This is part of the worship series,
"The Great Fifty Days”
Series Introduction
Easter Morning | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3 | Eastertide 4
Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6 | Ascension Sunday
Third Sunday of Eastertide
Theme: The Sacrificial Nature of Love
Opening hymn
“O Come, My Soul, Sing Praise to God” Psalter
Psalm: Psalm 103
Read responsively as follows:
| Leader: | Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. |
| Congregation: | The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. |
| Leader: | As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. |
| Congregation: | As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. |
| Leader: | The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. |
| Congregation: | Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. |
| Leader: | Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers who do his will. |
| All: | Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. —Psalm 103 NRSVUE |
Hymn
“O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High” Latin
Pre-resurrection gospel reading
John 10:14–18: I am the Good Shepherd.
Post-resurrection reading
John 21:15–19: Follow me and feed my lambs.
Sermon
Loving the Sheep
Sermon Outline:
- The Good Shepherd loves the sheep enough to die for them.
- Jesus asks us to love him by loving his sheep.
- Loving God means following him, even to the point of death, for the sake of his sheep.
Hymn
“Jesus Calls Us; O’er the Tumult” Alexander
We Celebrate the Lord's Supper
Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is our joy and our peace,
at all times and in all places,
to give thanks to you,
holy Father, Almighty, everlasting God,
through Christ our Lord.
When we were unfaithful to you, you kept faith with us;
your love remained steadfast.
We thank you that you did not abandon us in our sin,
but sent prophets and teachers to lead us into the way of salvation.
Above all, we thank you for sending Jesus, your Son,
to deliver us from the way of sin and death
by the obedience of his life,
by his suffering upon the cross,
and by his resurrection from the dead.
We praise you that he now reigns with you in glory
and ever lives to pray for us.
We thank you for the Holy Spirit,
who leads us into truth,
defends us in adversity,
and out of every people unites us into one holy church.
Therefore with the whole company of saints in heaven and on earth
we worship and glorify you, God most holy, and we sing with joy.
Hymn
“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord” Sanctus
Institution
According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at table with two of his followers, he took the bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.
This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast, which he has prepared.
In thanks for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the joy of his resurrection, in the assurance of our union with him, we offer our very selves to you to be a living and holy sacrifice dedicated to your service.
Great is the mystery of our faith.
Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Prayer of Consecration
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, that we may be one with all who share this feast, united in ministry in every place. As this bread is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the world.
Communion
Our breaking of the bread is our sharing in the body of Christ. Take, eat, remember, and believe that the body of our Lord was offered for the complete forgiveness of all our sins.
Our giving thanks for the cup of blessing is our sharing in the blood of Christ. Take, drink, remember, and believe that the precious blood of our Lord was shed for the complete forgiveness of all our sins.
[For Easter Sunday, or throughout Eastertide, consider placing the baptismal font at the front of your center aisle and inviting people to come forward for communion: “As you pass by the baptismal font on your way to partake, you are invited to place the sign of the water on your forehead as a reminder that through your baptism, you have been united with Christ in his death and resurrection.”]
Communion songs
“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” Hymns for the Young
“May the Mind of Christ, My Savior” Wilkinson
“My Jesus, I Love Thee” Featherstone
“I Will Sing of My Redeemer” Bliss
Revised Common Lectionary
Year B: Easter—Fourth Sunday of Easter
Year C: Easter—Third Sunday of Easter
