Brothers and sisters, greetings in the name of our risen and living Savior, Jesus. I’ll begin by reminding you of the German Sausage Dinner (GSD) planned for Saturday May 4. It is a tradition in the community, and provides funds for our projects around the church and other charities. Your participation is very important in making the day a success. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors.
April 28 is the fifth Sunday of Easter. We are approaching the celebration of Jesus’ Ascension, and the festival of Pentecost. The season of Easter might be coming to an end, but every day we have reason to celebrate our risen and living Savior. He has overcome death forever. He shares His victory with us. The readings for the day include reminders that God continues to love each one of us, including a mix of warnings and encouragements to remain connected to Jesus.
We will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 of the LSB hymnal. Hymns chosen for the day are #527 O Savior, Precious Savior; #691 Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing; #633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing; and #921 On What Has Now Been Sown.
Scripture readings for the day include Psalm 150, Acts 8:26-40; 1 John 4:1-11; John15:1-8
Psalm 150 is the final psalm recorded in the Book of Psalms. It is an appropriate book end as it calls together all of nature, every instrument, with every living and breathing thing, to join in praising God for who He is and what He does. The words and cadence express excitement and celebration. The Mighty One in heaven does great and mighty deeds to preserve us and to save us. At least ten times we are invited to ‘praise the Lord’ which is the English translation of the Hebrew, ‘Hallelujah’. In addition to praising God with voices, let us also honor Him with action by sharing the news of His Son, Jesus, with others.
The first reading from Acts [of the Apostles] recounts an encounter between a church deacon Philip, and a member of the Ethiopian government. The Ethiopian was apparently a recent convert to Judaism who had gone to Jerusalem to worship. He returned home through the desert, riding in a chariot. Along the way he was reading from the book of the prophet, Isaiah, including the passage from chapter 53, describing God’s suffering Servant. An angel led Philip to approach the chariot, and he took opportunity to explain the passage, telling the good news of Jesus. God’s Word has amazing power! For the Ethiopian was led to Christian faith and to immediately ask for baptism. Seeing water nearby, Philip baptized the man, joining him to Jesus. Rejoice that you too have received the gifts of baptism, God Word, and Christian faith. God continues to send out evangelists, translators, pastors, and teachers to share His word with others that the Holy Spirit might also work faith in them. How might you participate in that effort?
John’s first epistle is filled with instruction, admonition, and encouragement to love others. Such love is not possible for us without the work of the Holy Spirit. But thank God, He sent His Son Jesus into the world, to be an atoning sacrifice, redeeming us from our selfish self-centered ways. God now calls us His children. We love because He first loved us. And because Jesus loved us, we ought to love one another. In Sunday’s reading from Chapter 4, John also gives warning that we should not fall for the message of false prophets. They have the spirit of the anti-christ, as they promote not only false teaching about Jesus, but they also attempt to replace Him with some other person or object to trust in, and take comfort in, and find purpose in. Beware of anyone who suggests there is some other way to approach God or have eternal peace. Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved.
The gospel lesson tells part of a conversation Jesus had with His disciples on the night of the Last Supper, before He was betrayed, arrested, and crucified. Jesus uses the example of branches attached to a vine to describe their (and our) dependence on Him. Disconnected from Jesus, we can do nothing that pleases God. Without Jesus the life-giving Vine, we would be like cut-off branches which wither and are thrown into the fire. But as branches who have been grafted into the vine and stay connected to Jesus, we will produce much fruit. This fruit is not specifically described. It does bring to mind the so-called fruit of the Spirit that St. Paul listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The joy and peace have a strong connection to the forgiveness and eternal life Jesus earned for us by His death and resurrection. We could also refer to Hebrews 11:6 to conclude Christian fruit is every good work done in Christian faith. In the context of John 15, fruit seems to involve the love of Jesus. As we love and humbly serve others as Jesus loved and humbly served us, God is glorified, and we demonstrate proof that we have been changed by the Holy Spirit and we are Jesus’ disciples. The emphasis is not on what fruit you are bearing, but that you remain connected to Jesus.
COLLECT: Almighty merciful 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 we might always hold to the joyous victory of our Savior; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
