Fourth Sunday of Easter
10:00 AM Service April 25, 2021
GATHERING
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Ringing of the Bell
(Please Stand)
Confession and Forgiveness
In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our
sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our
sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and
Lord.
Amen
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
(Silence is kept for reflection.)
Most merciful God,
We confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. 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.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive
together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of +Jesus Christ,
your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy
Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.
Amen.
L: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
1
L: Let us pray:
O Lord Christ, good shepherd of the sheep, you seek the lost and guide us into
your fold. Feed us, and we shall be satisfied; heal us and we shall be whole.
Make us one with you, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
WORD
First Reading Acts 4: 5--12 Pg. 1696
R: Word of God, Word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm 23 Pg. 963
PS 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
PS 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
PS 23:3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
PS 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
PS 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows.
PS 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Second Reading: 1 John 3: 16--24 Pg. 1901
R: Word of God, Word of life.
C: Thanks be to God.
Instrumental Offering
(Please rise for the Gospel.)
After the Gospel is announced:
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel Reading John 10: 11--18 Pg. 1666
P: The gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
(Please be seated)
Sermon
(Please Stand)
Hymn # 619 “I Know That My Redeemer Lives!” st. 1,5
1. I know that my Redeemer lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead; he lives, my ever living head!
2. He lives to bless me with his love; he lives to plead for me above;
he lives my hungry soul to feed; he lives to help in time of need.
L: Together with the whole church, we confess our faith:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s 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;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And he will come to judge the living 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
The Prayers
L: . . .Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
Offering
Thanksgiving for the Word
Praise to you, O God, for your Word of life: creating a wondrous universe, proclaiming
freedom from captivity, becoming the song of your people.
Your Word is made flesh among us: with Mary in the garden, you call us by name. With
Thomas beholding your wounds, you call us to believe. With sheep of others folds, we
are gathered by your voice. Your Word names our death and our life: a seed that falls
into the earth and dies, rain and snow that come down from heaven to water the earth,
a vine in which we abide. Through your Word, you appoint us to bear fruit, fruit that will
last.
By your living Word, we are witnesses of these things. Breathe into us your Holy Spirit.
Open our minds to understand the scriptures. Give us wisdom to declare what we have
heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our
hands concerning the word of life. Fill us with strength to love, not in word or speech
alone, but in truth and action.
With every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth, we join in the hymn of
all creation, giving thanks to you and praise, now and forever.
Amen.
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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
SENDING
Blessing
Hymn # 782 “My Shepherd, You Supply My Need” st. 3
1. My Shepherd, you supply my need; most holy is your name.
In pastures fresh you make me feed, beside the living stream.
You bring my wandering spirit back when I forsake your ways,
and lead me, for your mercy’s sake, in paths of truth and grace.
2. When I walk through the shades of death, your presence is my stay;
one word of your supporting breath drives all my fears away.
Your hand, in sight of all my foes, does still my table spread;
my cup with blessings overflows, your oil anoints my head.
3. The sure provisions of my God attend me all the days;
oh, my your house be my abode and all my work be praise.
Here would I find a settled rest, while others go and come;
no more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home.
L: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
L: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Postlude