THE HOLY TRINITY Crowned in Glory and Honor

June 7, 2020

AS WE GATHER

The feast of the Holy Trinity is about the one true God who has revealed Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But the feast is not about God alone. As the Trinity, He is, of course, never alone even in Himself. But also in His creation, even the pinnacle of His work, man, is not to be alone. Male and female He created them. But even greater than this relationship is man’s relationship with God. Created “in His image,” we are never to be alone but find our identity in fellowship with God. Without Him, we are incomplete. The image of God means to possess God’s righteousness. The “righteousness” of God means everything working together like God intended. That includes a relationship with Him. Though we lost that righteousness by our sin, choosing to be alone without God, God still took into Himself our very human nature in the person of the Son of God, Jesus. By His innocent life and His substitutionary suffering and death, all who repent and are baptized into Him are restored in righteousness. With Christ and in Him, we, too, are crowned in glory and honor. All praise to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.

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

C Amen.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

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.

820 My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker

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Introit Ps. 16:8–11; antiphon: Liturgical Text

Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity.

Let us give glory to him because he has shown his mercy to us.

I have set the Lord always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity.

Let us give glory to him because he has shown his mercy to us.

Kyrie

A In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A 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.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 204

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Old Testament Reading Genesis 1:1—2:4a

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

6And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

20And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

28And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created,

in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Gradual Ps. 145:3, 5b, 6b

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

On your wondrous works, I will meditate, and I will declare your greatness.

Second Reading Acts 2:14a, 22–36

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

22“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.

27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35until I make your enemies your footstool.’

36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Alleluia and Verse

Verse Isaiah’s 6:3b

Alleluia. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! Alleluia.

Holy Gospel Matthew 28:16–20

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-eighth chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

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.

498 Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest

6 Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.

7 Praise we the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, with them One,
And may the Son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow! Amen.

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Sermon

Prayer of the Church

Preface LSB 208

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. 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

Prayer of Thanksgiving

P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

You once revealed Your name to Moses in the burning bush; and through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, You unveiled the mystery of Your holy name in the Trinity of persons and the Unity of being.

Grant that we, who have been baptized and instructed in the triune name, may faithfully eat and drink of Your Son's body and blood and worship You in spirit and truth, O Father, through Your Son in the Holy Spirit.

Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:

Lord's Prayer LSB 209

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.”

P 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 209

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

Agnus Dei LSB 210

Distribution

801 How Great Thou Art

578 Thy Strong Word

5 Give us lips to sing Thy glory,
Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim,
Throats that shout the hope that fills us,
Mouths to speak Thy holy name.
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the light which Thou dost send
Fill our songs with alleluias,
Alleluias without end!

6 God the Father, light-creator,
To Thee laud and honor be.
To Thee, Light of Light begotten,
Praise be sung eternally.
Holy Spirit, light-revealer,
Glory, glory be to Thee.
Mortals, angels, now and ever
Praise the holy Trinity!

Nunc Dimittis LSB 211

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 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.

C Amen.

Benedicamus and Benediction

A Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

506 Glory Be to God the Father

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Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

May 31, 2020

AS WE GATHER

What can “top” the story of Easter? For fifty days, the Church has exalted in the glory of the resurrection of Jesus, shouting, “The Lord is risen” and “He is risen indeed.” “This is the feast of victory” we’ve said and sung. But our risen Lord has told us there is more—there is something greater. Today, on the great fiftieth day of our celebration, the Lord poured out in a dramatic way the Holy Spirit. Not as if the Spirit has been absent until now, for wherever faith is, there is the evidence of the working of God the Holy Spirit. Not a different helper, but the one true triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is poured out into the world. We hear the mighty acts of God in our own language to this day. We heard God the Father say at our Lord’s transfiguration, “Listen to Him.” Today our attention is diverted from the Holy Spirit as He means to tell us, “It is all about Jesus!”

In Jesus, the glory of God has come to enlighten our dark world and lives. In Jesus, the water of eternal life makes us alive forevermore. Remember the Christmas angels singing “Glory to God in the highest”? Then His true glory shined forth from the cross of His atoning suffering and death for us. Now the glory of His resurrection is made known in the living Word of God as it is spoken in many languages the world over and distributed through the Holy Sacraments. Now the only thing left is our final glorification, being raised completely to that new life on the day of our resurrection.

X PREPARATION X

INVOCATION

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

C: Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

P: This joyful Eastertide Away with sin and sorrow!

My love, the Crucified, Has sprung to life this morrow. (LSB 482)

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

P: Even as we glory in the gift of eternal life, in that hope we spend our days in joyful repentance and faith. Let us confess our sin, the sin that still so easily besets us, and receive the full forgiveness our Lord daily provides for us.

P: Had Christ, who once was slain, Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain: But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen! (LSB 482 refrain)
We are Your baptized people. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us into our Easter joy.

P: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of

the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.

P: Amen.

HYMN “O Holy Spirit, Enter In” LSB 913

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X WORD X

INTROIT Psalm 104:24, 27–28, 30; antiphon: Liturgical Text

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

These all look to you,

to give them their food in due season.

When you give it to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the ground.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful,

and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.

SALUTATION

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: Let us pray. O Lord God, heavenly Father, we give You thanks that of Your great goodness and mercy Your only-begotten Son became incarnate to redeem us from sin and everlasting death. Enlighten our hearts by Your Holy Spirit that we may forever give You thanks for Your grace and be strengthened in all times of tribulation and temptation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Numbers 11:24–30 (Moses prays for the Spirit upon all.)

24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

26Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Acts 2:17b; Romans 10:10

I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.
With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

SECOND READING Acts 2:1–21 (The coming of the Holy Spirit)

1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

17“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams;

18even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

19And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

20the sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Liturgical Text [See Music Index]

Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL John 7:37–39 (Rivers of living water)

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the seventh chapter.

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

37On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” LSB 497

SERMON

CREED 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 X of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our common supplications for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. So guide and govern it by Your Holy Spirit, that all who profess themselves Christians be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace, that they please You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

INTERSESSIONS

P: Behold in mercy all who are in authority over us. Supply them with Your blessing, that they be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your Commandments. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make known Your ways among us. Preserve those who travel, satisfy the wants of Your creatures, and help those who call upon You in any need, that they have patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Merciful Father, Your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, rose victorious over death and the grave. We remember with thanksgiving all Your servants who trusted in Christ and now stand in Your nearer presence, where all sorrows are turned to joy. Strengthen us in the confident hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, that we await with joy our reunion in Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C: Amen.

X SACRAMENT X

PREFACE

P: The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22

C: And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts. [Colossians 3:1]

C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [Psalm 136]

C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

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, who ascended above the heavens and, sitting at Your right hand, poured out on this day the promised Holy Spirit on His chosen disciples. For all this the whole earth rejoices with exceeding joy. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

P: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In these last days, You have poured out Your Holy Spirit on Your Church that Your sons and daughters might proclaim the wonders of Your salvation in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon Your gathered people that, faithfully eating and drinking the body and blood of Your Son, we go forth to proclaim His salvation to the ends of the earth.

C: Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25

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 X 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 X blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST

P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26

C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment.
Sanctified and kept in the one true faith, we pray the prayer Jesus taught us.

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

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.

PAX DOMINI

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

C: Amen.

DISTRIBUTION HYMNS

“I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” LSB 699

Public domain
© 1996 Amanda Husberg. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, no. 100010220.

“Today Your Mercy Calls Us” LSB 915

Public domain

POST-COMMUNION THANKSGIVING

P: 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.

C: 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 X give you peace. Numbers 6:24–26

C: Amen.

HYMN “Rise, Shine, You People” LSB 825

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

May 10, 2020

AS WE GATHER

Our fifty-day celebration of Easter continues as we solemnly gather in the presence of our crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ. Present He is for we see and hear Him touching and speaking to us through His Spirit, in the water of Holy Baptism, in His very body and blood in Holy Communion, in His words of Holy Absolution, and in the preaching of His Word. We gather not as much to give anything to Him but to receive from Him His gifts of deliverance, salvation, and righteousness. Today, once again He bestows on you His own righteousness, making of us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession. Our sin has been taken away, and we are renewed with eternal life by the faith created in us by His Spirit. In this faith our doubts and fears are taken away as we look forward to our heavenly home, the many rooms and mansions, the place prepared for us, as we await His final return.

645 Built on the Rock LSB 645

5 Grant, then, O God, Your will be done,
That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
Where Christ His message is bringing:
“I know My own; My own know Me.
You, not the world, My face shall see.
My peace I leave with you. Amen.”

Public domain

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

C Amen.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

C Amen.

Introit Ps. 30:1–5; antiphon: Ps. 149:1

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the godly!

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up

and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

and you have healed me.

O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the godly!

Kyrie LSB 204

A In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For the gift of divine peace and of pardon, with all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For the holy Christian Church, here and scattered throughout the world, and for the proclamation of the Gospel and the calling of all to faith, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For this nation, for our cities and communities, and for the common welfare of us all, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For seasonable weather and for the fruitfulness of the earth, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For those who labor, those whose work is difficult or dangerous, and for all who travel, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For all those in need, for the hungry and homeless, for the widowed and orphaned, and for all those in prison, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For the sick and dying and for all those who care for them, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A For these and for all our needs of body and soul, let us pray to the Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

A Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord.

C Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 204

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Let us pray.

O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

First Reading Acts 6:1–9; 7:2a, 51–60 (Stephen chosen, the first martyr)

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Gradual adapt. from Matt. 28:7; Heb. 2:7; Ps. 8:6

Christ has risen from the dead.

[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and honor,

He has given him dominion over the works of his hands;

he has put all things under his feet.

Epistle 1 Peter 2:2–10 (A living stone and a holy people)

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

and

“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Alleluia and Verse

Holy Gospel John 14:1–14 (I am the way, the truth, and the life.)

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fourteenth chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

[Jesus said:] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

Apostles' Creed LSB 207

C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth.

And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

From thence 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 T everlasting. Amen.

633 At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing LSB 633

5 Mighty Victim from the sky,
Hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath You lie;
You have conquered in the fight,
You have brought us life and light.
Alleluia!

6 Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthrall;
You have opened paradise,
And Your saints in You shall rise.
Alleluia!

7 Easter triumph, Easter joy!
This alone can sin destroy;
From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free,
Newborn souls in You to be.
Alleluia!

8 Father, who the crown shall give,
Savior, by whose death we live,
Spirit, guide through all our days:
Three in One, Your name we praise.
Alleluia!
Public domain

Sermon

411 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light LSB 411

Prayer of the Church

Lord's Prayer LSB 209

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.

Benedicamus and Benediction

A Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

722 Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me LSB 722

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Follow the Shepherd!

AS WE GATHER

The closing prayer of the funeral service begins with these words: “Lord God, our shepherd, You gather the lambs of Your flock into the arms of Your mercy and bring them home.” Describing Jesus as a Shepherd is a special image used in prayers, hymns, and Christian artwork. The believer receives a sense of assurance in knowing that the One being followed throughout life is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The fact that our Lord chooses to repeat the words “I am the Good Shepherd” more than once indicates its importance to Him and to us. As we follow Jesus, we can be confident that He will lead us into that place where goodness and righteousness are eternal.

740 I Am Jesus' Little Lamb LSB 740

Public domain

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

C Amen.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C Amen.

Introit Ps. 95:1–3, 6–7a; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b

I am the good shepherd.

I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

For the Lord is a great God,

and a great King above all gods.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.