Welcome in the name of Jesus Christ! We thank God that you have joined us this morning for worship. If you are visiting with us, we thank God you are here and pray our worship together will be a mutual blessing. If you are looking for a church home, we hope Abiding Savior can meet your needs. Please introduce yourself to one of the Pastors. We ask both members and visitors to kindly fill out attendance cards and pass them to the center aisle. The ushers will gather them during the Sermon Hymn which follows the Children s Message. Feel free to add a prayer request for the Pastor to include in the congregational prayer. We love children here at Abiding Savior. Parents are encouraged to sit in the front pews so that young children can see what is happening during worship. If you should want to make use of our cry room or nursery, please ask one of our ushers for directions. Ministers Rev. Dr. Thomas Rogers... Senior Pastor Rev. Glenn Lucas... Associate Pastor Mrs. Donna Lucas... Principal Pam Howard... Preschool Director Chris Rogers... Music Director & Organist Kyle Salesky.Director of Family and Youth Ministries Hank Hellfeld... Deacon Call Us Church Office... (949) 830-1460 School Office... (949) 830-1461 Preschool Office... (949) 837-4292 On the Web... www.abidingsavior.com facebook.com/abidingsaviorlakeforest @abidingsavior @aslc_youth
Order of Worship The Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 22, 2018 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. PRELUDE CHRIS ROGERS OGERS, ORGANIST WELCOME Please stand. OPENING HYMN Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen Text: Herbert F. Brokering, b. 1926 Tune: David N. Johnson, 1922-87; setting: Henry V. Gerike, b. 1948 LSB 474 Used by Permission. LSBHymnLicense.net #100012189 INVOCATION Pastor: In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! 2
PSALM 23 23 Pastor: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Pastor: He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Pastor: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; ; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Worshippers are invited to kneel for the Confession and Absolution. Those who desire not to kneel may sit or stand. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Pastor: In this Easter season, celebration is always near our lips. We are glad to shout Alleluias in worship, but when we leave we do not always recognize our neighbors in need. We may close our hearts to them. We may reject them. We may fail to follow the example of our Good Shepherd. As we draw near to the Lord, let us consider our sins and ask God for His forgiveness. Heavenly Father, we have sinned against You and against our neighbors in our thoughts, words, and actions. You know our sins, and they are ever before You. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us as a shepherd leads his sheep. Pastor: God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Good Shepherd. He has laid down His life for our forgiveness and has taken His life back up again in His glorious resurrection. As a called and ordained servant of the risen Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 3
HYMN OF PRAISE Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good All who confess Christ s holy name, Give God the praise and glory. Let all who know His pow r proclaim Aloud the wondrous story. Cast ev ry idol from its throne, For God is God, and He alone: To God all praise and glory! Text: Johann Jacob Schütz, 1640-90; tr. Frances E. Cox, 1812-97, adapt., sts. 1-3,5; Tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78, adapt., st. 4 Tune: Melchoir Vulpius, c. 1570-1615; setting: The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941 Text & Music: Public Domain LSB 819 Used by Permission. LSBHymnLicense.net #100012189 SALUTATION AND COLLECT Pastor: The Lord be with you. And also with you. 4
Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty God, merciful Father, You sent Your Son to be our Good Shepherd. Protect us from the dangers of this world and lead us to what is good, right, and beneficial, so that we would not be a stumbling block to our neighbors, but reflect the merciful care You have shown us in Your risen Son; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. FIRST READING ACTS 4:1-12 12 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the highpriestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. EPISTLE READING 1 JOHN 3:16-24 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 5
Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. We stand for the Holy Gospel: HOLY GOSPEL Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, chapter ten. JOHN 10 10:11 :11-18 18 READING OF HOLY GOSPEL I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord! Worshippers are invited to stand and share the peace of the lord with each other. Children can come down to the chancel steps for the children s message. CHILDREN HILDREN S MESSAGE 6
Prayer and member/guest cards will be collected during the singing of the following hymn: SERMON HYMN The King of Love My Shepherd Is Thou spreadst a table in my sight; Thine unction grace bestoweth; And, oh, what transport of delight From Thy pure chalice floweth! And so through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never; Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise Within Thy house forever! Text: Henry W. Baker, 1821-77 Tune: Irish, c. 18 th cent.; setting: Service Book and Hymnal, 1958 LSB 709 Used by Permission. LSBHymnLicense.net #100012189 SERMON Love Beyond Words 1 John 3:18 REV EV. GLENN LUCAS APOSTLES CREED I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 7
GARING OF OUR TIS AND OFFERINGS God doesn t need our money, but in His grace He gives us the privilege to be stewards of everything He has entrusted to our care. We can do more together than separately. As one body in Christ, our congregation has agreed to offer our first fruits to support ministries and missions that enable us to communicate Christ s love to everyone, everywhere; and our love for Him. Your sacrificial gift enables this holy work. MUSICAL OFFERING PRAYERS Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God, and for all people according to their needs. After each petition: Pastor: Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Pastor: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Pastor: We pray together, 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 for ever and ever. Amen. BENEDICTION Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen! 8
CLOSING HYMN Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings Text: Gregory J. Wismar, b. 1946 Tune: Columbian Harmony, Cincinnati, 1825; setting: Worship & Rejoice, Carol Stream, 2001 Text: 2004 Gregory J. Wismar Music: Public domain LSB 782 Used by Permission. LSBHymnLicense.net #100012189 Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God! POSTLUDE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Flowers The flowers which grace our altar this weekend are dedicated to the glory of the Lord by Ann Reed. 9
We Pray For This Week Judy Gorrell, Jerry & Patricia Gossett, Jaime Gray & Kristie Koepplin, Terri Green & Family, Dan & Judy Greve & Family, Sheila Grossman, Jim & Jeanne Grovom & Family, Mike & Kim Gugert & Family Keep in Your Prayers Prayers for strength and healing, guidance and blessing for: Patricia Howard Elizabeth Hurley Jeanne Kelly Brad Lucente Crystal Nylander Brett Riedlinger Suzanne Bailey Bill Bartlett Terri Green Alexander Hernandez Betsy Hotsko Lee Seib Junko Shiki Denice Soresi Eileen Stewart Judy Williams Maggie Winn We pray for those who are ill: Irene Fabre Larry Reimnitz Lou Torres Etsuko Busker Rosemary Colburn We pray for those who are recovering: Jeff Conrad Rocky Hewitt June Thomas Prayer Partners Listen to what s needed. Pray for what s needed. People who wear this badge have been trained to lift up your joys and sorrows in private prayer. Look for them and feel free to pray with them! 10