Jesus’ ascension had to be at least somewhat difficult for the disciples. They had spent three amazing years with Jesus! And now it was becoming clear that Jesus’ presence with them was going to be changing. While he had promised to be with them always, he wouldn’t be sitting down to have a meal with them, walking the roads with them, or chatting with them any longer. That had to be a bit difficult.
But that was nothing compared to what was coming. Very soon they would be persecuted and imprisoned because of their faith in Jesus. Eventually, eleven of the twelve would die as martyrs because they believed and told people that Jesus was the Savior. The disciples were about to face some very difficult days.
And so what did Jesus do? He lifted up his hands and blessed them. Did you notice the detail? It doesn’t say that he blessed them and then left them. It says, “While he was blessing them, he left them…” Those hands of Jesus were up in blessing, and they remained up in blessing!
Remember, this was the last time the disciples saw Jesus. This sight would stick in their minds. So when the disciples faced imprisonment, persecution, even martyrdom, they could picture Jesus blessing them.
And sure, the disciples might have had a hard time understanding how the things that happened to them could be a blessing. But it didn’t matter if they could figure it out. They had that wonderful sight of Jesus’ hands still up as he left them! He was blessing them, and he always would!
He is still blessing his people, including you. Picture this the next time you are being persecuted and picked on for your faith in him. Picture this the next time you are facing any danger or difficulty. Picture your ascended Lord, hands up, blessing you.
Wow! What a sight!
Prayer:
O Savior, remind me that you are always blessing me and that you always will! Amen.
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Luke 24:50,51
I was at my high school reunion. As I was registering someone behind me said, “Hi Tom.” I turned around, and I had no idea who it was. I must have gotten a wildly comical look on my face because my classmate said, “You don’t remember me, do you?” And I had to say, with great embarrassment, “I’m sorry, I’m not recognizing you.”
You see, I was remembering her the way she had looked when we graduated. But after a few decades, her appearance had changed, as had everyone else’s attending the reunion.
We remember people the way they looked the last time we saw them. Jesus knows this. So, he made sure the last time his disciples saw him, it was a sight to remember.
As Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, he lifted up his hands and blessed his disciples. What would the disciples have seen on those hands? Since Jesus had kept the nail scars on his hands for at least a week after his resurrection (cf. John 20:24-29), it seems reasonable that those scars were still there. Scars which reminded the disciples that Jesus had died and risen. And what had Jesus accomplished with his death and resurrection? Forgiveness. Forgiveness for those disciples, forgiveness for you and me. Did Jesus want his disciples to remember that? Does Jesus want you and me to remember that? Of course. So, it makes perfect sense that Jesus made his nail-scarred hands a key part of the last sight Jesus gave us of himself.
Picture this the next time your sins trouble you, the next time guilt rises in your heart. Picture those nail-scarred hands and remember that you are forgiven.
Wow! What a sight!
Prayer:
O Savior, when my conscience attacks me because of my sins, remind of me of your nail-scarred hands, that I might know for sure my sins are forgiven. Amen.
The members of the Jerusalem church had heard the apostle Peter proclaim the good news that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, was the promised Messiah and their Savior. Through God’s Word they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who convicted them of their sin and convinced them of their Savior. Their sins were forgiven. Heaven was their home. Their hearts were filled with joy.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” The Word of God was their delight. It was the one thing they needed. It was their dearest treasure. Therefore, they not only held it in the highest regard, but they also put it into practice. They lived in the joy of the gospel. In their worship, fellowship, witnessing, praying, love, sharing, and offerings, they thanked God for the blessing of his Word.
God’s Word has not changed. It is still the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. The way of salvation has not changed. Jesus Christ is the only Savior this world will ever have. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The Bible continues to be the only true source for direction in this life and hope for eternity. Where repentant, blood-bought souls gather around the Word of God, regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it, there the power of the Holy Spirit will be present to lead us into all truth and the joy of the gospel.
Lord, keep us steadfast in your Word.
Prayer:
Jesus, bring me into a close relationship with you. Accomplish the will of your heavenly Father in me by your almighty Word and help me be devoted to you. Guide me and encourage me with your promises. Amen.
We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankfulness of praise.
P: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
HYMN 143 He’s Risen, He’s Risen
INVOCATIONhymnal page 15
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER hymnal page 10
P: O Lord — our Maker, Redeemer, and Comforter — we are assembled in your presence to hear your holy Word. We pray that you would open our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that through the preaching of your Word we may repent of our sins, believe in Jesus, and grow day by day in grace and holiness. Hear us for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION hymnal page 38
P: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
P: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will. Amen.
✠ T H E W O R D ✠
The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
FIRST LESSONActs 17:22-31
Summary: In Him we live and move and have our being
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. `For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, `We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone– an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
PSALM 66 hymnal page 90
*Sung in unison.
Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!
Praise our God, O peoples,
Let the sound of his praise be heard.
He has preserved our lives
And kept our feet from slipping.
Refrain
Come and listen all you who fear God;
Let me tell you what he has done for me.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
The Lord would not have listened;
But God has surely listened
And heard my voice in prayer.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Refrain
EPISTLE 1 Peter 3:15-22
Summary: Living in the living Lord means witnessing for Him
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand– with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
VERSE OF THE DAY John 14:23
P: Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Alleluia.
♫ Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL LESSONJohn 14:15-21
Summary: Living in the Lord means loving and obeying Him
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
P: Father of lights, every good and perfect gift comes from you. Inspire us to think those things that are true and long for those things that are good, that we may always make our petitions according to your gracious will; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
SERMON HYMN 377:1-4 Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
SERMONETTEJohn 14: 19b (underlined in Gospel lesson)
“Because I Live, You Also Will Live”
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe 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.
He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
HYMN 377:5-8Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
EASTER SEASON PRAYER
*Read by Pastor
LORD’S PRAYER hymnal page 43
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by 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.
CLOSING PRAYER hymnal page 43
P: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
BLESSINGhymnal page 44
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
Then Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace.
Amen.
CLOSING HYMN 377:9, 10Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
Announcements
Next week’s theme: May 24, 2020 The 6th Sunday after Easter:
“The Risen Lord Offers Protection”
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
For the past 2 months now, our nation’s “Safer at Home” social distancing mandate has changed how we live and how God feeds and leads us with his Word. However, we need to remember that the power of God’s Word and the comfort of the gospel is not diminished by the way it is delivered. You will hear law and gospel. You will be assured of Christ’s forgiveness. Your faith will be nourished and our trust in God’s unchanging promises will be strengthened.
Perhaps God will use this experience to lead us to never take public worship for granted again. I pray that God is also using this crisis to draw many in our nation to see the value of forgiveness, faith and the Word of God. As He tells us, “My Word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11). If you know of someone who doesn’t have access to these on-line worship opportunities, please let us know. Call (608-297-2866) or email <scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org> church/school secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office or leave a message.
At the encouragement of our church synod leaders, we will be reserving distribution of the Lord’s Supper for its regular and normal use within the gathering of the body of believers, except in special circumstances. We take comfort in knowing that we have two forms of the means of grace – Word and sacrament. Forgiveness received through God’s Word is no less powerful and effective than the sacrament.
Every Saturday at 11am (either at Emmanuel at St. John’s) we will record an abbreviated service that will be uploaded to our website <www.stjohnsmontello.org> & linked You Tube channel together with a bulletin file available for viewing at your convenience. These services will also be available via DVD, printed sermon & bulletin mailings. Many thanks to those helping with our recorded services including: Darrell Buchholz, Pastor John Dolan, Kerry Mann, Rachel Naumann, Ciara Neuhauser, Larry & Lynn Sellnow, Lucas Stelter, Sue Tutaj, James Wachholz and Lauren Zietlow. Thanks also to the Sellnow’s for recording weekly school chapel devotions and for Pastor Dolan for recording weekly Bible studies.
While we might be tempted to face this situation with a great deal of disappointment and chagrin, we also recognize the opportunity God is placing before us to ponder and grasp ever more firmly his promise of spiritual health for our souls and to reflect the light of his love to others. We can:
– pray for God’s healing for those affected by the virus
– pray for those involved in essential services – medical personnel, first responders, and those who keep the peace
– share the links to our website and worship service with family, friends, and acquaintances
– renew our daily devotional life
– continue to support the message and ministry of our congregation by responding in thanks to God for his gift of eternal life through offerings mailed to the church office, by electronic-ACH-auto-pay-direct-deposit giving or via credit card at <www.stjohnsmontello.org> menu button “Church Recorded Service” DONATE NOW yellow button. Call Ciara at the church office for direct depost giving details.
– offer care and compassion for those who need support and a listening ear
Church elders, shepherd, trustees, other concerned members and Pastor Zietlow have been contacting all E/SJ members (via email, text, and phone) to make all aware of the situation, to offer alternatives for those who do not have a computer or internet access, and to offer any special assistance during these challenging times. Following our governor’s announcement on 3/24, all WI residents are to stay “Safer At Home”. President Trump also advises that we continue this “social distancing” for the forseeable future. These are trying times..times for personal reflection, Bible study, devotion and prayer. Pastor Zietlow (608-408-7830 talk/text) and our E/SJ Elders are available for emergency home visits. Please reach out to them directly.
We as your church family want to be able to help and serve you, but we can all rejoice as we look to the One who is our real and lasting helper. He is our strength and that’s especially comforting in a time like this, when our human weakness is made so clear!
In Jesus Christ our loving, protecting, crucified & risen Savior,
“The Lord knows the way that I take, and when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
We Confess The Risen Christ
The Sixth Sunday of Easter – A
God’s Word for Today
Confession of Christ and of our hope in him is the calling of all who have been baptized. Such confession includes not only our faithful testimony but also our loving obedience to Jesus’ commands. As we live out our confession of Christ, we are comforted by the presence of the Spirit whom the Son has sent while we await his return.
First Lesson (Acts 17:22-31)
How did Paul make use of Greek “items” readily at his disposal in order to point to the true God?
Second Lesson (1 Peter 3:15-22)
Who will ask us the questions that we should be prepared to answer?
What makes me “prepared to give an answer”?
What does Peter mean by “the hope that you have”?
Why did Jesus descend into hell?
Gospel (John 14:15-21)
How can Jesus say that the Spirit “lives with you and will be in you”?
What comfort is ours when Jesus says, “Because I live, you also will live”?
Answers:
Many of the philosophers of the day were pantheists. They believed god was in everything. But they confused the Creator with his creation. Paul, pointing to the altar “To An Unknown God” and quoting two Greek poets, emphasized that the living Creator-God is unlike the false gods of the Greeks, which were crafted out of stone or metals into an image made by a man. This God, the Creator, is alive. Paul was urging them to repent and turn to the living God.
The unbelieving world will see the way we live under the cross and ask us why we are so happy to live like that.
A true knowledge of the Scriptures through prayerful study and meditation on how it applies to my life not only prepares me to give an answer, but calms my own fears.
The hope that we have is that this life of humble living and service will someday be followed with the glories of heaven.
Jesus proclaimed that Good Friday had not been a defeat, but a glorious victory. It was a public humiliation that was inflicted upon the defeated forces of Satan.
The Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the Son, was already at work in the hearts of the disciples bringing them to faith in Jesus. But there was also going to be a special outpouring of the Spirit on the disciples on Pentecost.
Jesus’ living assures our living. In a short while, Jesus would go through crucifixion and death. He would suffer for the guilt of our sins. But then he would rise, and sin and death would no longer rule us. So his life now counts for our life, just as his death counted for our death. By Jesus’ Spirit we believe and live that life now.
“Peace be with you!” What comforting words those must have been for the tortured and guilt-ridden disciples. They had forsaken Jesus at his crucifixion. They were meeting secretly behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. The women had told them they saw Jesus and that he was alive. Yet they did not believe. Their confusion and doubt robbed them of peace.
And then Jesus miraculously appeared to them! He showed them his wounds. He revealed that he had conquered death and was alive to tell about it. And one word summed it all up: peace.
Jesus’ peace is not just a neighborly greeting. It is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. It is the pronouncement that God’s just anger over sin is appeased by Jesus’ holy blood.
Whoever holds the gift of God’s peace in Christ enjoys the greatest sense of well-being anyone could ever know. All is well between God and man. This condition of peace stands forever. Our feelings may fluctuate because we forget about God’s peace. But the Word and promises of God never do. “Peace be with you!” are words that never fail.
Prayer:
Jesus, your death gives me hope and joy knowing that my sins are forgiven. Draw me close to you in faith that I might always have your peace. Amen.
[Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. . . . Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.” John 14:1,12
There is a good reason why Marvel Studios is worth nearly five billion dollars. Everyone loves a hero. But superheroes are in short supply. So, we call anyone a hero who goes above and beyond to protect and serve us. And we should. We should be thankful for our everyday heroes. They continue to work tirelessly to take care of us during this crisis.
But what about the rest of us? Those of us who cannot go to work? Those of us who have lost jobs? What’s our place and purpose? As nice as staying at home sounds, it just does not seem very heroic.
If ever there was a hero, it was Jesus. He worked tirelessly to take care of others—feeding the hungry, healing the sick. But he did more than relieve the temporary troubles of people. He went above and beyond when he went to the cross. His death and resurrection supply the entire world with eternal protection from all of sin’s terrible consequences. He gives forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation to all who trust in him.
And he does more. He also gives your life purpose. You are essential. By his powerful Word, you can do great things. You can feed souls hungering for hope. You can forgive sinners hurting from guilt. You can comfort souls scared of death. Even during this crisis, you can do all these heroic things from your own home. Whether you are doing these things for those living with you, or for those you reach out to online or on the phone. What a privilege it is to be a hero!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a place in your family and a purpose for life. Amen.
[Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. . . . I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:1,6
A patient walks into the doctor’s office. The doctor says, “You are deathly ill. The good news is you can get well. You just need to spend some time in the sun.”
The patient replies, “Is this a joke? I’m fine. I feel a little off, but I can take care of it with diet and exercise. You could always just give me a prescription. If it is really bad, you could always perform surgery.”
“No,” the doctor responds, “I’ve studied this illness extensively, and I specialize in treating it. I’ve successfully cured hundreds of people. There is only one way to take care of it: If you don’t want to suffer a horrible end, then stand in the sun.”
The patient stands up abruptly, and as he walks out of the room, he says gruffly, “That may be your truth, but it’s not mine. I’m going to find my own way to save my life.”
It would be tragic, wouldn’t it, for someone to lose his life simply because he didn’t like the cure his doctor provided? It is even more tragic when someone loses eternal life in heaven simply because they don’t like the cure for sin that God has provided.
We all need a cure for sin. You see, we are all sinful by nature. It is a spiritual disease we ignore at our peril. And we can’t prescribe our own cure. We can’t cut out the problem.
We need the Son—not the sun in the sky but God’s Son who hung on a cross to pay the price for our sins, the Son who rose from the grave to prove that he had cured even death itself. We need Jesus. Jesus is the only cure for sin and death.
Are you troubled by your sin? Are you troubled by the thought of your death?
Stand in the Son. You won’t regret it.
Prayer:
Jesus, you are the way, the truth, and the life. I trust in you. Amen.
[Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. . . . If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1,3
“Why are you leaving? Don’t you love us? We need you! How will we go on without you?”
Father was about to board a plane. He was going across the ocean to a distant and unfamiliar land. But it was a better place than the one they lived in now. He was going there to find steady employment, build a home, and set up a good life for his family. He would be gone for a long time. But he assured his wife and children, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you. Then we will be together always.” The promise of a better life lived together sustained the family during the difficult days while father was away.
The same is true for followers of Jesus. He has ascended to heaven, where he is preparing a far better life for us. When we face difficult days in this world—when a loved one dies, a relationship ends, a job is lost, or a virus spreads across the globe.
During those difficult days, remember the promise Jesus gave the night before his death. He said that our hearts do not need to be troubled because he is preparing a place for us, and he will come back one day to take us there.
And we will be with the Lord forever!
Prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus! I look forward to a better life lived together with you and all of your people. Amen.
[Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. . . . My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1,2
“A man’s home is his castle, and each man’s home is his safest refuge.” That may sound like an endorsement for current “Safer at Home” rules. However, English judge and politician, Sir Edward Coke, penned that law in the 1600s. According to that law, no one may enter another’s home without an invitation.
Perhaps, after weeks of self-isolation, your home feels more like a prison than a palace. Perhaps you are living alone and long for fellowship with friends and family. Perhaps you are living with your family but have discovered that being together for so long can strain relationships as nerves fray and patience runs out. As comfortable and comforting as home can be, earthly homes are not perfect places.
But such a perfect place does exist. It is a heavenly home being prepared by Jesus himself. But you cannot just walk in. And he cannot just let you in. Because it is a perfect place, anything imperfect cannot enter. And, sadly, every one of us is imperfect. Thankfully, Jesus paid for our imperfection by going to the cross. He promises to cover his followers in his own perfection so that we are able to enter the perfect heavenly home he is preparing for us.
Discontent, disease, and disagreements are not going to be part of that home. Jesus has made sure of it.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to earth that I may have a place in heaven. Amen.
Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
