The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Online Worship - May 9, 2021

The Lord is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed!

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

vs. 1
Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful,
Where Your streams of abundance flow,
Blessed be Your name.

vs. 2
Blessed be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place,
Though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be Your name.

Ev’ry blessing You pour out I’ll
Turn back to praise.
When the darkness closes in, Lord,
Still I will say, 

refrain:
“Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be Your glorious name.”

(repeat refrain)

Today we celebrate Jesus is alive; thanks to Jesus and his glorious name, we are alive and anew in The Spirit’s unconditional love and living grace, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Friends in faith, following the glory of Easter, Jesus breathed on his disciples The Holy Spirit, and he said, “whatever sins you forgive are forgiven.” Let us take a moment of silence to share with The Lord our sins, and those times we fail to trust The Spirit in our midst.

(silence for reflection)

Friends of our faithful Savior, trust the unconditional love of our God: Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. Be alive and anew, for you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Trust The Spirit is here, and makes known to you: In the Kingdom, there is none like you!

Loving God, we thank you for the gifts of faith and hope to believe all that seems so impossible. Jesus Christ is risen indeed to help us celebrate and trust, even when Jesus ascended into heaven, The Spirit of the living God was being sent, to come anew into our midst. Through your love and power, we love one another in new ways, and make known, there is none like you. By your Holy Spirit, raise us up today, to be alive and anew in your unconditional living love and grace. In the name of The Risen Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Jesus continued to teach his followers, saying, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me, I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

(New Revised Standard Version)

ACTS 10:44-48; 1 JOHN 5:1-6; JOHN 15:9-17

What is at your core?  What gives purpose to your life?  Why do you do, what you do?  While we are each unique, blessed with a variety of gifts, each having our own likes and dislikes, a defining characteristic of the human race is our desire and longing to love and to be loved.  Oh, we may express this desire, we may chase this need, we may try to satisfy this longing in different ways; but to love and to be loved as son or daughter, as friend, as partner, as parent, as spouse, means something to many, if not all.  As the celebration and hope of Easter continue, trust at God’s core is this truth: `God, too, is driven by love!'  God does what God does.  God is who God is.  God longs to be loved!  God longs to love unconditionally!  In Easter, we are alive and anew as God boldly says in The Risen Christ, `Loving you is at my core!  Loving my children, with living grace, completely, unconditionally, eternally, is what I forever, faithfully, do!’

1. One of the greatest motivating factors at our core, is loving others and being loved by others.  In Easter, we are alive and anew to hear God boldly say, `Loving you is at my core, my number one motivation.  In living grace, I love you, and I, too, long to be loved.’
John 15:9

A. Holy Baptism is an incredible priceless gift of love, God shares with us as His children.
Acts 10:47-48; 1 John 5:1-2, 6

i. In Baptism, love and living grace raise us up as the family of God; with God as our Father and Christ as our brother.

ii. In Baptism, God raises us up in unconditional love and living grace through forgiveness, deliverance, eternal life.

iii. In Baptism, we have the gift of love for daily living.

iv. In Baptism, The Spirit raises us up to let our lights shine, as we follow the commandments, as we love one another.

B. The people God puts in our lives are gifts of friendship and love, raising us up.
Acts 10:44-45; 1 John 5:1-2; John 15:12-15,17

i. We are to love one another as Jesus loved us.  This is not only hard, it is impossible.  Loving in a similar way, however, is possible, with The Spirit raising us up.

ii. "Laying down one's life for another" does not require sacrifice of life, but it does require sacrifice of self.

iii. The One who calls us "friend" will challenge us, encourage us, and raise us up, to raise up and to “befriend” others.

C. Easter is God's faithful, fulfilled, most complete, gift of unconditional love, living grace ... for now.
1 John 5:4-5; John 15:13, 16

i. Thanks to the commitment and the unconditional love of The Risen Savior raising us up, we have everything.

ii. Jesus is faithful even when we are not.  Jesus is the forever trusted Bridegroom.  God's love conquers all!

2. What is at God’s core?  Grace.  Unconditional love.  Living grace raises you up, forgives, longs for, calls, equips, empowers, blesses, satisfies - loves you; grace is what motivates God.  God can do what God wants to do, do what God chooses to do, long for what God longs for, and God chooses you. You are alive and anew!  God raises you up!  God boldly says, to you: “I love you!” For Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
1 John 5:4-6; John 15:13-16

Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.

refrain:
There is none like You, 
No one else can touch my heart
Like You do;
I could search for all eternity long
And find
There is none like You.

(repeat)

vs. 1
Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes from Your hands;
Suffering children are safe in Your arms,
There is none like You.

(refrain)

...as we pray to you, living Jesus,
Risen Savior, raise us to live anew, in your living hope and peace and grace.

All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord and Savior.
Amen.

The peace of The Risen Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Holy Communion will take place after the closing Benediction. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.

In order to better serve you in this troubling times, the way we receive Communion has changed slightly. You will be offered a self-contained Communion serving. Each capsule has two layers. The first layer is a thin, clear, cellophane layer which reveals the host. Under the second layer you will find the alcohol free juice. Volunteers will be happy to take you waste after you receive Communion.

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.”

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.

The Risen Lord bless you and keep you. The Risen Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Risen Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace, for you are alive and anew, right here, in the living grace of Jesus Christ. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Let us go in the peace of the living Christ, alive and anew, celebrating the love of God, and serving The Risen Lord of life.
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!

vs. 1
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; 
Was blind, but now I see.

vs. 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

refrain:
My chains are gone,
I’ve been set free.
My God, my Savior
Has ransomed me.
And like a flood,
His mercy rains
Unending love,
Amazing grace.

vs. 3
The Lord has promised good to me; 
His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

(refrain twice)

vs. 4
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine.
But God, who called me here below
Will be forever mine, will be forever mine.

You are forever mine.

vs. 1
Ev’ry promise we can make,
Ev’ry prayer and step of faith,
Ev’ry diff’rence we will make
Is only by His grace.
Ev’ry mountain we will climb,
Ev’ry ray of hope we shine,
Ev’ry blessing left behind
Is only by His grace.

refrain:
Grace alone
Which God supplies,
Strength unknown
He will provide.
Christ in us,
Our Cornerstone,
We will go forth
In grace alone.

vs. 2
Ev’ry soul we long to reach,
Ev’ry heart we hope to teach,
Ev’rywhere we share His peace
Is only by His grace.
Ev’ry loving word we say,
Ev’ry tear we wipe away,
Ev’ry sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace.

(refrain twice)

We will go forth in grace alone.

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A happy and blessed Mother’s Day to one and all!

Our support and our prayers for God’s very best go out to everyone on this blessed day!

Join us next Sunday, May 16, 9:30 a.m., as we celebrate, The Seventh Sunday of Easter, “Alive And Anew, To Pray In Living Grace!” Worship to include a Children’s Message and a Sermon from Pastor Jamie! Worship to be 30 minutes, and to conclude with Holy Communion! Join us in-person or via our live stream efforts on our Facebook page, under “videos.”

As we share worship in this new way, we are seeking volunteers to assist with greeting, ushering, serving communion, live streaming, AV ministry, set up, clean up, worship leaders, and more! You can access details and ways to sign up on our website and Facebook page! Thank you!

All who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion. Communion will be offered to you as you exit the sanctuary, as we share pre-packaged single servings of communion, including a wafer and grape juice. Carefully pull back the first tab to expose the host, the body of Christ, given for you; then pull back the second tab to expose the blood of Christ, shed for you! Please ask for assistance or clarification as you are served!

For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the building.

For those who are not able to join us for worship, you are invited to receive drive-through communion, available Sundays, 10:15-10:30 a.m. at the front curb near the church entrance.

We hope having the service provided for you in this way, will touch you, comfort you, reassure you, and grace you in some way! If you believe others you know would be blessed to receive this bulletin, the sermon notes, or our live stream links, please forward these to them.

In this time when we are committed to safety and social distancing, please trust we are equally committed to keeping us socially and spiritually connected! On behalf of the Kingdom of God, thank you for the ways you make God and neighbor first!

From everyone on every level of leadership and service, we continue to pray for you and to give thanks to God for each of you! Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org

We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new ways for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love, and grace!

Acknowledgments for today’s service include:

Litany Alive & Anew, In Unconditional Living Grace, written based on John 6:63; John 20:22-23; Matthew 28:18-20; John 3:6-8. “Prayer of The Day,” “Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” based on the LBW. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) and With One Voice Hymnal Supplement © 1995 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia; and Evangelical Lutheran Worship © 2006 Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Mighty to Save” © 2006 Hillsong Publishing CCLI # 4591782 “Blessed Be Your Name” © 2002 Thankyou Music, CCLI #3798438 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “There Is None Like You” © 1991 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, CCLI #674545 “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” © 2006 sixsteps Music CCLI # 4768151 “Grace Alone” © 1998 Maranatha! Music, CCLI #2335524 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.