Easter 3 - Mother's Day 2025

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

Mother's Day

Sunday at 10 AM

Bible Lectures Tuesday and Thursday

Springdale, Arkansas

Pastor Gregory Jackson

Note - the hymn lyrics are linked to the Bethany Lutheran Hymn Blog for the hymn number; the tune is linked on the hymn's name. 

The Hymn #345     Jesus Lover of My Soul

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Make a joyful noise (Jubilate) unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.

Psalm. Say unto God, How terrible art Thou in Thy works: through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto Thee.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual  

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The Lord hath sent redemption unto His people. Hallelujah!

V. It behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead: and thus to enter into His glory. Hallelujah!

     

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Sermon Hymn #651      Be Still My Soul

A Little While - Micron

Communion Hymn #250      Holy God We Praise Thy Name

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #514        God Moves in a Mysterious Way

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Lord God, heavenly Father, who of Thy fatherly goodness dost suffer Thy children to come under Thy chastening rod here on earth, that we may be like unto Thine only-begotten Son in suffering and hereafter in glory: We beseech Thee, comfort us in temptations and afflictions by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not fall into despair, but that we may continually trust in Thy Son's promise, that our trials will endure but a little while, and will then be followed by eternal joy; that we thus, in patient hope, may overcome all evil, and at last obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

 

KJV 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

 

KJV John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

 

Mikron - A Little While

KJV John 16:16 A little while,  μικρον and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

This is a one-word sermon, so concise that one little word - mikron -  is repeated seven times. If we pay attention to what Jesus is saying - concise and yet a lifetime of wisdom - we will change our entire perspective. I could say a microscope or a telescope. One is very short, the other reaches out millions and billions of miles. Micro is tiny and scope means "exam closely." Tele means a long distance yet it provides a close examination. I used to stop traffic on a state highway when I got my very large telescope out in the front yard. People parked their cars to look, so they could look at craters within craters on the moon. Jupiter, Saturn? yes yes!

This passage has three vital lessons - parallels. 

1. The first involves Jesus Himself, who will undergo the worst of all punishments from Rome and the Jewish opponents. 
2. The second is the disciples going through the same kind of torture, the agony of losing their Savior in a horrible and drastic way - the cross. Childbirth is often no better and is always the cause of great concern. 
3. The third is the experience of the disciples, which begins with Stephen (ordained to serve under the disciples) being stoned to death by the Jewish mob yet seeing Heaven opened up.

KJV Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

At a district meeting (LCA), a Harvard PhD seminary professor told the LCA pastors that Christianity grew by the sword. Nobody objected until I said, "You are completely wrong." He said, "Why are you saying that? I must have been taught that." I said, "You went to Harvard. That's why." Yale had a beautiful and serious, separate Day Missions Library. 

Day Missions Library, Yale Divinity.
Main YDS section - National Council of Churches, RSV editing.

This passage from John's Gospel is so clear that we miss the lesson about us. If we apply this to our own lives, we can see and experience what Jesus is saying about Himself, the disciples, and us. It is so simple that people skip past the message, and yet the early arrangers of worship though this was a very important study.  Great turmoil, discouragement, and release from the pain and sorrows - Jesus, the disciples, and the Christian believers - all participate together.

The lesson from Jesus is easy to remember (but often forgotten). We can dwell on the difficulties but they will be taken away. The Psalms especially are good at providing spiritual wisdom for our lives. The ending of Proverbs about the ideal wife and mother is just as true today and it was long ago.

What About the Anger And Guilt Dredged from the Past?

Some episodes can be extremely hurtful and discouraging, but what if they are the road to peace and calm? Even a step to all that one could hope?

The Good Shepherd is all of that - protecting us and guiding us to the still waters, driving away evil, resentment, and useless anger. We can say, "I know for a fact that the Savior will resolve this, the opposite of clenching our teeth or getting even or shunning as a punishment."

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical treatment - Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Sarah Buck, Kermit Way.
• Roses were distributed locally today - most of the cul de sac, BibleJohn, and two helpers from the area.
• Tuesday and Thursday 10 AM - Reformation Seminary, Acts
• New posts are Zoom linked, then added to the YouTube on the masthead, and also posted on the Worship and Reformation Seminary blog pages. All new YouTubes are linked on the Ichabod masthead.