Trinity Lutheran Jefferson, IA - LCMS
Introit for The Fifth Sunday of Easter 5-18-25
Psalm 98:2–6; antiphon: v. 1
Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done | marvelous things!*
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salva- | tion for him. The Lord has made known his sal- | vation;*
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the | nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of | Israel.*
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation | of our God. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, | all the earth;*
break forth into joyous song and sing | praises!
Sing praises to the Lord | with the lyre,*
with the lyre and the sound of | melody! With trumpets and the sound | of the horn*
make a joyful noise before the | King, the Lord!
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done | marvelous things!*
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salva- | tion for him.
Collect
O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
[Acts 11:1-18] Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. 2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, some of the Jewish believers criticized him. 3 "You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!" they said. 4 Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. 5 "One day in Joppa," he said, "while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. 6 When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of small animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds that we are not allowed to eat. 7 And I heard a voice say, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.' 8 " 'Never, Lord,' I replied. 'I have never eaten anything forbidden by our Jewish laws. ' 9 "But the voice from heaven came again, 'If God says something is acceptable, don't say it isn't.'1 10 "This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven. 11 Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying. 12 The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry about their being Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon arrived at the home of the man who had sent for us. 13 He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, 'Send messengers to Joppa to find Simon Peter. 14 He will tell you how you and all your household will be saved!' 15 "Well, I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. 16 Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to argue?" 18 When the others heard this, all their objections were answered and they began praising God. They said, "God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of turning from sin and receiving eternal life."
[Revelation 21:1-7] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever." 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." 6 And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega-- the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge! 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
[John 16:12-22] 2 "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me. 16 "In just a little while I will be gone, and you won't see me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see me again." 17 The disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'You won't see me, and then you will see me'? And what does he mean when he says, 'I am going to the Father'? 18 And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand." 19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him, so he said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in just a little while I will be gone, and you won't see me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see me again. 20 Truly, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me again. 21 It will be like a woman experiencing the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives place to joy because she has brought a new person into the world. 22 You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.