Watchword from the gospel of 1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Old Testament reading from the prophet Isaiah 40:26 – 31 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
1 Peter 1:3-9 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade– kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith– of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire– may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
John 20:19-29 9 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Prayer of the Church:
P: Now is the time of rejoicing! Now is the time to sound forth the trumpet of salvation and proclaim the triumph of our King. Acknowledging that the tomb is empty and our Lord is risen, let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
P: O Lord, in Your mercy You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, made Him an offering for our sin, raised Him from the dead, and made Him ruler over all things. Let Your word of life be spoken faithfully in every congregation and carried to every corner of the earth. Grant that Your church in all circumstances may not be faithless but believing, especially when challenged by doubts, hardships, and persecution. Send witnesses of Your grace to all who have wandered from the faith that they might once again know Your Son who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Almighty God, You have always ruled the nations of this earth according to Your will. Give good government in our towns and cities. Lead our state officials to serve with honesty and good judgment. Guide all who work in our federal government to be faithful servants of their fellow citizens. Curb hatred and violence among the nations so that all may live in peace and safety. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Gracious Father, watch over and provide help to children who have lost their parents, widows and widowers who have no family to care for them, those who have been abused, those who are lonely and friendless, those who have no work, and those who seek a purpose in life. Lead us to be generous to the helpless and to the agencies that serve them. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: O Lord, we give You thanks and praise for all Your wonderful acts. Help all in this congregation who have been joined to Christ in Holy Baptism to grow in their faith and in their service to You. Bless our worship, our Sunday School and Bible classes, and our daily study of Your Word that we may increase in our love for Christ who loved us, washed us from our sins, and made us kings and priests. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Father in heaven, Your mercy has no boundaries and no limits. We pray for those who are ill. Be with them, and strengthen and heal them according to Your will. We pray for those families who mourn the loss of a loved one. Be with them, comfort them with the hope of resurrection in Christ, and strengthen them during their time of sorrow. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Father, Your own Son is the stone rejected by the builders but who has now become the very cornerstone of the world’s redemption. Give us the peace and joy that comes in receiving His body and blood in this feast of His Holy Supper, so that we may be cleansed and forgiven, and receive strength to serve faithfully wherever we live or work. Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: Rejoicing with the whole Church, now clothed in the brightness of Christ’s resurrection light, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
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