB 403
1 O Savior of our fallen race,
O Brightness of the Father’s face,
O Son who shared the Father’s might
Before the world knew day or night,
Alleluia!
2 O Jesus, very Light of Light,
Our constant star in sin’s deep night:
Now hear the prayers Your people pray
Throughout the world this holy day.
Alleluia!
3 Remember, Lord of life and grace,
How once, to save our fallen race,
You put our human vesture on
And came to us as Mary’s son.
Alleluia!
4 Today, as year by year its light
Bathes all the world in radiance bright,
One precious truth outshines the sun:
Salvation comes from You alone.
Alleluia!
5 For from the Father’s throne You came,
His banished children to reclaim;
And earth and sea and sky revere
The love of Him who sent You here.
Alleluia!
You are the Way; Through You Alone LSB 526
1 You are the way; through You alone
Can we the Father find;
In You, O Christ, has God revealed
His heart and will and mind.
2 You are the truth; Your Word alone
True wisdom can impart;
You only can inform the mind
And purify the heart.
3 You are the life; the empty tomb
Proclaims Your conqu’ring arm,
And those who put their trust in You
Not death nor hell shall harm.
4 You are the way, the truth, the life;
Grant us that way to know,
That truth to keep, that life to win
Whose joys eternal flow.
BLESSING
NUNC DIMITTIS (Stand) LSB 211
1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding
Through all eternity.
PRAYER
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Rise, Shine, You People LSB 825
1 Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered
Our human story; God in Him is centered.
He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,
With grace unbounded.
2 See how He sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;
He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.
All men and women, who by guilt are driven,
Now are forgiven.
3 Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,
Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.
To all the world go out and tell the story
Of Jesus’ glory.
4 Tell how the Father sent His Son to save us.
Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.
Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation
His new creation.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Rise, Shine, You People Setting: Lynn L. Petersen
FELLOWSHIP: Board of Spiritual Life
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.
Greeter: Steve Janssen
Comm. assist: Judy Koucky
Reader: Norm Williams
10:30 a.m.
Greeter: SP Youth
Comm. assist: SP Youth/Dan Buuck
Reader: SP Youth
Acolyte: Noah Starck
AV Assist.: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
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.
955 Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful Text: John W. Arthur, 1922–80 Tune: Richard W. Hillert, 1923–2010 Text and tune: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
912 Christ Is Our Cornerstone Text: Latin, c. 8th cent.; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, alt. Tune: John Darwall, 1731–89 Text and tune: Public domain
578 Thy Strong Word Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76 Tune: Thomas J. Williams, 1869–1944 Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
403 O Savior of Our Fallen Race Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Gilbert E. Doan, 1930–2024 Tune: Stephen R. Johnson, 1966 Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 2002 Stephen R. Johnson. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
526 You Are the Way; through You Alone Text: George W. Doane, 1799–1859, alt. Tune: The CL Psalmes of David, 1615, Edinburgh Text and tune: Public domain
825 Rise, Shine, You People Text: Ronald A. Klug, 1939–2021, alt. Tune: Dale Wood, 1934–2003 Text and tune: © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
