FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER                              May 2, 2021

ORDER OF SERVICE: LSB DS1, p. 151

THE HYMNS: 601, 633, 837

THE SERMON TEXT: John 15:1-8

OPENING HYMN: “All Who Believe and Are Baptized” (LSB 601)

All who believe and are baptized
Shall see the Lord's salvation;
Baptized into the death of Christ,
They are a new creation.
Through Christ's redemption they shall stand
Among the glorious, heav'nly band
Of ev'ry tribe and nation.

With one accord, O God, we pray:
Grant us Your Holy Spirit.
Help us in our infirmity
Through Jesus' blood and merit.
Grant us to grow in grace each day
That by this sacrament we may
Eternal life inherit.

[Stand]

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

[The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.]

P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C: 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.]

P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C: 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.

P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all yours 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.

C: Amen.

THE INTROIT (all): Psalm 145:1-2, 8, 10, 21; Antiphon: John 16:16

A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. 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. A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.

KYRIE ~ Lord Have Mercy (Sung)

P: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: 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.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C: Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE: 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.

SALUTATION and COLLECT OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: 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.

C: Amen.

[Sit]

BOOK OF CONCORD: Solid Declaration, Article XI: God's Eternal Election

We should listen to God's revealed will. For He has made "known to us the mystery of His will" (Ephesians 1:9) and made it clear through Christ so that it might be preached.

This is revealed to us in the way Paul says "those whom He predestined [elected and foreordained] He also called" (Romans 8:30). God does not call without means, but through the Word. For He has commanded "that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name" [Luke 24:47]. St. Paul also testifies in a similar way when he writes, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). The King calls the guests that He wants to have at His Son's wedding through the ministers He sends out (Matthew 22:2-14). He sends some at the first and some at the second, third, sixth, ninth, and even at the eleventh hour.

If we want to think about our eternal election to salvation helpfully, we must hold strongly and firmly to this truth: just as the preaching of repentance is universal, so also the promise of the Gospel is universal, that is, it belongs to all people. For this reason Christ has given these commands: Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations. (Luke 24:47)

FIRST READING: Acts 8:26-40

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. ²⁷ And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
³³ In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴ And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶ And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE: 1 John 4:1-11

¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C. Thanks be to God.

[Stand]

VERSE (Sung)

C: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

Alleluia, alleluia.

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

HOLY GOSPEL: John 15:1-8

¹ [Jesus said:] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

[Sit]

HYMN OF THE DAY: “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” (LSB 633)

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing

Praise to our victorious King,

Who has washed us in the tide

Flowing from His pierced side. Alleluia!

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!

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!

Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,

Paschal victim, paschal bread;

With sincerity and love

Eat we manna from above. Alleluia!

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!

Now no more can death appall,

Now no more the grave enthrall;

You have opened paradise,

And Your saints in You shall rise. Alleluia!

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!

[Stand]

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!

SERMON

[Stand]

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 and 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.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

[After each petition:]

P: Lord, in Your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

BENEDICTION

P: 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 give you peace.

C: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN: “Lift High the Cross” (LSB 837)

[Refrain]
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
Till all the world adore His sacred name.

Come, Christians, follow where our Captain trod,
Our king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. [Refrain]

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conqu'ring ranks combine. [Refrain]

All newborn soldiers of the Crucified
Bear on their brows the seal of Him who died. [Refrain]

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee. [Refrain]

Let ev'ry race and ev'ry language tell
Of Him who saves our lives from death and hell. [Refrain]

So shall our song of triumph ever be;
Praise to the Crucified for victory! [Refrain]