Service

+ FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER +

APRIL 26, 2026

(Stand)

490 JESUS LIVES! THE VICTORY’S WON

Jesus lives! The vict’ry’s won!
Death no longer can appall me;
Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done!
From the grave will Christ recall me.
Brighter scenes will then commence;
This shall be my confidence.

Jesus lives! To Him the throne
High above all things is given.
I shall go where He is gone,
Live and reign with Him in heaven.
God is faithful; doubtings, hence!
This shall be my confidence.

Jesus lives! For me He died,
Hence will I, to Jesus living,
Pure in heart and act abide,
Praise to Him and glory giving.
All I need God will dispense;
This shall be my confidence.

Jesus lives! I know full well
Nothing me from Him shall sever.
Neither death nor pow’rs of hell
Part me now from Christ forever.
God will be my sure defense;
This shall be my confidence.

Jesus lives! And now is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath
When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense:
Jesus is my confidence!

Text: Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, 1715–69; tr. Frances E. Cox, 1812–97, alt.
Text: Public domain

(The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.)

INVOCATION

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

[11AM] SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM LSB 268

Katherine Leah Schubert

EXHORTATION LSB 184

P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(Kneel/Stand)

(Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.)

CONFESSION OF SINS LSB 184

P O almighty God, merciful Father,

C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

ABSOLUTION LSB 185

P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of 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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

(Stand)

PSALM Psalm 147:1–11; antiphon: v. 5

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

KYRIE 186

C Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS 187

P Glory be to God on high:

C and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee,

we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.

O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;

O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.

Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost,

art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Let us pray.

Almighty God, You show those in error the light of Your truth so that they may return to the way of righteousness. Grant faithfulness to all who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Church that they may avoid whatever is contrary to their confession and follow all such things as are pleasing to You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

(Sit)

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 40:25–31

25To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.
27Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE 1 Peter 2:11–20

11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

13Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

18Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20For 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.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

(Stand)

ALLELUIA 190

C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

VERSE OF THE DAY Psalm 111:9a; Luke 24:26

He sent redemption to his people. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL John 16:16–22

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the sixteenth chapter.

C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

16[Jesus said:] “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

NICENE CREED

C 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 T of the world to come. Amen.

(Sit)

483 WITH HIGH DELIGHT LET US UNITE

With high delight Let us unite
In songs of great jubilation.
Ye pure in heart, All bear your part,
Sing Jesus Christ, our salvation.
To set us free Forever, He
Is ris’n and sends
To all earth’s ends
Good news to save ev’ry nation.

[CHOIR]

True God, He first From death has burst
Forth into life, all subduing.
His enemy Doth vanquished lie;
His death has been death’s undoing.
“And yours shall be Like victory
O’er death and grave,”
Saith He, who gave
His life for us, life renewing.

Let praises ring; Give thanks, and bring
To Christ our Lord adoration.
His honor speed By word and deed
To ev’ry land, ev’ry nation.
So shall His love Give us above,
From misery
And death set free,
All joy and full consolation.

Text: Georg Vetter, 1536–99; tr. Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

SERMON

(Stand)

OFFERTORY 192

C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.

(Sit)

OFFERING—“To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name” Christopher Tye (1497-1572)

To our Redeemer’s glorious name

Awake the sacred song.

Oh, may His love, immortal flame,

Tune every heart and tongue!

He left His radiant throne on high,

Left realms of heavenly bliss,

He came to earth to bleed and die,

Was ever love like this?

Oh, may the sweet, the blissful them

Fill every heart and tongue

Till strangers love the charming name

And join the sacred song!

(Kneel/Stand)

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

PREFACE 194

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them up unto the Lord.

P Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.

C It is meet and right so to do.

PROPER PREFACE (FULL)

P It is truly meet, 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 saying:

SANCTUS 195

C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

LORD’S PRAYER

C 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 197

P 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 T 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 T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PAX DOMINI 197

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

AGNUS DEI 198

C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.

(Sit)

DISTRIBUTION

“Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem” Kevin Hildebrand

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, Your sweetest notes employ,

The Paschal victory to hymn In strains of holy joy.

For Judah’s Lion burst His chains And crushed the serpent’s head;

And now Christ lives, who once was slain;

Our Lord, who once was dead.

But now the bonds of death are burst, The ransom has been paid;

Christ now ascends the Father’s throne In robes of light arrayed.

Christ Jesus, be our present joy, Our future great reward;

Our only glory, may it be

To glory in the Lord!

While joyful thus His praise we sing, His mercy we implore,

Into his palace bright to bring, And keep us evermore.

All glory to the Father be, All glory to the Son,

All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,

While endless ages run.

Alleluia, alleluia!

818 IN THEE IS GLADNESS

In Thee is gladness Amid all sadness,
Jesus, sunshine of my heart.
By Thee are given The gifts of heaven,
Thou the true Redeemer art.
Our souls Thou wakest, Our bonds Thou breakest;
Who trusts Thee surely Has built securely;
He stands forever: Alleluia!
Our hearts are pining To see Thy shining,
Dying or living To Thee are cleaving;
Naught can us sever: Alleluia!

Since He is ours, We fear no powers,
Not of earth nor sin nor death.
He sees and blesses In worst distresses;
He can change them with a breath.
Wherefore the story Tell of His glory
With hearts and voices; All heav’n rejoices
In Him forever: Alleluia!
We shout for gladness, Triumph o’er sadness,
Love Him and praise Him And still shall raise Him
Glad hymns forever: Alleluia!

Text: Johann Lindemann, 1549–1631; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text: Public domain

756 WHY SHOULD CROSS AND TRIAL GRIEVE ME

Why should cross and trial grieve me?
Christ is near
With His cheer;
Never will He leave me.
Who can rob me of the heaven
That God’s Son
For me won
When His life was given?

When life’s troubles rise to meet me,
Though their weight
May be great,
They will not defeat me.
God, my loving Savior, sends them;
He who knows
All my woes
Knows how best to end them.

God gives me my days of gladness,
And I will
Trust Him still
When He sends me sadness.
God is good; His love attends me
Day by day,
Come what may,
Guides me and defends me.

From God’s joy can nothing sever,
For I am
His dear lamb,
He, my Shepherd ever.
I am His because He gave me
His own blood
For my good,
By His death to save me.

Now in Christ, death cannot slay me,
Though it might,
Day and night,
Trouble and dismay me.
Christ has made my death a portal
From the strife
Of this life
To His joy immortal!

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76; (sts. 1–3): tr. Christian Worship, 1993; (sts. 4–5): tr. Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text (sts. 1–3): Public domain
Text (sts. 4–5): © 2004 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

725 CHILDREN OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832–1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870–1958
Text: Public domain

760 WHAT GOD ORDAINS IS ALWAYS GOOD

What God ordains is always good:
His will is just and holy.
As He directs my life for me,
I follow meek and lowly.
My God indeed
In ev’ry need
Knows well how He will shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.

What God ordains is always good:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me in His righteous way,
And never will He leave me.
I take content
What He has sent;
His hand that sends me sadness
Will turn my tears to gladness.

What God ordains is always good:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my physician sends me.
My God is true;
Each morning new
I trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

What God ordains is always good:
He is my friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm
Though many storms may gather.
Now I may know
Both joy and woe;
Someday I shall see clearly
That He has loved me dearly.

What God ordains is always good:
Though I the cup am drinking
Which savors now of bitterness,
I take it without shrinking.
For after grief
God gives relief,
My heart with comfort filling
And all my sorrow stilling.

What God ordains is always good:
This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm,
For with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me.

Text: Samuel Rodigast, 1649–1708; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Text: Public domain

(Stand)

NUNC DIMITTIS 199

C Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,

for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,

a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

THANKSGIVING 200

A O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,

C and His mercy endureth forever.

POST-COMMUNION COLLECT

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

SALUTATION 201

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

BENEDICAMUS 202

A Bless we the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

BENEDICTION 202

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C Amen, amen, amen.

473 OUR PASCHAL LAMB, THAT SETS US FREE

Our Paschal Lamb, that sets us free,
Is sacrificed. O keep
The feast of freedom gallantly;
Let alleluias leap:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Again
Sing alleluia, cry aloud: Alleluia! Amen!

Let all our lives now celebrate
The feast; let malice die.
Let love grow strong anew, and great,
Let truth stamp out the lie.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Again
Sing alleluia, cry aloud: Alleluia! Amen!

Let all our deeds, unanimous,
Confess Him as our Lord
Who by the Spirit lives in us,
The Father’s living Word.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Again
Sing alleluia, cry aloud: Alleluia! Amen!

Text: Martin H. Franzmann, 1907–76
Text: © 1974 Augsburg Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

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.