The Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 15, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
NOW WE KNOW
AS WE GATHER
Now we know the end of the story. In John’s vision in the Epistle, heaven will be like an eternal wedding feast. All of us in the Church have been made presentable by Christ, the Bridegroom. Unlike the disciples, who experience their Lord’s absence from Good Friday through Easter morning, we can be confident that no one can take our joy from us. Now we know that because He has paid the price on the cross, the Bridegroom will freely make all things new. In place of torrents of tears will be the spring of the water of life. When we receive His body and blood in the Sacrament, it is a foretaste of the feast to come, and we cannot wait to enjoy the rest of the eternal celebration!
+ THE ORDER of CELEBRATING +
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
CHIMES
WELCOME
PRELUDE My Savior’s Love — by Charles H. Gabriel, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
OPENING SONG The King of Glory (See back of Worship folder)
INVOCATION
Pastor In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation Amen.
EASTER ACCLAMATION
Pastor Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Congregation He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION John 16:20; Revelation 21:6
Pastor Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Congregation who made heaven and earth.
Pastor If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
Congregation But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
Pastor God’s grace knows no bounds! Through the sacrifice of His Son, the Bridegroom of the Church, He makes us His holy bride. Anticipating the heavenly wedding feast, let us seek God’s grace now and call on Him for forgiveness and mercy.
Congregation Almighty God, have mercy on us, for we cannot help ourselves. Forgive us all that we have done in the past, give us grace in this present time, and lead us to serve You and love one another in the future and on into the eternity You have promised.
Pastor Jesus promised the disciples, “Your sorrow will turn into joy,” and He promises “the spring of the water of life without payment.” As a called and ordained servant of Christ, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation Amen.
Pastor. Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of our Lord.
PASSING of PEACE
[The congregation is encouraged to share the peace of Christ and greet one another with the words: “The Lord’s peace be with you.” The response: “And also with you.”]
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
GLORY TO GOD
Refrain: Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God in the Highest
And peace to his people on earth
- Lord God, heavenly King, Almighty God and Father, we worship
you we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.Refrain
- Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.you are
seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.Refrain
- For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy
Spirit in the glory of God the Father.
Refrain: Glory to God, glory to God,
Glory to God in the Highest
And peace to his people on earth.
Amen, Amen, Amen
Congregation 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.
FIRST READING Acts 11:1–18
[In defense of his earlier baptism of non-Jewish 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’ testimony. In this way the mission to the Gentiles is officially authorized.]
1Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3“You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Leader This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE Revelation 21:1–7
[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.]
1Then 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. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6And 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 from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
Leader This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC Blessed Redeemer — by Stan Pethel, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
ALLELUIA [Sung before the reading of the Gospel]
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Give the glory and the honor to the Lord!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Give the glory and the honor to the Lord!
HOLY GOSPEL John 13:31–35
Pastor The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the thirteenth chapter.
Congregation 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.]
31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Pastor This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation Praise to You, O Christ.
SONG Step by Step (See back of Worship folder)
SERMON “What Is Love?” Based on the Gospel
CREED Nicene Creed
Congregation I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life + of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
OFFERING
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Congregation Living God,
you gather the wolf and the lamb to feed together
in your peaceable reign,
and you welcome us all at your table.
Reach out to us through this meal,
and show us your wounded and risen body,
that we may be nourished and believe
in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
+ SACRAMENT +
PREFACE
Pastor The Lord be with you.
Congregation And also with you.
Pastor Lift up your hearts.
Congregation We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Congregation It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Pastor Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
Pastor Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
Pastor As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Congregation Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Pastor 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
Congregation 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
Pastor The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation Amen.
AGNUS DEI
Congregation O Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world,
Grant us peace.
DISTRIBUTION SONG Come to the Table (See back of Worship folder)
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Congregation Gracious God, our heavenly Father, You have given us a foretaste of the feast to come in the Holy Supper of Your Son’s body and blood. Keep us firm in the true faith throughout our days of pilgrimage that, on the day of His coming, we may, together with all Your saints, celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Pastor 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 and may you be a blessing to others!
Congregation Amen.
CLOSING SONG Soon and very Soon (See back of Worship folder)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Pastor Go in peace as you serve the Lord.
Congregation Thanks be to God!
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Quarter 2. Copyright © 2021 Concordia Publishing House.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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 © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
Grace Notes
ROOKIES-ANGELS GAME SCHEDULE — Week of May 15th through 21st:
Tuesday, May 17th at 6:00 PM — Phoenix-Talent Field 2
Wednesday, May 18th at 4:00 PM — Ashland Field 4
Saturday, May 21st at 10:00 AM — Ashland Field 4
ASHLAND EMERGENCY FOODBANK — More volunteers are still needed for the Ashland Emergency Food Bank on Saturday, June 11 from about 9:00 am – 1:00 pm to help unload food during the Ashland Food Project bi-monthly drive. A sign-up sheet is provided in the back of the sanctuary.
THE UKRAINE — Please keep the people of the Ukraine in your prayers.
THIS WEEK AT GRACE
TODAY: Mite Box Sunday
TUESDAY the 17th: Women’s Bible Study 10:00 am
LWML 1:00 pm
THURSDAY the 19th: Newsletter Deadline Church League Golf 5:30 pm
SATURDAY the 21st: LWML Southern Oregon Zone Rally
Rogue River 9:00 am
SUNDAY, May 22nd: Bible Study 8:45 am
Worship 10:00 am
Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck — heimbuck@me.com