Fourth Sunday After Easter 05/03/2020

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Easter Imperatives: Follow!                May 3, 2020

AS WE GATHER

The closing prayer of the funeral service begins with these words: “Lord God, our shepherd, You gather the lambs of Your flock into the arms of Your mercy and bring them home.” Describing Jesus as a Shepherd is a special image used in prayers, hymns, and Christian artwork. The believer receives a sense of assurance in knowing that the One being followed throughout life is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The fact that our Lord chooses to repeat the words “I am the Good Shepherd” more than once indicates its importance to Him and to us. As we follow Jesus, we can be confident that He will lead us into that place where goodness and righteousness are eternal.

X PREPARATION X

HYMN As The Deer   

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee

Chorus

You alone are my strength my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart’s desire

And I long to worship Thee

Verse 2

You’re my friend and You are my brother

Even though You are a King

I love You more than any other

So much more than anything

Verse 3

I want You more than gold or silver

Only You can satisfy

You alone are the real joygiver

And the apple of my eye

INVOCATION

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

C: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 95:1, 7

P:  Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

C: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

P:  For He is our God,

C: and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand!

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Micah 6:6–8

P:  Let us come before God in true repentance, seeking forgiveness and amendment of our lives as we follow the Lord.

C: With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?   Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

P:  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

C: Almighty God, we confess that we are indeed sinful. We have done the evil You forbid and have not done the good You demand. We do repent and are truly sorry for these our sins. Have mercy on us because of Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Grant that, by the working of the Holy Spirit, we may follow where He leads until that time when we, by His grace, come to dwell in Your house forever.

P:  God has promised forgiveness to those who repent of their sins and turn to Him for grace. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

X WORD X

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, 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; 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 LESSON Acts 2:42–47 (The life of the first Christians)

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.            C: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE 1 Peter 2:19–25 (The example of Christ, who suffered for us)

¹⁹ For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. ²⁰ But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹ To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  ²² “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”  ²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” ²⁵ For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.               C: Thanks be to God.

HOLY GOSPEL John 10:1–10 (Jesus is the gate of the sheep.)

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

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

¹  “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.  ⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

P:  This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” [LSB 709]

The King of love my Shepherd is,

Whose goodness faileth never,

I nothing lack if I am His

And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow

My ransomed soul He leadeth,

And where the verdant pastures grow,

With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,

But yet in love He sought me,

And on His shoulder gently laid,

And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill

With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;

Thy rod and staff my comfort still,

Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;

Thy unction grace bestoweth;

And O what transport of delight

From Thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days

Thy goodness faileth never;

Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise

Within Thy house forever.

SERMON

CREED 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.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P:  Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

We pray for the whole Church, that through it the goodness of God be shared and the Good News of salvation joyfully be proclaimed throughout all the world. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P:  We pray for those who are in need, assured of the Shepherd’s care for all of His sheep. Help us to meet the needs of those who travel with us through life as we are led by our Good Shepherd day by day. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P:  We pray for the nations of the world, asking that still waters of peace flow around the globe and that there be goodness and kindness among all peoples. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P:  We pray for our families and everyone in them. Together help us to follow the Good Shepherd as one flock in which all dwell together in love and unity. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P:  We pray for those whose tables are set in difficult or challenging places, whose lives know want or discord or sadness or continuing illness. Gently guide them with Your rod and staff, Good Shepherd, and keep them ever with You. Lord, in your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

P:  With gratefulness we remember those who already dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Inspire us to pass throughout our earthly journeys with faith and hope as we heed the voice of our Good Shepherd and follow in His ways. Lord, in Your mercy,

C: hear our prayer.

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

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.

BENEDICAMUS

P:  Let us bless the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

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 X give you peace.   Numbers 6:24–26

C: Amen.

HYMN “Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us” [LSB 711]

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,

Much we need Thy tender care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,

For our use Thy folds prepare.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us,

Be the guardian of our way;

Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,

Seek us when we go astray.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us,

Poor and sinful though we be;

Thou hast mercy to relieve us,

Grace to cleanse and power to free.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

We will early turn to Thee.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

We will early turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor,

Early let us do Thy will;

Blessèd Lord and only Savior,

With Thy love our bosoms fill.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!

Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Quarter 2. Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House.

All rights reserved. Used by permission.