The Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 8, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
WELCOME
We extend the hand of fellowship to all who worship here this morning. May all present grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in love and desire to serve Him. Guests and visitors, please honor us by signing our Guest Book in the entrance hall of the church as you leave. If you have no church home of your own in the area, we invite you to make Grace Lutheran Church the center of your worship, learning, fellowship, and service. The fellowship of this morning continues with a Coffee Hour/Fellowship Hour following worship. Do join us and let us become better acquainted with you as you get to know us better. Come to worship with us again and often!
Did You Hear That?
As We Gather
Many people in the world are deaf to God’s presence and certainly to His Word. Some people refused to believe when they physically met Jesus, as in today’s Gospel. Paul had to warn church leaders that opposition might even come from within, from wolves in sheep’s clothing. But by the grace of God in Scripture, we hear our Good Shepherd speaking to us about His grace and mercy.
John’s vision of the Lamb’s eternal victory lets us hear the eternal praises of saints and angels in heaven. Today is an opportunity to tell one another in word and song about our faith, asking our brothers and sisters if they also are hearing all the good news about our Shepherd. We leave to ask our friends and neighbors the same question. What joy when they may say with us, “The Lord is my shepherd too!”
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME
PRELUDE My Faith Looks Up to Thee — by Brian Büda, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
Opening Song Shout To the Lord (See insert)
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Opening Sentences Psalm 23:1, 6b; Revelation 7:17
P The Lord is my shepherd;
C I shall not want.
P For the Lamb in the midst of the throne
C will be their shepherd,
P and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
C And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Confession and Absolution
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
P Lord, our God,
C we confess that we have strayed from hearing the voice of Your Son, our Shepherd, who went through death to eternal life for us. We have failed to trust in You fully. We have sinned in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Forgive us and renew in us faith and trust. Grant us to hear anew our Shepherd’s voice and to follow wherever He leads, until we see Him with You in Your eternal house.
P Fellow sheep within Christ’s fold, our Lord Jesus was God’s sacrificial Lamb and has gone through death, paying for the sins of all people, and He now reigns in eternity. Therefore, in His stead and by His command, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
THE PASSING OF PEACE
Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of the Lord.
[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.”]
EASTER GREETING
P Allelluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
P The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead to bring everlasting hope, be with you all.
C And also with you.
KYRIE (Sung by the Worship Team. Please join in singing the Refrain.)
Refrain: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison
Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s Kingdom.
Refrain
You came in Word and Sacrament to strengthen us in holiness
Refrain
You will come in glory with salvation for your people.
Refrain
Salutation
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep,
C grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads;
P through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading Acts 20:17–35
[Paul is encouraging the church leaders to pay careful attention to their conduct, especially to their fellow believers in Christ. For they have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. He also admonishes the leaders to protect the flock from those who want to snatch them away from the truth of the Gospel.]
17Now from Miletus [Paul] sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Revelation 7:9–17
[Christ is the shepherd who leads his faithful to springs of the water of life. Christ is also the lamb who vanquishes sin and suffering, in whose blood the saints have washed their robes and made them white.]
9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC BY GRACE CHOIR Make His Praise Glorious —
by Lloyd Larson, Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
Verse Romans 6:9; John 10:14
P Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.
C Alleluia. I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel John 10:22–30
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the tenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus responds to the question about his identity with the remarkable claim that he and the Father are one. Those who understand this are his sheep; they hear his voice, follow, and will never be snatched from his hand.]
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Song of the Day How Majestic Is Your Name (See insert)
Sermon “Stubborn Sheep” Based on the Gospel
Apostles’ Creed
C 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.
Prayer of the Church Psalm 23
P Let us pray for ourselves, the Church around the world, and all people in their various conditions.
C The Lord is my shepherd.
P We pray for all who lack the food, clothing, and shelter that they need for a fully human life, asking our Father in heaven to meet their needs using His caring people, including ourselves, for we are confident:
C I shall not want.
P We pray for those falsely imprisoned or denied true justice, asking our Lord to free them and open doors of opportunity for them, as He so graciously has done for us:
C He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
P We pray for all who are depressed in spirit or unsure of God’s will for them, asking the Holy Spirit to lift them up and guide them, that with us they may rejoice to say:
C He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
P We pray for those who are facing illness and health concerns, especially Cindy (Gary’s wife); Lois (Ted’s wife); Sandi (John’s wife); Alex Giorgi, Liz (Susan H’s sister), and together with those who are suffering with cancer, dementia, COVID-19 and its variants who we name in our hearts. (A brief pause). Continue to bless those who are home-bound and unable to worship with us, especially Sharon, Bonnie, Elma, and Richard, together with those we name before you in our hearts. (A brief pause). We ask for comfort for Ruth and her family who mourn the death of Vernia, for Sandy S. and her family who mourn the death of her great niece, Jessica, and for all those who grieve, asking our risen Lord to lift their eyes to His eternal home so that they may each declare:
C Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
P We pray for first responders and police at home and for armed forces deployed, asking our Father in heaven to guide and protect them, and for all who grow crops and tend herds that He would bless them with bountiful harvests so that they may thank Him, praying:
C You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
P Finally, we pray for ourselves and all who gather around Word and Sacrament, that the Holy Spirit would keep us firm in the faith so that we may joyfully profess:
C Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.
Offering
HOLY IS YOUR NAME (See insert)
SACRAMENT
Preface
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 Him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P 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.
C Amen.
The Words of Our Lord
P 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
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P 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
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Distribution Song We Remember You (See insert)
Post-Communion Thanksgiving
P Let us pray.
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.
C 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;
P through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
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 and may you be a blessing to others!
C Amen.
Closing Song Great Is the Lord (See insert)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dismissal
P Go in peace as you serve the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
+ With Great Boldness … Tell Everyone What He Has Done! +
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 8th through 14th:
Thursday, May 12th at 6:00 PM — Phoenix-Talent Field 2
Saturday, May 14th 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: Happy Mother’s Day!
MONDAY the 9th: Rogue Valley Music Teachers Association
Piano Recital 9:00 am
TUESDAY the 10th: Women’s Bible Study 10:00 am
Council Meeting 4:00 pm
WEDNESDAY the 11th: Choir Practice 7:00 pm
THURSDAY the 12th: Church League Golf 5:30 pm
SATURDAY the 14th: NewMen’s Bible Study 8:30 am
Vernia Sommerlot — Celebration of Life 2:00 pm
SUNDAY May 15th: Mite Box Sunday
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