Blog

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Prelude

Gathering

Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness

Please stand as you are able. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P:  In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C:  Amen.

P:  Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

P:  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.

Please kneel or sit as you are able.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

P:  Most merciful God,

C:  we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. 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.

The minister stands and addresses the congregation.

P:  Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C:  Amen.

Please stand as you are able.

Opening Hymn #97 (green hymnal)

“Christ, the Life of All the Living”

1  Christ, the life of all the living,
Christ, the death of death, our foe,
Christ, yourself for me once giving
to the darkest depths of woe:
through your suff’ring, death, and merit
life eternal I inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks are due,
dearest Jesus, unto you.

2  You have suffered great affliction
and have borne it patiently,
even death by crucifixion,
fully to atone for me;
for you chose to be tormented
that my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks are due,
dearest Jesus, unto you.

3  Then, for all that bought my pardon,
for the sorrows deep and sore,
for the anguish in the garden,
I will thank you evermore;
thank you for the groaning, sighing,
for the bleeding and the dying,
for that last triumphant cry,
praise you evermore on high.

Greeting

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

C:  And also with you.

Kyrie

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal. p. 78)

L:  In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

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

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:  Amen.

Hymn of Praise

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 79)

L:  Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal. p. 82)

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Let us pray.
Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your Spirit, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:  Amen.

The Word

Blessing of the Lector

P:  Let us pray.
Oh, that today we would hear God’s voice. May we hear your voice today, Lord, as Carroll reads to us the scriptures. Let not our hearts be hardened, but open to the word of life.

C:  Amen.

Please be seated.

First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

¹ The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” ² Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ³ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” ⁴ Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” ⁵ He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
 ⁶ When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is now before the LORD.” ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” ⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.” ¹¹ Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” ¹² He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Psalmody: Hymn #451 (green hymnal)

“The Lord’s My Shepherd”

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14

⁸ Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—⁹ for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. ¹⁰ Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; ¹³ but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴ for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
 “Sleeper, awake!
  Rise from the dead,
 and Christ will shine on you.”

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

Gospel Acclamation

♫ LBW Setting I
(green hymnal, p. 63)

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

Gospel: John 9:1-41

♫ LBW Setting I
(green hymnal, p. 63)

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 9th chapter.

C:  Glory to you, O Lord.

¹ As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, ⁷ saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸ The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” ¹² They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
 ¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴ Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. ¹⁷ So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”
 ¹⁸ The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹ and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” ²⁰ His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
 ²⁴ So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶ They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” ²⁸ Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” ³⁰ The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ³² Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴ They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
 ³⁵ Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” ³⁸ He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. ³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” ⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

P:  The Gospel of the Lord.

C:  Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

Children’s Sermon

Sermon

Silence for reflection and meditation.

Hymn of the Day #776 (blue hymnal)

“Be Thou My Vision”

1  Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art:
thou my best thought by day and by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

2  Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.
Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tower,
raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

3  Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou, and thou only, first in my heart,
great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.

4  Light of my soul, after victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Please stand as you are able.

The Apostles’ Creed

A:  Let us confess our common faith with all Christians throughout time and place, using the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
 creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
 He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
  and born of the virgin Mary.
 He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
  was crucified, died, and was buried.
 He descended into hell.
 On the third day he rose again.
 He ascended into heaven,
  and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
 He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
 the holy catholic Church,
 the communion of saints,
 the forgiveness of sins,
 the resurrection of the body,
 and the life everlasting. Amen.

Please kneel or sit as you are able.

The Prayers

A:  Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

After each petition:

A:  Lord, in your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

After the last petition:

A:  Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Please stand as you are able.

Peace

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C:  And also with you.

The ministers and congregation may greet one another with a gesture of peace.

Invitation to Offering

A:  The Lord is our Good Shepherd who promises that we shall not be in want. Let us trust God’s word in Psalm 23 by giving our offering so that God may provide green pastures for all people in need.

Offertory

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 86)

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.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offertory Prayer

A:  Let us pray.

C:  Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Meal

Dialogue

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 88)

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  We lift them to the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  It is right to give our thanks and praise.

P:  It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. You bid your people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the paschal feast. Renew our zeal in faith and life, and bring us to the fullness of grace that belongs to the children of God. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Sanctus

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 89)

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

P:  In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

  Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

The Lord’s Prayer

P:  Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:

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.

Please be seated.

Agnus Dei

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 92)

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, grant us peace.

Communion

P:  The Body of Christ, broken for you.

  The Blood of Christ, shed for you.

Those who wish to commune at the altar rail may either bring forward their individual Communion kit, or receive the wafer and wine/grape juice by intinction (dipping) from the Communion Ministers, when they are directed forward by the usher. Those who wish to commune in their seat with their individual Communion kit may remain seated.

Communion Hymn #213 (green hymnal)

“I Come, O Savior, to Your Table”

1  I come, O Savior, to your table,
for weak and weary is my soul;
you, Bread of life, alone are able
to satisfy and make me whole.

Refrain
Lord, may your body and your blood
be for my soul the highest good!

2  Your body, giv’n for me, O Savior;
your blood, which once for me was shed:
these are my life and strength forever,
by them my hungry soul is fed. Refrain

3  With you, Lord, I am now united;
you live in me and I in you.
No sorrow fills my soul; delighted
it finds its deepest joy in you. Refrain

4  My heart has now become your dwelling,
O blessed, holy Trinity.
With angels I, your praises telling,
shall live in joy eternally. Refrain

Communion Hymn #448 (green hymnal)

“Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”

1  Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.

2  ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

3  Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

4  The Lord has promised good to me;
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

Table Blessing

P:  The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C:  Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle

♫ LBW Setting I
(green hymnal, p. 73)

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of ev’ry people:
A light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory 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.

Post-Communion Prayer

A:  Let us pray.
We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would strengthen us, through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Sending

Announcements for God’s Mission in the World

Please stand as you are able.

Blessing

♫ LBW Setting II
(green hymnal, p. 94)

P:  Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

C:  Amen.

Closing Hymn #745 (blue hymnal)

“Awake, O Sleeper”

1  Awake, O sleeper, rise from death,
and Christ shall give you light;
so learn his love, its length and breadth,
its fullness, depth, and height.

2  To us on earth he came to bring
from sin and fear release,
to give the Spirit’s unity,
the very bond of peace.

3  Then walk in love as Christ has loved,
who died that he might save;
with kind and gentle hearts forgive
as God in Christ forgave.

4  For us Christ lived, for us he died,
and conquered in the strife.
Awake, arise, go forth in faith,
and Christ shall give you life.

Dismissal

A:  Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Postlude

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Worship Leaders

The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Terry McDowell, Assisting Minister
Carroll Mayhugh, Reader

Upcoming Events

Copyright Notices

The Lord’s My Shepherd: Setting by permission of Oxford University Press.

I Come, O Savior, to Your Table: Arr. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Awake, O Sleeper: Text by F. Bland Tucker © 1980 Augsburg Publishing House, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Hymns/anthems: Music reprinted and streamed by permission under ONE LICENSE #A‐726103 and CCLI Licenses #21045423 and #21045416. All rights reserved.

Liturgical texts and service music: From SundaysandSeasons.com. Copyright © 2023 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.