The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Online Worship - May 25, 2025

Lord of Life LIVE!
The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Join us next Sunday as
The Great Fifty Days of Easter continue!

The Seventh Sunday of Easter
Easter Hearts: Alive, Anew, Awakened, In Prayer!
June 1, 2025 - 9:30AM

Wishing a blessed Memorial Day weekend to one and all!

Faith Quest Sunday School has concluded for the 2024-2025 school year!
Thank you all for a great year!

Join us for Vacation Bible School, July 14-17!
More information including how to register in the link below!

Upcoming Events:

All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.

The Lord is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed!

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of The Risen Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

Song Anew In Hope & Spirit

Holy Spirit

Torwalt

There’s nothing worth more
That will ever come close
No thing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your Presence Lord

I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
In Your Presence Lord

Holy Spirit
You are welcome here
Come flood this place
And fill the atmosphere
Your glory God
Is what our hearts long for
To be overcome
By Your presence Lord
Your presence Lord

bridge:
Let us become
More aware
Of Your Presence
Let us experience
The glory of
Your goodness

(repeat bridge 3x)

Holy Spirit
You are welcome here
Come flood this place
And fill the atmosphere
Your glory God
Is what our hearts long for
To be overcome
By Your presence Lord

Litany Alive, Anew, Loved, In the Grace of The Risen Christ

Today we celebrate Jesus is alive; Holy Spirit, you are so welcome here; and we are Easter hearts, alive, anew, awakened, in The Spirit’s hope and living grace, so we worship in the name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit.

Amen. Today we remember Jesus said, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is useless. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life; among you are some who still do not believe.”

Friends in faith, following the glory of Easter, Jesus breathed on his disciples The Holy Spirit, and he said, “whatever sins you forgive are forgiven.” Let us take a moment of silence to share with The Lord our sins, and those times we fail to trust The Spirit in our midst.

(silence for reflection)

Friends of our faithful Savior, trust the unconditional love of our God: Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. Be alive, anew, awakened, for you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Trust The Spirit is here, and falls afresh on you!

Song of Renewal

Spirit of The Living God

Iverson

Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Melt me
Mold me
Fill me
Use me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me

In The Holy Spirit, hope is alive, right here. Even though we can feel alone in this world, in faith we hear Jesus say, “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Friends, the Good News of Easter is Jesus is alive, The Spirit is right here, falling afresh on us with hope and grace. “What is born of the flesh is flesh, what is born of the spirit is spirit.” You are born anew from above; restored and filled with The Spirit of the living God!

Song of Renewal

Spirit of The Living God

Iverson

Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Melt me
Mold me
Fill me
Use me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me

Loving God, we thank you for the gift of faith to believe all that seems so impossible; Jesus Christ is risen indeed. As we remember the ascension of Jesus, flood this place and fill the atmosphere, to receive The Holy Spirit falling afresh on each of us, to trust anew we are Easter hearts, blessed with every day miracles, thanks to God’s living hope and grace right here, for we are never alone. In The Risen Christ, we pray. Amen.

First Lesson

ACTS 16:9–15

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

(New Revised Standard Version)

Second Lesson

REVELATION 21:10, 22–22:5

And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. ... I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. ... Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river, is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

(New Revised Standard Version)

Song of Grace and Hope Anew

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less

Mote & Dykes

vs. 1
My hope is built
On nothing less 
Than Jesus’ blood
And righteousness
No merit of my own I claim
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand

vs. 4
When he shall come
With trumpet sound
Oh may I then
In him be found 
Clothed in his righteousness alone
Redeemed to stand before the throne

(refrain)

Gospel

JOHN 5:1–9

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew, Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids – blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

(New Revised Standard Version)

Stating Our Faith in The Risen Christ

BASED ON REVELATION 21:5–7

God’s Son born in a manger, who went forward in obedience to make us all one through his death and resurrection; he will come again. While we wait for Jesus’ return, with Easter hearts, we boldly share our faith, for we are alive, anew, awakened, in the grace of  The Risen Christ.

God who sits upon the throne says, “Behold, I make all things new. Write these words for they are trustworthy and true. It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain the water of life without payment. They who conquer shall have their heritage, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” Amen.

Faith Quest Sunday School has concluded for the 2024-2025 school year. Thank you all for a great year!

Registration for Vacation Bible School 2025 is now open! Join us July 14-17, 2025.

Click the link below to register or learn more!

Alive, Anew, Awakened, In Hope

ACTS 16:9-15; REVELATION 21:10, 22-22:5; JOHN 5:1-9

What is broken or uncertain in your life?  How do you overcome all that overwhelms you?  How do you get through, when you are not even sure where to take your first step?  Where do you find strength and hope?  Where do you turn when you cannot do it yourself any longer?  In our story from John today, a man feels helpless and hopeless.  He is longing for healing; he has little hope.  When Jesus asks what is holding the man back, the man confesses he cannot do it on his own.  The man needs help from someone else.  Jesus announces this simple truth of dependence is all the man needed to confess.  With Easter hearts, see, feel The Risen Christ comes to us, to do for us what we could never do for ourselves - to raise us up, to give us new life, to grace us with healing and hope!

1. The events of our daily lives, from the global to the deeply personal, can leave us wondering if the power and life in our Easter hearts is enough; as we question, search, long for healing and hope.

A. Even in this new dawn, events in our lives and experiences on our hearts, leave us hurt, lost, suffering, fragile and broken.

B. We often feel vulnerable.  We often wonder if restoration of body, mind, emotions, heart and spirit will ever come; if the hope of an Easter heart is even possible.

2. What would a miracle look like to you?  What would healing and hope for your Easter heart look like or feel like to you, to Jesus?

A. Control.  We have a hard time accepting the idea we cannot do it alone, we need others.  We must hold onto Christ.  This truth about our human condition, needs healing and hope.
John 5:4,7 

B. Perspective.  Do you like tough questions?  Looking past the present, through the present, in the midst of now, is not easy, even when that is what we want most.
Acts 16:14-15; John 5:6

C. Self.  Our sense of self is crying out for healing and hope.  We look at and measure ourselves against others, rather than our inability to see or to move.  What imperfections of yours need saving, long for hope and new life?
Revelation 21:26-27; John 5:3

D. Isolation & Loneliness.  It is so easy to feel alone.  We see other people having other people to help them.  Trusting we are not alone gives power and hope.
Revelation 22:5; John 5:3

E. Peace & Faith.  So much weighs us down so much.  We often feel overcome by all that overwhelms us.  What hope do we have for peace?  Believing, depending on God, brings a miracle of peace and hope.
Acts 16:14-15; Revelation 22:3-4; John 5:7

F. Grace.  Jesus sees the man and speaks.  Jesus does not walk on by.  Jesus raises him up.  Jesus is our living power, strength, truth, and hope!
Revelation 21:22-23; 22:1-2,5; John 5:1,6

3. As Jesus came to the man at the pool, trust Jesus is raised to come to us,
to spring forth new life in grace and hope.  Jesus was not raised so he would walk by us when he saw us in our time of need.  Jesus was not raised so he would ignore us when he witnesses our weariness and hears our cries for healing and hope.  Trust The Risen Christ gives us Easter hearts with healing and hope as he stops and listens, as he sits with us, comforts us, and brings us every miracle; for Christ is risen, and risen indeed!  Alleluia!
Revelation 22:3-5; John 5:6, 8-9

Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.

Song Anew In Living Grace

Grace Alone

Brown/Nelson

Ev’ry promise we can make
Ev’ry prayer and step of faith
Ev’ry diff’rence we will make
Is only by His grace
Ev’ry mountain we will climb
Ev’ry ray of hope we shine
Ev’ry blessing left behind
Is only by His grace

refrain:
Grace alone which God supplies
Strength unknown He will provide
Christ in us our Cornerstone
We will go forth in grace alone

Ev’ry soul we long to reach
Ev’ry heart we hope to teach
Ev’rywhere we share His peace
Is only by His grace
Ev’ry loving word we say
Ev’ry tear we wipe away
Ev’ry sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace

(refrain twice)

We will go forth
In grace alone 

Sharing our Needs and Joy with God in Prayer

...as we pray to you, Jesus,
Risen Savior, raise us to live anew, in your living hope and grace.

All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord and Savior.
Amen.

Holy Communion will take place during our service. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.

For those worshiping with us in person, we receive communion through intinction; that is, you will receive the bread, the host, then dip into the glass of choice, either a red wine in the chalice closest to the host, or in a light colored non-alcoholic grape juice. All are welcome.

We also offer gluten free and pre-packaged options. Please take these options before arriving at the host to receive a blessing.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen.

Song During Holy Communion

America The Beautiful

Bates & Ward

vs. 1
O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain
America
America
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good
With brotherhood
From sea to shining sea

vs. 2
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness
America
America
God mend thy every flaw
Confirm thy soul
In self-control
Thy liberty in law

vs. 3
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life
America
America
May God thy gold refine 
‘Til all success
Be nobleness
And every gain divine

vs. 4
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears
America
America
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good
With brotherhood
From sea to shining sea

The body and blood of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in the living grace of The Risen Christ, this day, this most blessed and holy morning, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.

Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ, The Risen Lord of life. Amen.

The Risen Lord bless you and keep you. The Risen Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Risen Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace, for you are an Easter heart, alive, anew, awakened, in the living grace of Jesus Christ. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

With Easter hearts; let us go in the peace of Christ, alive, anew, awakened, celebrating the love of God, and serving The Risen Lord of life.
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!

Going Anew in Hope & Grace

God Bless America

Berlin

God bless America
Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night
With the light from above
From the mountains
To the prairies
To the oceans
White with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home
God bless America
My home sweet home

(repeat)

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A most holy and blessed Easter season to each of you and your loved ones! Friends, every day is Easter! For Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Today we celebrate, as The Great Fifty Days Of Easter continue:

Today, Sunday, May 25, The Sixth Sunday Of Easter “Easter Hearts: Alive, Anew, Awakened, In Hope!” A blessed Memorial Day weekend to one and all! Faith Quest resumes in September! Vacation Bible School is coming the week of July 14-17! We hope you join us!

Join us next Sunday, as The Great Fifty Days Of Easter continue:

Next Sunday, June 1, The Seventh Sunday Of Easter “Easter Hearts: Alive, Anew, Awakened, In Prayer!” A blessed Memorial Day weekend to one and all!

As we share our worship, we give thanks for every volunteer as you bless our ministry, greeting, ushering, nursery, serving communion, live streaming, AV ministry, set up, clean up, fellowship, worship leaders, and more! You can access details and ways to sign up on our website and Facebook page! Thank you!

Friends, today as always, all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion. For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the sanctuary.

We hope our worship will touch you, comfort you, reassure you, and grace you in some way! If you believe others you know would be blessed to receive this bulletin, the sermon notes, or our live stream links, please forward these to them.

From everyone on every level of leadership and service, we continue to pray for you and to give thanks to God for each of you! Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org

We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new ways for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love and grace!

Acknowledgments for today’s service include:

Litany Alive, Anew, In The Living Hope And Grace Of The Risen Christ, written based on John 6:63; John 20:22-23; Matthew 28:18-20; John 3:6-8. “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less” “Prayer of The Day,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” based on the Lutheran Book of Worship. © 1978 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia. Used with permission. “Holy Spirit” © 2011 Jesus Culture, CCLI #6087919 “Spirit of The Living God” © 1935, 1963 Moody Press CCLI #2151368  “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “Grace Alone” © 1998 Maranatha! Music, CCLI #2335524 “America the Beautiful” © 1956 Fred Bock Music Company CCLI #1881629 “God Bless America” © 1938, 1939 Irving Berlin All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.