St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

April 12, 2026 Easter 2

HE LIVES TO GIVE ME PROOF AND PEACE

WELCOME – All responses will be spoken today. Hymns in RED HYMNAL HYMN 160 “This Joyful Easter Tide” (Please stand for last stanza)

INVOCATION & CALL TO WORSHIP

L: In the name of the Father, and of the Son (+), and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

L: Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

L: I will exult you, LORD,

C: for you lifted me out of the depths.

L: LORD, my God, I called to you for help,

C: and you healed me.

L: O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;

C: You spared me from going down into the pit.

L: Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;

C: Praise his holy name.

L: For his anger lasts only a moment,

C: but his favor lasts a lifetime.

L: Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

L: Let us pray.

O risen Lord, you came to your disciples and took away their fears with your word of peace. Come to us also by your Word and sacrament, and banish our fears with the comforting assurance of your abiding presence; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Acts 2:14a,22-32

The living Lord appeared to many eyewitnesses so they could testify to the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them:…22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man recommended

to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, who was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, you[d]killed by having lawless men nail him to a cross. 24 He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip. 25 Indeed, David says concerning him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. My flesh also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon my life to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence. 29 Gentlemen, brothers, I can speak confidently to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his descendants on his throne,31 he saw what was coming and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, saying that he was neither abandoned to the grave nor did his flesh see decay. 32 This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that.”

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

SECOND LESSON: 1 Peter 1:3-9

St. Peter points to the resurrection as proof of the hope we have.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. 6 Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials 7so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

L: Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia. Please stand for the Gospel.

GOSPEL: John 20:19-31

Jesus gave the proof that led to peace for Thomas.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked

doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. 31 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.

L: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 165 (1-4) “O Sons and Daughters of the King”

SERMON: “The Difference is Peace” (written by Circuit Pastor John Eich) APOSTLES’ CREED - page 41

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER - page 42

HYMN 165 (5-9) “O Sons and Daughters of the King”

PRAYER - page 43 C: Amen. (spoken)

BLESSING - page 44 C: Amen. (spoken)

HYMN 158 “I Am Content! My Jesus Lives Again”

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's & the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) have joined together to do the Lord’s work here and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

PLEASE SIGN OUR GUEST BOOK IF YOU ARE VISITING. It’s located in the entryway by the stairs going to the basement.

THIS WEEK AT ST. PAUL’S

❖ Tuesday, 10 am - Ladies’ Book Study – “Taboo” at the parsonage

❖ Tuesday, 3:30 pm - Youth Confirmation Class at Pastor’s house ❖ Tuesday, 7 pm - Bible Study on Romans at Pastor’s house

❖ Sunday, 9 am - Sunday School & Adult Bible Class

❖ Sunday, 10 am – WORSHIP

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version ® (EHV ®)