St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

February 22, 2026 Lent 1

EXACTLY WHAT I NEED: A Champion

WELCOME - we will be using the RED HYMNAL today.

HYMN 106 “Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain” (Please stand for the last verse) SERVICE OF THE WORD - pages 38-44

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Lord our strength, the battle of good and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word, and when we fall, raise us up again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Sung) Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Genesis 3:1-15

God promised to send a champion to do what I could not, defeating my greatest enemy.

1 Now the serpent was more clever than any wild animal which the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3but not from the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden. God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it. You shall not touch it, or else you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die. 5In fact, God knows that the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was appealing to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She gave some also to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for their waists.8 They heard the voice of the Lord God, who was walking around in the garden during the cooler part of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.”

11 God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 The Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all the livestock, and more than every wild animal. You shall crawl on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 130 – page 114

Remember your mercy, O Lord; remember your mercy and love.

SECOND LESSON: Romans 5:12-19

Adam’s defeat meant death for me. Christ’s victory means life for me.

12 So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned. 13 For even before the law was given, sin was in the world. Now, sin is not charged to one’s account if there is no law, 14 and yet death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those whose sin was not like the transgression of Adam, who is a pattern of the one who was to come.

15 But the gracious gift is not like Adam’s trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of this one man, it is even more certain that God’s grace, and the gift given by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ, overflowed to the many! 16 And the gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin, for the judgment that followed the one trespass resulted in a verdict of condemnation, but the gracious gift that followed many trespasses resulted in a verdict of justification. 17 Indeed, if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through the one man, it is even more certain that those who receive the overflowing grace of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ! 18 So then, just as one trespass led to a verdict of condemnation for all people, so also one righteous verdict led to life-giving justification for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one man the many became sinners, so also through the obedience of one man the many will become righteous.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY: NOTE: Alleluias are omitted during the season of Lent. It is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

GOSPEL: Matthew 4:1-11

The champion of demons and the champion of mankind do battle. Jesus wins.

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. 2After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The Tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” 5 Then the Devil took him into the holy city. He placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and he said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you. And they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written: You shall not test the Lord your God.” 8 Again the Devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” 11 Then the Devil left him, and just then angels came and served him.

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: (sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 378 “All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall”

SERMON: “Christ is our Champion” Romans 5:12-19

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 41

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER (Traditional)

HYMN 201 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

PRAYER - page 43 C: (sung) Amen.

BLESSING - page 44 C: (sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 431 (1,5) “I Walk in Danger All the Way”

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

OFFERING BASKET BY DOOR NEAR WATER COOLER

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. The basket is located next to the water dispenser.

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

THIS WEDNESDAY IS ASH WEDNESDAY: You are cordially invited to join the members of Redeemer, Scottville, for their midweek Lenten worship at 1:30 pm. This week a luncheon will be held at 12:30 pm.

LORD’S SUPPER: Since Pastor Himm will be gone next week the Lord’s Supper will be served on March 8 (the 2nd Sunday) instead of March 1 (the 1st Sunday).

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 ®)