Hymn “A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing” LSB # 493
1 A hymn of glory let us sing; New songs throughout the world shall ring:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ, by a road before untrod, Ascends unto the throne of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 The holy apostolic band Upon the Mount of Olives stand;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And with His faithful followers see Their Lord ascend in majesty.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 To them the shining angels cry, "Why stand and gaze upon the sky?"
Alleluia! Alleluia!
"This is the Savior," thus they say, "This is His glorious triumph day."
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
4 “You see Him now, ascending high Up to the portals of the sky.”
Alleluia! Alleluia!
“Here after Jesus you shall see Returning in great majesty.”
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 Be now our joy on earth, O Lord, And be our future great reward.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Then, throned with You forever, we Shall praise Your name eternally.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 "O risen Christ, ascended Lord, All praise to You let earth accord,"
Alleluia! Alleluia!
"You are, while endless ages run, With Father and with Spirit One."
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C: who made heaven and earth.
P: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
C: Amen.
Hymn “I Know My Faith Is Founded” LSB #587
1 I know my faith is founded On Jesus Christ, my God and Lord;
And this my faith confessing, Unmoved I stand on His sure Word.
Our reason cannot fathom The truth of God profound;
Who trusts in human wisdom Relies on shifting ground.
God's Word is all-sufficient, It makes divinely sure;
And trusting in its wisdom, My faith shall rest secure.
2 Increase my faith, dear Savior, For Satan seeks by night and day
To rob me of this treasure And take my hope of bliss away.
But, Lord, with You beside me, I shall be undismayed;
And led by Your good Spirit, I shall be unafraid.
Abide with me, O Savior, A firmer faith bestow;
Then I shall bid defiance To ev'ry evil foe.
3 In faith, Lord, let me serve You; Though persecution, grief, and pain
Should seek to overwhelm me, Let me a steadfast trust retain;
And then at my departure, Lord, take me home to You,
Your riches to inherit As all You said holds true.
In life and death, Lord, keep me Until Your heav'n I gain,
Where I by Your great mercy The end of faith attain.
(Sung)
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth;
Good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!
We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing,
Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.
To You, O sole-begotten, the Father’s Son, we pray;
O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.
Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,
Where You in pow’r are seated at God’s right hand on high.
For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord.
Forever and forever, be worshiped and adored;
You with the Holy Spirit alone are Lord Most High,
In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray.
Collect for the day:
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Scripture Readings
First Reading (Acts 1:12-26)
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11)
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
P: The holy Gospel according to St. John the 17th chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(John 17:1-11)
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Confession of Faith -- Nicene Creed
C: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only‐begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Hymn “O Word of God Incarnate” LSB # 523
1 O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age.
2 The Church from You, dear Master, Received the gift divine;
And still that light is lifted O'er all the earth to shine.
It is the chart and compass That, all life's voyage through,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands Still guides, O Christ, to You.
3 O make Your Church, dear Savior, A lamp of burnished gold
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old!
O teach Your wand'ring pilgrims By this their path to trace
Till, clouds and darkness ended, They see You face to face!
Sermon
Offering
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy
C: hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
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
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.
C: Amen.
Hymn “Up Through Endless Ranks of Angels” LSB # 491
1 Up through endless ranks of angels, Cries of triumph in His ears,
To His heav’nly throne ascending, Having vanquished all their fears,
Christ looks down upon His faithfull, Leaving them in happy tears.
2 Death-destroying, life-restoring, Proven equal to our need,
Now for us before the Father As our brother intercede;
Flesh that for our world was wounded, Living, for the wounded plead!
3 To our lives of wanton wand’ring Send Your Spirit, promised guide;
Through our lives of fear and failure With Your pow’r and love abide;
Welcome us, as You were welcomed, To an endless Eastertide.
4 Alleluia, alleluia! Oh, to breathe the Spirit’s grace!
Alleluia, alleluia! Oh, to see the Father’s face!
Alleluia, alleluia! Oh, to feel the Son’s embrace!