Divine Service Easter Tuesday – April 2, 2024

Order of Divine Service, p.7   The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal
Hymn: “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #29, LW 123, TLH 195)
Readings:  Daniel 3:8-28, Acts 13:26-33, St. Luke 24:36-49
Hymn “I Am Content! My Jesus Ever Lives”  LW 145, TLH 196
Sermon

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Service Bulletin: Easter-Monday-Insert-4-1-2024.pdf

https://vimeo.com/929306896?share=copy

Easter Vigil Part 1 – March 31, 2024

Service of Light
Service of 12 Readings
Service of Baptism/Confirmation
Hymn “All Who Believe and Are Baptized” LW 225
Service of Communion
Epistle:  Colossians 3:1-4
Sequence Hymn: “Christ is Arisen” LW #124
Holy Gospel: St. Matthew 28:1-7
Hymn of the Day “Ere Yet the Dawn hath Filled the Skies” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #28)
Sermon
Offertory: “Create in Me…”         p.18
General Prayer
Hymn: “Triumphant from the Grave” LW 144
Exhortation
Communion Service, p.144 (Lutheran Worship)
Communion liturgy, p.144
Hymn “Lo, Judah’s Lion Wins the Strife” LW 146s8, TLH 211

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Service Bulletin:  Easter-Vigil-for-2024-with-ASBH-Easter-Prayer.pdf

Concerning the Eucharist, thus give thanks 1:

FIRST as to the cup: We give Thee thanks, our Father, for the Holy Vine of David, Thy servant, Which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus, Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory unto the ages. As to the broken bread: We give thanks, our Father, for the life and the knowledge which Thou hast made known unto us through Jesus, Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory unto the ages. As this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and having been gathered, became one, so may Thy Church be gathered, from the ends of the earth into Thy Kingdom; for Thine is the glory and power through Jesus Christ unto the ages. Amen. (Oremus, 1925, p.150).

#29 Death Did All Who Could, But Christ Lives and Reigns

In the strength of this faith the early Christians composed and sang in Latin and German so charmingly and truly: “Christ is arisen from the grave’s dark prison. So let our song exulting rise.” {LW 124} And again: “The Lamb the sheep has ransomed; Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciling sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.” {LW 10} Whoever composed these old hymns must certainly have had a proper and Christian conception of the great event, else he could not have depicted so skillfully the scene when death assaulted life, and when the devil madly rushed against it. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ permitted Himself to be slain; yet death was much mistaken in his aim; for the life in this Person whom he attacked was eternal. Death was not aware of this, that an eternal and divine power was enclosed in the mortal body, and was vanquished in the tilt; he attacked Him who cannot die, though He did die on the cross. For as surely as the human nature in Christ was dead, His divine nature was incapable of death, though it was so concealed in Him during His passion and death, as our old teachers represent it, that it manifested itself in no wise, and this for the very purpose that Christ might die. Death did all that he could do; but since the Lord, according to His divine nature, is life itself, He could not remain dead, but freed Himself from death and ail his auxiliaries, vanquished sin and Satan, and now rules in a new life, exempt from all disturbance of sin, the devil, and death. This is indeed a strange, perplexing declaration: Christ, though He died, still liveth, and by His dying despoiled death of all his power. Reason cannot comprehend this; it is a matter of faith. But to us it is a source of great comfort to know and to believe that death has lost his reign, and that we owe this, praise be to God, to that One whom death attacks and overcomes as he does all mortals, but whom he cannot hold; for, in the struggle ensuing, death himself perishes and is swallowed up, while Christ, who had died, lives and reigns forever. (Luther’s House Postil, First Easter Sermon, The Power and the Benefit of the Resurrection of Christ Matthew 28:1-10, Volume 2, p. 490-491)

#28 Where are Our Sins? Sunk in the Depth of the Sea, Never To Be Found Again

The other scene presents to us Christ no longer in woe and misery, weighed down with the ponderous mass of our sins, which God has laid upon Him, but beautiful, glorious and rejoicing; for all the sins have disappeared from Him. From this we have a right to conclude: If our sins, on account of the sufferings of Christ, lie no longer upon us, but are taken from our shoulders by God Himself and placed upon His Son, and if on Easter, after the resurrection, they are no more to be seen, where then are they? Micah truly says: They are sunk into the depth of the sea, and no devil nor any body else shall find them again. This article of our faith is glorious and blessed; whoever holds it not is no Christian; yet all the world reviles, slanders and abuses it. The Pope and his cardinals generally treat even this narrative as a fable to be laughed at; they are full-grown Epicureans, who smile with scorn when told of an eternal life to come. Our nobility, our burghers and our peasants also, believe in a future life, rather from custom than from true conviction, else they would act otherwise and not busy themselves solely with the cares, honors and employments of this temporal life, but would rather seek after that which is eternal. But we may preach and explain as we will, the world regards it all as foolishness. Thus we see that this article meets with opposition on every side; even they who possess and believe the Word of God do not take it to heart as earnestly as they should.
If we desire to be true Christians it is necessary for us firmly to establish in our hearts through faith this article, that Christ, who bore our sins upon the cross and died in payment for them, arose again from the dead for our justification. The more firmly we believe this, the more will our hearts rejoice and be comforted. For it is impossible not to be glad when we see
Christ alive, a pure and beautiful being, who before, on account of our sins, was wretched and pitiable in death and in the grave. We are now convinced that our transgressions are removed and forever put away. (Luther’s House Postil, First Easter Sermon, The Power and the Benefit of the Resurrection of Christ Matthew 28:1-10, Volume 2, p. 489-490)

Easter Divine Service – March 31, 2024

Order of Divine Service I, p. 136  Lutheran Worship
Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Again” TLH 190
Readings:  Isaiah 52:13-15, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, St. Mark 16:1-8
Hymn of the Day: “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #29, LW 123, TLH 195)
Sermon
Offertory: “Create in Me…”         p.18
Easter Prayer
Hymn: “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord” LW #240
Exhortation                                    p.21
Communion Service, p.144 (Lutheran Worship) Communion Hymns:
“Awake, My Heart, with Gladness” LW 128, TLH 192
“At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” LW 126
“The Day of Resurrection” LW 133, TLH 205
Closing Hymn “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia” LW 137, TLH 193

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin:  Easter-Divine-Service-for-Online-3-31-2024.pdf


Picture:  The Luther Bible 1534: Revelation 19 – The Victory Over Babylon, #978

Adult Bible Class – March 31, 2024

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Handout:  Easter-Study.pdf

Picture:  This baptismal font is made of one solid piece of wood.  It dates to around 1675, which is as old as congregation, the Church of the Immaculate Conception(Kaskaskia Island, IL). Our congregation participated in a Christmas Country Church Tour on December 14, 2023.

Easter Sunday Matins – March 31, 2024

Order of Matins, p.208 Lutheran Worship
Office Hymn “Welcome, Happy Morning” LW 135, TLH 202
Psalmody:  Psalm 92, 1, 2, 3, 99
Readings:  1 Corinthians 15:1-25, St. John 20-1-18
Sermon
After Benedicamus, Paschal Blessing, LW p.244-249

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Easter-Dawn-Psalms-Full-Page-2024.pdf

https://vimeo.com/929201611?share=copy
Picture:  The Luther Bible 1534: Revelation 15-16 – Seven Angels, #972

Thanksgiving after the Communion 1.

GLORY be to Thee, my Lord and my God, for thus feeding me with Thy most blessed body and blood! Let This heavenly food impart new life and vigor to me, and to all who communicate with me, that our faith may increase daily, that we may become humble and contrite for our sins, may love Thee, serve Thee, delight in Thee, and praise Thee, more fervently and constantly than we have ever done before; O Thou, Who with the Father livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (Oremus, 1925, p.149).

Picture: Palm Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)

Matins Holy Saturday – March 30, 2024

Order of Matins, p.208  Lutheran Worship
Psalmody:  Psalm 51, 92, 64, Canticle of Hezekiah, Psalm 150 (insert)
Readings:  1 Peter 3:17-22, St. Matthew 27:57-66
Hymn of the Day: “Ere Yet the Dawn Hath Filled the Skies” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #28)
Sermon
Benedictus, p.217

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Holy-Saturday-Psalm-Full-Page-3-30-2024.pdf

https://vimeo.com/928915092?share=copy
Picture:  The Luther Bible 1534: Revelation 15-16 – Seven Angels, #972