Service outline for Sunday, April 25, 2021

 Welcome to worship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church!

 PRELUDE   A Piano Interpretation of Psalm 23        Smith     

 

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

      Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,

whose voice is upon the waters,

whose mercy is poured out upon all people,

whose goodness cascades over all creation.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,

you search us and know us.

You are acquainted with all our ways.

We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—

our own sins and the broken systems that bind us.

We turn inward, failing to follow

your outward way of love.

We distrust those who are not like us.

We exploit the earth and its resources

and fail to consider generations to come.

Forgive us, gracious God,

for all we have done and left undone.

Even before the words are on our tongues,

you know them;

receive them in your divine mercy.

Amen.

 

How vast is God's grace!

Through the power and promise of + Christ Jesus,

our sins are washed away

and we are claimed as God's own beloved.

Indeed, we are forgiven.

In the wake of God's forgiveness,

we are called to be the beloved community

living out Christ's justice

and the Spirit's reconciling peace.

Amen.

HYMN   Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing!        #385 v. 1,2,3

GREETING

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

KYRIE

HYMN OF PRAISE                                                      #391 v. 1

 

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Acts 4:5-12

⁵The next day [the] rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, ⁶with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. ⁷When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" ⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, ¹⁰let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. ¹¹This Jesus is

            'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;

            it has become the cornerstone.'

¹²There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."

 

PSALM: Psalm 23

 ¹The LORD ^| is my shepherd; I shall not ^| be in want.

²The LORD makes me lie down ^| in green pastures and leads me be- ^| side still waters.

³You restore my ^| soul, O LORD, and guide me along right pathways ^| for your name's sake.

⁴Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall ^| fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they ^| comfort me. 

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence ^| of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, and my cup is ^| running over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall 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

¹⁶We know love by this, that [Jesus Christ] laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. ¹⁷How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

¹⁸Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. ¹⁹And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him ²⁰whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ²¹Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; ²²and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

²³And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

GOSPEL: John 10:11-18

 [Jesus said:] ¹¹"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

SERMON

 

HYMN         Have No Fear, Little Flock                                 #764

1          Have no fear, little flock;

            have no fear, little flock,

            for the Father has chosen

            to give you the kingdom;

            have no fear, little flock!

 

2          Have good cheer, little flock;

            have good cheer, little flock,

            for the Father will keep you

            in his love forever;

            have good cheer, little flock!

 

3          Praise the Lord high above;

            praise the Lord high above,

            for he stoops down to heal you,

            uplift and restore you;

            praise the Lord high above!

 

4          Thankful hearts raise to God;

            thankful hearts raise to God,

            for he stays close beside you,

            in all things works with you;

            thankful hearts raise to God!

 

Text: Luke 12:32, st. 1; Marjorie Jilson, b. 1931, sts. 2-4

Text © 1973 Concordia Publishing House

APOSTLES CREED

 

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

 

 PRAYERS AND PEACE

OFFERING

COMMUNION PRAYER

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

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION

POST COMMUNION PROCLAMATION

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

BLESSING

HYMN      Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us    #789 v. 1,2,4

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE    Live Divine, All Loves Excelling      Hustad

 

Liturgy and hymns printed and streamed with permission through OneLicense. A-710659