The Fourth Sunday of Easter - Online Worship - May 8st, 2022
Join us in-person this Sunday at 9:30am!
There is no live streaming this week.
Prelude & Words of Greeting
All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.
The Lord is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed!
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The peace of The Risen Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Song Celebrating Hope & Life Anew
Hear Our Praises
Morgan
vs. 1
May our homes be filled with dancing
May our streets be filled with joy
May injustice bow to Jesus
As the people turn to pray
refrain:
From the mountains to the valleys
Hear our praises rise to You
From the heavens to the nations
Hear our singing fill the air
vs. 2
May Your light shine in the darkness
As we walk before the cross
May Your glory fill the whole earth
As the water o’er seas
(refrain)
Today we sing our praises, Jesus is alive, to shepherd us, to lead us, from the mountains to the valleys, to grace us with Easter hearts, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. 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.
Friends, our God is a faithful God, The Good Shepherd. Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we have failed to trust him leading the way, calling us to follow, that we might be restored.
(silence for reflection)
Friends, God gives us Easter hearts, raising us up to lead us, to live in grace! The pastures are green, the waters have been made still, your soul has been restored. Live in the grace of Easter, alive and anew in these words: Jesus saves, Jesus forgives you all your sins. Sing praises to The Risen Shepherd, whose goodness will faileth, never!
Song of Grace Anew
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Baker
vs. 1
The King of love my shepherd is
Whose goodness faileth never
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine forever
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, even in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Friends in faith: Jesus, The King of love our Shepherd is, to keep us strong when we are weak, to give us light when the world is dark, to guide us when we are lost, to heal anger and hatred with love and mercy. Sing to the loving shepherd, who lays you on his shoulders, and forever brings you home!
vs. 3
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed
But yet in love he sought me
And on his shoulders gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me
With the grace of an Easter heart, I believe anew each day: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Friends of The King of Love: God is our faithful Shepherd. Christ raises you up with an Easter heart, leading you, guarding your life. Sing anew with glorious praise; you are in the house of the Lord, now, and forever!
vs. 6
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never
Good Shepherd may I sing thy praise
Within thy house forever
Loving God, as our Easter celebration continues, thank you for the gift of faith to believe what seems impossible. Jesus is risen indeed; Christ alone is the King of love, and The Good Shepherd. By your Holy spirit, we hear your voice and follow you. As your sheep, raise us up with Easter hearts to be alive and anew; in your grace, make us one, then lead us to rescue the lost, to heal the injured, to guide one another. In The Risen Christ, we pray. Amen.
The Lesson
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 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
(New Revised Standard Version)
Song of Hope & Grace Anew
There Is None Like You
LeBlanc
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)
Gospel
John 10:22-30
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.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
Based on Revelation 21:5-7
God’s Son born in a manger, who went forward in obedience to make us all one through his death and resurrection; he will come again. While we wait for Jesus’ return, with Easter hearts, we trust and believe, we are alive and anew, in the grace of The Risen Christ.
God who sits upon the throne says, “Behold, I make all things new. Write these words for they are trustworthy and true. It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain the water of life without payment. They who conquer shall have their heritage, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” Amen.
Easter Hearts, Alive and Anew, Led In The Risen Shepherd
ACTS 9:36-43; REVELATION 7:9-17; JOHN 10:22-30
Are you looking for a leader? Do you need a leader? Do you think those who claim to be leaders or are leaders around you, are in fact, good leaders? Once you find a good leader, at work, in the community, in government, in world politics, do you listen, follow? What helps you be a faithful follower who others see and follow, as you follow the leader? We are invited to follow The Good Shepherd, the best Leader of all. Jesus is raised from the dead, giving us Easter hearts, to hear his voice again and again as he leads us; to see Jesus shepherds and leads us; to believe Christ is counting on us to lead others. As disciples, as believers, as people of God, as a ministry, as “Lord of Life,” let us hear, see, believe, follow, for our Good Shepherd protects and leads like no other, laying aside his life for his sheep! Celebrate, give thanks, spring forth; for Christ is risen, risen indeed to go no where, to be now here, to lead us, giving us Easter hearts, alive and anew, in The Risen Shepherd, Alleluia!
1. You are alive, anew, with an Easter heart, led by The Leader!
John 10:24-27
A. We look for The Leader; sheep do not know their way on their own.
B. We look for The Leader; many voices try to lead us. The Risen Christ will lead us in knowing and following his voice.
2. People long for good leaders. Trust the leader you are looking for, first finds you, gives you an Easter heart. You are alive, anew, to be led, to follow, to lead others!
Acts 9:36, 40-43; Revelation 9:11; John 10:27
A. You are alive, anew, with an Easter heart, to be a faithful follower!
i. Just a few of Jesus’ faithful, who followed The Leader, include: Tabitha/Dorcas, Peter, You
ii. God is very trusting, trusting we will follow and believe!
B. Trust you have an Easter heart, raising you up, to follow, to lead!
i. Tabitha/Dorcas, led others through acts of kindness.
ii. Peter led others through his faithful witness, putting everything else aside, he began with prayer, trusting he, himself, was led by The Holy Spirit.
iii. With an Easter heart, spring forth with new life! The Lord of life is raising you up to hear his voice, to know him, to believe and to follow and to lead!
3. God leads the way by sending Christ to die and to rise. The Lamb leads the rest of the sheep!
Revelation 7:10,14-17; John 10:28-30
A. We are led by the best Leader, The One who knows the way, The One who is one with The Father.
B. What good is it to follow a good person who has never led before? A leader who has never been a leader, who has no desire, no passion, no compassion, no grace, is hard to follow!
C. Jesus leads us like no other - he lays down his life for us.
D. In The Risen Christ, we are led with Easter hearts, for all eternity.
i. We are led by Christ who is going nowhere - no where!
ii. We are led by Christ who is now here - now here!
iii. We are led by Christ to know a new kind of day, indeed, here, now; and one day, like no other, still to come!
E. Thanks be to God we are blessed with Easter hearts, alive, anew and led, in The Risen Savior, by the grace of The Good Shepherd, for Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
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.
Song of Hope & Life Anew
I Will Follow
Tomlin
Where You go I’ll go
Where You stay I’ll stay
When You move I’ll move
I will follow
All Your ways are good
All Your ways are sure
I will trust in You alone
Higher than my sight
High above my life
I will trust in You alone
refrain:
Where You go I’ll go
Where You stay I’ll stay
When You move I’ll move
I will follow You
Whom You love I’ll love
How You serve I’ll serve
If this life I lose
I will follow You
Yeah
I will follow You
Yeah
Light unto the world
Light unto my life –
I will live for You alone
You’re the One I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in You alone
In You alone
(refrain)
bridge:
In You there’s life everlasting
In You there’s freedom for my soul
In You there’s joy unending joy
And I will follow
(refrain)
I will follow You
Yeah
I will follow You
Yeah
As we pray to you, living Jesus, ...
Risen Savior, give us Easter hearts, to live anew, in your grace.
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.
Holy Communion will take place during our service. 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.
The Words of Institution
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.
Song During Communion
Shepherd Me, O God
Haugen
refrain:
Shepherd me O God
Beyond my wants
Beyond my fears
From death into life
vs. 1
God is my shepherd
So nothing shall I want
I rest in the meadows
Of faithfulness and love
I walk by the quiet
Waters of peace
(refrain)
vs. 2
Gently you raise me
And heal my weary soul
You lead me by pathways
Of righteousness and truth
My spirit shall sing the music
Of your name
(refrain)
vs. 3
Though I should wander
The valley of death
I fear no evil
For you are at my side
Your rod and your staff my comfort
And my hope
(refrain)
vs. 4
You have set me
A banquet of love
In the face
Of hatred
Crowning me with love
Beyond my pow’r to hold
(refrain)
vs. 5
Surely your kindness
And mercy follow me
All the days
Of my life
I will dwell in the house
Of my God forevermore
(refrain)
The body and blood of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in the living grace of The Risen Christ, this day, this most blessed and holy morning, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ, The Risen Lord of life. 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, 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!
With Easter hearts, let us go in the peace of Christ, alive and anew, celebrating the love of God, and serving The Risen Lord of life.
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
Going Anew In Life & Grace
Your Grace Is Enough
Maher/Tomlin
vs. 1
Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner’s restless heart
You lead us by still waters into mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember your promise oh God
refrain 1:
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
bridge:
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember your promise oh God
refrain 2:
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Heaven reaches out to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see
Your grace is enough
I’m covered in Your love
Your grace is enough for me for me
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Today we celebrate The Fourth Sunday Of Easter, “Easter Hearts, Alive And Anew, Led By The Risen Shepherd!” A blessed Mother’s Day to one and all! Faith Quest Sunday School does not meet today! Thank you to everyone who last Sunday shared in our Teacher Appreciation Sunday and the last day of Faith Quest for the spring!
Join us next Sunday as The Great Fifty Days of Easter continue: The Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 15, “Easter Hearts, Alive, Anew, And Loved To Love!”
As we continue to share worship in this way, we are seeking more 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!
Friends, today as always, 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 following the closing song 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 sanctuary.
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:
Acknowledgments for today’s service include: Litany Alive, Anew, Led In The Grace of The Risen Christ – written based on Psalm 23. “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” © 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 by Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Prayer of The Day,” “Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” based on the LBW. “Hear Our Praises” © 1998 Hillsong Music, CCLI #2543402 “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #1037600 “There Is None Like You” © 1991 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, CCLI #674545 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “I Will Follow” © 2010 SHOUT! Music Publishing CCLI #5806878 “Shepherd Me, O God” © 1986 GIA Publications, Inc. OL #00751, Marty Haugen “Your Grace Is Enough” © 2003 Thankyou Music CCLI #4477026 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.