05/12/24

As We Gather 

The Easter season finds its culmination in the high priestly prayer of Jesus. With this we are reminded that the Lord is praying for us, for our faith, and for our unity in the faith, so that we may fulfill His purpose in making known all that He has done. It should be of great comfort to us that on the night of His betrayal, our Lord does not pray for Himself but for His disciples and those who will believe through their witness. As we confront the mission of the church to be His witnesses still, He does not relent praying for us still. United in faith and living together our common life under His Word and at His Table, we are strengthened in unity and in mission.

Activity Bags We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit TV to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station on a small rack. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused ( 1 Cor: 11:27), and that participation in the Lord’s Supper is an act of confession of faith, we ordinarily commune those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. If you have a question, please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.
Lack of Progress No Cause For Despair. “Let us, then, prepare ourselves to be patient and learn to bear the furious attacks and blows of Satan, who is trying to tear the church of Christ to pieces and to establish his own church. We are not better than any of the fathers. At the cost of much sweat and labor they, too, scarcely succeeded in their endeavors to preserve the Word and to snatch a few souls from the jaws of Satan.” What Luther Says # 825

Easter 7

May 12, 2024

Welcome 

Opening Hymn                   Today Your Mercy Calls Us                                  LSB 915

Invocation, Confession and Absolution    

P:   In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Let us come before God, to whom all hearts are open and from whom no secrets are hidden and confess our sins in the name of Him who died and rose again to give us forgiveness and life.

(Silence for meditation and reflection)

C: I confess that I have lived as if God did not matter and as if I mattered most. My Lord’s name I have not honored as I should; my worship and prayer have faltered. I have not let His love have its way with me and so my love for others has failed. I have sinned against God and against you, my brothers and sisters. There is no health in me. But for the promise of Christ, I would have no hope. Because of Christ’s promise, I am made bold to ask for mercy. Forgive me, renew me, and lead me, O Lord, so that I may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

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

C:   Amen.

Hymn of Praise                       A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing        LSB 493  vs 1, 5-6

Prayer of the Day

All:  Merciful Father, You have given us Your Word and with it Your Spirit, that by the testimony of the prophets and evangelists, we may know the truth that sets us free from sin and fear. Guard Your Word within us, that by this faithful testimony we may be made bold in witness and faithful in service; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Lesson     (Matthias is chosen to fill Judas’s place among the Twelve.)   Acts 1:12–26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. ¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶ and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— ¹⁷ he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” ¹⁸ (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ ²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” ²³ So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. 

NT Lesson                            (“Whoever has the Son has life.”)                            1 John 5:9–15

We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Holy Gospel    (Jesus prays that we may be one as He and the Father are one.)  John 17:11b–19

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. ¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Message Song                         What a Beautiful Name                       Fielding/Ligertwood

You were the Word at the beginning,  One with God the Lord Most High

Your hidden glory in creation, now revealed in You, our Christ.

Chorus 1      What a beautiful name it is, What a beautiful name it is,

The name of Jesus Christ, my King. What a beautiful name it is,

Nothing compares to this. What a beautiful name it is,  the Name of Jesus.

You didn’t want heaven without us, so Jesus You brought heaven down.

My sin was great, Your love was greater; What could separate us now?

Chorus 2         What a wonderful name it is, What a wonderful Name it is,

The Name of Jesus Christ, my King.  What a wonderful Name it is,

Nothing compares to this. What a wonderful name it is,

The name of Jesus. What a wonderful name it is, the Name of Jesus

Bridge one and two

Death could not hold you, the veil tore before You silence the boast of sin and grave. 

The heavens are roaring   the praise of Your glory  for You are raised to life again.

You have no rival, You have no equal.  Now and forever God, Your reign.

Yours is the kingdom, Yours is the glory, Yours is the name above all names…

Chorus 3     What a powerful name it is, What a powerful name it is,

The name of Jesus Christ, my King. What a powerful name it is,  Nothing can stand against.

What a powerful name it is, The name of Jesus

What a powerful name it is, The name of Jesus

CCLI Song # 7068424 © 2016 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia

All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 11390779

Message                                    Is It Any Less True Today?

1. Our need of the Father’s  ______________________.
2. Our need of ________________________ the world.
3. Our need to _______________________ while we serve our Savior and His Kingdom.

Notes:

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 ✠ of the world to come. Amen.

Offering 

Offertory                                         We Give Thee But Thine Own           LSB 781  vs 1-2

Prayers of the Church  

After each petition:

 P:  Lord, in your mercy,

 C:  hear our prayer.   

The Lord’s Prayer

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 Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.   

          Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is

          He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 197 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.C:  ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                             page 198 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world; 

         grant us Thy peace.  A – men.

Distribution Hymn                Oh, That the Lord Would Guide Our Ways           LSB  707

                                                                    Come to Me                Ascension Choir          (10:30)

Nunc Dimittis                                                                                  page 199 in the hymnal        

C: ♪ Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.                                                                                                                                          

 Post Communion Collect

All:  Dear Lord, You have not left us as orphans and You continue to protect and lead those whom You have redeemed. As we have received Your gifts of life and salvation, send us forth as instruments of that life and salvation to the world around us. May the Holy Spirit empower our witness of the Good News of Jesus without fear; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Amen.

Benediction                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

C:   Amen.
Sending Hymn                                 Son of God, Eternal Savior                               LSB 842

Announcements

Dismissal 

P:   Go in peace as you serve our living Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Postlude