St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901
website: stpaulsmanistee.com
facebook.com/SPLCManistee
Telephone: 231-299-1022
Easter 5 – May 15, 2022
Sunday Theme: God’s Love to Each Other
Prayer Before Worship -Please read “For Love of Others”
hymnal, page 137
Hymn 491
Service of the Word, front of hymnal, page 38
Prayer: O God,/ You form the minds of Your faithful people into a single will. Make us love what You command/ & 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 & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.
Lesson: Acts 13:44-52
Paul and Barnabas preach the message of salvation to crowds of people. However, jealous Jews stir up persecution against Paul & Barnabas and force them to leave. God used persecution to spread his Word.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds,
they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 145, front of hymnal, page 119
In love the Lord continues to be merciful to us & bless us.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
God’s love passing through us to others is to look like this.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Verse: Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the LORD. Alleluia! (Sing) Alleluia....pg 40
Gospel: John 13:31-35
By carrying out the plan of salvation, Jesus brought glory to Himself & to His heavenly Father. Although He is no longer with us in the body, He lives in us through faith. He commands us to love one another. He says that love for one another will tell those around us that we are His.
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 “My children, I will 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. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Hymn 479
Sermon Text: Gospel
Theme: Let’s Talk about leaving
1. Everybody is doing it
2. People will need to be loved
3. God needs to be glorified
Apostles’ Creed, front of hymnal, page 41
Thankoffering The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.
Prayer of the Church, page 42
Hymn 499
Continue on page 43, front part of hymnal
Hymn 494