October 18, 2026

THE SERVICE

THE BEGINNING OF THE END – IT’S TIME TO OFFER FORGIVENESS

When you know that the end is approaching, what’s the most important thing you can do? Some would say that the vital thing is to concentrate on your relationships. The most important part of your personal relationship with God is the forgiveness of sins you have through faith in Jesus. The most important thing you can offer the most important people in your life is forgiveness. The beginning of the end is a good time to put the Lord’s Prayer into practice and forgive as you have been forgiven.

OPENING HYMN 745 Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying

1       Hark, the voice of Jesus crying,
    “Who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvests waiting;
    who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth;
    rich reward he offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying,
    “Here am I, send me, send me”?

2       If you cannot speak like angels,
    if you cannot preach like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus,
    you can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked
    with the judgment’s dread alarms,
you can lead the little children
    to the Savior’s waiting arms.

3       If you cannot be a watchman,
    standing high on Zion’s wall,
pointing out the path to heaven,
    off’ring life and peace to all,
with your prayers and with your off’rings
    you can do what God demands;
you can be like faithful Aaron,
    holding up the prophet’s hands.

4       Let none hear you idly saying,
    “There is nothing I can do,”
while the multitudes are dying,
    and the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly,
    let his work your pleasure be;
answer quickly when he calleth,
    “Here am I, send me, send me!”

Text: (st. 3) unknown, alt.; (sts. 1–2, 4): Daniel March, 1816–1909, sts. 1,2,4, abr., alt
Text: Public domain

Please Stand

INVOCATION

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

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION

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 called Luke the physician to reveal in his gospel the love and healing power of your Son. Grant that, by hearing and believing your Word, we may be healed of all sin and serve you with willing hearts; 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 Acts 1:1–3

The evangelist Luke explains why he wrote his gospel.

1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 139

1You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
5You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

7Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
8If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
12even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
17How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

19If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
21Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
23Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

SECOND READING 2 Timothy 4:5–11

The evangelist Luke accompanied the apostle Paul on his missionary journeys.

5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

9Do your best to come to me quickly, 10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY John 20:31

31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Please Stand

GOSPEL (in English and Karen) Luke 1:1–4; 24:44-53

The evangelist Luke summarizes the message of the Christian faith as “repentance and forgiveness of sins.”

1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

44He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

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

Be seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY 747 Christ High-Ascended

1 Christ high-ascended, now in glory seated,
throned and exalted, victory completed,
death’s dread dominion finally defeated,
we are his witnesses.

2 Christ, from the Father ev’ry pow’r possessing,
who on his chosen lifted hands in blessing,
sends forth his servants, still in faith confessing,
we are his witnesses.

3 Christ, who in dying won for us salvation,
lives now the firstborn of the new creation;
to win disciples out of ev’ry nation,
we are his witnesses.

4 Christ in his splendor, all dominion gaining,
Christ with his people evermore remaining,
Christ to all ages, gloriously reigning,
we are his witnesses.

5 As at his parting, joy shall banish grieving,
faith in his presence strengthen our believing;
filled with his Spirit, love and pow’r receiving,
we are his witnesses.

Text: Timothy Dudley-Smith, b. 1926
Text: © 1984 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 717826

SERMON

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.

EAST CAMPUS STUDENTS SING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Almighty God, you instruct your holy church with the teaching of your evangelists. Through your servant Luke, show us the certainty of the things we have been taught.