Praying for Unity-7th Sunday after Easter-LCMS Readings

Description

John 17:20-26 

In the last part of his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples (the messengers) and the people who would receive that message.  It not only gives us a fantastic example of a prayer we can pray when sharing the Gospel with others, but it also gives us a glimpse of the heart of Jesus who intercedes for us.  The unity He seeks is a unity based upon the mutual life we have in God.

 

… We Lift Our Hearts in Worship …

[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]

 

Time of Praise and Worship

Dancing Generation

Matt Redman, ©2004 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

The River Is Rising

Michael W. Smith, ©2008 Smittyfly Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) Word Music, LLC

 (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

Nothing Is Impossible

Jonathan Hunt © 2008 Planet Shakers Ministries Int. Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

 

[Traditional Options]

Jesus, Thy Boundless Love To Me     

BH75 326; BH91 123; HS 98 857; HLC 364; LBW 336; LSB 683; LW 280; PH 366; STTL 499; WC 556

O Holy Spirit, Enter In

ELW 786; LBW 459; LSB 913; LW 160

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

EH 490; ELW 815; LSB 411; RS 651; WC 539; UMH 206; WOV 649; WAR 249

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme

 

Pastor:             Almighty and everlasting Father, you have gathered us together on this day so that we may praise and glorify your sacred name.

 

ALL:                 Bring us together, O Lord.

 

Pastor:             You have given us the glory of your salvation, not to keep to ourselves, but as a beacon of hope to unite all who may believe in your resurrection.

 

ALL:                 Bring us together, O Lord.

 

Pastor:             The world may not know you, but those who follow your word know that you have been sent for all that dwell on the earth.

 

ALL:                 Bring us together, O Lord.

 

Pastor:             Although we sometimes feel alone when we share the Gospel with others, you have given us assurance that you are always with us, and will be to the end of the age.

 

ALL:                 Bring us together, O Lord.

 

Pastor:             We begin this service worshipping as one, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

 

ALL:                 Bring us together, O Lord!

 

Opening Prayer

 

Pastor:            O heavenly Father, our maker and redeemer, we give you thanks and praise for the glory that we have in Christ Jesus. You continue to make yourself known to us so                                that the love you have for your Son may also be in us. It is a love that is boundless, unfathomable, and is the cornerstone of the hope that we have through your Son’s                              death and resurrection. It is a love that stirs us to action, as we share the good news of your glory with others. We praise and thank you on this day and all of our                                      days, because you have first loved us. In the name of Jesus Christ, who sits at your right hand.

 

ALL:                 AMEN!

  

Time of Greeting

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

  

Pastor:             O most merciful God, your message of salvation is for all people. Yet we have grown fearful of sharing this good news with others.

 

ALL:                 Lord, have mercy.

 

Pastor:             We not only have hid your message under a bushel, but we have perverted your message through our own sinful actions.

 

ALL:                 Lord, have mercy.

 

Pastor:             Our sin has interfered with your message of hope and salvation. It has caused others to reject, mock, and ridicule your word rather than embrace it.

 

ALL:                 Lord, have mercy.

 

Pastor:            We take a moment to silently confess all that we have done and what we have left undone. And for the sake of the suffering and death of Christ Jesus, your only                                        begotten son, we cry out in mercy. 

(pause for silent reflection)

 

Pastor:             “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been                                      saved.” (Ephesians 2: 4-5) Therefore, I, as a called and ordained servant of the word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and that all of your sins, great and                                        small, have been forgiven. O let us give thanks to the Lord for he is good!

 

ALL:                 And His mercy endures forever!  Amen!

 

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading:  Acts 1:12–26 

With Judas Iscariot no longer a part of the twelve disciples, the rest gather to find a replacement.  The lot falls to Matthias who joins the 12 and the ministry continues strong under the guidance of the Lord.

 

¹² Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. ¹³ When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. ¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶ and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” ¹⁸ (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’ ²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” ²³ So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.