First Sunday after the Epiphany
The Baptism of our Lord January 8, 2023

Today’s Theme for Worship: Jesus Appears as the Anointed One. “Messiah” is Anointed One in Hebrew and “Christ” is Anointed One in Greek. At his baptism Jesus was anointed—marked as God’s special Servant.

Hymn: 384 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

1     Hail to the Lord’s anointed,
    great David’s greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
    his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
    to set the captive free,
to take away transgression,
    and rule in equity.

2     He comes with rescue speedy
    to those who suffer wrong,
to help the poor and needy
    and bid the weak be strong,
to give them songs for sighing,
    their darkness turn to light
whose souls, condemned and dying,
    are precious in his sight.

3     Kings shall bow down before him
    and gold and incense bring;
all nations shall adore him,
    his praise all people sing.
To him shall prayer unceasing
    and daily vows ascend,
his kingdom still increasing,
    a kingdom without end.

4     O’er ev’ry foe victorious,
    he on his throne shall rest,
from age to age more glorious,
    all blessing and all-blest.
The tide of time shall never
    his covenant remove;
his name shall stand forever—
    that name to us is Love.

Text: James Montgomery, 1771–1854, abr., alt.
Text: Public domain

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.

Absolution

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.

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.

Glory to God in the Highest

Refrain: Glory to God in the highest, glory to God, and peace to his people on earth, 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.

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.

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. Amen. Refrain

The Word

Salutation

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Father in heaven, at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Keep us who are baptized into Christ faithful in our calling as your children, and make us heirs with him of everlasting life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 42:1–7

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight.

I am placing my Spirit upon him.

He will bring forth the verdict for the nations.

²He will not cry out.

He will not raise his voice.

He will not make his voice heard in the street.

³A bent reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not snuff out.

He will faithfully bring forth the verdict.

⁴He will not grow dim, and he will not be crushed

until he establishes the verdict on the earth.

The coastlands will wait for his teaching.

⁵This is what the true God says, the Lord,

who creates the heavens and stretches them out,

who spreads out the earth

and everything that comes out of it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

and life to those who walk on it.

⁶“I am the Lord.

I am calling you in righteousness.

I will grasp your hand,

and I will guard you.

I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people,

to be a light for the nations,

⁷to open blind eyes,

to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon

and to bring those who live in darkness out of prison.

Psalm of the Day: 45A A Noble Theme Inspires My Heart

1     A noble theme inspires my heart and mind
    as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is like a skillful writer’s pen.
    Of you, most excellent of men, I sing.
With heav’nly grace your lips have been refreshed,
since God forevermore has made you blest.

2     Your sword, O mighty one, bind on your side,
    and clothe yourself with glorious majesty.
In royal splendor and in all your strength
    ride forth to battle and to victory
in aid of truth, humility, and right;
let your right hand display its awesome might.

3     Pierce thro’ with arrows those who hate the king;
    your foes from all the nations trample down.
Your kingdom’s scepter will be one of right;
    forevermore, O God, endures your throne.
Justice you love, iniquity you hate;
so God above the rest has made you great.

4     With oil of joy he has anointed you,
    with pleasant fragrance all your robes abound.
From palaces adorned with ivory,
    stringed instruments delight you with their sound.
Among your women royal daughters stand,
the king’s own bride in gold at your right hand.

5     O daughter, listen and give ear to me;
    forget your people and your father’s house.
See how your beauty has enthralled the king;
    give honor to your lord and royal spouse.
People from Tyre will come with gifts to you,
and wealthy folk your favor will pursue.

6     All glorious is the princess in the court;
    her bridal gown with finest gold is wrought.
She comes before the king in broidered robes;
    to you the maidens in her train are brought.
With joy and gladness they are ushered in;
they come into the palace of the king.

7     Your sons will occupy your fathers’ place,
    and you will make them princes in the land.
Through all the generations still to come
    I will ensure your memory will stand;
and therefore all the nations of the earth
forevermore will celebrate your worth.

Second Reading: Acts 10:34–38

³⁴Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really am beginning to understand that God does not show favoritism, ³⁵but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶He sent his word to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

³⁷“You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. ³⁸God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him.

Gospel Acclamation Mark 1:11

Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia!

You are my Son, whom I love;

with you I am well pleased.

Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 3:13–17

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John at the Jordan. ¹⁴But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”

¹⁵But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, because it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John let him. ¹⁶After Jesus was baptized, he immediately went up out of the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him! He saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove and landing on him, ¹⁷and a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him.”

Hymn of the Day: 377 To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord

1 To Jordan’s river came our Lord,
the Christ, whom heav’nly hosts adored,
the God from God, the Light from Light,
the Lord of glory, pow’r, and might.

2 The Savior came to be baptized—
the Son of God in flesh disguised—
to stand beneath the Father’s will
and all his promises fulfill.

3 As Jesus in the Jordan stood
and John baptized the Lamb of God,
the Holy Spirit, heav’nly dove,
descended on him from above.

4 Then from God’s throne with thund’rous sound
came God’s own voice with words profound:
“This is my Son,” was his decree,
“the one I love, who pleases me.”

5 The Father’s word, the Spirit’s flight
anointed Christ in glorious sight
as God’s own choice, from Adam’s fall
to save the world and free us all.

6 Now rise, faint hearts: be resolute!
This man is Christ, our substitute!
He was baptized in Jordan’s stream,
proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme.

Text: James P. Tiefel, b. 1949
Text: © 1993 James P. Tiefel, admin. Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

Sermon

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Installation of Members Who Participate in the Public Ministry

Exhortation

Dear friends,

In Holy Baptism, our Lord Jesus Christ set you free from sin and death and made you members of his body, the church.

Through Word and sacrament, the Holy Spirit has nurtured your faith and increased your love.

You have now been appointed to serve our Lord on behalf of this congregation. The Lord has entrusted you with responsibilities that you are to carry out according to his Word.

St. Paul wrote concerning service in the church: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

St. Paul spoke to all who serve the Savior: “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

The Lord has promised to be with you and give you the gifts you will need to carry out the work entrusted to you.

As servants of Jesus Christ and workers in this congregation, you are to set aside time for study of the Scriptures so that you may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You are to strive to be an example of Christian faith and life so that others may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So that the congregation may be assured of your willingness to serve, I ask you in the presence of God and this congregation:

Will you diligently and faithfully carry out the work entrusted to you, according to the ability which God gives you? If so, answer: I will, and I ask God to help me.

I will, and I ask God to help me.

Installation

I install you as at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

President - Mark Bradstreet

Vice President - Jeff Kocsis

Secretary - Mike Gosko

Treasurer - Scott Kleikamp

Financial Secretary - Dave Vogel

Board of Education

Matt Crabtree

Clifton Bumhoffer

Jon Kolb

Jack Woolf

Board of Elders

Jeff Kocsis

Dave Mulka

Mark Bradstreet

Mike Gosko

Brian Oliver

Greg Smith

Board of Evangelism

Gary Becker

Scott Glascott

Frank Walker

Board of Stewardship

Jim Rosin

Nick Eubank

Jeff Miller

Dave Conrad

Board of Trustees

Curt Hielke

Ladies Guild

President - Tracy Vogel

Vice President - Pava Leyrer

Secretary - Jan Rosin

Treasurer - Arlene Mulka

The Lord pour out on you his Holy Spirit for the work you have been called to do that you may faithfully carry out all your duties and responsibilities with the Word of God as your confidence and guide.

To the Congregation

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to regard these fellow believers as servants of Jesus Christ and God’s gifts to his church.

Pray for them and support them in their service so that believers may be strengthened in faith and many others may come to know the Savior and the eternal hope he gives.

Prayer

Let us pray.

Gracious God, you bless your church through the willing work and special gifts of so many people.

We ask you to send your Holy Spirit to the servants we are installing today that they may carry out their duties with diligence, wisdom, and humility.

Encourage them to seek guidance from your Word and lead them to pray for your direction. Help them to be good examples to others and support the work of the gospel ministry in this congregation.

Keep them in your care and encourage them by your grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and make your service a blessing to others.

Thanks

We sincerely thank those who in the past year(s) have served the Lord and his people with their time and abilities.

May the Lord graciously bless you and those you have served.

Prayer of the Church

Offering

You can give your offerings from your smartphone with the new Vanco Mobile app, which can be downloaded for free at Google Play or the App Store. You can also give at holytrinitylutheranwyoming.com by clicking the Offerings link at the top of the page. If you have any questions about any of these options, please contact Dave Vogel at financialsecretary@holytrinity-wels.netThe Sacrament

Hymn: 685 Through Simple Water, Drawn and Poured

1 Through simple water, drawn and poured,
united with his pow’rful Word,
in baptism Jesus sets us free
from sin’s dread pow’r and slavery.

2 There at the font with promise true
God brings his saving grace anew—
the sin-infected soul he heals
and all his pard’ning love reveals!

3 My sinful self was crucified
with Christ, as if I, too, had died;
and as he rose, I also rise
to live with strength that he supplies.

4 From that day on God helps me drown
the sinful self and hold it down.
I am made new; I’m born again,
repenting, trusting, serving him.

5 When doubts arise, when sin assails,
the pow’r of baptism never fails.
“I am baptized! What should I fear?
God’s love for me is always near!”

Text: tr. Mark G. Schroeder, b. 1954; Nicolaus Selnecker, 1532–1592, abr.
Text: © 2021 Mark G. Schroeder, admin. Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and T give you peace.

Amen.

Hymn: 950 Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace

1 Lord, bid your servant go in peace,
your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn,
this child so long foretold.

2 This is the Savior of the world,
the Gentiles’ promised light,
God’s glory dwelling in our midst,
the joy of Israel.

3 With saints of old, with saints to come,
to you we lift our voice;
to Father, Son, and Spirit blest
be honor, love, and praise.

Text: James Quinn, SJ, 1919–2010
Text: © 1969, 1989 James Quinn, SJ, admin. OCP Publications. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

Acknowledgments

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House.