May 16, 2021 Service - Peace Lutheran Church

he Service in PDF format is at: May 16, 2021 Service

Video of service is at: Facebook Video

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

May 16, 2021

We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety, if you have any questions about that, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.

The ringing of the bell and the lighting of the Christ candle mark the beginning of our service and a time for quiet meditation, prayer and inward reflection as we begin our worship.

Children are welcome at our worship services. However, if you prefer, Peace Lutheran has a playroom equipped for children three years old and younger, the room is unstaffed and can be accessed in the fellowship hall where the service is also being live streamed for your convenience and enjoyment.

Holy Communion is celebrated every first and third Sunday and will follow the order of service in the bulletin. First Sundays are a drive in Communion Service and the Third Sunday is in the sanctuary. Guests, if you are a baptized Christian and share our faith in Jesus as Savior and have been instructed in the meaning and use of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to come to the altar. We have pre-wrapped communion wine or juice and wafers. We also have gluten-free wafers available. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, ask the server. May the body and blood of Jesus, present in the bread and wine, be a blessing to you.

There are times during the service when you will be asked to stand if you are able. Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult.

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

AS WE GATHER…Some of the most memorable portraits of Jesus shared with us by the Gospel writers depict times when He prayed. We remember Him teaching the disciples to pray when He was on the mountain, sharing the heart of His teaching. We have the powerful portrait of Him praying in the Garden of Gethsemane the night He was betrayed. And in John’s Gospel is recorded what is known as the High Priestly Prayer of our Lord. Jesus prayed for His people during His earthly ministry; He continues that praying for us. In his first epistle, John writes that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (I John 2:1). There is holy conversation in heaven just as sure as there is holy conversation on earth when we pray!

RINGING OF THE BELL…After the bells rings, we take a few moments in silence to prepare our hearts and minds for today’s worship.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPENING HYMN: “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” LBW 151

Text: Latin carol, 14th cent., sts. 1-3; Charles Wesley, 1707-1788, st. 4; tr. Lyra Davidica, London, 1708, sts. 1-3. Tune: Lyra Davidica, London, 1708 © 1978 by Augsburg Publishing Company & Board of Publications, Lutheran Church in America

Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia

Our Triumphant holy day, Alleluia

Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia

Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia

Unto Christ our heav’nly king, Alleluia

Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia

Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia

But the pains which he endured, Alleluia

Our salvation have procured; Alleluia

Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia

Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia

Sing we to our God above, Alleluia

Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia

Praise him, all you heav’nly host, Alleluia

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia

CALLING ON GOD Psalm 6, 54, 102

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

Pastor: Hear my prayer, O Lord;

People: let my cry come to You!

Pastor: Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress!

People: Incline Your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!

Pastor: O God, save me, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might.

People: O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.

Pastor: The Lord has heard my plea;

People: the Lord accepts my prayer.

WE CONFESS OUR SINS

Pastor: O God, who is One in Trinity and Trinity in Unity,

People: We confess that we are by nature servants of disunity and division. We have not lived in harmony with You, with other people, or with ourselves. Forgive our turning away and by Your grace, restore us to oneness for the sake of Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Silence for reflection

RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS

Pastor: Upon this your confession, I as a servant of Christ and by His authority, forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Let us pray.

Pastor: Risen and ascended Lord, You now pray for us at the throne of the Father. Keep all those whom You love in Your name, O Lord, that they may be one even as You and the Father are one; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

First Lesson: Acts 1:12-26

A new witness to Jesus’ resurrection

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Epistle: I John 5:9-15

The testimony about the Son of God

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

GOSPEL: John 17:11b-19

Jesus prays for and about His disciples.

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

SERMON HYMN: “The Church’s One Foundation” LBW 369

The Church’s One Foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;

She is his new creation By water and the Word.

From heav’n he came and sought her To be his holy bride;

With his own blood he bought her, And for her life he died.

Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth;

Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth,

One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,

And to one hope she presses with ev’ry grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder This world sees her oppressed,

By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed,

Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up: “How Long?”

And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.

Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war,

She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore;

Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest

And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth has union with God, the Three in One,

And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won.

O blessed heav’nly chorus! Lord, save us by your grace,

That we, like saints before us, May see you face to face.

SERMON Pastor Herb Hoefer

Sermon Part 1

Sermon Part 2

SHARING OUR FAITH

People: I have faith in God, in response to overwhelming love. I believe that God created me and all that I have and has given to me gifts beyond measure. I have faith in Jesus, who emptied Himself out of His love for me. I believe that Christ died on a cross for my sin, conquered death and the power of evil, and was raised to life on the third day. His death is mine, His resurrection is mine, new life is mine because of Jesus’ words and work. I believe that the Holy Spirit in response to overwhelming love. I believe that the Holy Spirit is present here among us and lives within each person. The Spirit continues to call people by the Gospel and creates and builds the church of Christ. Through the power of the Spirit I have power to stand in strength and against all adversity. I believe that Jesus is preparing a place for me and will come again to take each of us to be with Him. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Pastor: Trusting in God’s loving response, we pray for the Church and all who are called to lives of service to God’s people.