St Paul’s

Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

www.StPaulsManistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

May 18, 2025 Easter 5

BECAUSE HE LIVES WE LIVE LIVES OF LAVISH LOVE

WELCOME – we will be using the blue hymnal today.

HYMN 731 “Oh, How Good It Is”

(Please stand for last stanza)

THE SERVICE – Setting One - page 154ff

NOTE: all responses will be spoken. (omit Glory Be to God)

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

O God, you form the minds of your faithful people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that among the many changes of this world, our hearts may ever yearn for the lasting joys of heaven; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Acts 11:1-18

The Lord taught Peter that racial and cultural differences are not to prevent us from showing lavish love to all people.

1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who insisted on circumcision criticized him, 3saying, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised and ate with them!” 4So Peter began to explain everything to them, point by point. He said, 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision in which an object like a large sheet was let down from heaven by its four corners. It came right to me. 6When I inspected it very carefully, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’ 8 But I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9A voice spoke from heaven a second time: ‘What God has made clean, you must not continue to call unclean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up into heaven again. 11At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he saw an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and call for Simon, the one called Peter. 14 He will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as he came down on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered how the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try to stand in God’s way?” 18When they heard these things, they had no further objections, and they praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted repentance that results in life also to the Gentiles!”

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

SECOND LESSON: 1 Corinthians 13:11-13

The defining mark of Christians is not the spiritual gifts that they possess, but it is the lavish love that is demonstrated as they use those gifts for the benefit of others.

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and know all the mysteries and have all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away everything I own, and if I give up my body that I may be burned but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not brag. It is not arrogant. 5It does not behave indecently. It is not selfish. It is not irritable. It does not keep a record of wrongs. 6It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophetic gifts, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away with. 9For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part, 10 but when that which is complete has come, that which is partial will be done away with. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see indirectly using a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I was fully known.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Alleluia. Alleluia. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia. I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord. Alleluia.

HYMN 726 “Love in Christ Is Strong and Living”

GOSPEL: John 13:31-35

The Father has glorified the Son. Christ shares that glory with us and commands us to show others the same lavish love he has shown to us.

31After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Dear children, I am going to be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34A new

commandment I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 728 “This Is My Will”

SERMON: John 13:34-35 “Known for Love”

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 163

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH - page 164

LORD’S PRAYER - page 171

BLESSING: C: Amen.

HYMN 730 “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's & the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) have joined together to do the Lord’s work here and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

PLEASE SIGN OUR GUEST BOOK IF YOU ARE VISITING.

It’s located in the entryway by the stairs going to the basement.

UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE CLASSES: Are you interested in learning more about the Bible & the Christian faith, or church membership? Pastor Himm will be happy to arrange a class for you.

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version ® (EHV ®)