Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 10, 2020

411 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

1 I want to walk as a child of the light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus. Refrain

ref In Him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

2 I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path,
And show me the way to the Father. Refrain

3 I’m looking for the coming of Christ.
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus. Refrain

Text: © 1970, 1975 Celebration. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004472

Stand

Opening Versicles

L This is the day which the Lord has made;

C let us rejoice and be glad in it.

L From the rising of the sun to its setting,

C the name of the Lord is to be praised.

L Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere;

C I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

L Make me to know Your ways, O Lord.

C Teach me Your paths.

L Sanctify us in Your truth.

C Your Word is truth.

L From the rising of the sun to its setting,

C the name of the Lord is to be praised.

C 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.

Old Testament Canticle LSB 261

C The Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.

With joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation.

And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name,

make known His deeds among the peoples,

proclaim that His name is exalted.”

The Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.

Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously;

let this be made known in all the earth.

Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitants of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

The Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.

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.

The Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.

Sit

Proper Psalm 30:1–5; antiphon: Psalm 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 be- | ginning,*
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!

Readings From Holy Scripture

Reading Acts 6:1–9; 7:2a, 51–60

L A reading from Acts, the sixth chapter.

¹Now 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. ²And 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. ³Therefore, 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. ⁴But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵And 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. ⁶These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

⁷And 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.

⁸And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹Then 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. . . .

²And Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. . . .

⁵¹You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²Which 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, ⁵³you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸Then 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. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And 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.

L This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Reading 1 Peter 2:2–10

²Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation— ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵you 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. ⁶For 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.”

⁷So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

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

⁸and

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

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

⁹But 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. ¹⁰Once 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.

Reading John 14:1–14

¹[Jesus said:] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ²In 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? ³And 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. ⁴And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹Jesus 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’? ¹⁰Do 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. ¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

¹²“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. ¹³Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Psalms, hymns, or choral music may be sung between the readings.

Responsory

L Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly set in the heavens.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

L Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

L Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

Stand

Ten Commandments

C You shall have no other gods.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Honor your father and your mother.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Apostles’ Creed

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.

Lord’s Prayer

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.

Sit

633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing

1 At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from His piercèd side.
    Alleluia!

2 Praise we Him, whose love divine
Gives His sacred blood for wine,
Gives His body for the feast—
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.
    Alleluia!

3 Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
    Alleluia!

4 Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, paschal bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
    Alleluia!

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!

D 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!

Text: Public domain

Sermon

Offering

Stand

Prayer

L In peace let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

L 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.

L 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.

L 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.

L For seasonable weather and for the fruitfulness of the earth, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

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

C Lord, have mercy.

L 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.

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

C Lord, have mercy.

L For . . . [additional bids for prayer may be inserted here] . . . let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

L Finally, 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.

Collect of the Day

L 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.

Collect for the Word

L Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Morning Prayer

C I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.

New Testament Canticle LSB 266

C Christ has been raised from the dead! Alleluia. Alleluia.

Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed.

Raised from the dead, He will never die again.

Death has no more dominion over Him.

Christ has been raised from the dead! Alleluia. Alleluia.

Dying, Christ dies to sin, once for all.

Living, He lives to God.

Count yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Christ has been raised from the dead! Alleluia. Alleluia.

Blessing

L Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

L The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us.

C Amen.

722 Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me

1 Lord, take my hand and lead me
    Upon life’s way;
Direct, protect, and feed me
    From day to day.
Without Your grace and favor
    I go astray;
So take my hand, O Savior,
    And lead the way.

2 Lord, when the tempest rages,
    I need not fear,
For You, the Rock of Ages,
    Are always near.
Close by Your side abiding,
    I fear no foe,
For when Your hand is guiding,
    In peace I go.

3 Lord, when the shadows lengthen
    And night has come,
I know that You will strengthen
    My steps toward home.
Then nothing can impede me,
    O blessèd Friend;
So take my hand and lead me
    Unto the end.

Text: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004472

Acknowledgments

Service of Prayer and Preaching 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.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.