Cantate – Fifth Sunday of Easter
02 May 2021
Jesus Promises to Send His Holy Spirit, the Helper
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 (St. John 16.5–15). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” through Jesus Christ (James 1.17). The Holy Spirit helps us by taking 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 will not be afraid” (Isaiah 12.2).
Parish News
Cantate means “sing.” This is the first word of Psalm 98 and the Introit appointed for today. Psalm 98 is a joyous psalm that ascribes glory and praise to God for His great redemptive work—giving His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the world, and then to rise to new life on the first Easter morning. Christ is the Right Hand and Holy Arm of God, God in the flesh. Christ is the Righteousness revealed to the nations. Christ is our salvation, “the salvation of our God.” By God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we, like all Christians of all time, are saved. Note that the Gospel readings appointed for Jubilate (last week), Cantate (this week), and Rogate (next week) are all from the sixteenth chapter of St. John.
Altar Flowers are given to the glory of God by Mr. & Mrs. Jim Haas.
Ascension Day is Thursday, May 13. Mark your calendar to attend Divine Service at 7pm.
Adult Bible Class meets every Sunday at 9am in the Parish Center, studying St. Luke 6, the “Sermon on the Plain.”
Wednesday Morning bible class meets at 9am in the Church Library, studying through the end of May the last five chapters of 2 Samuel and the reign of King David. Now is the time to join in (or come back if you’ve missed lately) and be blessed to know our Lord Jesus more and more through His holy, life-giving Word.
The Lutheran Witness, Gottesdienst: the Journal of Lutheran Liturgy, and Good News Magazine are three solid confessional Lutheran magazines. Immanuel orders a bulk subscription of each one, and we place them on the table across from the Parish Office, first come, first served. They are for your Christian edification, freely given by the congregation. Please take advantage of this – and take home back issues of these from the rack above.
Bach and Roll Join us Fridays at 7pm in the Parish Center to listen to recordings of Bach’s cantatas for the Easter season. This week we will listen to “Hitherto Have Ye Asked For Nothing in My Name” (BWV 87) for Rogate and “Praise God in His Kingdoms” (BWV 11) for Ascension Day.
Vicarage Placement Service at Concordia Theological Seminary On Monday at the vicarage placement service, it was announced that Seminarian Paul Norris will be Immanuel’s vicar for 2021-2022. Paul is a member at Faith Lutheran Church, Plano, Texas, where Pastor Sutton served as Associate Pastor before receiving the call to Immanuel. Paul is married to wife Heather, and has two children attending college.
Prepare for Next Sunday
Numbers 21.4–9; James 1.22–27; St. John 16.23–33
Hymns: 773 – 766 – 714 – 724 – 463
Order of Daily Prayer
L Make haste, O X God, to deliver me.
R Make haste to help me, O Lord.
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. Alleluia!
Psalm 98
Scripture Readings:
[S] from Divine Service
[M] St. John 8.12-20; Zechariah 12.1-14
[T] St. John 8.21-29; Isaiah 65.1-7
[W] St. John 8.30-45; Isaiah 65.8-16
[Th] St. John 9.1-13; Jeremiah 8.1-22
[F] St. John 9.14-34; Zechariah 8.1-23
[S] St. John 9.35-41; Isaiah 49.1-26
Hymn of the Day or Month Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice (556)
Catechism (bulletin)
Apostles’ Creed
Kyrie: L Lord, have mercy upon us; R Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our Father
Collect of the Day (bulletin)
Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer
L Bless we the Lord. R Thanks be to God.
