April 6, 2025 | Fifth Sunday of Lent
PRELUDE
Call to Worship From Psalm 66
Pastor: Shout joyfully to God, all the
earth; sing the glory of
His name; make His praise
glorious.
People: Say to God, “How awesome
are Your works! Because of
the greatness of Your power
Your enemies will pretend to
obey You.”
Pastor: “All the earth will worship You,
and will sing praises to You;
they will sing praises to Your
name.” Selah
People: Come and see the works of
God, who is awesome in
His deeds toward the sons of
mankind.
Pastor: Come and hear, all who fear
God, and I will tell of what
He has done for my soul.
People: I cried to Him with my mouth,
and He was exalted with my
tongue.
Pastor: Shout joyfully to God; sing the
glory of His name
All: Blessed be God, who has not
turned away my prayer,
nor His favor from me.◆
PRAYER of INVOCATION from Eph. 3:16-21
SONG of ADORATION “Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens” CH#82
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW from Micah 6:6-8
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life:
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. ◆
PRAYER of CONFESSION Hildegard of Bingen
Pastor: O Lord of Life, you have filled
the world with your light,
People: But we have closed our eyes
to your glory.
Pastor: You have poured out your
goodness upon us,
People: But we have turned away in
ingratitude.
Pastor: You have called us to walk in
holiness,
People: But we have wandered in
selfishness and fear.
Pastor: Forgive us, O God, for the
ways we have resisted
your Spirit.
People: Renew the fire of your love
within us. Cleanse us from
our sin and restore us to the
joy of your presence.
Pastor: That we may shine with the
light of Christ. Teach us
to delight in your will and
walk in your ways,
All: For you alone are our strength
and our salvation.
Amen. ◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON from I Cor 15:3-4
Receive these words of comfort from God:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
Friends in Christ, if you have been crucified with Him and raised to new life in Him, by grace through faith, then there is nothing that can separate you from His love—no sin, no guilt, no shame. There is no condemnation. You are forgiven and made new. His mercies are new every morning and so you have a fresh start this very morning. Thanks be to God. Amen. ◆
SONG of RESPONSE “God of Grace and . . . Glory” CH#435
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that exists—seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father before all worlds; Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten, not made, of One Being with the Father. Through Him, all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake, He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and from the Son. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy, universal, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism unto the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.◆
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY CH#815
PRAYER of DEDICATION
CHILDREN’S CATECHISM
PASSING of the PEACE
(Children remain in the service on Communion Sundays.)
Ministry of the Word
SONG “We Have Come to Join in Worship” CH #207
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION 2 Cor 4:6
SCRIPTURE READING John 3:9-13
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
SERMON “How Can This Be?”
Ministry of Sacrament
COMMUNION HYMN “Behold the Lamb”
Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away
Slain for us and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross
So we share in this bread of life
And we drink of his sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King
The body of our Savior Jesus Christ, torn for you
Eat and remember
The wounds that healed the death that brings us life
Paid the price to make us one
So we share in this bread of life
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love
Around the table of the King
The blood that cleanses every stain of sin, shed for you
Drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God
So we share in this bread of life
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of grace
Around the table of the King
© Getty Music Hymns and Songs, Love Your Enemies Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.), Messenger Hymns (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI #3071858
INVITATION to the LORD’S SUPPER
WORDS of INSTITUTION
The BREAD and the CUP
FELLOWSHIP FUND OFFERING
SONG of RESPONSE “Blest Be the Tie”
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
