The Fifth Sunday of Easter — Cantate
Though Jesus has departed from us visibly to the right hand of the Father who sent Him, yet this is to our advantage. For Jesus-who is Lord over all creation, who intercedes for us before the Father, who is preparing a place for us in heaven-has sent the Helper, the Spirit of Truth. (Jn 16:5-15) “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights” through Christ. (James 1:16-21) The Holy Spirit helps us by taking of what is Christ’s and declaring it to us. In the Word of truth the Spirit works repentance and delivers to us the forgiveness of sins, the righteousness of Christ, and victory over the devil. For the ruler of this world is judged and defeated by the cross. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit we have been brought forth to new life in Him who is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Confident of our resurrection with Christ we confess, “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.” (Is 12:1-6)
Introit: (Psalm 98:1b, 3-4; antiphon: Psalm 98:1a, 2b)
Pastor: Sing to the Lord a new song! Alleluia!
For He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. Alleluia!
Congregation: His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.
P: 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.
C: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Gloria Patri – pg. 186
Collect of the Day
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.
- Isaiah 12:1-6 +
You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. (2) “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (3) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (4) And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (5) “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. (6) Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
(From Quasimodo Geniti through the week following Pentecost, the Gradual is omitted and the Alleluia Verse is lengthened)
- James 1:16-21 +
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. (17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (18) Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (19) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; (20) for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (21) Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: The Smalcald Articles
P: How does God grant us the Holy Spirit? (Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article VIII, paragraphs 3-6, 9, 10)
C: In issues relating to the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word. [Galatians 3:2, 5] This protects us from the enthusiasts (that is, souls who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word). They judge Scripture or the spoken Word and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, . . .
P: All this is the old devil and old serpent [Revelation 12:9], who also turned Adam and Eve into enthusiasts. He led them away from God’s outward Word to spiritualizing and self-pride [Genesis 3:2-5]. And yet, he did this through other outward words. 6 In the same way, our enthusiasts today condemn the outward Word. Yet they themselves are not silent.
C: They fill the world with their babbling and writings, as if the Spirit could not come through the apostles’ writings and spoken Word, but has to come through their writings and words. Why don’t they leave out their own sermons and writings and let the Spirit Himself come to people without their writings before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures? . . .
P: In a word, enthusiasm dwells in Adam and his children from the beginning to the end of the world. Its venom has been implanted and infused into them by the old serpent. It is the origin, power, and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the papacy and Muhammad.
C: Therefore, we must constantly maintain this point: God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit “without the Word and Sacraments” is the devil himself.
Verse: (Psalm 118:16; Romans 6:9)
P: Alleluia! The right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly! Alleluia!
C: We know Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. Alleluia!
- John 16:5-15 +
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ (6) But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. (7) Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (8) And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; (10) concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; (11) concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (12) “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (14) He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (15) All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.