St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

March 15, 2026 Lent 4

EXACTLY WHAT I NEED: Sight

WELCOME – We will be using the Blue Hymnal today

HYMN 517 “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”

(Please stand for the last stanza)

THE SERVICE: Setting 2 – page 172 ff

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

O Lord Jesus Christ, by your almighty power you opened the eyes of the blind and showed yourself to them. Turn our eyes away from worthless things, and lead us to love you sincerely; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 42:14-21

God promises to lead the blind to safety and turn their darkness to light.

14 I have been silent for a long time. I have kept still. I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman giving birth, I will scream. I will gasp and pant. 15 I will dry up mountains and hills. I will make all their grass wither. I will turn rivers into islands. I will dry up pools. 16 I will lead the blind on a way they do not know. Along paths they do not know I will direct them. Ahead of them I will turn darkness into light and rough places into level ground. These are the things I will accomplish for them. I will not abandon them. 17 They will be turned back and completely disgraced—those who trust in an idol, those who say to molten images, “You are our gods.” 18 You deaf ones, listen! You blind ones, watch carefully so that you can see! 19Who is as blind as my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger whom I sent? Who is as blind as my associate.

as blind as the servant of the Lord? 20 You, Israel, see many things, but you do not observe. Israel opens his ears, but he does not hear. 21 Because of his own righteousness, the Lord was pleased to make his law great and glorious.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY – Psalm 67

Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.

SECOND LESSON: Ephesians 5:8-14

Once I have seen the light of Christ, I strive to leave deeds of darkness behind.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, 11 and do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness. Instead, expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention the things that are done by people in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible. 14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

P: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: page 179 (sung)

Praise to you, Lord Je-sus Christ, King of endless glo-ry.

The reason the Son of God ap-peared was to destroy the dev-il’s work. Praise to you, Lord Je-sus Christ, King of endless glo-ry.

GOSPEL: John 9:1-7,13-17,34-39

Jesus enables a man who had been born blind to see him both physically and spiritually.

1As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him. 4I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.” 6After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. 7“Go,” Jesus told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went and washed and came back seeing….

13 They brought this man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man told them. “I washed, and now I see.” 16 Then some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others were saying, “How can a sinful man work such miraculous signs?” There was division among them, 17 so they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”….

34 They answered him, “You were entirely born in sinfulness! Yet you presume to teach us?” And they threw him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. When he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 “Who is he, sir,” the man replied, “that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him, and he is the very one who is speaking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” and he knelt down and worshipped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, in order that those who do not see will see, and those who do see will become blind.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 515 “Christ Is the World’s Light”

SERMON: When You’re Able to See the Light John 9:1-7,13-17,34-39 HYMN 576 (1,2) “Amazing Grace”

NICENE CREED - pages 180.181

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH – page 182

THE SACRAMENT - pages 183-186

NOTE: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church believes that participation in the Lord's Supper is both a confession of faith and an expression of our unity in that faith. When you commune with us you are saying that you agree with the Biblical teachings about the Lord's Supper and all the other teachings of the Bible. If you have never communed with us before, we ask that you speak with Pastor Himm to learn how you can establish a communing fellowship with us. We are eager to enjoy that fellowship with you!

BLESSING C: Amen.

HYMN 713 "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light"

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.

LENTEN WEDNESDAY: You are cordially invited to join the members of Redeemer, Scottville, for their midweek Lenten worship at 1:30 pm. There is no luncheon this week.

EASTER SUNDAY: Please make plans to attend our Easter Sunday Service, April 5. We will serve a potluck breakfast at 9 am (no Bible Class or Sunday School). More details will be share in the coming weeks. Easter is a wonderful time to invite you family and friends.

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 ®)