Third Sunday of Easter April 26, 2020
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
April 26, 2020
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FALLS CHURCH, VA
DIVINE SERVICE ONE
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain Setting: Jon D. Viecker
WELCOME
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
ENTRANCE HYMN #487 Sts. 1-3, 5 Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain
1 Come, you faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God has brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness,
Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot
Through the Red Sea waters.
2 ’Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ has burst His prison
And from three days’ sleep in death
As a sun has risen;
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From His light, to whom is giv’n
Laud and praise undying.
3 Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to gladden faithful hearts
Which with true affection
Welcome in unwearied strain
Jesus’ resurrection!
5 Alleluia! Now we cry
To our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars
Of the tomb’s dark portal.
Come, you faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God has brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness!
Text and Tune: Public domain
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
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.
HYMN OF PRAISE
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,
through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Acts 2:14a, 36–41
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (ESV)
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 116:1-14
I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people. (ESV)
SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 1:17-25
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (ESV)
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE
Alleluia.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 24:13–35
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 24th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (ESV)
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ
SERMON
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
The Gospel lesson just read (Luke 24:13-35) is a great, great text – filled with many important lessons and worthy of examination at any time and especially in these days after Easter. Let me just quickly say that I thought of its description of Jesus “opening the scriptures” to those two disciples as I watched a video at my home on the evening of Easter Sunday.
One of you shared with me that the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, PA was making available for viewing that day their onstage production of the life of Jesus. My wife and I watched it and were very impressed, not only with the production, which was just fabulous, but also with the way the story was told. One of the unique features was an expansion of the role of Nicodemus into a character who recognized how Jesus was fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. He shared these with us as we watched… much as Jesus would have done with those disciples on the road to Emmaus when he “interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Like it did for those two disciples, the Emmaus Road encounter fills us with warmth and joy as we think not only about how Christ fulfilled prophecies, but also his surprising and powerful presence among us. During these days when we can’t meet together at church, we appreciate even more that he comes to us in such ways too.
With that as introduction, I’d like us to turn our focus now to today’s second reading – from First Peter, the first chapter. Pastor Lehrer had us look at the preceding verses in his sermon last Sunday, and we’ll continue to read through the book during all six Sundays of this year’s Easter Season. First Peter is a good book to read at this time of year because it makes many references to Christ’s resurrection. Beyond that, the book is also good for us to examine today because Peter speaks to people who are enduring a challenging time. And right now, that’s us.
In the first verse of our text, Peter calls his hearers “exiles.” He tells them to consider his message “throughout the time of your exile.” You may feel like you’re enduring a bit of an exile right now – exiled from many of those things you’re normally able to do. What kind of exile were Peter’s hearers enduring?
A clue for this can be found at the very beginning of the book. Peter addresses his letter “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” While the term “dispersion” – literally, Diaspora – was often used to refer to Jews who lived away from Judea, the term here is more likely meant simply to catch that spirit of being separate or away from your true home.
The word “exile” means the same thing. Peter’s hearers are Christians—some converts from Judaism and others from Gentile religions – who are finding that they are not really at home in the world.
In chapter two, we hear more about the reason for this. There, Peter says: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Peter is urging his hearers to live the Christian ethic, even though it may cause others to speak against them. By calling them “exiles,” he is acknowledging the difficulty of their Christianity, for it’s hard being an exile.
And even more than the difficulty, Peter’s label shows he understands how unjust their treatment is. An exile is one who was forced away from their home. Christians should be able to live happily in this world, given as it is by God. And yet, Christians are often looked down-upon, and sometimes taken advantage of. And they get tired of being the ones who are always supposed to do what is right, and to give, give, give.
Right now, our churches are being asked to close their doors. In one way this is a no-brainer, because it’s not safe to gather together. But in another way, this is a hard thing for us – because we believe the church is essential to a society’s well-being. And closing the church makes it seem like we’re not. And it touches a nerve.
That’s why we must remember God’s faithfulness to us. He will provide. We may not be able to receive his presence in the blessed Sacrament and the physical gathering of his people, but we can still know that he is with us in his Holy Word. We remember with Peter in our text that we have “the living and abiding word of God” and that “the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And God can show us new ways too. This is a time when we can sing a new song. It’s a time when we can publicly show love and concern for our neighbor. And it’s a time when we can swallow our pride, take the humble path, and “do a good deed” – as Peter said – that others may see this “and glorify God on the day of the visitation.”
This is a time when we can find new ways to encourage one another. Notice how Peter encourages his hearers by using words that are almost a little provoking. For instance, he begins this section by saying: “if you call on God as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds…” throwing this down as kind of a challenge for the people. He knew they wanted a God who judged evil. But were they prepared to rid themselves of their own evil?
“If you call on God as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, then conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.” And here Peter introduces another word that provokes us—the word “fear.”
On Easter Sunday we heard voices saying: “fear not.” Both the angel and Jesus himself said this. But here Peter tells us to fear. His words, of course, harken back to that great proverb of the Old Testament: “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” And they reflect the words of God in Isaiah (66:2) when he says: “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” And they echo the words of St. Paul, who said to the Philippians: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
These words call us to respect the Lord and listen to him. These words call us to faith. “Conduct yourselves with fear” – meaning respect the Lord’s right to judge… and, respect the Lord’s will for your lives. You may have to endure a time of exile. That’s okay. God is with you. You won’t always feel at home in this world. But this should only serve to make you hunger and thirst for your true home – the place to where the Lord is calling you.
In his epistle, Peter doesn’t spend much time talking about that true home. In the last chapter he shares that “when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory (5:4).” And he refers to believers being called “to eternal glory in Christ” (5:10). These words give clues to the joy and goodness that awaits. But they are brief.
What Peter does make clear is how we get to this home. He speaks of this throughout his epistle. In many ways.
In our text today he tells of it in two ways. First, he says we are ransomed. “Conduct yourselves with fear… knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers.” This is good news! To be ransomed means to be saved.
How is it that we are ransomed? Peter tells us that as well. We’re ransomed “not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
We Lutherans will recognize this language from our Catechism. In his explanation to the second article of the Creed, Luther tells of Jesus “who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.”
And Peter in his encouraging of the people tells us this good news in a second way as well. Using words that Jesus used with Nicodemus, Peter tells us that we are born again. “Love one another earnestly from a pure heart,” he says, “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”
These are words meant to remind us of our Baptism – where we were claimed as God’s child and given the Holy Spirit. They are words which should remind us that the Easter miracle of Christ’s resurrection is given to us—as we, like him, are born to new life.
We may be exiles in this world—ones not completely home here, struggling because we just don’t perfectly fit. But in another way, the best way, we are free from our exile. Our struggle is over, and we are at home with the Lord. Because we are forgiven. We have been ransomed and redeemed; purchased and won by our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been born again to new life in the Spirit.
To conclude this message today, I’m going to share with you a connection I found between our reading from Peter and our Gospel reading. I was really excited about it. Maybe you will be too.
When Jesus appeared to those men walking along the road to Emmaus, he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And one of them answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
The man called Jesus a “visitor” – at least that’s what our translation says. Other translations will use the word “stranger” – which is closer in meaning to the original language.
The connection for us is that this is the same word Peter uses when he calls us “exiles.”
We should be comforted in knowing that Jesus was considered a stranger or exile too. Because this is one more proof to show that Jesus understands our human need. He has walked in our place. He has felt our rejection. He knows what it means to be exiled.
And we should recall, too, that this idea of Jesus as a stranger reminds us of his true identity; how he is not fundamentally of this world, but only came from God to be here for his mission. Our text from Peter conveys this idea too when it says: “he was foreknown before the foundation of the world and was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.”
My fellow exiles, strangers, sinners, those who are afraid… Jesus has come to you. He has ransomed you and caused you to be born again. He died and was resurrected for you. He will help you in your times of need. And he will bring you to your true home someday.
May you be encouraged in your walk with Christ. And may your faith sustain you in your times of exile. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY #483 With High Delight Let Us Unite
1 With high delight
Let us unite
In songs of great jubilation.
Ye pure in heart,
All bear your part,
Sing Jesus Christ, our salvation.
To set us free
Forever, He
Is ris’n and sends
To all earth’s ends
Good news to save ev’ry nation.
2 True God, He first
From death has burst
Forth into life, all subduing.
His enemy
Doth vanquished lie;
His death has been death’s undoing.
“And yours shall be
Like victory
O’er death and grave,”
Saith He, who gave
His life for us, Life renewing
3 Let praises ring;
Give thanks, and bring
To Christ our Lord adoration.
His honor speed
By word and deed
To ev’ry land, ev’ry nation.
So shall His love
Give us above,
From misery
And death set free,
All joy and full consolation.
APOSTLES’ CREED
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 everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING With High Delight Let Us Unite Setting: Michael D. Costello
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
(We especially remember Albert, Jennifer Zambone’s father who is hospitalized, and Lois Koenig (friend of the Lehrers) who mourns her husband Les’ death, and Margaret (Lois Lehrer’s sister), who mourns the death of her husband, Jim.)
You have heard our pleas for mercy, O Lord, and given Your Son to be the Savior of the whole world.. Hear us now as we come to You on behalf of all people according to their needs.
Brief silence
Our hearts burned in us as Your Word announced Your resurrection from the dead, O Lord. Strengthen our weak faith that we might grow in our love for You and our neighbor. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
You have cleansed us, Gracious Savior, in the floodwaters of Baptism. As we were marked with Your cross, we were also set aside to be Your own people. Strengthen our trust in You and give to us grace, that we may offer You holy lives that honor You in all that we say and do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless Your Church, Lord of love, that we may welcome the stranger in Christ’s name and manifest our unity as Your people. Bless Matthew, our Synod President; John, our district president; Andrew, our circuit visitor; and Mark & Chris, our pastor(s). Help us all to discover new ways to serve You and those You love during these days of separation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guard our nation, Sovereign Lord, that we may enjoy peace and safety. Bless Donald, our president, Ralph, our governor; and all who make, judge and enforce our laws. Bless the members of the armed forces, especially the sailors on the US Carrier Roosevelt; and all police, fire, EMS, and hospital workers as they labor in dangerous times for the good of us all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Deliver us from all our afflictions and dangers, Good Master. Hear us as we pray for Jennifer’s father Albert, and for Lois, Bob and Margaret as they mourn for their spouses who now rest with you; and for Susan, Dolly, Gladys & Christine; Trudy, Mary Ann, Dorothy& June; for Treym Jack, Peter, Marvin, Wendy, Norma, Sophia, Halle, Melissa, Gloria and those whom we name now in our hearts. According to Your gracious will, heal the sick, relieve those who suffer, comfort the grieving and give peace to the dying. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We yearn for Your feast O Lord; we hunger for the Bread of Life. Nurture us and watch over us that in all our doings and life we may please You. Hasten the day when we may eat and drink again at this altar.
We thank You, blessed Lord, for all the saints who have gone before us and are at rest in You, especially Sts. Mark and Anselm. Bless us and keep us, until that great and coming day when we shall feast with You face to face and forever. These and whatever other things we need, O Lord, grant us for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
THE 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.
BENEDICTION
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.
SENDING HYMN #475 Sts. 1, 3, 4 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing
1 Good Christian friends, rejoice and sing!
Now is the triumph of our King!
To all the world glad news we bring:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
3 Praise we in songs of victory
That love, that life which cannot die,
And sing with hearts uplifted high:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
4 Your name we bless, O risen Lord,
And sing today with one accord
The life laid down, the life restored:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing Setting; Mark Bender
Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Reprinted with permission.
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.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.
With High Delight Let Us Unite Text (sts. 1–3): © 1969 Concordia Publishing House Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100012246.
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing Text: © 1958, renewed 1986 Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100012246.; admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100012246.
