Fourth Sunday of Easter
**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns and other prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.
**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.
Introduction to the day
The
gift of new life, of eternal life, is the gift of the risen Christ. It is the
promise of Jesus. It was true for Dorcas in Joppa. It was true for those “who
have come out of the great ordeal” in the Revelation vision. It is true for us
and for all the baptized: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Thanksgiving For Baptism
Alleluia!
Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
In the waters of baptism,
we
have passed over from death to life with Jesus Christ,
and
we are a new creation.
For
this saving mystery, and for this water, let us bless God,
who
was, who is, and who is to come.
We
thank you, God, for your river of life,
flowing
freely from your throne:
through
the earth,
through
the city,
through
every living thing.
You
rescued Noah and his family from the flood;
You
opened wide the sea for the Israelites.
Now
in these waters you flood us with mercy,
and
our sin is drowned forever.
You
open the gate of righteousness
and
we pass safely through.
In
Jesus Christ, you calm and trouble the waters.
You
nourish us and enclose us in safety.
You
call us forth and send us out.
In
lush and barren places, you are with us.
You
have become our salvation.
Now
breathe upon this water
and
awaken your church once more.
Claim
us again as your beloved and holy people.
Quench
our thirst; cleanse our hearts; wipe away every tear.
To
you, our Beginning and our End,
our
Shepherd and Lamb,
be
honor, glory, praise, and thanksgiving,
now
and forever.
Amen.
Gathering Song – Blessed Assurance (ELW #638)
Greeting
The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and
the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Canticle of Praise
Prayer of the Day
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let
us pray.
O God of peace, you brought
again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep. By
the blood of your eternal covenant, make us complete in everything good that we
may do your will, and work among us all that is well-pleasing in your sight,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Readings
A
reading from the Book of Acts 9:36-43
Now in Joppa there was a
disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to
good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they
had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the
request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them;
and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood
beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made
while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down
and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened
her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up.
Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became
known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in
Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
The
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he
leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He
leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even
though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for
you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
You
prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you
anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and
I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
A
reading from the Book of Revelation 7:9-17
After this I looked, and
there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from
all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the
Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud
voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God
who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
And all the angels stood
around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they
fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and
wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and
ever! Amen.”
Then one of the elders
addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come
from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me,
“These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are
before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his
temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne
will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and
thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the Lamb at the center of
the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the
water of life,
and God will wipe away every
tear from their eyes.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
The Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
The
Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John 10:22-30
Glory to you, O Lord.
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
The
Gospel of the Christ.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
May only truth be spoken, and truth received. Amen.
In
many ways the world is still in suspense, still looking for the Messiah. Even
for many contemporary Christians, a related question might be posed: “For which
Messiah are we looking?”
Are
we searching for a Jesus who shelters us from all ills, promises us personal
prosperity, and invites us into a community separate from all other people of
faith?
Or
are we looking for a Messiah who dares calls us beyond ourselves, calls us into
lives of service to others, sends us into a suffering world rather than away
from it?
It’s
hard to be an armchair Christian. Only by getting out of our pews and actually
living the Christian life do we come to deeper faith and commitment.
In
today’s gospel reading, Jesus talks about his works done in God’s name which
testifies to his identity. And we need to hear what Jesus says, not only in
light of the larger narrative but also in terms of what we know about
experience and belief.
This
week, I was introduced to a document titled “The Arusha Call to Discipleship”,
created in 2018 at the World Council of Churches’ Conference on World Mission
and Evangelism.
More
than a thousand participants attended this conference, gathered from many
different Christian traditions and from every part of the world.
Through
Bible study, common prayer and worship, and by sharing their stories together, they
were encouraged to be witnesses to the reign of God that has come to them
through the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
From
those meetings, it was discerned that we, as the church, have had to (and
continue to) reckon with death-dealing forces that are shaking the world order
and inflicting suffering on many – climate change, an economic system that enriches
few and impoverishes many, and systemic issues regarding race, gender, and
sexuality, just to name a few.
Today,
we can include a world-wide pandemic into the mix. And, for us in Canada, the
push for decolonization is coming more and more to the forefront.
The
World Council of Churches urgently calls us, as Christian communities, to
respond with personal and communal conversion, and a transforming discipleship.
This journey of discipleship will lead us to share and live out God’s love in Jesus Christ by seeking justice and peace in ways that are different from the world. Thus, we are responding to Jesus’ call to follow him from the margins of our world.
This call to discipleship
is summed up in twelve points:
1. We
are called by our baptism to transforming discipleship: a Christ-connected way
of life in a world where many face despair, rejection, loneliness, and
worthlessness.
As people baptized in Christ, we are called to seek
and serve Christ, loving our neighbours as ourselves. We are called to strive
for justice and peace, to respect the dignity of all, and to safeguard God’s
creation by sustaining and renewing the life of the Earth.
2.
We
are called to worship the one Triune God – the God of justice, love, and grace –
at a time when many worship the false god of the market system.
In today’s society of putting money above all else,
we are called to put people above all else.
3.
We
are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ – the fullness of life,
the repentance and forgiveness of sin, and the promise of eternal life – in
word and deed, in a violent world where many are sacrificed to the idols of
death and where many have not yet heard the gospel.
As the hymn goes, “They will know we are Christians
by our love.” We have heard the gospel and it is on us to evangelize the word,
not in conversions but in actions. We are meant to display our Christianity
through our works just as Jesus says “The works that I do in my Father’s name
testify to me”, we should be able to say “The works that I do in Jesus’ name
testify to me.”
4.
We
are called to joyfully engage in the ways of the Holy Spirit, who empowers
people from the margins with agency, in the search for justice and dignity.
Wherever justice is done in the world, wherever
people are welcomed rather than excluded in the community of faith, wherever
the hungry are fed, wherever peace reigns – Jesus is there.
5.
We
are called to discern the word of God in a world that communicates many
contradictory, false, and confusing messages.
The world is a scary and confusing place, and,
as we have experienced lately, can be quite contradictory. The same people
could call for the freedom of choice for what they put into their bodies and
then call for the removal of freedom over certain persons bodies.
It can be hard to discern the word of God, to
find where God is working in this scary, confusing, and contradictory world, but
the Holy Spirit is calling us to do this work, to reveal the love and
compassion that God has for us all.
6.
We
are called to care for God’s creation, and to be in solidarity with nations
severely affected by climate change in the face of a ruthless human-centered
exploitation of the environment for consumerism and greed.
We were created to tend and defend God’s creation. Instead,
we are slowly killing it. One of the many things I will remember about this
pandemic is how in that first year, when we were all called into isolation to
protect each other while scientists worked to figure out this strange new
virus, the streets became empty and silent. Hardly a vehicle on the road. And
the air cleared. Smog and pollution dissipated, and the planet began to heal.
Not a day goes by that I don’t think about that and wonder how we can return to
that time of healing.
7.
We
are called as disciples to belong together in just and inclusive communities,
in our quest for unity and on our ecumenical journey, in a world that is based
upon marginalization and exclusion.
It is this call that fuels my desire for our
shared ministry to join in the Reconciling in Christ ministry. It is this call
that fuels my desire to find the ecumenical communities in the Interlake region.
It is this call that should fire us up to help those on the margins.
8.
We
are called to be faithful witnesses of God’s transforming love in dialogue with
people of other faiths in a world where the politicization of religious
identities often causes conflict.
Christianity is not the only religion or faith
or belief system. Full stop. For too long, our country has ruled on the basis
of Christianity being the root of all that is right, and that everything else
is nothing but heresy and evilness. For too long, those whom were here before
us have been treated like animals, even though they welcomed us with love. We
are called to transform our worldview so that we can live as Jesus taught us.
9.
We
are called to be formed as servant leaders who demonstrate the way of Christ in
a world that privileges power, wealth, and the culture of money.
It was recently announced that Manitoba will now have the
lowest minimum wage in Canada. The reality is that fewer Manitobans will be
earning a living wage and the gap between the rich and the poor is growing
exponentially.
As followers of a Messiah who fought for the poor, we need
to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
10. We are called to break
down walls and seek justice with people who are dispossessed and displaced from
their lands – including migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers – and to resist
new frontiers and borders that separate and kill.
This would include supporting our Indigenous
relatives as they seek self-determination and to join the fight for the
decolonization of society. A place to start would be to learn about Sacred
Circle, the self-determined covenant of Indigenous Anglicans.
11. We are called to follow
the way of the cross, which challenges elitism, privilege, personal and
structural power.
In the 21st century, white male
able-bodied privilege should no longer be a thing, but it’s still a thing, A
really big thing. Jesus taught us to love our neighbour, but by denying rights
and privileges to anyone of varying gender, sexuality, able-bodiness, race,
etc, we are doing the exact opposite of what we are called to do. The more we
challenge elitism, privilege, personal and structural power, the closer we will
be to Christ.
12. We are called to live
in the light of the resurrection, which offers hope-filled possibilities for
transformation.
Our preaching and our worship – our words – are not always enough to persuade skeptics of the truth of the gospel. Even Jesus did not place maximum confidence in his words but depended more on the persuasive power of his works.
As
I believe Alice Walker stated, “Anybody can observe the Sabbath, but making it
holy surely takes the rest of the week.”
I
reiterate my question from before, “For which Messiah are we looking?”
With
confidence, I say that we are looking for a Messiah who dares calls us beyond ourselves,
calls us into lives of service to others, sends us into a suffering world
rather than away from it.
We
are called to no longer be an armchair Christian, to go out and actually live
the Christian life.
Therefore,
I challenge you to follow Jesus in a tangible and concrete way.
If
you do, I promise that you will find the Messiah for which you are looking.
Let
us pray.
Loving
God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty.
Lord
Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the
lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred.
Holy
Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out
into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit.
Grant
us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus:
becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time.
For
the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your
name.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Hymn
of the Day – Savior,
like a Shepherd Lead Us (ELW #789)
Nicene Creed
Let us confess our faith as we say together the Nicene
Creed.
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the
Father,
God from God, Light from
Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were
made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy
Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was
buried.
On the third day he rose
again
in accordance with the
scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no
end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father
and the Son,
who with the Father and the
Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the
prophets.
We believe in one holy
catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection
of the dead,
and the life of the world to
come. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Set free from
captivity to sin and death, we pray to the God of resurrection for the church,
people in need, and all of creation.
silence
Gentle Shepherd, enable your church to respond to the voice of Jesus. Give us unfailing trust, unafraid to join in Jesus’ work of renewing all things.
God, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Feed your people at the table of creation. Prepare a safe place for those whose environments are dangerous or unhealthy, especially those making difficult journeys. Prosper your creation for the sake of every living thing.
God, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Warm the hearts of all who celebrate and all who mourn on Mother’s Day. Accompany those yearning to be mothers. Help us to heal from broken family relationships and open us to receive your nurturing love from all who serve mothering roles in our lives.
God, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Seek out those who weep while they await healing or consolation. Set people in their path who can provide the care they need, and wipe away every tear from their eyes.
God, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Inspire the words of prophets and saints who employ innovative imagery to stretch our understanding (as did Julian of Norwich, whom we commemorate today). Send Christ to instruct us with motherly care.
God, in your
mercy,
hear our
prayer.
Enfold us in the great multitude of saints from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. Wash us in your saving grace every day, guiding us to your waters of life.
God, in your mercy,
hear our
prayer.
In your mercy, O God, respond to these prayers, and renew us by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Amen.
Peace
The peace of Christ be with
you always.
And also with you.
Offering Hymn – The Lord's My Shepherd (ELW #778)
Offering Prayer
Let us pray.
Living God, you gather the
wolf and the lamb to feed together in your peaceable reign, and you welcome us
all at your table. Reach out to us through this meal, and show us your wounded
and risen body, that we may be nourished and believe in Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
Dialogue
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our
thanks and praise.
Preface
It is indeed right, our duty
and our joy,
that we should at all times
and in all places
give thanks and praise to
you, almighty and merciful God,
for the glorious resurrection
of our Savior Jesus Christ,
the true Paschal Lamb who
gave himself to take away our sin;
who in dying has destroyed
death,
and in rising has brought us
to eternal life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene
and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection,
with earth and sea and all
their creatures,
and with angels and
archangels, cherubim and seraphim,
we praise your name and join
their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy
Thanksgiving at the Table
Holy, living, and loving God,
we praise you for
creating the heavens and the earth.
We bless you for bringing
Noah and his family through the waters of the flood,
for freeing your
people Israel from the bonds of slavery,
and for sending
your Son to be our Redeemer.
We give you thanks for Jesus
who, living among
us,
healed the sick,
fed the hungry,
and with a love
stronger than death,
gave his life for others.
In the night in which he was
betrayed,
our Lord Jesus
took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave
it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this
is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance
of me.
Again, after supper, he took
the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for
all to drink, saying:
This cup is the
new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and
for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance
of me.
Remembering, therefore,
his life-giving
death and glorious resurrection,
we await your
promised life for all this dying world.
Breathe your Spirit on us and
on this bread and cup:
carry us in your
arms from death to life,
that we may live
as your chosen ones,
clothed in the
righteousness of Christ.
Through him all glory and
honor is yours,
Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit,
in your holy
Church,
both now and
forever.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy
Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who
sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is the
table of Christ. It is made ready for those who love him, and for those who
want to love him more. Come, whether you have much faith or little, have tried
to follow, or are afraid that you have failed. Come. Because it is Christ's
will that those who want to meet him, might meet him here. These are the gifts
of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to
God.
Share in the Eucharist.
Table Blessing
The body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ strengthen you and
Keep you in his grace.
Amen.
Prayer After Communion
As we have feasted around the table, let us pray.
We give you thanks, generous God,
for in this bread and cup
we have tasted the new heaven and earth
where hunger and thirst are no more.
Send us from this table as witnesses to the resurrection,
that through our lives, all may know life in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Blessing
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord: and the blessing of the Holy and Undivided Trinity be with you and
remain with you always, in ☩ God, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Sending Song – Day by Day (ELW #790)
Dismissal
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. Tell what God has done.
Thanks be to God.
