January 25, 2026

THE SERVICE

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY—JESUS IS THE LIGHT

The prophet Isaiah vividly described humanity as “people walking in darkness.” Then he foretold that a light would shine on them. Enveloped by sin, suffering, and death, we find our minds and hearts clouded. But Jesus is revealed as the promised light. He shines his light by preaching repentance and the good news of the kingdom. Our Savior is the Light of the world, and we reflect his light onto everyone around us.

OPENING HYMN 825 The Lord Is My Light sts. Ref–3

Ref The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The Lord is the stronghold of my life.
Since the Lord is my life, my strength, and my all,
whom then shall I fear?

1 There is one thing I ask of the Lord:
to dwell in his house forever,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
all the days of my life. (Refrain)

2 Do not hide your face, O Lord.
Ev’ry day I will seek your face.
Though my father and mother may forsake me,
the Lord will receive me. (Refrain)

3 Teach me, Lord, and keep me on your paths;
guide me, Lord, along a level way.
I will gaze on the goodness of the Lord
in the land of all the living. (Refrain)

Text: tr. Lorraine Florindez, 1926–2011; tr. Jon D. Vieker, b. 1961; Alberto Taulé, 1932–2007
Text: © 2006 Jon D. Vieker. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 717826

Please Stand

INVOCATION

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

CONFESSION

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father,
    I am sinful by nature
        and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
    I have not loved you with my whole heart;
    I have not loved others as I should.
        I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
    But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
        with his innocent suffering and death.
    Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Silence for meditation and reflection

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

KYRIE Lord, Have Mercy

In peace let us pray to the Lord.
♫ Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
♫ Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
♫ Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
♫ Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
♫ Amen.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS Glory to God in the Highest

♫ Ref: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. (Refrain)

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer, receive our prayer. (Refrain)

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. (Refrain)

Glory to God, glory to God.

THE WORD

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray.

Almighty God, you sent your Son to proclaim your kingdom and teach with authority. Anoint us with the power of your Spirit that we too may bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captive; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Be seated

FIRST READING Isaiah 8:19—9:4

The prophet foretold that people walking in darkness would see a great light.

19When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.

1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.
4For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING 1 John 2:3–11

God’s children walk in the light of Christ by living in love for God and for one another.

3We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Please Stand

GOSPEL (in English and Karen) Matthew 4:12–23

Jesus preached the light of the gospel to a world in the darkness of unbelief.

12When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”

17From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ!

Be seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY 904 O Christ, Our True and Only Light

1 O Christ, our true and only light,
enlighten those who sit in night;
let those afar now hear your voice
and in your fold with us rejoice.

2 Fill with the radiance of your grace
the souls now lost in error’s maze;
enlighten those whose inmost minds
some dark delusion haunts and blinds.

3 O gently call those gone astray
that they may find the saving way;
let ev’ry conscience sore oppressed
in you find peace and heav’nly rest.

4 Shine on the darkened and the cold,
recall the wand’rers to your fold;
unite all those who walk apart,
confirm the weak and doubting heart,

5 That they with us may evermore
such grace with wond’ring thanks adore
and endless praise to you be giv’n
by all your Church in earth and heav’n.

Text: Johann Heermann, 1585–1647; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–1878, alt.
Text: Public domain

SERMON Luke 10:1-20

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Please Stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed 325 & 381 AD

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Be seated

OFFERING PRESENTED BEFORE THE ALTAR

OFFERING HYMN CWS p21 Create in Me a Pure Heart

♫ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold, uphold me with your free Spirit.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Light which the darkness cannot overcome. Banish the darkness of sin, guilt and fear from our lives and let your light shine forth.