Second Sunday of Easter
___________________________
1 Peter 1:3–4 – “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
We have an inheritance waiting for us, a treasure gathered where moth and rust do not destroy. That should change our perspective on the treasures of this earth. They are fleeting. They come and go. But we can use the treasures of this earth for the work of the kingdom that will not fade away.
LCMS Stewardship Bulletin Sentences
____________________________________
Quick Links
Online Worship / Discipleship Classes
Learn By Heart / Taking Faith Home
Online giving continues to be an easy way for many to give. The giving link is located just above this message. You also can use the mobile app, “VANCO MOBILE.”
Second Sunday of Easter
Acts 5:29–42; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Christ Jesus Breathes His Spirit and His Life into Us by the Ministry of the Gospel
The crucified and risen Lord Jesus establishes the ministry of the Gospel in order to bestow His life-giving Holy Spirit and His peace upon the Church. To those who are called and ordained to this office, and to those they serve in His name, He grants the Holy Absolution of all sins. By the fruits of His cross, He replaces fear and doubt with peace and joy, and thus gives “repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
Through the preaching of His sent ones, He calls us to believe that He “is the Christ, the Son of God,” so that by such faith we “may have life in his name” (John 20:31). In His resurrection, we have the “living hope” to which we have been “born again” and by which we are guarded “for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3, 5).
Until then, “though you have not seen him, you love him,” and by the mercies of God “you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
___________________________________________________
Life Thoughts for the Week
Second Sunday of Easter – Jesus sent out His apostles with His Spirit to be His witnesses, bringing His peace to the world through the forgiveness of sins (John 20:21; Acts 5:32). Through their witness and the witness of the believers who followed, we too have been brought to faith and are therefore blessed even though we have not seen Jesus with our eyes (1Peter 1:8; John 20:29).
When we “praise the Lord” (Psalm 148:1) with our Gospel-motivated voices, our neighbors are also brought to see Jesus though us, that they too may believe and “have life in His name” (John 20:31).
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lectionary Series – Sunday’s Scripture Readings © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 800-248-1930, Ext. 1265 • worship@lcms.org • lcms.org/worship. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Usage: These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. Published by LCMS Worship.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________