May 4th 2008 - Seventh Sunday of Easter
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First Reading Acts 1:6-14 |
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. |
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Psalm Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 |
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.
1Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him. 2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish before God. 3But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy. 4Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds— his name is the Lord— be exultant before him. 5Father of orphans and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6God gives the desolate a home to live in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious live in a parched land. 7O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah 8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad; you restored your heritage when it languished; 10your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord, Selah 33O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens; listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 34Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel; and whose power is in the skies. 35Awesome is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! |
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Second Reading 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 |
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is
taking place among you to test you, as though something
strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice in so far as
you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be
glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 14If you
are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because
the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting
on you. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7Cast all your
anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8Discipline
yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary
the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.
9Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your
brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the
same kinds of suffering. 10And after you have suffered for a
little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to
his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support,
strengthen, and establish you. 11To him be the power for
ever and ever. Amen.
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Gospel John 17:1-11 |
1After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven
and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so
that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him
authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom
you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may
know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have
sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that
you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own
presence with the glory that I had in your presence before
the world existed. 6 ‘I have made your name known to those
whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you
gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they
know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the
words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they
have received them and know in truth that I came from you;
and they have believed that you sent me. 9I am asking on
their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on
behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.
10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been
glorified in them. 11And now I am no longer in the world,
but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy
Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so
that they may be one, as we are one.
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All Bible Selections from the New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha,
copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States.