Worship Guide - Fifth Sunday of Easter

Worship Guide

May 15, 2022

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

 

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

 

Greetings:

 

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

 

Special Music: “How Can It Be” Meagan

 

Centering Words:

Each morning we awake to a blank canvass. Our God makes all things new!

 

*Call to Worship:

 

Leader:   As the sun rises in the morning,

People:  Let all creation worship God.

Leader:   From the highest mountains to the deepest seas,

People:  let all creation proclaim the name of the Lord, for God alone is worthy to be praised.

Leader:   God alone makes all things new.

People:  All praise, glory, and honor be yours, forever.

Leader:   Let us pray.

ALL:        Gracious and loving God, you meet us where we are. We gather together from many walks of life, but we are unified as one heart in the body of Christ. In our time of worship, open our ears to hear your voice; open our eyes to see your glory; open our minds to receive your word; open our hearts to perceive your presence. Amen.

 

Hymn: Spirit Song”

 

Oh let the Son of God enfold you

with his Spirit and his love.

Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul.

Oh let him have the things that hold you,

and his Spirit like a dove

will descend upon your life

and make you whole.

 

Jesus, oh Jesus

come and fill your lambs.

Jesus, oh Jesus

come and fill your lambs.

 

Oh come and sing the song of gladness

as your hearts are filled with joy.

Lift your hands in sweet surrender

to his name.

Oh give him all your tears and sadness;

give him all your years of pain,

and you'll enter into life in Jesus' name

 

Jesus, oh Jesus

come and fill your lambs.

Jesus, oh Jesus

come and fill your lambs.

 

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

 

Words of Assurance

 

When we are thirsty, God renews our souls with living waters.

Drink deeply, knowing that in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Amen and Amen.

 

*New Testament Reading:  Acts 11:1-18

 

1 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. 11 At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

 

Leader:   This is the Word of God, for the People of God

People:  Thanks be to God!

 

WORD AND RESPONSE

 

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

 

Children’s Message            

 

Hymn: Victory in Jesus”

 

I heard an old, old story,

how a Savior came from glory,

how he gave his life on Calvary

to save a wretch like me;

I heard about his groaning,

of his precious blood's atoning,

then I repented of my sins

and won the victory.

 

O victory in Jesus,

my Savior for ever!

He sought me and bought me

with his redeeming blood;

he loved me ere I knew him,

and all my love is due him;

he plunged me to victory

beneath the cleansing flood.

 

I heard about his healing,

of his cleansing power revealing,

how he made the lame to walk again

and caused the blind to see;

and then I cried, "Dear Jesus,

came and heal my broken spirit,"

and some how Jesus came and

brought to me the victory.

 

O victory in Jesus,

my Savior for ever!

He sought me and bought me

with his redeeming blood;

he loved me ere I knew him,

and all my love is due him;

he plunged me to victory

beneath the cleansing flood.

 

I heard about a mansion

he has built for me in glory,

and I heard about the streets of gold

beyond the crystal sea;

about the angels singing

and the old redemption story,

and some sweet day

I'll sing up there

the song of victory.

 

O victory in Jesus,

my Savior for ever!

He sought me and bought me

with his redeeming blood;

he loved me ere I knew him,

and all my love is due him;

he plunged me to victory

beneath the cleansing flood.

 

Sermon: “Who do You Love” John 13:31-35

 

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

 

Hymn: “They’ll Know We are Christians by our Love”

 

We are one in the Spirit,

we are one in the Lord,

we are one in the Spirit,

we are one in the Lord,

and we pray that all unity

may one day be restored:

 

And they'll know we are Christians

by our love, by our love;

yes, they'll know we are Christians

by our love

 

We will walk with each other,

we will walk hand in hand,

we will walk with each other,

we will walk hand in hand,

and together we'll spread the news

that God is in our land:

 

And they'll know we are Christians

by our love, by our love;

yes, they'll know we are Christians

by our love

 

We will work with each other,

we will work side by side,

we will work with each other,

we will work side by side,

and we'll guard human dignity

and save human pride;

 

And they'll know we are Christians

by our love, by our love;

yes, they'll know we are Christians

by our love

 

All praise to the Father,

from whom all things come,

and all praise to Christ Jesus, God's only Son,

and all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:

 

And they'll know we are Christians

by our love, by our love;

yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love

 

Psalter: The Apostles’ Creed

 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

    maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;

          who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

          born of the virgin Mary,

          suffered under Pontius Pilate,

          was crucified, died, and was buried;

    the third day he rose from the dead;

    he ascended into heaven,

         and sitteth at the right hand of God

          the Father Almighty.

    From thence he shall come

          to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

    the holy catholic Church,

    the communion of saints,

    the forgiveness of sins,

    the resurrection of the body,

    and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

Gloria Patri

 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

And to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now

And ever shall be,

World without end. Amen. Amen

 

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns:      

Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

 

SENDING FORTH

 

Hymn: “Others”

 

Lord, help me live from day to day

In such a self-forgetful way

That even when I kneel to pray

My prayer shall be for—Others.

 

Others, Lord, yes others,

Let this my motto be,

Help me to live for others,

That I may live like Thee.

 

Help me in all the work I do

To ever be sincere and true

And know that all I’d do for You

Must needs be done for—Others.

 

Others, Lord, yes others,

Let this my motto be,

Help me to live for others,

That I may live like Thee.

 

Let “Self" be crucified and slain

And buried deep: and all in vain

May efforts be to rise again,

Unless to live for—Others.

 

Others, Lord, yes others,

Let this my motto be,

Help me to live for others,

That I may live like Thee.

 

And when my work on earth is done,

And my new work in Heav’n’s begun,

May I forget the crown I’ve won,

While thinking still of—Others.

 

Others, Lord, yes others,

Let this my motto be,

Help me to live for others,

That I may live like Thee.

 

Benediction