St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

April 19, 2026 Easter 3

HE LIVES TO RESTORE MY HOPE

WELCOME – All responses will be spoken today. Hymns in RED HYMNAL HYMN 159 “Morning Breaks upon the Tomb” (Please stand for last stanza)

INVOCATION & CALL TO WORSHIP

L: We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

L: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts us in our troubles, C: So that we can comfort others in their troubles with the same comfort we ourselves have received from God.

L: For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives,

C: So also through Christ our comfort overflows to others.

L: Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. C: One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.

L: Our God is a God who saves.

C: He does not treat us as our sins deserve.

L: For God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us,

C: So that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

L: Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for

all, and therefore all died.

C: And He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

L: May His Spirit inspire our giving thanks for all of His blessings to us,

C: And make us able to serve Him throughout our lives.

L: Let us pray.

O God, by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world from the despair of death. By his resurrection to life, grant your faithful people gladness of heart and the hope of eternal joys; through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Acts 2:14a,32-41

The message of Christ crucified and risen gives the certain hope of forgiveness to sinners.

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them:…32 “This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that. 33 So, after he was exalted to the right hand of God and after he received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out what you are now seeing and hearing. 34 “For David did not ascend into heaven, and yet he says: The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies a footstool under your feet. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Gentlemen, brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter answered them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your[l]sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 He testified solemnly with many other words and was appealing to them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

L: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

SECOND LESSON: 1 Peter 1:17-21

Our hope and expectation is joining our Savior in the glory of heaven. Until that day, we live as pilgrims heading toward home.

17 If you call on the Father who judges impartially, according to the work of each person, conduct yourselves during the time of your pilgrimage in reverence, 18 because you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, not with things that pass away, such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

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. Our hearts were burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us. Alleluia. Please stand for the Gospel.

GOSPEL: Luke 24:13-35

Jesus restored the hope of two disciples as he explained the Scriptures.

13 Now, on that same day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about all of these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing this, Jesus himself approached and began to walk along with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” Saddened, they stopped. 18 One of them,

named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. They replied, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was going to redeem Israel. Not only that, but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Also some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning. 23When they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28As they approached the village where they were going, he acted as if he were going to travel farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, since it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he reclined at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and began giving it to them. 31 Suddenly their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those who were with them assembled together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord really has been raised! He has appeared to Simon.” 35 They themselves described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 167 “Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense”

SERMON: (written by Circuit Pastor John Eich)

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 41

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER - page 42

HYMN 141 “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing”

PRAYER - page 43 C: Amen.)

BLESSING - page 44 C: Amen.

HYMN 166 “The Day of Resurrection”

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.

NO CONFIRMATION or ADULT BIBLE STUDY this week,

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