Thursday after the Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 7, 2015
He is Risen.
This coming Sunday will be the Sixth Sunday of Easter. It is
also Mother’s Day. It is a second Sunday so we will be celebrating the Lord’s
Supper. We will use Divine Service, setting one for our liturgy, with the
offertory from Divine two. The lections are: Acts 10:34-48; 1 John 5:1-8; and John
15:9-17. The sermon is titled “The Difference Maker” and the text is 1 John
5:1. Our opening hymn is “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia” (LSB
463). This hymn reflects that we are still in the Easter season. The sermon
hymn is “Water, Blood, and Spirit Crying” (LSB 597). This hymn reflects
the lesson from 1 John. The Closing hymn is “The Strife Is O’er, the Battle
Done” (LSB 464), which again reflects the Easter season. The distribution
hymns are “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (LSB 461), again reflecting
the Easter season, “O Lord, We Praise Thee” (LSB 617) and “O Jesus,
Blessed Lord, to Thee” (LSB 632), both reflecting the Lord’s Supper.
Below is a video of “O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee” (LSB
632). It is sung in an oriental language, possibly Japanese; so much for
historic hymnody not translating into other cultures.
What follows is a synopsis of Sunday’s lessons, provided by
the synod, then the lessons. Following that are some additional notes of
interest.
The Lord Jesus Is with His Church in the Apostolic
Ministry of the Gospel
The crucified and risen Lord Jesus is with His Church
through the word of His Apostles, who “are witnesses of all that He did.”
He was anointed by God “with the Holy Spirit and with power” and “He
went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,” and
so He was with those whom He sent “to preach to the people” (Acts
10:38–42). The Holy Spirit is bestowed on those who hear that apostolic
preaching, who are “baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,” so that “everyone
who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name” (Acts
10:43–44, 48). For as He came by the water of His Baptism, even to the blood of
His Passion, so the Spirit testifies to the truth with “the water and the
blood” in the apostolic ministry of the Gospel (1 John 5:6–7). By these
means, Christ Jesus speaks to us, that His joy may be in us and that our
“joy may be full.” For this purpose He appointed the Apostles to “go and
bear fruit,” in order to make known His divine friendship to us (John
15:11, 15–16).
Acts 10:34-48
34 So
Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no
partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what
is right is acceptable to him. 36As for the word that he sent to
Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37you
yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee
after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and
healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39And
we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40but God
raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41not to all the
people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank
with him after he rose from the dead. 42And he commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be
judge of the living and the dead. 43To him all the prophets bear
witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through
his name.”
44 While
Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the
word. 45And the believers from among the circumcised who had come
with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even
on the Gentiles. 46For they were hearing them speaking in tongues
and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47“Can anyone withhold water
for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Then they asked him to remain for some days.
1 John 5:1-8
5:1 Everyone
who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who
loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his
commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For everyone
who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has
overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world
except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This
is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by
the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the
Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: the Spirit
and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
John 15:9-17
9 As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10If
you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11These things I have
spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This
is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater
love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14You
are my friends if you do what I command you. 15No longer do I call
you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I
have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made
known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed
you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that
whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17These
things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Some Additional Notes
- Sunday, May 31:
- This Sunday is Mother’s Day. The regularly scheduled Board of Evangelism meeting is being moved to Sunday, May 24. Enjoy the day with your mothers.
- This coming week Pastor and Wayne will be attending the Southeastern District Convention. Please keep the convention, as well as Pastor and Wayne, in your prayers.
- Our Sunday morning Bible hour begins at 9:00 am. We continue our examination of the biblical teachings concerning Vocation.
- Walking our neighborhoods and meeting our neighbors is off and walking. Remember to record your miles each week on the bulletin board in the hallway. Our collective goal - 2,015 miles in 2015.
- Remember, we have pledged to pray for our neighbors. You can get a list of your 100 your closest neighbors from pray4everyhome.com. If you have no internet access, speak with Rachel Swain or Kitty Rickert and they will sign you up and get you a list.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Rickert
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