“He Lives to Give Me Proof”

on April 21, 2023 in

The Second Sunday after Easter – Misericordias Domini                             April 23, 2023

    Welcome in the Savior’s name. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is also our Good Shepherd. In His resurrection He has given us new birth into a living hope. May your hope of life eternal be found in the promises attached to our risen Savior.

Of all the titles which Christ Jesus claims for Himself, the Good Shepherd is undoubtedly one of the most revealing and comforting for the Christian. So it was from the earliest of times that the New Testament Church chose to portray the risen Savior through this picture of a shepherd shortly after Easter. This Sunday is also known as Misericordias Domini. The name refers to the compassion, mercy, and goodness of the Lord that fills the earth (Ps.33:5).

A true shepherd has loving concern and merciful compassion for his sheep who are prone by weakness to fall to the dangers that surround them. But the loving shepherd protects, preserves, and provides for their needs. The sheep sense these qualities in their shepherd and follow him wherever he leads them. Thus, we rejoice to follow our risen Savior wherever He guides us in life until we reach the home that He has prepared for us in His heavenly Kingdom.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“I Am the Good Shepherd”

The Preparation

Opening Thoughts on the Service

The Entrance Hymn: “This Joyful Eastertide”                                                             #449

The Order of Service: Morning Prayer (Matins)                                      Hymnal pg.207

Prayer of the Day

The Ministry of the Word

(The Lessons for the Day are taken from the Historic Pericope Series of the Christian Church.)

Psalm of the Day: #23 “I Will Live in the House of the LORD”

Ezekiel 34:11-16 God considered the rulers of Israel as the shepherds of His people. But they often misused and abused His flock. The LORD would hold them accountable for their unfaithfulness to Him. He promised to rescue the flock and to shepherd them with justice.

1 Peter 1:3-9 Regardless of the outward circumstances of our lives, Christians have joy and hope through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. An inheritance awaits those who believe. It will not perish, spoil, or fade but is kept in heaven for the faithful.

Hymn Response: “I Am Jesus Little Lamb”                                                               #804

John 10:11-16 An ordinary shepherd might risk his life for his sheep. He might even die for them. But if he died, the sheep would be shepherd-less and easy prey for those who wished them harm. The hired hand will not sacrifice himself for them. But our Savior is a different type of Shepherd. He knows His sheep, cares for them, and wants to bless them forever. To that end He gave His life for the sheep and took it back again so that they would have the sure hope of everlasting life with Him.

The Sermon Hymn: “It Is Well with My Soul”                                                               #850

The Sermon:       “He Lives to Give Me Proof”                 1 Peter 1:3-9

Our Response to the Word

The Te Deum Laudamus pg. 210

The Offering

The Closing Order of Morning Praise: Hymnal pg.213-214

The Kyrie (“Lord, Have Mercy”)

Prayers and The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord Blesses Us

The Benediction: Hymnal pg.214

Closing Hymn: “Jesus, Shepherd of the Sheep”                                                         #551

Silent Prayer

*                   *                  *

The Organist: Jane Rips

The Guest Preacher: Pastor Paul Fritz, pastor at Immanuel L.C., Woodville, WI

Presiding Ministry: Pastor Edwin Lehmann

Point to Ponder: “On Good Shepherd Sunday, this picture of the Savior as the One who holds us tightly in His hand ought to mean a great deal to every one of us. Surely, of all the promises that He gives as our Good Shepherd, that promise has got to be one of the most impressive. For in these words, He gives us the promise that we, who are His sheep by faith, shall never perish and there is no one, absolutely no one who can take us away from Him. So, if we believe this promise, then we should be sure that we will never perish, that we will never fall from faith, and that we will not be lost.”

— Siegbert Becker on “Can We Be Sure that Our Hope of Salvation Will Be Fulfilled in Us?”


Second Sunday after Easter “Misericordias Domini” Historic Series

 Old Testament Lesson: Ezekiel 34:11-16 – The Lord Shepherds His Flock

11 For this is what the Lord God says. Here I am. I myself will seek the welfare of my flock and carefully search for them. 12 As a shepherd searches for his flock when his sheep that were with him have been scattered, so I will search for my flock and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the settlements of the land. 14 I will lead them into good pasture, and their grazing land will be on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and they will pasture on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will shepherd my flock. I myself will let them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost. I will bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured. I will strengthen the weak. I will destroy the fat and the strong, and I will shepherd them with justice.

Epistle Lesson: 1 Peter 1:3-9 –New Birth into A Living Hope in Christ

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Gospel Lesson: John 10:11-16 – The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life

11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired man, who is not a shepherd, does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 Because he works for money, he does not care about the sheep.

14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me 15 (just as the Father knows me and I know the Father). And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.             The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2019


                           Calendar & Announcements for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

A member congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

4717 S Farm Rd 135 (Golden Avenue), Springfield, MO 65810

Church phone: 417.887.0886                              www.zionluthchurch.com

Pastor’s cell phone: 417.693.3244                     email: revelehmann@gmail.com

You can also find us on Facebook

Today

April 23

Monday

April 24

Tuesday

April 25

Wednesday

April 26

Thursday

April 27

Friday

April 28

Sat

April 29

Next Sun.

April 30

9:00 am

Divine Worship Service

online -Facebook

10:15 am

Fellowship & Bible Study

 

Easter 2

Misericordias Domini

 

 

 

 

 

4 pm

Confirmation

 

 

 

11 am

Midweek Bible Class

 

Favorite Hymns due today

  9:00 am

Divine Worship Service online – Facebook

Favorite Hymns Song Service Sunday

10:15 am

Fellowship & Bible Study

 

Easter 3

Jubilate

 

A Brief Bible Study on God’s Word for Today

Today we have the sure testimony of the resurrection before us. Our Savior’s resurrection is validated through the Holy Scriptures and by the eyewitness accounts of those who personally saw Him. Our faith holds unto these clear testimonies and places confidence in the sure hope of Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. In faith we look beyond the troubles of this world to the glories of the next. It is in that blessed hope that we now live each day.

The Epistle Lesson: 1 Peter 1:3-9   (the answer is found on the back side)

– What does Peter mean when he says we have a “living hope”? (v. 3)

Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Greg Miller; William & Laurie Moon; Pauline Jaeger; Kirsten Jaster (Laurie Moon’s sister); Greg Pierson (the Long’s son-in-law); Libya, Jodi Milam’s granddaughter; Lucille Huston; Barbara Long; Lois Wiese; Barbara Breidel; Elisha & Issac Covey, getting stronger following Isaac’s birth

Forward in Christ’s issue for April has arrived and is in the narthex. There are plenty of copies for family and friends.

Thank You to Pastor Paul Fritz for proclaiming God’s Word today in our service. Pastor Fritz is married to Kaley (daughter of Kathy and David Lane), a former member at Peace in Marshfield. He whisked her away from us in marriage 2 years ago. They are in town celebrating the first birthday of their daughter, Abilene. We thought it a good time to hear him. In addition, he has a little bit of connection to Zion. His father, Pastor Loren Fritz, served at Our Savior LC, Harrisonville, MO, in the 1990’s, as that congregation aided us in the founding and building of our church here in Springfield.

Favorite Hymns Song Service April is a 5 Sunday month. Next Sunday is the last Sunday in April. That means we can have one of our “Favorite Hymns Sundays” in which you get to pick the hymns for our worship service. In your bulletin today is a small sheet of paper on which you can list some of your favorite hymns. Please place it in the marked tray in the narthex between today and this coming Thursday and we will see how many of your chosen hymns we can sing next weekend.

Easter Lilies If you would like to take home an Easter lily, you may pick one up after today’s service. Thank you to all who helped in decorating the church so richly this Easter-tide.

Upcoming Services and Events

May 5-6 – WELS/ELS Men’s Retreat, Camp Trinity, New Haven, MO – see bulletin board for info.

   Next Sunday’s Lessons:               

Easter 3 – Jubilate: Isaiah 40:26-31; 1 Peter 2:11-20; John 16:16-23 (Historic Pericope Series)

Answer to Today’s Epistle Lesson Brief Study:

– Our attention is once again directed to the empty tomb. While many religions hold out a hope of either blessings here on this earth or in the hereafter to their hearers, that hope is acquired as one earns them. Thus, one can never be sure, and their hope is tainted. A Christian’s hope is a “living hope” because it is founded on Christ, our Savior, who has conquered sin and death, and has given us the sure promise of eternal life.

This week I am praying for……