The Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 29, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
Displaying the Unity
As We Gather
The Early Church realized that there should be twelve apostles, as they carried on the ministry our Lord gave them. So they replaced Judas with Matthias. Their names are even inscribed in the foundations of the perfect new Jerusalem in John’s vision in Revelation. There, Jesus identifies Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13). There is no other; He is perfectly united with the Father. Because of our imperfect condition, however, our Lord prays for our oneness with Him, “so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me” (John 17:23). Today, we ask God to help us display the oneness and love that we have received from Him, rejoicing with the psalmist, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
CHIMES
WELCOME
525 Crown Him with Many Crowns
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Easter Acclamation
P Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Opening Sentences Psalm 133, adapt.
P Behold, how good and pleasant it is
C when brothers and sisters dwell in unity!
P It is like precious oil on the head,
C like the dew on the mountains.
P For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
C life forevermore.
Confession and Absolution John 17:26
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.
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 In Holy Baptism, we were united in the Body of Christ, the Church. He continually asks the Father that “the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” He gave His life so that nothing shall separate us from the uniting love of God. 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.
C Amen. Thanks be to God!
P 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
P 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.
WORD
Salutation
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
P Let us pray. O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation
C but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father;
P for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
First Reading Acts 16:16–34
[Those who had enslaved a girl and used her powers to tell fortunes threw Paul and Silas into jail for ordering the spirit to come out of her and consequently ruining their business. In prison, Paul and Silas bring the good news of the gospel to the jailer and his family.]
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Revelation 22:1–6, 12–20
[The ascended Christ, hidden from our sight, promises to come again. We eagerly pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” with all who respond to this invitation.]
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
6And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” . . .
12“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel John 17:20–26
P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the seventeenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus prays that the life of his followers will be characterized by an intimate unity of identity with God. To be so identified with God means also to share in God’s mission: to proclaim the word that will bring others into this same unity.]
20[Jesus said:] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
662 Onward, Christian Soldiers
Sermon “Oneness” Pastor Josh — 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
Offering
956 Create in Me
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
C 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 Hymns
633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing
Luther’s Morning Prayer
P Let us pray.
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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.
474 Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dismissal
P Go in peace as you serve the Lord.
C 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
THANK YOU! — John and Sandi Whitesitt would like to express their thanks to everyone for their prayers, cards, notes of encouragement, food, and other thoughtful gestures during Sandi’s illness.
ROOKIES-ANGELS GAME SCHEDULE — Week of May 29th through June 4th —
Thursday, June 2 at 6:00 pm — Ashland Field 4 (last game of the season)
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
MONDAY the 30th: Memorial Day
TUESDAY the 31st: Women’s Bible Study 10:00 am
WEDNESDAY the 1st: Choir 7:00 pm
THURSDAY, June 2nd: Church League Golf 5:30 pm
Rookies-Angels Baseball, Ashland Field 4 6:00 pm
SUNDAY the 5th: Pentecost
Bible Study 8:45 am
Worship 10:00 am
Tatsiana Asheichyk Piano Recital 3:00 pm
Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck — heimbuck@me.com