The Seventh Sunday of Easter — Exaudi
The Spirit of truth testifies of Jesus, who is the Truth. But the world does not receive the Truth. It loves its own and hates those who are of the Truth. Just as Jesus was scorned, so is His church. “The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.” (John 15:26-16:4) Yet it is by Jesus’ suffering and death that we are saved. Therefore we rejoice to share in His sufferings, that we may also share in His resurrection glory. (1 Peter 4:7-14) Through the ministry of the Spirit of truth, we are cleansed from the deceit of our idols and given a new heart and a new spirit, the heart and Spirit of Christ. (Ezekiel 36:22-28) He is now at work in us to have fervent, self-giving love for one another, love which covers a multitude of sins, “that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Introit: (Psalm 27:1, 11a, 12; antiphon: Psalm 27:7a, 8b, 9a)
Pastor: Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud. Alleluia.
C: “Your face, Lord, do I seek; Hide not your face from me. Alleluia.
P: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
C: Teach me your way, O Lord; Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
P: for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, Is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P: Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud. Alleluia.
C: “Your face, Lord, do I seek; Hide not your face from me. Alleluia.
Collect of the Day
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
- Ezekiel 36:22-28 +
“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. (23) 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. (24) I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. (25) 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. (26) 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. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (28) You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. - 1 Peter 4:7-14 +
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (8) Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (9) Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (10) As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: (11) 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. (12) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (13) But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (14) If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: (Formula of Concord: Epitome -1576)
P: What do we believe, teach, and confess Of The Person of Christ (Art. VIII)?
C: The divine and human natures in Christ are personally united. So there are not two Christs, one the Son of God and the other the Son of Man. But one and the same person is the Son of God and Son of Man [Luke 1:35; Romans 9:5]………. We believe, teach, and confess that the Son of Man really is exalted. He is (in deed and truth) exalted according to His human nature to the right hand of God’s almighty majesty and power. For He was received into God when He was conceived of the Holy Spirit in His mother’s womb, and His human nature was personally united with the Son of the Highest.
P: Christ always had this majesty according to the personal union. Yet He abstained from using it in the state of His humiliation, and because of this He truly increased in all wisdom and favor with God and men. Therefore, He did not always use this majesty, but only when it pleased Him. Then, after His resurrection, He entirely laid aside the form of a servant, but not the human nature, and was established in the full use, manifestation, and declaration of the divine majesty. In this way He entered into His glory. [Philippians 2:6–11]
C: So now not just as God, but also as man He knows all things and can do all things. He is present with all creatures, and has under His feet and in His hands everything that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, as He Himself testifies [in Matthew 28:18], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” [see also John 13:3]. And St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:10, “He … ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” Because He is present, He can exercise His power everywhere. To Him everything is possible and everything is known.
Verse: (Psalm 47:8; John 14:18a, 28; 26:22b)
P: Alleluia. God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. Alleluia.
C: I will not leave you as orphans; ‘I am going away,
and I will come to you.’, and your hearts will rejoice. Alleluia.
- John 15:26 -16:4 +
“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. (27) And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. (16:1) “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. (2) 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. (3) And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. (4) But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.