Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 2, 2010
Prelude
Welcome
We’re delighted to greet everyone in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who takes away our sin and offers grace to all people. If you are a guest, please fill out the Guest Form. If you’re looking for a meaningful ministry with which to become involved, you are encouraged to speak with the Pastor.
Gathering
(Please stand)
Brief Order for Confession & Forgiveness
P We gather in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin
to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin,
receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
C Amen.
(Please kneel)
Confession
P Most merciful God,
C we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Absolution
P In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us
all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority,
I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father,
and of the ς Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
(Please stand)
Entrance Hymn With High Delight Let Us Unite Hymn 389
Greeting
P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
C And, also with you.
Hymn of Praise Music on page 149
P This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
C Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be the people of God.
Power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God, Alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God, for the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Prayer of the Day
P O Lord God, you teach us that without love, our actions gain nothing. Pour into our hearts your
most excellent gift of love, that, made alive by your Spirit, we may know goodness and peace,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Children’s Message
Word
Lesson (Please sit) Acts 11:1–18
In defense of his earlier baptism of pagan believers, Peter demonstrates to the members of the Jerusalem church that God’s intention to love Gentiles as well as Jews is revealed in Jesus’ own testimony. In this way the mission to the Gentiles is officially authorized.
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six
brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a
message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Psalmody Psalm 148
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise God in
the heights.
Praise the LORD, all you angels; sing praise, all you hosts
of heaven.
Praise the LORD, sun and moon; sing praise, all you shining
stars.
Praise the LORD, heaven of heavens, and you waters above
the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, who commanded, and
they were created,
who made them stand fast forever and ever,
giving them a law that shall not pass away.
R
Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all
deeps;
fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing God’s
will;
mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying
birds;
sovereigns of the earth and all peoples, princes and all
rulers of the world;
young men and maidens, old and young together.
R
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over earth
and heaven.
The LORD has raised up strength for the people and praise
for all faithful servants,
the children of Israel, a people who are near the LORD.
Hallelujah!
R
Lesson Revelation 21:1–6
John’s vision shows us that
in the resurrection the new age has dawned; God dwells with
us already. Yet we wait for the time when the tears that
cloud our vision will be wiped away. Then we will see the
new heaven, new earth, and new
Jerusalem.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was
no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne
saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will
dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself
will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be
no more, for the first things have passed away.”
And the one who was
seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things
new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are
trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To
the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of
the water of life.
P The Word of the Lord.
C Thanks
be to God.
Children’s
Message
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel John
13:31-35
P The
Holy Gospel according to Saint John, the thirteenth
chapter.
C
Glory to you, O Lord.
After washing the disciples’
feet, predicting his betrayal, and then revealing his
betrayer, Jesus speaks of his glorification on the cross.
This deep complicated love of Jesus, even to death on the
cross, will be the distinctive mark of Jesus’
community.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has
been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God
has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in
himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am
with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as
I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going,
you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you
love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
P The Gospel of the Lord.
C
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon (Please sit)
The WAY He Showed Us
Pastor Robert Wallace
(Please
stand)
Hymn
of the Day Christ is Alive, Let
Christians Sing Hymn 389
Holy
Baptism (11:00
am) Page 227
Apostles’ Creed
I
believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and
earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will
come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
The
Prayers of the People (Please kneel)
The prayers
conclude:
P Receive our prayers, holy God, and
give us all we need for this day and the days to come,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, and in the name
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
C
Amen.
Peace (Please stand)
P The peace of the Lord be with you
always.
C
And also with you.
(Please feel free to move about and share God’s Peace with
one another!)
Meal
Offering
(Please
sit)
Anthem
(8:30 am)
All Hail the
Power of Jesus’ Name Oliver Holden
Family Choir
Anthem
(11:00 am)
If Ye Love Me,
Keep My Commandments Thomas Tallis
Gallery Choir
Offertory
Thine Is the
Glory Hymn
376
(Stanza 2)
Lo, Jesus meets thee, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee, scatters fear and gloom;
let his church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting!
Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won!
Offering Prayer
P Blessed are you, O God, ruler of
heaven and earth. Day by day you shower us with blessings.
As you have raised us to new life in Christ,
give us
glad and generous hearts, ready to praise you and to
respond to
those in need, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and
Lord.
Amen.
The
Great Thanksgiving Music on page 152
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 our thanks and
praise.
Proper
Preface
Sanctus
Music on page 153
Holy, holy, holy Lord. Lord God of pow’r and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Words
of Thanksgiving
P . . . as we
proclaim the mystery of faith.
C
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come
again.
P . . . Grace our table with your
presence.
C
Come Holy Spirit.
P . . . Send us forth . . . peace
and love.
C
Come Holy Spirit.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in
heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the
time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Communion
All baptized Christians are invited to share in the
Eucharist. Those who are not baptized, or wish to receive
only a blessing, are asked to fold their arms over their
chest. Communion will be by intinction (dipping). Please
follow the usher’s direction. If you are not physically
able to come forward to receive communion, please inform
the usher and someone will come to you.
(Please
sit)
Music at Distribution
Agnus Dei Music
on page 154
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy
on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy
on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: grant us
peace.
Hymns 815, 758
Post
Communion Blessing and Prayer (Please
stand)
P Life-giving God, in the mystery of
Christ’s resurrection you send light to conquer darkness,
water to give new life, and the bread of life to nourish
your people. Send us forth as witnesses to your Son’s
resurrection, that
we may show your glory to all the world, through Jesus
Christ, our risen Lord.
C
Amen.
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy. The Lord
look upon you with favor and
ςgive you
peace.
C
Amen.
Sending
Hymn I
Know that My Redeemer Lives! Hymn 619
Dismissal
P Go in peace.
Serve the Lord.
C
Thanks be to God.
Postlude
__________________________________________
Music reproduced with permission
by Augsburg Fortress.
Liturgies License # 23349
St.
Matthew’s Lutheran Church * 405 King Street * Charleston,
SC * 29403
843.723.1611
The Reverend Dr. Robert W. Wallace,
Pastor