St Paul’s

Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

January 26, 2025 Epiphany 3

REJECTION IS NOT PROOF OF FAILURE

WELCOME

MORNING PRAISE - pages 45-51 - Please stand

HYMN: “Father, We Praise You”

M: O Lord, open my lips.

C: And my mouth shall declare your praise.

M: Hasten to save me, O God.

C: O Lord, come quickly to help me.

M: The glory of Christ is revealed: let us worship him.

VENITE: “Oh, Come, Let Us Sing to the Lord” – pages 46,47

GOSPEL: Luke 4:16-30

In one of Jesus’ first sermons, delivered in his hometown, people took offense at his words and ultimately rejected him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” 24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

SEASONAL RESPONSE: (spoken together)

We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

HYMN 556 “Rise, Shine, You People”

SERMON: Acts 4:23-31

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’ 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Let Us Speak with Great Boldness

TE DEUM: “We Praise You, O God” - pages 48-49

KYRIE: “Lord, Have Mercy” - spoken

M: In the morning, O Lord, I call to you; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. C: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER

PRAYER FOR GRACE

M: O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with your mighty power, and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger; and in all we do, direct us to what is right in your sight, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. C: C: Amen

M: Let us praise the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

BLESSING

M: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: Amen.

HYMN 579 "Lift High the Cross"

WELS Connection: 175th Anniversary of our Synod

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. 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.

ANNUAL VOTERS’ MEETING – Today after refreshments the voters’ will meet for their Annual Meeting. Please plan to attend.

2025 MEN ALIVE RALLY will be held on Saturday, February 15, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bay City (Breakfast starting at 7:15 am). Registration ends on January 31. The theme is Throughout All Generations with a keynote from Pastor Jonathan Hein followed by several breakout sessions, lunch, a panel discussion, and closing devotion.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.