Fourth Sunday in Lent ~ March 22, 2020

 

Hymn of Invocation: Awake, O Sleeper, Rise from Death (LSB 697)

1     Awake, O sleeper, rise from death,
    And Christ shall give you light;
So learn His love, its length and breadth,
    Its fullness, depth, and height.

 

2     To us on earth He came to bring
    From sin and fear release,
To give the Spirit’s unity,
    The very bond of peace.

 

3     Then walk in love as Christ has loved,
    Who died that He might save;
With kind and gentle hearts forgive
    As God in Christ forgave.

 

4     For us Christ lived, for us He died,
    And conquered in the strife;
Awake, arise, go forth in faith,
    And Christ shall give you life.

 

Invocation

P    In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

 

Exhortation                                                                          LSB 184

P    Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

 

P    Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C    who made heaven and earth.

P    I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C    and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

 

Absolution                                                                            LSB 185

P    Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C    Amen.

 

Stand

 

L    O Lord, open my lips,

C    and my mouth will declare Your praise.

L    Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C    make haste to help me, O Lord.

C    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, Lamb of our salvation.

 

Psalmody

 

L    The Lord has redeemed His people.

C    O come, let us worship Him.

 

Venite                                                                                   LSB 220

C    O come, let us sing to the Lord,

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,

let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.

 

For the Lord is a great God

and a great king above all gods.

The deep places of the earth are in His hand;

the strength of the hills is His also.

 

The sea is His, for He made it,

and His hand formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down,

let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.

 

For He is our God,

and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

 

L    The Lord has redeemed His people.

C    O come, let us worship Him.

 

Additional Psalms                                                 Psalm 142; antiphon: v. 5

5I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, “You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.”
1With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
   with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
2I pour out my complaint before him;
   I tell my trouble before him.
3When my spirit faints within me,
   you know my way!
In the path where I walk
   they have hidden a trap for me.
4Look to the right and see:
   there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
   no one cares for my soul.
5I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, “You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.”
6Attend to my cry,
   for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me!
7Bring me out of prison,
   that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

   and to the Holy Spirit.

as it was in the beginning, is now

   and will be forever. Amen.

5I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, “You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.”

Sit

 

Office Hymn: Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain (LSB 435)

1     Come to Calv’ry’s holy mountain,
    Sinners, ruined by the fall;
Here a pure and healing fountain
    Flows for you, for me, for all,
In a full, perpetual tide,
Opened when our Savior died.

 

2     Come in poverty and meanness,
    Come defiled, without, within;
From infection and uncleanness,
    From the leprosy of sin,
Wash your robes and make them white;
Ye shall walk with God in light.

 

3     Come in sorrow and contrition,
    Wounded, impotent, and blind;
Here the guilty, free remission,
    Here the troubled, peace may find.
Health this fountain will restore;
They that drink shall thirst no more.

 

4     They that drink shall live forever;
    ’Tis a soul-renewing flood.
God is faithful; God will never
    Break His covenant of blood,
Signed when our Redeemer died,
Sealed when He was glorified.

 

Readings

 

Reading                                                                         Isaiah 42:14–21

14For a long time I have held my peace;
   I have kept still and restrained myself;
now I will cry out like a woman in labor;
   I will gasp and pant.
15I will lay waste mountains and hills,
   and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn the rivers into islands,
   and dry up the pools.
16And I will lead the blind
   in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known
   I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
   the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I do,
   and I do not forsake them.
17They are turned back and utterly put to shame,
   who trust in carved idols,
who say to metal images,
   “You are our gods.”

18Hear, you deaf,
   and look, you blind, that you may see!
19Who is blind but my servant,
   or deaf as my messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as my dedicated one,
   or blind as the servant of the Lord?
20He sees many things, but does not observe them;
   his ears are open, but he does not hear.
21The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake,
   to magnify his law and make it glorious.

 

P    O Lord, have mercy on us.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

Reading                                                                       Ephesians 5:8–14

   8For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
   and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

 

P    O Lord, have mercy on us.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

Reading                                                                                  John 9

   1As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2And 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 the works of God might be displayed in him. 4We must work 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.” 6Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

   8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

   13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

   18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

   24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

   35Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”

 

P    O Lord, have mercy on us.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

Responsory (Lent)                                                                 LSB 222

L    We have an advocate with the Father; Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.

C    He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of the people.

L    Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is put away.

C    He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of the people.

L    We have an advocate with the Father; Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.

C    He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of the people.

 

Sermon

 

Canticle

 

Stand

 

Te Deum                                                                               LSB 223

C    We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.

All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting.

To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow’rs therein.

To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise You.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

 

The noble army of martyrs praise You.

The holy Church throughout all the world does acknowledge You:

The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son;

also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

 

You are the king of glory, O Christ;

You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

 

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man,

You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin.

When You had overcome the sharpness of death,

You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

 

You sit at the right hand of God

in the glory of the Father.

We believe that You will come

to be our judge.

 

We therefore pray You to help Your servants,

whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with Your saints

in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Day by day we magnify You.
And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You.
O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

 

Sit

 

Offering

 

Prayer

 

Kneel/Stand

 

Kyrie                                                                                     LSB 227

C    Lord, have mercy;

Christ, have mercy;

Lord, have mercy.

 

Lord’s Prayer

C    Our Father who art in heaven,

     hallowed be Thy name,

     Thy kingdom come,

     Thy will be done on earth

          as it is in heaven;

     give us this day our daily bread;

     and forgive us our trespasses

          as we forgive those

          who trespass against us;

     and lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

     and the power and the glory

     forever and ever. Amen.

 

Collects

P    The Lord be with you.

C    And with your spirit.

 

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C    Amen.

 

Almighty God, heavenly Father, give us grace to trust You during this time of illness and distress. In mercy put an end to the epidemic that afflicts us. Grant relief to those who suffer, and comfort all that mourn. Sustain all medical personnel in their labors, and cause Your people ever to serve You in righteousness and holiness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Lord God, be with the doctors and nurses and all others who minister to the needs of those who are ill. Through their wise and compassionate service, grant relief to the suffering and hope to the afflicted so that all may know of Your boundless care; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

O Lord, You are the great Physician of soul and body; You chasten and You heal. Show mercy to Your servant(s) [name(s)]. Spare [his/her/their] life (lives) and restore [his/her/their] strength. Even as You gave Your Son to bear our infirmities and sicknesses, deal compassionately with Your servant(s) and bless [him/her/them] with Your healing power. We commit [him/her/them] to Your gracious mercy and protection; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Collect for Grace

L    O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, You have safely brought us to the beginning of this day. Defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C    Amen.

 

Stand

 

Benedicamus                                                                        LSB 228

L    Let us bless the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

 

Benediction                                                                          LSB 228

P    The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C    Amen.

 

 

744 Amazing Grace                                                               sts. 1–5

1     Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
    That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
    Was blind but now I see!

 

2     The Lord has promised good to me,
    His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
    As long as life endures.

 

3     Through many dangers, toils, and snares
    I have already come;
His grace has brought me safe thus far,
    His grace will lead me home.

 

4     Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail
    And mortal life shall cease,
Amazing grace shall then prevail
    In heaven’s joy and peace.

 

5     When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
    Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
    Than when we’d first begun.

 

Acknowledgments

Matins from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.