Fourth Sunday of Easter 4/26/2026
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 26, 2026
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Sheep May Safely Graze JS Bach Setting: E. Power Biggs
WELCOME
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
ENTRANCE HYMN Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us LSB 711
1 Savior, like a shepherd lead us;
Much we need Your tender care.
In Your pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Your fold prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have bought us; we are Yours.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have bought us; we are Yours.
2 We are Yours; in love befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way;
Keep Your flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear us children when we pray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Hear us children when we pray.
3 You have promised to receive us,
Poor and sinful though we be;
You have mercy to relieve us,
Grace to cleanse, and pow’r to free.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to You.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Early let us turn to You.
4 Early let us seek Your favor,
Early let us do Your will;
Blessèd Lord and only Savior,
With Your love our spirits fill.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have loved us, love us still.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
You have loved us, love us still.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 151
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
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.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
KYRIE LSB 152
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE – “This is the Feast” LSB 155
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty God, merciful Father,
since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your
Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who
calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
ANTHEM Jubilation Choir Loving Shepherd of the Sheep Setting: Ludwig Lenel
Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep, Keep Thy lamb, in safety keep,
Nothing can Thy power withstand, None can pluck me from Thy hand.
Loving Shepherd, ever near, Teach Thy lamb Thy voice to hear;
Suffer not my steps to stray From the straight and narrow way.
Where Thou leadest, I would go, Walking in Thy steps below,
Till before my Father’s throne I shall know as I am known.
SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 2:19-25
This is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
10:30 CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand) LSB 156
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL John 10:1-10
The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 10th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
In this latter half of the Easter season, we’ve finished our examination of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and have now returned to looking at some of his earlier words. The readings during these Sundays all come from John’s Gospel, and today – as on the Fourth Sunday of Easter every year – they come from John chapter ten.
This chapter is dominated by the image of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. The image is a beloved one, with deep Old Testament roots including the 23rd Psalm. As such, the church commemorates Jesus as Good Shepherd in the names of churches, Christian art such as our window over there, and in many of our prayers, choir anthems, and hymns.
The Good Shepherd image is not, however, the only one Jesus uses in this chapter. And it wasn’t used at all in the verses we read today.
In today’s verses, Jesus describes himself with the image of a door or gate. “I am the door of the sheep,” he says. This image may not be as popular, but it’s very important of course. Our church has a window for this image too (right over there).
With this image, Jesus does not present himself as a barrier to us. A door is a barrier in one sense, yes, but even more it is a way to get in. The Greek word used here is best understood as an entranceway. We see this in its use in Matthew 27, which tells of the stone that blocked the “entranceway” to Jesus’ tomb (Mt. 27:60).
According to the full image – Jesus’ “figure of speech,” as John puts it – Jesus is the door into the “sheepfold.” The sheepfold is the place where a flock of sheep safely spends the night. The reference is thus to the safety of being in God’s kingdom. Jesus makes this clear when he says: “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.”
As opposed to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, which is meant to help us understand how Jesus leads us to salvation and keeps us in it, the image of the door is meant to underscore the fact that Jesus is the true way to this salvation. Jesus is the only way to enter God’s kingdom. Those who try to enter by another way will not get in.
Here we must note how this teaching of Jesus comes immediately following his indictment of the Pharisees in the previous chapter. In the concluding verses of chapter nine, Jesus indicts the Pharisees for their spiritual blindness. Since chapter ten commences without a break in the setting or a sharing of a new audience, we know that the subject here is the same. This tells us that the Pharisees, according to Jesus, are not only blind leaders but also bogus shepherds, comparable to thieves and robbers. For all who claim to care for God’s flock but do not lead people through the door of faith in him are leading people astray.
Those shepherds, on the other hand, who do lead their people through the door of Christ are leading them to salvation. Evidence of this is found, according to our text, in the trust and high functioning that develops between these people and their leaders. The leader’s voice is recognized and heard. And the people go about their daily lives in safety, and with good judgment. The judgment is seen when followers of Christ flee from strange teachings and strange teachers.
In the Old Testament, the relationship between God and his people was often compared to that of a shepherd and his sheep. It was a common image and one that was used by many writers and prophets.
At the same time, God was not only the shepherd but also the owner of the flock – an owner who entrusted the care of his flock to chosen leaders and guardians. Some of these, such as Moses and the true, genuine prophets, tended the sheep with care. They thus served also as forerunners of Christ. But others shirked their duties or led the sheep in wrong directions. These false prophets fell under God’s judgment.
The Old Testament includes many examples of such spiritual leaders who failed in their duties by doing things such as encouraging God’s people to rely on political alliances instead of him, or giving tacit “religious” support to policies of the king for personal gain, or encouraging the people to trust in themselves and their works for their salvation. Because of this history, we shouldn’t be surprised that the same was true in Jesus’ day.
The prophet Ezekiel, in particular, gives many descriptions of God’s frustration with unfaithful leaders. And chapter 34 of his prophecy records a very clear indictment by God of these leaders.
This same chapter, however, also tells of God’s great plan of help. God’s plan is to come and shepherd his sheep himself. He says: “I will seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them into their own land” (34:12-13). Here God promises to enter our world and provide rescue from our sins and a place in his saving kingdom. The fulfillment of this promise has come in the person and ministry of Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd of God’s people.
Here we should also note that the presence of Jesus as Door and Shepherd inevitably separates the sheep who belong to God’s flock from those who do not. Only those who have entered through the door of Christ are truly God’s own.
This flock of God is sometimes described as the new Israel. The idea is that the old Israel was God’s flock back in the day, but now Christ, who is God incarnate, has come and ushered in a new day. Paul expressed this new reality to the Galatian Christians when he called them “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). And he explained it further in his epistle to the Romans when he said: “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring” (Rom. 10:6-7).
Jesus says in our reading: “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” One’s background – whether they are Jew or Gentile – makes no difference. Later in the chapter Jesus will say: “And 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” (10:16). By these words Jesus tells of the many Gentiles who will become his followers too.
About Jesus’ image of “entering the sheepfold by the door,” this one is meant to explain how we enter God’s kingdom through a faith relationship with him. This is a faith relationship in which we put our trust in him as our Savior and follow him as our Lord.
When we do these, we know that we are saved. We are saved from sin, death, and the final judgement to come. When Jesus says: “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved,” these are sure and certain words.
Yes, Jesus has saved you just as surely and certainly as you have entered the doors of a church and received Holy Baptism. And he keeps you in this faith, just as certainly as you entered these doors today, confessed your sins, and received him in word and sacrament.
This promise of Jesus is wonderful to hear, of course. But I want you to also notice the remaining words of Jesus’ sentence. He says: “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved… and will go in and out and find pasture.” With these additional words, Jesus reminds us that he doesn’t just keep us safe in a sheep-pen. Rather, he also sends us out into the world. He does this as a measure of freedom, yes. But even more, he does this so that we can serve others, especially through our Christian witness.
As we all know, life outside the church is a little more dangerous than life inside of it. In the world there are all kinds of tempters, temptations, and threats. But God goes with us into the world. Our Good Shepherd, Jesus, never leaves us.
When we go into the world, we will see that there are other doors that we can enter if we’d like. Many of these we can and should enter. We should enter through the doors of schools and workplaces for sure. And we can enter places of recreation and entertainment too – at least some of them, and not all the time. Notice how the word “entertainment” begins with the word enter. This indicates its strong power to draw us in and dominate our attention.
For the remainder of the sermon, let’s go back to thinking about the doors of the church – the literal doors, of this church – and reflect upon some of the lessons they can teach us. We’ll limit ourselves to the four doors in this very room.
The main doors, there in the back, provide the best and easiest access to the church. There’s four of them – plenty of space for everyone to enter. And normally they’re all open, although sometimes we shut them for various reasons. All of us are encouraged to enter them regularly and with a good spirit. When we enter God’s presence here, we are blessed by his greatest gifts – his word and sacraments. We are also blessed through the praise and worship of his people.
Still, as wonderful as the church is, it is not a perfect place. We try to be perfect; but we fail. This door over here can represent the temptations we experience in church. This door, as you may know, is the quickest way to the parking lot, and thus represents the temptation to skirt the rules and take the easiest way. The travel time may be short, but the ramp on the other side of this door is not to code and not very safe. The door can be used in an emergency but shouldn’t be our normal way. Besides, quick exits of the church, while sometimes needed, are generally discouraged. And that’s because it’s good to spend some time after the service with fellow congregants, and get to know them, and offer them your encouragement. Fellowship time is one of the church’s great blessings.
The door behind me, the one that goes to the rooms over there, can represent our service in the church. This is where the pastors and the acolytes and the altar attendants and those who handle the attendance cards and offerings go. And many others go there too, for various reasons of service. These people are not the only ones who serve in the church, of course. But the door can serve as a good symbol for our service. And notice, this door is rarely shut!
Finally, there’s one more door – one that we rarely use. It’s another emergency door, yes, but even more than this, it’s a door that leads into our Memorial Garden, where the bodies of many of our family and friends are now resting. This door can therefore represent our final rest and the blessed new life to come. Someday, all of us will enter through the door of death. But those who have placed their faith in Christ will also enter into the joys of heaven and the new creation. In the funeral liturgy we pray: “Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection may die to sin and rise to newness of life and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass with him to our joyful resurrection.”
Jesus said: “I am the door of the sheep. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” That abundant life will be realized in its full power and glory when we enter the new life to come. But even now, when we place our faith in Christ as our savior, and trust in his leading through this life, and follow his ways and commands, our lives will know an abundance that is full and complete in the very best of ways. For we will know the joy and peace of God’s forgiveness and a service that brings blessing to the world.
May God always lead us to enter through the door of his Son Jesus. And may God help us to realize the blessed and abundant life he gives.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) The King of Love My Shepherd Is LSB 709
1 The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.
2 Where streams of living water flow,
My ransomed soul He leadeth
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.
3 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me.
4 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me,
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.
5 Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
Thine unction grace bestoweth;
And, oh, what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!
6 And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever!
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
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Loving Father, Your Son is the great Shepherd of the sheep who faithfully gathers His flock to Himself in the pastures of the Church. Grant us steadfast faith to hear His voice and follow Him, even through the valley of the shadow of death, that we may receive our portion in His abundant life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bestow the gift of Christ’s wisdom and tenderness upon all who are called to shepherd the souls of Your people. Bless and sustain them in their labor and teach believers everywhere to receive them as gifts from You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, hear our prayers for all Christian homes. Preserve all married couples in love and faithfulness; strengthen all parents for their task as teachers of the faith; uphold in honor those who are unmarried; and with good deeds in every home, let the ignorance of the foolish be silenced. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty Shepherd, You hold in Your hands all the might of man and hold accountable those who would govern Your people. Grant to us good government and leaders who will honor Your purpose, protect Your people, serve the cause of justice, and defend our right liberties. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Author of life, You gather us together in the fellowship of Christ and His apostolic Word and so lead us to intercede for one another in every need. Hear our prayers for all who are struggling in body and soul, especially those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… According to Your mercy, provide for their good now and eternally, and add to our number those who are being saved until You bring us all to the day when we will rest eternally in Your safekeeping. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father of glory, You have promised to prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies and to fill our cup of salvation to overflowing. Bless all who receive the Sacrament at this altar, that even amid sin, death, and the devil, Your goodness and mercy may follow us all the days of our lives and we may dwell in Your house forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
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.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
PREFACE LSB 160
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 that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. 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 161
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING LSB 161
Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My ✠ body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My ✠ blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
PAX DOMINI LSB 163
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 163
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
THE COMMUNION (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.
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS You Satisfy the Hungry Heart LSB 641
Refrain
You satisfy the hungry heart
With gift of finest wheat.
Come give to us, O saving Lord,
The bread of life to eat.
1 As when the shepherd calls his sheep,
They know and heed his voice;
So when You call Your fam’ly, Lord,
We follow and rejoice. Refrain
2 With joyful lips we sing to You
Our praise and gratitude
That You should count us worthy, Lord,
To share this heav’nly food. Refrain
3 Is not the cup we bless and share
The blood of Christ outpoured?
Do not one cup, one loaf, declare
Our oneness in the Lord? Refrain
4 The myst’ry of Your presence, Lord,
No mortal tongue can tell:
Whom all the world cannot contain
Comes in our hearts to dwell. Refrain
5 You give Yourself to us, O Lord;
Then selfless let us be,
To serve each other in Your name
In truth and charity. Refrain
O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace LSB 693
1 O Holy Spirit, grant us grace
That we our Lord and Savior
In faith and fervent love embrace
And truly serve Him ever.
The hour of death cannot bring loss
When we are sheltered by the cross
That canceled our transgressions.
2 Help us that we Thy saving Word
In faithful hearts may treasure;
Let e’er that Bread of Life afford
New grace in richest measure.
O make us die to ev’ry sin,
Each day create new life within,
That fruits of faith may flourish.
3 And when our earthly race is run,
Death’s bitter hour impending,
Then may Thy work in us begun
Continue till life’s ending,
Until we gladly may commend
Our souls into our Savior’s hand,
The crown of life obtaining.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Crown Him with Many Crowns LSB 525
1 Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless king
Through all eternity.
2 Crown Him the virgin’s Son,
The God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won
Which now His brow adorn:
Fruit of the mystic rose,
Yet of that rose the stem,
The root whence mercy ever flows,
The babe of Bethlehem.
3 Crown Him the Lord of love.
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angels in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bend their wond’ring eyes
At mysteries so bright.
4 Crown Him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing,
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
5 Crown Him the Lord of heav’n,
Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the king to whom is giv’n
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns
As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns,
For He is king of all.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Crown Him with Many Crowns Setting: Michael Burkhardt
FLOWERS – In loving memory of my father, George Mayores.
By Priscilla Altmann
FELLOWSHIP – Board of Property Management
Those serving:
Sunday, 8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Kim Follin
Comm. assist: Jim Easterly
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Lynn Jacquez
Comm. assist: Holly Siebrass
Reader: Dan Buuck
Acolyte: Ian Lynch
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 © 2026 Concordia Publishing House.
711 Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us Text: Hymns for the Young, 1836, 4th ed., London, alt. Tune: William B. Bradbury, 1816–68 Text and tune: Public domain
709 The King of Love My Shepherd Is Text: Henry W. Baker, 1821–77 Tune: Irish, c. 18th cent. Text and tune: Public domain
641 You Satisfy the Hungry Heart Text: Omer E. Westendorf, 1916–97 Tune: Robert E. Kreutz, 1922–96 Text and tune: © 1977 Archdiocese of Philadelphia, admin. International Liturgy Publications. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
693 O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace Text: Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, 1532–99; tr. Oluf H. Smeby, 1851–1929, alt. Tune: Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert, 1535, Wittenberg, ed. Joseph Klug Text and tune: Public domain
525 Crown Him with Many Crowns Text (sts. 1–3, 5): Matthew Bridges, 1800–94, alt.; (st. 4): Godfrey Thring, 1823–1903 Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93 Text and tune: Public domain
