https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwTi-flhTck

Christ – Our Sure and Living Hope!  

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER  April 16 & April 19, 2023

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS   700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016

 Pastor Dan 1-(920)-341-2025   shepherdatzion@gmail.com

AS WE GATHER – We gather today in the joy of our Easter celebration.  The sights and sounds of that celebration linger in our memory, not as a past event finished and forgotten, but as Peter calls it, “a living hope,” as enduring and strong as the certainty of our living Lord and the promised future of our own resurrection.  Like the absent apostle Thomas, we face what seems to be a hopeless world.  Today we remember that our only hope is built on a divine Savior whose crucifixion wounds were endured for us and for all.  Today we learn that every Sunday is an Easter celebration, as our living Lord draws us into His holy, life-giving wounds through His same body and blood given to us in Holy Communion.  Thomas saw and believed.  Peter rejoiced.  Though we do not see Him, “you believe in Him and and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8)

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

 Hymn  “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds”   LSB 465

 Invocation – In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.    Amen

Opening Sentences  1 Corinthians 15:54b–58 –  “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

Confession and Absolution       1 John 1:8–9 –   That victory remains ours by a God-given faith and hope. That hope is kept alive as we daily repent of our sins and remain in the promises of God.  For, 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. 

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 are afraid of losing hope.  For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, risen from the dead for the life of the world, 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.  Upon this, your confession, I by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.

Psalm 148; antiphon: v. 13

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.

Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.  Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.  Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.  He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

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.

 Gloria in Excelsis  P: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.

 Salutation –   The Lord be with you.     And with thy spirit.

 Prayer of the day –   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

 First Reading   Acts 5:29–42 – (Peter preaches over the objections of the Jewish authorities.)   Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!  The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead–whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”  When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.  But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.  Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.  Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him.  He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.  After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt.  He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.  Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!  Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”  His speech persuaded them.  They called the apostles in and had them flogged.  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.  The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Epistle 1 Peter 1:3–9   (“Born again to a living hope”)    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 Verse – Romans 6:9; John 20:29b  Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel     John 20:19–31   (Jesus appears to the disciples.)             

The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the twentieth chapter.       Glory to You, O Lord.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  Jesus Appears to Thomas.  Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”  A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”  Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written 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 **vs 4-8* “O Sons and Daughters…”       LSB 470

Sermon

Nicene Creed –   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.   And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.  And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.  And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life X of the world to come.    Amen.

Prayers of the Church

 We Gather our Tithes and Offerings

  Service of the Sacrament

Preface   2 Timothy 4:22 – 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.

Proper Preface –   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. And most especially are we bound to praise You on this day for the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the very Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us and bore the sins of the world.  By His dying He has destroyed death, and by His rising again He has restored to us everlasting life.  Therefore, with Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, and with all the witnesses of the resurrection, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

Sanctus                                                                         LSB 161

Prayer of Thanksgiving –   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 – Consecration of the Elements

Proclamation of Christ     1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 22:20 – 

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:

The Lord’s Prayer –  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.       Amen.

 Pax Domini  LSB 163 – P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

Agnus Dei                                                                     LSB 163

We Celebrate our Lord’s Supper

Distribution Hymns:   “Jesus Lives!  The Victory’s Won”  LSB 490 “Christ, the Eternal Lord”  LSB 829          “Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus”  LSB 531

Post-Communion Canticle  –    Thank the Lord                                       LSB 164

Post-Communion Thanksgiving     Psalm 118:1 –   O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in loving-kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.    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 X give you peace.      Amen.

Hymn:  “In Thee is Gladness”                             LSB 818      

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 *Announcements*

From the Board of Stewardship and Evangelism:  1 Peter 1:3-4 – “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” We have an inheritance waiting for us, a treasure gathered where moth and rust do not destroy. That should change our perspective on the treasures of this earth. They are fleeting. They come and go. But we can use the treasures of this earth for the work of the kingdom that will not fade away.

The Pewpoint – THEME OF THE DAY – Christ Jesus Breathes His Spirit and His Life into Us by the Ministry of the Gospel –   The crucified and risen Lord Jesus establishes the ministry of the Gospel in order to bestow His life-giving Holy Spirit and His peace upon the Church. To those who are called and ordained to this office, and to those they serve in His name, He grants the Holy Absolution of all sins. By the fruits of His cross, He replaces fear and doubt with peace and joy, and thus gives “repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31). Through the preaching of His sent ones, He calls us to believe that He “is the Christ, the Son of God,” so that by such faith we “may have life in his name” (John 20:31). In His resurrection, we have the “living hope” to which we have been “born again” and by which we are guarded “for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3, 5). Until then, “though you have not seen him, you love him,” and by the mercies of God “you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

YES IN CHRIST  —  Saying Yes With Our Treasures –  Needed per week to make budget: $3,072

Maundy Thursday Envelopes $460    Plate $3

Good Friday Envelopes $330   Plate $10   Music Fund $20

Easter Sunday Envelopes $2,150   Plate $187    Music Fund $100     General Fund: Eli Dornfeld $50

Easter Breakfast 384

Attendance:  Early Service: 58   Communed: 51  Late Service: 59  Communed:    31

April 19th – Midweek services start @ 7pm

On their special day please wish them a Happy Birthday.

Heather	4/20
Betsy S.	4/21
Chad B.	4/23
Gary B.	4/23
Daniel F.	4/28
Lonnie H.	4/28
Shannon N.	4/28
Daniel S.	4/30

Happy Anniversary to:

 

Joshua & Holley Westenberg	4/23

The April Lutheran Witness has arrived. Pick one up in the back or in the narthex.

Thank you to all who helped with our Easter Breakfast!  –  I can’t say thank you enough for all the donations, help, and time everyone gave to make our Easter breakfast a success.  I am lucky to have such a great group of people to work with.  Marti