Christ The King Lutheran Church

Service for Fifth Sunday of Easter

To Listen to the Music, Bible lessons, and the Pastor's  pprayer.gif (1429 bytes)
Sermon message, click on each Real Audio Icon

Processional Hymn,  "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"     (Congregation/Sarah Meyerrose -organ)

Baptism of Matthew Henry Allen 

Rev. Charles Neugebauer

Opening Prayers Of The Church 

Rev. Charles Neugebauer

First lesson, Act  6:1-9, 7:2a, 51-60 (ESV) 

(Stephen, deacon and first martyr.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Acts 6 
Seven Chosen to Serve
 1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers,[b] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Seized
 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

Acts 7:2 

2 And Stephen said:   

    "Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."

The Stoning of Stephen
 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together[c] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Footnotes:

  1. Acts 6:1 That is, Greek-speaking Jews
  2. Acts 6:3 Or brothers and sisters
  3. Acts 7:57 Or rushed with one mind

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epistle  1 Peter 2:2-10  (ESV) 

(We are a chosen race, a holy nation.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Peter 2

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

    "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
   a cornerstone chosen and precious,
 and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

   "The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone,"[a]

 8 and

    "A stone of stumbling,
   and a rock of offense." 

   They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Holy Gospel,  John 14:1-14 (ESV) 

(Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the life.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 John 14

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
 1[Jesus said:] "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going."[c] 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.[d] From now on you do know him and have seen him."

 8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me[e] anything in my name, I will do it.

Footnotes:

  1. John 14:1 Or You believe in God
  2. John 14:2 Or In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you
  3. John 14:4 Some manuscripts Where I am going you know, and the way you know
  4. John 14:7 Or If you know me, you will know my Father also, or If you have known me, you will know my Father also
  5. John 14:14 Some manuscripts omit me

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     
Children's Sermon Rev. Charles Neugebauer
Sermon Hymn,  "Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing"     (Congregation/Sarah Meyerrose -organ) 
Sermon for April 20, 2008
"Simple Truths of God" 		Rev. Mark Goble
Prayers Of The Church 

Rev. Charles Neugebauer

Offering,  "Piano Medley"     (Sarah Meyerrose piano) 
Closing Prayers 

Rev. Charles Neugebauer
Closing Hymn,   "Abide, O Dearest Jesus "      (Congregation/Sarah Meyerrose -organ) 

For best sound quality get free RealPlayer 8 Plus for faster connection.
If you are experiencing problems in listening to these sermons,
please refer to the RealAudioPlayer help page

Copyright 1998 by Christ the King Lutheran Church and School. All Rights Reserved.
The Lutheran Hymnal Copyrighted Music is by permission from Richard Jordan

Back to Sermon Selection Page

Back to CTK Home Page

Bible verses were provided by Bible Gateway Internet Service.
You can go to their Web Page by clicking the icon below.