The Fifth Sunday of Easter 5/7/23
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
May 7, 2023
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE We Know That Christ Is Raised Setting: Charles W. Ore
WELCOME
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
ENTRANCE HYMN #603 We Know That Christ Is Raised
1 We know that Christ is raised and dies no more.
Embraced by death, He broke its fearful hold;
And our despair He turned to blazing joy.
Alleluia!
2 We share by water in His saving death.
Reborn, we share with Him an Easter life
As living members of a living Christ.
Alleluia!
3 The Father’s splendor clothes the Son with life.
The Spirit’s power shakes the Church of God.
Baptized, we live with God the Three in One.
Alleluia!
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 151
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. 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. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. 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.
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 ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
KYRIE LSB 152
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
THIS IS THE FEAST LSB 155
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
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. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
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. . .
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.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) ANTHEM Jubilation Choir Christ is Made the Sure Foundation Setting: Dale Wood
Christ Is made the sure foundation, Christ the Head and Cornerstone;
Chosen of the Lord, and precious, binding all the Church in one;
Holy Zion’s help forever, and her confidence alone.
To this temple where we call Thee, come, O Lord of hosts, today;
With thy wonted loving-kindness hear Thy servants as they pray,
And Thy fullest benediction shed within its walls alway.
Laud and honor to the Father, laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One,
One in might and One in glory, while unending ages run.
SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 2:2-10
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.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand) LSB 156
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL John 14:1-14
The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 14th chapter
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.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
The last words in the Gospel lesson just read sparked a bit of discussion at our Confirmation retreat this past Saturday. Actually, it was similar words of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel… but ones giving the same promise. We were reading through potential Bible verses for the kids to use as their Confirmation verse, and the kids asked me about the one where Jesus says: “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22).
“Is that true?” they wanted to know. “Does Jesus really give us whatever we ask for?”
“That’s what he says,” I replied. But let’s think about this. The main point of his promise here is that there is great power in praying with faith. Likewise, this prayer is to be offered in Jesus’ name – which is what the John text points out. Prayer done in this way is pleasing to the Lord God and he will act on it. That’s the most important thing to note here.
At the same time, God will always give his blessings in the ways he knows to be best and in the time that he knows to be best. We might pray for great wealth, for example, but find that God blesses us with a wealth of love or of knowledge or of experience and not necessarily money. Or maybe that wealth will only come as we enter our heavenly home. Praying in faith means being open to God’s way of answering our prayer.
This discussion, and others like it, was a normal staple of our two years together in the Confirmation program. And hearing this should please us. Confirmation is a time to learn and grow. And great learning and growth happen as students wrestle with questions of faith in an environment where they can be honest and open.
St. Peter was one who also wrestled with questions of faith. And through his perseverance, and the guidance he received, he ended up learning many great things. Our second reading today comes from a letter Peter wrote to Christians who could benefit from that learning. During the Easter season we’ve been reading through this letter and addressing it in our sermons. And we’ll do this today as well.
Today’s verses of Peter’s letter are built around two metaphors – each of which tells us something important about who were are as followers of Jesus.
The first metaphor is that of a newborn baby. Peter’s hearers are to be “like newborn babies” in that they are to “long for pure spiritual milk.”
And before we get into what Peter means here, let me first point out how appropriate this metaphor is for confirmation Sunday. Even though our confirmation students have learned much and are becoming young adults, they are still very young compared to many of us. Very young! And they still have much to learn. Also, many of us here today remember these confirmands when they were newborn infants. I do! In fact, I baptized a number of them.
“Like newborn infants,” says Peter, “long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” The “pure spiritual milk” here refers to a pure teaching of God’s Word. The pure word of God is what people are to long for. This is what they need.
The New Testament contains two other passages which speak of spiritual milk. But these do so in a slightly different way – using the metaphor to indicate the basics of faith. These passages encourage believers to move beyond the basics and take in the Bible’s more complex teachings too, for these – like solid food – will help the Christian grow to maturity in faith.
Peter’s use of the metaphor is different, however. Here he prescribes pure spiritual milk for everyone. All believers are to be like children in that they crave it. Just as babies will cry if they don’t get their milk, we believers should be persistent… and even insistent… in our efforts to receive the pure word of God.
Remember that Jesus said, on more than one occasion, that his followers should be like little children in their trust of God. Here Peter encourages us to be like infants in our desire for that which is necessary to our good health.
And Peter’s teaching here should also get us thinking about the things that we crave. Do we long for that which is pure and holy? Do we, as Jesus taught us, hunger and thirst for righteousness? Or do we just long for pleasure? Or perhaps success?
That craving for pleasure is like the craving we have for good-tasting junk food. And that craving for success is like the craving we have for eating food just because it gets approval from others. These cravings are unhealthy.
Jesus teaches us, instead, to seek first the kingdom of God. And when we do this, other blessings and joys of life will then come as God sees fit to give.
The craving of milk by newborn babies is the first metaphor Peter gives in our reading. The second is that of a stone. “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.”
A “living stone” is a contradiction, right? Stones don’t live… although I suppose some geologists might argue otherwise.
Stones are heavy and permanent. You build houses and roads and walls out of stone. Stones are strong. Stones are not easily moved. And because of these characteristics, God can be compared to a stone. God is not moved by men. God is permanent. God is strong.
And yet God is also living. And that is why could call him a “living stone.”
Peter uses this metaphor to speak about Jesus. Doing so helps us see the connection between Jesus and God.
And Peter, too, wants us to see how Jesus fulfills important Old Testament prophecies. Peter says that Jesus is a living stone “rejected by men.” And here he is making the connection to a well-known verse from Psalm 118, as well as two other verses from Isaiah. Peter wants us to see that Jesus, as Son of God, may have been rejected by many men, but he has now become the cornerstone of a whole new movement, and that this was all promised by God years ago. Jesus is the stone that God said he would set among his people. He is the stone that is precious to God and chosen by him.
What’s more, just as Jesus is a living stone… so also, we, his followers, are living stones too. “You yourselves,” says Peter, “like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.” And here Peter takes the metaphor and runs with it. We stones don’t just sit there looking pretty. We’re built together with other believers… into a great building, which is the church.
About this building, we should remember that stone houses are incredibly strong. And in the same way, so also is the spiritual house built upon Jesus Christ as its cornerstone. A house built on him will not be blown over by the winds of change. In fact, as Jesus said, the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Confirmation Sunday gets us thinking about this house of Christ in important ways. First, it reminds us that the church is continuing to grow and thrive. Children are being taught the faith. Disciples are being made. And because of this, new energy and insights are continuing to refresh and renew this great building.
Second, it reminds us that the church is built on solid teaching. Confirmation is about teaching the faith and doing so according to the word of God. We use teaching tools like the catechism and the Creed, and we have expectations about our learning too.
With this emphasis on solid teaching, we are right in line with Peter. For notice where his letter goes next. Peter moves past the metaphors and begins to pile together a great collection of Biblical descriptors, telling the people that they are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession… called out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Here Peter describes the great love God has for his church and the great status he gives it too. Peter knew that his hearers needed this encouragement. And he delivered it.
You and I need this encouragement too. For sometimes we feel that the church of Jesus Christ isn’t measuring up. Sometimes it feels like more of a dead stone than a living one… and a small
stone at that. We worry about it being out of touch, fractured and ineffective. And these feelings are particularly true when our faith is rejected and mocked by others. We fear that we might be condemned and even killed, like St. Stephen, when we speak boldly about our faith.
The church and its teachings might seem at times to be dead. But that thought is way off. God has clearly stated that he will sustain and grow his church. The church is chosen by him, precious to him, and he will use it to carry out his mission. The church will serve as a royal priesthood to lead people in their prayers, because it has been made holy by the blood of Jesus who died to pay for its sin.
On the day of Christ’s visitation – meaning his return at the end of this age – we living stones will see the full glory of God and join him in the new creation to come. And in all the days before this, God will keep us as his own and lead us in the obedience and good works that witness to our world.
Having said these things, the sermon could end right here. The text has been explained and the Gospel has been proclaimed.
But let me conclude instead by trying my own illustration, using stones as a metaphor.
The story is told of a wise teacher who once filled a jar like this with stones and asked his students whether the jar was full. The students said “yes.” But the teacher then proceeded to pour small pebbles into the jar, which filled in the cracks between the stones. “Now is the jar full?” asked the teacher. The students were now aware of how this worked, and one of them said: “probably not.” The teacher smiled, then brought out a glass of water and poured it into the jar. “Now the jar is full,” said the teacher.
Perhaps this story can help us to think about the fullness of our lives. In the following way:
During Confirmation class, or at any time when the whole Word of God is taught, students are filled with the great teachings of the faith. They receive the Ten Commandments, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. They receive the church’s teaching on Baptism, Confession and the Lord’ Supper. And they are told about the Holy Scriptures, the Law and the Gospel, and the holy Christian church. Like stones in a jar, these teachings give life weight and strength. And in these teachings, they are given enough to make their lives full.
That being said, there are many more learnings and experiences that life will bring. And these will make our lives fuller in a sense. But in another sense, our lives were full already. In fact, in comparison to the teachings of God’s word, our new learnings are just fillers.
What truly makes our life full, however, is when we receive the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is like the “living water” Jesus offered to the woman at the well. And it is the Spirit which was given us in the waters of Holy Baptism. This Spirit continues to come to us – and live within us – as we engage with God’s means of grace – his word and sacraments. Through these the Spirit is poured out upon us so that we are truly full.
Last Sunday’s Gospel reading concluded with Jesus saying: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full.” Full life is achieved when we know Jesus as “the way, the truth and the life.” And this is a life that is built together with other believers into a strong and secure structure which can withstand life’s challenges.
Knowing these promises, may God then continue to lead you and form you as his people. And may God continue to bless each of us as living stones in his kingdom. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY #599 (Stand) O Gracious Lord, with Love Draw Near
1 O gracious Lord, with love draw near
To these, Your children gathered here;
The Spirit’s gift in them renew:
The gift of faith that clings to You.
2 Sustain the work You have begun
In these united to Your Son,
For in that pure baptismal flood
They have been cleansed by Jesus’ blood.
3 Deliver them from ev’ry wile,
From all that would their hearts beguile,
From worldly ways and Satan’s lies,
That they may not Your Word despise.
4 Lord, keep them firm in their intent
To You, Your Word and Sacrament.
O make them bold, their faith to share
And make them strong, each cross to bear.
5 O Father, grant that by Your grace
They may Your will each day embrace;
With fruits of faith their lives now bless,
Till they at death Your name confess.
6 Then robed in white before Your throne,
Your holy saints, by You foreknown—
Predestined, called, and justified,
Shall, crowned in light, be glorified.
(10:30) THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION
PROFESSION OF FAITH (Both congregation and confirmand)
Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises?
I do.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe 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.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?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 everlasting. Amen.
RECEPTION INTO CONFIRMED MEMBERSHIP (Congregation may be seated)
William Martin Dennis David Matteo Simpson
Kadyn Francis Godbee Noah Caesar Starck
Henry Francis McGregor Nicolai Curtis Taranov
Elise Ellen Yashar
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, through the power of Christ’s resurrection You bring believers into your home and adopt us as your children. Move us to long for the pure spiritual milk of Your Word, and nourish us through the same, that we may dwell in Your presence forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You have built up Your Church to be a holy priesthood that Your people might offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving acceptable to You. Bless Your Church and bring its congregations together in faith as buildings of living stones. Be with our new Confirmands and encourage them and guide them in their life of faith. And bless all pastors and church workers who proclaim Christ to us, that they may be sustained in their service and lead us in our work together. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, build up our personal homes and households, that we, your holy children begotten in Baptism, may grow in grace and share together with you and our families the life of fullness you intend. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, Your power has brought all things into being and still preserves what You have made. Bless us in this land that we might fulfill our vocations in peace and honor. Guide and direct Joseph, our president; the Congress of these United States; Glenn, our governor; and all elected and appointed civil servants. Give them wisdom and moderation to lead for the well-being of the nation and cause them to encourage virtue and protect life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful heavenly Father, for the sake of Your dear Son who has restored all things by His cross, grant healing, comfort, deliverance and peace to those in need. Bless the sick, the sorrowing, the anxious, the fearful, the homebound, the homeless, the dying and all who have requested our prayers. And on the Day of your Visitation, give them entrance into Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father of the risen Christ, in his Holy Supper You give us the crucified and risen body and blood of our Lord. Let us today taste that the Lord is good and continually grow up unto salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for Your servant St. Stephen whom Your Son has received into His glory. May we imitate him in faith and love to speak Your truth with boldness, forgiving those who sin against us as Christ forgave His persecutors from the cross. And when our last hour comes, let us fall asleep in Him and be born into eternal life; for the sake of Him who was born into our flesh to redeem it, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
OFFERTORY #955 Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
1 Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE LSB 160 ff
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right, and salutary …evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
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. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI
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.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
The Communion Assistant will come forward to receive first, then those from the pulpit side – by order of pew, front to back. Communicants will come up the center aisle and return via the side aisle. When all from the pulpit side have communed, the baptismal font side will commune in the same manner. We ask that the wine be consumed away from the tray table. Empty cups should be dropped into the receptacles.
DISTRIBUTION HYMN #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!
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!
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN #466 Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia
1 Christ has arisen, alleluia.
Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia.
For our Redeemer burst from the tomb,
Even from death, dispelling its gloom. Refrain
Refrain
Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy;
Death’s fearful sting He has come to destroy.
Our sin forgiving, alleluia!
Jesus is living, alleluia!
2 For three long days the grave did its worst
Until its strength by God was dispersed.
He who gives life did death undergo;
And in its conquest His might did show. Refrain
3 The angel said to them, “Do not fear!
You look for Jesus who is not here.
See for yourselves the tomb is all bare;
Only the grave cloths are lying there.” Refrain
4 “Go spread the news: He’s not in the grave;
He has arisen this world to save.
Jesus’ redeeming labors are done;
Even the battle with sin is won.” Refrain
5 Christ has arisen; He sets us free;
Alleluia, to Him praises be.
Jesus is living! Let us all sing;
He reigns triumphant, heavenly King. Refrain
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
P: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia Setting: Lynn L. Petersen
FLOWERS: By Jennifer Zambone
Those serving:
Sunday, April 30, 8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Steve Berg
Comm. Assistant: Dede Dixon
Reader: Norm Williams
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Michael Chamberlain
Comm. Assistant: Jill Hecht
Reader: Lynn Jacquez
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
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 © 2023 Concordia Publishing House
Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful Text: John W. Arthur, 1922–80
Tune: Richard W. Hillert, 1923–2010 Text & Tune: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
We Know That Christ Is Raised Text: John B. Geyer, 1932, alt.
Tune: Charles V. Stanford, 1852–1924 Text: © John B. Geyer. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
O Gracious Lord, with Love Draw Near Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Vernon Griffiths, 1894–1985 Text: © 2003 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: © 1971 Faber Music Ltd. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Robert Campbell, 1814–68, alt. Tune: Kirchengeseng, 1566, Ivancice Text and tune: Public domain
Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia Text: Bernard Kyamanywa, 1938; tr. Howard S. Olson, 1922–2010 Tune: Tanzanian Text: © 1977 Howard S. Olson. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
