Worship Service for Easter 2
Rev. Gregory Mech | April 11, 2021 | Second Sunday of Easter | Immanuel Lutheran Church – Joplin, Missouri | 8:00 or 10:30 am
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Special thanks to all who helped to make this broadcast possible today:
Rev. Gregory Mech, DCE Jason Glaskey, organist Betty Lingenfelter, the COVID Committee, Board of Elders, and all of our volunteers!
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
A portion of the Holy Gospel from John 20, one of the readings assigned for the Second Sunday of Easter. May God richly bless you as you hear His Word today. Christ is Risen! Welcome to Immanuel Lutheran Church.
The Second Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2021 — Divine Service, Setting One
HYMN “This Joyful Eastertide” 482
This joyful Eastertide
Away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
Has sprung to life this morrow:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain,
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
Death’s flood has lost its chill
Since Jesus crossed the river;
Lover of souls, from ill
My passing soul deliver:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain,
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
My flesh in hope shall rest
And for a season slumber
Till trump from east to west
Shall wake the dead in number:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain,
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. Matthew 28:19
CONFESSION and DECLARATION OF GRACE
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. 1 John 1:8-9
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 neighbor 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.
In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit. May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:1-2; Philippians 1:6
Amen.
INTROIT
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations.
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.
KYRIE
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” Revelation 5:12-13, 19:5-9
Refrain
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood sets us free to be people of God.
Refrain
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor and blessing and glory are His.
Refrain
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.”
Refrain
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
Refrain
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
SALUTATION and COLLECT OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
KIDS TALK
FIRST READING Acts 4:32–35
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING 1 John 1:1—2:2
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA and VERSE
Alleluia! Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia!
HOLY GOSPEL John 20:19-31
The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 20th chapter.
Glory to You, O Lord.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN “These Things Did Thomas Count as Real”472
These things did Thomas count as real:
The warmth of blood, the chill of steel,
The grain of wood, the heft of stone,
The last frail twitch of flesh and bone.
The vision of his skeptic mind
Was keen enough to make him blind
To any unexpected act
Too large for his small world of fact.
His reasoned certainties denied
That one could live when one had died,
Until his fingers read like Braille
The markings of the spear and nail.
May we, O God, by grace believe
And thus the risen Christ receive,
Whose raw imprinted palms reached out
And beckoned Thomas from his doubt.
SERMON
APOSTLES’ CREED
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.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
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.
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
Amen.
HYMN “I AM Forever WHO I AM”
Text: Richard W. Wiegmann Tune: Kurt E. von Kampen Copyright 2002 Concordia Publishing House
Though mountains slide into the sea,
And waters rush where fields should be,
Though monuments and nations fall,
Your Holy City stands through all.
When nothing seems to stay the same,
You teach us Your eternal name.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
We buy and sell, we lose or gain;
Our fortunes shift like sun and rain.
Sustain our lives, reward our toil
With bread and honey, wine and oil.
Save us and others from our greed;
You always give us what we need.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Our lust for power, wealth and land
Diminishes the earth You planned.
Prevent our crimes and futile wars;
Convince us that all things are yours.
We rage and burn and kill and steal,
but You redeem, restore and heal.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Like shepherds watching for the light,
Aware of dangers in the night,
We hear the angel:
“Do not fear, the Savior of the world is near.”
We run, we see, we touch, we laugh.
You come to earth on our behalf.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Each generation looks for truth,
And doubt can trouble age or youth.
If other gods would take Your place,
Remember us with love and grace.
Reclaim us if we go astray;
You are the Truth, the Life, the Way.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Some days seem long, though life is brief,
And death is waiting like a thief.
When vision fades and dreams go dry,
We will on unseen things rely.
Our stories take up but a page,
But Yours goes on from age to age.
I AM forever WHO I AM,
Above you, beneath you,
Around you and within you.
Be still and know that I am God.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. From Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.
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