Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 22, 2022 – 10:30 AM
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
901 East Stroop Road
Kettering, OH 45429-4688
(937) 298-0136
Introduction
Visions abound in the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Paul has a vision about what to do. John has a vision of what will be. The risen Lord Jesus provides visions of peace that passes human understanding and power beyond human imagination.
Lifelong Learning
Graduates walk across the stage in cap and gown, receiving diplomas or degrees and paus- ing for pictures. The celebration marks the end of a time of learning and a transition to a time of doing. New jobs require orientation and more practical learning, but soon the employees are proficient at their work. The sheet metal apprentice becomes the expert journeyman. The accountant sees no more surprises in tax preparation. The retail worker masters the merchan- dise, the computer system, and dealing with difficult customers.
This movement from learning to knowing is not limited to work. We learn about civic issues and come to know where we stand. We learn about our faith and come to solid beliefs about our values. We learn about ourselves and who we are as people and settle into a sense of our own identity. One could call this process of learning and knowing through experience “lifelong learning.”
Jesus gives us an image of the Holy Spirit as teacher. But the Holy Spirit is not just any teacher; the Holy Spirit can teach us everything! The implication is that lifelong learning is less about information and more about what it means to be human, less about training and more about our relationship with God.
How do we experience the teaching of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps it is in the surprises of grace where someone’s generosity overwhelms us. Maybe it is in the nudges of knowing when an uncomfortable question opens up a place for us to reflect on our prejudices. Sometimes the font or table softens our heart in just the right moment to find a path for forgiveness.
With this promise of the Holy Spirit Jesus also leaves the gift of his peace, that in our learning and growing we may also know the peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
GATHERING
PRELUDE How Beautiful by Twila Paris; arr. Benjamin Harlan/GSLC Music Ministry
CENTERING SONG “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant”
Will you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant, too.
I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MINISTRY MOMENT
OPENING LITANY
The risen Christ meets us at the tomb, and turns our tears to joy. For your love and goodness,
we give you thanks, O God.
Christ comes through our locked doors, and turns our fear to courage. For your love and goodness,
we give you thanks, O God.
Christ comes to daily life and work, and turns our failure to new vision. For your love and goodness,
we give you thanks, O God.
Christ breaks the bread, and turns our despair to hope. For your love and goodness
we give you thanks, O God.
GATHERING HYMNS
“All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises”
You lived. You died.
You said in three days you would rise.
You did. You’re alive.
You rule. You reign.
You said you’re coming back again.
I know that you will,
And all the earth will sing your praises.
All the earth will sing your praises.
Interlude
You took, you take our sins away, O God;
You give, you gave your life away for us.
You came down, you saved us through the cross;
Our hearts are changed because of your great love.
You lived. You died.
You said in three days you would rise.
You did. You’re alive.
You rule. You reign.
You said you’re coming back again.
I know that you will,
And all the earth will sing your praises.
Interlude
You lived. You died.
You said in three days you would rise.
You did. You’re alive.
You rule. You reign.
You said you’re coming back again.
I know that you will,
And all the earth will sing your praises.
All the earth will sing your praises.
All the earth will sing your praises.
All the earth will sing your praises.
“Christ Is Risen”
Let no one caught in sin
Remain inside the lie of inward shame,
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us.
Freely you’ve bled for us.
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling over death by death.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead,
We are one with Him again.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Beneath the weight of all our sin,
You bowed to none but heaven’s will.
No scheme of hell, no scoffer’s crown,
No burden great can hold You down.
In strength You reign,
Forever let Your church proclaim.
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling over death by death.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead,
We are one with Him again.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light,
The glory of God has defeated the night.
Singing – O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light.
Our God is not dead,
He’s alive, He’s alive.
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling over death by death.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead,
We are one with Him again.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling over death by death.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead,
We are one with Him again.
Come awake, come awake,
Come and rise up from the grave.
Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)
The moon and stars – they wept,
The morning sun was dead;
The Savior of the world was fallen.
His body on the cross,
His blood poured out for us;
The weight of every curse upon him.
One final breath he gave
As heaven looked away;
The Son of God was laid in darkness.
A battle in the grave,
The war on death was waged;
The power of hell forever broken.
The ground began to shake,
The stone was rolled away;
His perfect love could not be overcome.
Now, death, where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated.
Now, forever he is glorified;
Forever he is lifted high.
And forever he is risen;
He is alive, and he is alive.
Now, forever he is glorified;
Forever he is lifted high.
And forever he is risen;
He is alive, and he is alive.
The ground began to shake,
The stone was rolled away;
His perfect love could not be overcome.
Now, death, where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated.
Now, forever he is glorified;
Forever he is lifted high.
And forever he is risen;
He is alive, and he is alive.
We sing hallelujah, We sing hallelujah,
We sing hallelujah; The Lamb has overcome.
We sing hallelujah, We sing hallelujah,
We sing hallelujah; The Lamb has overcome.
We sing hallelujah, We sing hallelujah,
We sing hallelujah; The Lamb has overcome.
We sing hallelujah, We sing hallelujah,
We sing hallelujah.
And now, death, where is your sting?
Our resurrected King,
He’s overcome,
He’s overcome.
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our light and our salvation.
Amen.
Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters, and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight.
Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family. Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By water and your Word you claim us as daughters and sons, making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.
We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life, and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ. Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.
FIRST READING Acts 16:9-15
A vision compels Paul to move his ministry into Greece. There he meets Lydia, an important person in the business community, whose heart has been opened by God to receive the gos- pel. Her conversion and baptism provide the impetus for the founding of the church at Philippi.
A reading from the book of Acts.
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, say- ing, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING Revelation 21:10, 22–22:5
John’s vision of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven provides continuity with God’s past actions. Yet in this new city, God’s presence replaces the temple, and the glory of God and the Lamb supplants sun and moon.
A reading from the book of Revelation.
And in the spirit [one of the angels] carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL READING John 14:23-29
As Jesus talks of returning to the Father, he promises to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will teach Jesus’ followers and remind them of all that Jesus taught. Even more, those in whom God makes a home will experience a peace that overcomes fear.
The Holy Gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus answered [Judas (not Iscariot),] “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
YOUTH MESSAGE
MESSAGE
THRIVE! CAMPAIGN ASK
COMMITMENT TIME
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
Lift up your heads;
we lift them up to God.
Lift up your voices;
we lift them up to God.
Lift up your hearts;
we lift them up to God.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
And so we gather at the table. We come from many different places in life. And as we come together around the table we discover that our differences are not something we just tolerate, but that our differences are indeed a blessing. So come, children of God, just as you are. Wherever you are on this journey of life and faith, you are welcome here – here in this place, here in this community, here at this table. Come, children of God, come and remember.
Remember the stories that Jesus’ friends tell: Stories of bread broken and shared to feed a multitude; stories of gathering both enemy and friend together around a common table; stories of unlikely guests revealing the face of the sacred.
On a night of both celebration and betrayal Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it; gave it to his disciples and said, “Take and eat, this is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” Then Jesus took the cup, blessed it, and gave it to his disciples saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
And so we pray: Lord, bless this bread and bless this fruit of the vine. Bless all of us in our eating and drinking that our eyes might be open, and that we might recognize the risen Christ in our midst, indeed in one another.
LORD’S PRAYER
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The risen Christ dwells with us here. All who are hungry, all who are thirsty, come.
Amen.
HOLY COMMUNION – Receiving the Lord’s tangible presence.
The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Each person may respond: Amen.
Communion Statement ~ If you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is your Savior and Redeemer and would like to receive Holy Communion, then come forward to receive the elements. If you would just like to come forward and receive a blessing, then you may do that also.
NOTE: We invite everyone to come forward for Holy Communion. If you have a gluten allergy, gluten-free wafers are available upon request when receiving Communion. Also, if you prefer not to receive wine at Communion, apple juice is available upon request.
TABLE BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and always keep you in God’s grace.
Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
We give you thanks, generous God, for in this bread and cup we have tasted the new heaven and earth where hunger and thirst are no more. Send us from this table as witnesses to the resurrection, that through our lives, all may know life in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
God, the Author of life, Christ, the living Cornerstone, and the life-giving Spirit of adoption, bless you now and forever.
Amen.
SENDING HYMN – “BECAUSE HE LIVES”
I believe in the Son;
I believe in the Risen One.
I believe I overcome
By the power of his blood.
Amen, amen,
I’m alive, I’m alive because he lives.
Amen, amen,
Let my song join the one that never ends,
Because he lives.
I was dead in the grave;
I was covered in sin and shame.
I heard mercy call my name.
He rolled the stone away.
Amen, amen,
I’m alive, I’m alive because he lives.
Amen, amen,
Let my song join the one that never ends.
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because he lives, every fear is gone.
I know he holds my life,
My future in his hand.
Amen, amen,
I’m alive, I’m alive because he lives.
Amen, amen,
Let my song join the one that never ends.
Amen, amen,
I’m alive, I’m alive because he lives.
Amen, amen,
Let my song join the one that never ends,
Because he lives, because he lives.
DISMISSAL
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. Tell what God has done.
Created, saved and gifted by God, we seek, serve and share Jesus Christ.
Alleluia! Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
“W + 2” = Worship Plus Two
Make a commitment to not only worship each week but also try to find a way to serve in the congregation and seek out a way to serve our community.
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD
UPCOMING COMMEMORATIONS
Nicolaus Copernicus, died 1543; Leonhard Euler, died 1783; scientists
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
These two men were both scientists who helped to explain the wonders of God’s universe. Copernicus is best known for promoting the idea that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our solar system. Euler was one of the founders of pure mathematics, and contributed to many other fields.
John Calvin, renewer of the church, died 1564
Friday, May 27, 2022
Gifted both as a systematic theologian and as an interpreter of scriptures, Calvin embraced the Reformation, and as a preacher in Geneva, Switzerland, brought a theocratic government to it. He is regarded as the father of the Reformed churches.
From Sundays and Seasons.com.
Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22920.
New Revised Standard Version Bible,
Copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Curches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.