“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 1 Peter 4:7-11 (12-14)
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – John 15:26 – 16:4
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the fifteenth chapter.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”
Lector: This is the Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to You, O Christ.
The Week Ahead
Sunday, May 17 – Seventh Sunday of Easter (Exaudi)
• 9:00 am Bible Study
• 10:00 am Divine Service
Wednesday: Bible Study 1:00 pm
Note: All who have been prepared in the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod to receive the Lord’s Supper are welcome to the table. Communing in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod means you are baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, have membership in The LCMS, and have been prepared in this Church Body to receive Holy Communion. If you have not been prepared, please hold off and speak with Pastor Hoffman after the service. Thank you for respecting our beliefs.
Exaudi – Hear!
On this Seventh Sunday of Easter, called Exaudi (“Hear!”), Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, who will bear witness to Him (John 15:26 – 16:4). Ezekiel foretells the day when God will sprinkle clean water on His people, give them a new heart, and put His Spirit within them (Ezekiel 36:22-28). Peter urges us to love one another earnestly and use our gifts to serve, so that God may be glorified (1 Peter 4:7-11). Psalm 51 is the great prayer for a clean heart and a renewed spirit. As we await the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we hear the Word of the risen Christ and pray that His Spirit would continue to create faith and life in us.
