Everything you need for May 8 online worship.
Preparations for Worship:
- Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
- Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
- This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
- Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
- Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
“Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
CONFESSION OF SINS
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends, let us approach God with a true heart and confess our sins, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.
Lord of life, I confess that I am by nature dead in sin. For faithless worrying and selfish pride, For sins of habit and sins of choice, For the evil I have done and the good I have failed to do, You should cast me away from your presence forever. O Lord, I am sorry for my sins. Forgive me, for Jesus’ sake.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. In his great mercy, God made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in our sins. Hear the word of Christ through his called servant: I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In peace, let us pray to the Lord. For the well-being of all people everywhere, that they may receive from you all they need to sustain body and life, hear our prayer, O Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For the spread of your life-giving gospel throughout the world, that all who are lost in sin may be brought to faith in you, hear our prayer, O Christ. Christ, have mercy.
For patience and perseverance in this life, that we may not lose the hope of heaven as we await your return, hear our prayer, O Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Lord of life, live in us that we may live for you. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, by the humiliation of your Son, you lifted up this fallen world from the despair of death. By his resurrection to life, grant your faithful people gladness of heart and the hope of eternal joys; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
LESSON – ACTS 9:1-22
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them to Jerusalem as prisoners. 3As he went on his way and was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you need to do.” 7The men traveling with him stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone. 8They raised Saul up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could not see anything. They took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink. 10There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11The Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. In fact, at this very moment he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he can regain his sight.” 13Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and how much harm he did to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15The Lord said to him, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. 16Indeed, I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17Ananias left and entered the house. Laying his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, whom you saw on your way here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. 19And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days. 20Immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21All who heard him were amazed and said, “Isn’t this the one who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? Didn’t he come here for this very purpose: to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22But Saul continued to get stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
LESSON – REVELATION 5:11-14
11And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels who were around the throne and around the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands upon thousands. 12With a loud voice they were saying: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. 13I also heard every creature that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever. 14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders bowed down and worshipped.
DEVOTION – JOHN 21:1-14
CONFESSION OF FAITH – NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.
Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Lord of life, we are sustained by the spiritual food You alone provide, and our lives depend on Your powerful Word.
As You have gathered us here around the proclamation of Your Gospel, make us worthy to receive the bounty prepared for us in Your Son’s death and resurrection.
Heavenly Father, You have raised Your Son from the dead to the praises of all angels and saints.
Give strength to our hearts and voices, that we, with them, would meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty and speak of the might of Your awesome deeds.
Father in heaven, we ask your blessing upon all those who graduate this month from our national church body’s ministerial education schools: Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI.; Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, MI.; Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN.; and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI. Bless these graduates, especially those receiving divine calls into the public ministry, as they enter a new phase of their lives as your witnesses.
May your wisdom and strength be with them in all that they do for the glory of your name.
Gracious Lord, one generation of Your saints commends Your works to another.
As we have received Your glorious Gospel, grant all fathers and mothers strong and joyful faith to declare Your mighty acts to the generation to come.
Compassionate Lord, You are glorified in the sufferings of Your faithful people.
Teach us to trust You through all our trials, and graciously bear up those who struggle among us, that they would know the fullness of Your love.
All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us, Father, for the sake of Him who died and rose again and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, our Savior who 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.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.