Hymn “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” LSB # 793
1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; To His feet your tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia! Praise the everlasting King.
2 Praise Him for His grace and favor To His people in distress;
Praise Him still the same as ever, Slow to chide and swift to bless:
Alleluia, alleluia! Glorious in His faithfulness.
3 Father-like He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows;
In His hand He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia! Widely yet His mercy flows.
4 Angels, help us to adore Him; You behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him, All who dwell in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace.
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
C: amen.
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)
P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. 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 “Crown Him with Many Crowns” LSB # 525
1 Crown Him with many crowns, The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heav'nly anthem drowns All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.
2 Crown Him the virgin's Son, The God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won Which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose, Yet of that rose the stem,
The root whence mercy ever flows, The babe of Bethlehem.
3 Crown Him the Lord of Love, Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorified.
No angels in the sky Can fully bear that sight,
But down-ward bends their wond'ring eyes At mysteries so bright.
4 Crown Him the Lord of Life, Who triumphed o'er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring And lives that death may die.
5 Crown Him the Lord of heav'n, Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to whom is giv'n The wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns As thrones before him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, For He is King of all.
(Sung)
P: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C: Lord, have mercy.
P: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: 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 [the disciples] 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 John 5:9-15)
If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
All: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia.
P: The holy Gospel according to St. John the 17th chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(John 17:11b-19)
[Jesus said,] Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day “Up Through Endless Ranks of Angels” LSB #491
1 Up through endless ranks of angels, cries of triumph in his ears,
to his heavenly throne ascending, having vanquished all their fears,
Christ looks down upon his faithful, 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 wandering 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!
Sermon
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.
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 “The Church’s One Foundation” LSB # 644
1 The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation By water and the Word.
From heav'n He came and sought her To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.
2 Elect from ev'ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses With ev'ry grace endued.
3 Though with a scornful wonder The world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.
4 Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war
She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore
Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.
5 Yet she on earth has union With God, the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won.
O blessed heav'nly chorus! Lord, save us by Your grace
That we, like saints before us, May see You face to face.