Today’s Readings and Hymns: (Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
14aPeter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed [the crowd]: 36“... Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
1
I love the Lord, who has heard my voice,
and listened to my supplication,
2
for the Lord has given ear to me
whenever I called.
3
The cords of death entangled me; the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I came to grief and sorrow.
4
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
12
How shall I repay the Lord
for all the good things God has done for me?
13
I will lift the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all God’s people.
15
Precious in your sight, O Lord,
is the death of your servants.
16
O Lord, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.
17
I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call upon the name of the Lord.
18
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all God’s people,
19
in the courts of the Lord’s house,
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
17If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
22Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
13Now on that same day [when Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene,] two [disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Open now thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there, where my soul in joyful duty waits for God who answers prayer. Oh, how blessed is this place, filled with solace, light, and grace!
Gracious God, I come before thee; come thou also unto me; where we find thee and adore thee, there a heav’n on earth must be. To my heart, oh, enter thou, let it be thy temple now!
Here thy praise is gladly chanted, here thy seed is duly sown; let my soul, where it is planted, bring forth precious sheaves alone, so that all I hear may be fruitful unto life in me.
Speak, O God, and I will hear thee, let thy will be done indeed; may I undisturbed draw near thee while thou dost thy people feed. Here of life the fountain flows; here is balm for all our woes.
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness, leave the gloomy haunts of sadness, come into the daylight’s splendor, there with joy your praises render. Bless the one whose grace unbounded this amazing banquet founded; Christ, though heav’nly, high, and holy, deigns to dwell with you most lowly.
Hasten as a bride to meet him, eagerly and gladly greet him. There he stands already knocking; quickly, now, your gate unlocking, open wide the fast-closed portal, saying to the Lord immortal: “Come, and leave your loved one never; dwell within my heart forever.”
Now in faith I humbly ponder over this surpassing wonder that the bread of life is boundless though the souls it feeds are countless; with the choicest wine of heaven Christ’s own blood to us is given. Oh, most glorious consolation, pledge and seal of my salvation.
Jesus, source of lasting pleasure, truest friend, and dearest treasure, peace beyond all understanding, joy into all life expanding: humbly now, I bow before you, love incarnate, I adore you; worthily let me receive you, and, so favored, never leave you.
We know that Christ is raised and dies no more. Embraced by death, he broke its fearful hold, and our despair he turned to blazing joy. Hallelujah!
We share by water in his saving death. Reborn, we share with him an Easter life, as living members of our Savior Christ. Hallelujah!
The Father’s splendor clothes the Son with life. The Spirit’s fission shakes the church of God. Baptized, we live with God the Three in One. Hallelujah!
A new creation comes to life and grows as Christ’s new body takes on flesh and blood. The universe restored and whole will sing: Hallelujah!
Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Sylvia Klett
Music: Deb Jenks (organ and piano), Peals of Grace, Senior Choir
Additional Resources:
View and print the pre-reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Pre-reader’s Version View and print the reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Reader’s Version
The radio program Sing for Joy follows the weekly Sunday lectionary through music and reflection. To listen, click here: Sing for Joy. Program host Pastor Bruce Benson ties the biblical readings of the day with musical selections from a number of sources brought together by Dr. John Ferguson, retired professor of organ and church music. The program is produced by St. Olaf College.
