The Baptism Of Our Lord ~ 2026

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Today’s broadcast is sponsored in memory of our loved ones, by Stan & Lana Smith.

Today's Liturgist Rev. Brett Cornelius, Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Today's Speaker Rev. Michael W. Mohr, Associate Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church & CID President

Today's liturgy is the Divine Service, Setting One, LSB pages 151ff.

402 The Only Son from Heaven

Text (sts. 1–3): Elisabeth Cruciger, c. 1500–1535; (sts. 1–3): tr. Arthur T. Russell, 1806–74, alt.; (st. 4): Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978
Tune: Eyn Enchiridion oder Handbüchlein, 1524, Erfurt
Text and tune: Public domain

Stand

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

Invocation

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

C Amen.

Exhortation LSB 151

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Kneel/Stand

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

Confession of Sins LSB 151

P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Absolution LSB 151

P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

Stand

Introit Psalm 89:1, 26–28; antiphon: Liturgical Text; Psalm 89:20

Kyrie LSB 152

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 154

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P Let us pray.

Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Sit

Old Testament Reading Joshua 3:1–3, 7–8, 13–17

¹Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. ²At the end of three days the officers went through the camp ³and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. . . .

⁷The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. ⁸And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” . . .

¹³“And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”

¹⁴So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, ¹⁵and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), ¹⁶the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Gradual Psalm 72:18–19

Blessèd be the Lord, the God of | Israel,*
who alone does | wondrous things.
Blessèd be his glorious name for- | ever;*
may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and | Amen!

Epistle 1 Corinthians 1:26–31

²⁶For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. ³¹Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse LSB 156

Holy Gospel Matthew 3:13–17

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the third chapter.

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sit

407 To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord

5 To His disciples spoke the Lord,
    “Go out to ev’ry nation,
And bring to them the living Word
    And this My invitation:
Let ev’ryone abandon sin
    And come in true contrition
To be baptized and thereby win
    Full pardon and remission
And heav’nly bliss inherit.”

6 But woe to those who cast aside
    This grace so freely given;
They shall in sin and shame abide
    And to despair be driven.
For born in sin, their works must fail,
    Their striving saves them never;
Their pious acts do not avail,
    And they are lost forever,
Eternal death their portion.

7 All that the mortal eye beholds
    Is water as we pour it.
Before the eye of faith unfolds
    The pow’r of Jesus’ merit.
For here it sees the crimson flood
    To all our ills bring healing;
The wonders of His precious blood
    The love of God revealing,
Assuring His own pardon.

Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546; tr. Elizabeth Quitmeyer, 1911–88, alt.
Tune: David Lee, 1956
Text: © 1976 Elizabeth Quitmeyer. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: © 2004 David Lee. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518

Sermon ~ "All Righteousness" - Matthew 3:13-17 ~ Rev. Michael W. Mohr

Stand

Nicene Creed

C I believe in one God,

the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth

and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of His Father before all worlds,

God of God, Light of Light,

very God of very God,

begotten, not made,

being of one substance with the Father,

by whom all things were made;

who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

and was made man;

and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered and was buried.

And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

and ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of the Father.

And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord and giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

and I look for the resurrection of the dead

and the life T of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Heavenly Father, You have revealed Your Son to us in the wondrous Epiphany in the Jordan. So also You have revealed Your name and blessing to us in Holy Baptism, declaring us Your beloved heirs. Grant that we may daily die to sin and rise to newness of life, living with joy as Your baptized children. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Gracious God, prosper Your Church. Bless Matthew, our Synod president; _____________, our district president; _____________, our circuit visitor; _____________, our pastor(s); all church workers; and those preparing for vocations in Your service. Make them wise unto salvation and faithful in all the duties and responsibilities assigned to them for our benefit. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P O Lord, preserve the family, especially all Christian homes. Turn husband and wife toward one another in love, equip fathers and mothers for their holy duty as teachers of the faith, and preserve all children in the saving faith and certain promises of their Baptism unto life everlasting. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Lord God, there are no authorities except those You ordain. Give our leaders hearts like Christ, their Lord, who tends the smoldering wick and the bruised reed and rules always in righteousness. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Merciful God, Your Son reigns in gentleness and rules for the sake of the downcast. Bind up those who are troubled and broken, [especially _____________,] and open their eyes to His grace. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P O God, in Holy Baptism You have opened the heavens to Your children. Grant that all those baptized into Your Son would worthily receive the heavenly feast of His body and blood for their forgiveness, life and salvation. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Almighty God, You have brought eternal life to us through the death of Your Son. Grant that we who have come through Baptism and have died to this world would ever more and more live in the resurrected life of Christ. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Lord God, heavenly Father, You manifested Yourself with the Holy Spirit in the fullness of grace at the Baptism of Your dear Son. With Your voice, You directed us to the One who has borne our sins, that we may receive grace and forgiveness. Keep us, we implore You, in the true faith. Since we have been baptized in accordance with Your command and the example of Your Son, strengthen our faith by Your Holy Spirit and lead us to everlasting life and salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Sit

Offering

Stand

Offertory LSB 159

Preface LSB 160

Proper Preface

P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for at His Baptism Your voice from heaven revealed Him as Your beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him, confirming Him to be the Christ. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

Sanctus LSB 161

Prayer of Thanksgiving LSB 161

P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Lord’s Prayer LSB 162

P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

The Words of Our Lord

P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Pax Domini LSB 163

Agnus Dei LSB 163

Sit

Distribution Hymns

602 The Gifts Christ Freely Gives

5 The gifts are in the feast,
    Gifts far more than we see;
Beneath the bread and wine
    Is food from Calvary.
The body and the blood
    Remove our ev’ry sin;
We leave His presence in
    His peace, renewed again.

6 All glory to the One
    Who lavishes such love;
The triune God in love
    Assures our life above.
His means of grace for us
    Are gifts He loves to give;
All thanks and praise for His
    Great love by which we live!

Text: Richard C. Resch, 1947
Tune: Charles J. Dale, 1842–1912, alt.
Text: © 2001 Richard C. Resch. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

594 God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It

Text: Erdmann Neumeister, 1671–1756; tr. Robert E. Voelker, 1957
Tune: Johann Caspar Bachofen, 1695–1755, alt.
Text: © 1991 Robert E. Voelker. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

346 When All the World Was Cursed

Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Tune: Ahasverus Fritsch, 1629–1701
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

Stand

Thank the Lord LSB 164

Post-Communion Collect

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Benediction LSB 166

394 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85, alt.
Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93
Text and tune: Public domain

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.