+ The Lord be with You +
“So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!”
2. Corinthians 5:17
O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee, In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish Our weak souls that they may flouish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary, That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead In all trial, fear, and need: O Lord, have mercy!2. Thy holy body into death was given, Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us; May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid; Peace with God once more is made: O Lord, have mercy.3. May God bestow on us His grace and favor To please Him with our behavior
Martin Luther 1483-1546 The Lutheran Hymnal 313
And live as brethren here in love and union Nor repent this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us; Grant that heavenly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see Days of peace and unity: O Lord, have mercy!
God´s Holy Word for this Sunday
The Introit teaches us to pray with God´s holy Word:
Shout out praise to God, all the earth! Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation.
Psalm 66,1-9
Give him the honor he deserves! Say to God: “How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.
All the earth worships you and sings praises to you. They sing praises to your name.” (Selah)
Come and witnessGod’s exploits! His acts on behalf of people are awesome.
He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there. He rules by his power forever; he watches the nations.
Stubborn rebels should not exaltthemselves. (Selah)
Praiseour God, you nations. Loudly proclaim his praise.
He preserves our lives and does not allow our feet to slip.
Inspired by the triune God the holy prophet Moses writes:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. 3 God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light! 4 God saw that the light was good, so God separated the light from the darkness…Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground. God saw all that he had made—and it was very good! The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the LORD God made the earth and heavens.
Genesis 1,1-4a.26-28.31a; 2,1-4a
In Acts, we read the Holy Apostle St. Paul preaching on the Areopagus:
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Acts 17, 22-34
The Holy Gospel of our Lord IX according to the holy evangelist St. John:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
John 15,1-8
Sermontext from the Holy Gospel of St. John:
In a little while you will see me no longer; again after a little while, you will see me.” Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is the meaning of what he is saying, ‘In a little while you will not see me; again after a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they kept on repeating, “What is the meaning of what he says, ‘In a little while’? We do not understand what he is talking about.” Jesus could see that they wanted to ask him about these things, so he said to them, “Are you asking each other about this—that I said, ‘In a little while you will not see me; again after a little while, you will see me’? I tell you the solemn truth, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy. When a woman gives birth, she has distress because her time has come, but when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. At that time you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
John 16,16-23a
Prayer of the Church: 3rd Sunday after Easter (Jubilate) 30 April 2023
Prayer of the Church—Responsive Form: 3rd Sunday after Easter (Jubilate) 30 April 2023
Gracious God, Your mercies are new every morning. Continually provide us with all we need to support this body and life, and grant that we receive Your gifts with thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, grant us the gift of true teachers and servants of the Word who truly fulfill Your command and preach nothing contrary to Your Holy Word. Send forth laborers into Your harvest. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, bless our homes. Preserve all married couples in love and faithfulness [especially _____________]; strengthen parents for their task as teachers of the faith; uphold the unmarried honorable and unashamed in their station; and with good deeds in every home, let the ignorance of foolish people be put to silence by Your divine institution. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of lords, You sustain every rule, authority and power as You see fit until this world’s powers pass away. Bless all whom You place in civil authority, that they would not provoke Your wrath but maintain order and justice for the peace of Your people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Father, on the day when this little while ends, we will ask nothing. Now, in every need, we are bold to ask everything in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our mediator. Hear our supplications and intercessions for every need [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You have shown us a generous heart and taught us it is more blessed to give than to receive. Accept our gratitude for Your mercies and tender care in time of need. Receive now the gifts of our hands with our voices raised in thanksgiving and praise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give joy in the midst of sorrow here at the Sacrament of the Altar. Grant us repentance, a firm faith and a united confession, that we may have honest fellowship in the blessings of Christ’s testament. With consciences thus cleansed from evil and renewed in You, enable us to stand undaunted until the day of visitation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, of Your fatherly goodness You allow Your children to come under Your chastening rod to conform us to Your only begotten Son here in suffering on earth and hereafter in glory. Comfort us by Your Holy Spirit in all temptations and afflictions, that we would not despair, but trust continually in Your Son’s promise that our trials will endure but a little while and then be followed by eternal joy. Grant that we would overcome all evil in patient hope and at last obtain eternal salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LCMS Prayers for one-year-series.
Wilhelm's space 