May 25, 2025 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Readings

Acts 16:9–15
Hearing Paul in Macedonia, Lydia and her household are baptized.

Psalm 67
May God be gracious and bless us; let the whole earth praise God.

Revelation 21:10, 21:22—22:5
A vision of the holy city; the river of life flows from God’s throne.

John 14:23–29
Jesus says: Keep my word; the Spirit will teach you; I give you peace.

or John 5:1–9
At the pool of Beth-zatha in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a paralyzed man.

— Gathering —

Opening Sentences

Be gracious to us and bless us;
O God, show us favor.
May your way, O God,
be known upon the earth;
may your deliverance be known
among the nations.
Peoples will praise you, O God;
all peoples will praise you.
Nations will exult and shout for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity;
you guide the nations of the earth.
The peoples will praise you, O God;
all people will praise you.
Let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

Light of the world,
you have given us your commandments
because you love us,
but we cannot keep them on our own.
We give thanks for your Holy Spirit,
who teaches us to follow.
We praise you for these gifts, O Lord.
Help us to live in response to your steadfast love
until the time of your coming glory. Amen.

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Thanksgiving for Baptism

At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Creator God,
you drew out life-giving water from a desert rock.
We give you thanks for the water of baptism.
In being joined with Christ,
we die to what destroys
and are raised to new life with Christ.
As streams rush into rivers,
may our lives flow into yours,
joining your creative work for a world in need.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Confession and Pardon

At the baptismal font:
We are a people living in sin.
We are a people in need of God’s vision,
praying for our eyes to be opened.
We are a people in need of God’s reversal,
praying for our hearts to be softened.
We are a people in need of God’s reconciliation,
praying that our faces might be illumined
by God’s presence.
Let us claim our need of God,
confessing our sin together.

Gracious God,
we equate our judgment with your judgment,
and often consider our ways to be your ways.
We define peace as the absence of disruption,
holding our comfort as your aim
and thinking our preferences reflect your way.
Too often we act as if
we are your authoritative witnesses,
believing our worldview
corresponds with your vision,
and that our narrative
contains your hope for the future.
O God,
dislodge us from our sinful assumptions.
Forgive our selfish views.
Correct us with your truth
and teach us by your Spirit.

Lifting water from the font:
It is the Lord who opens eyes to see.
It is the Lord who softens hearts to hear.
It is the Lord who returns us to God’s presence.
Peace, peace, peace—
you are loved. You are enough. You belong.
In Jesus Christ you are restored.
Thanks be to our God forever and ever.

— Word —

Prayer for Illumination

At the lectern or pulpit:
Gracious God, Living Word,
as you revealed yourself to Mary
that Easter morning,
so reveal yourself to us.
By the power of your Spirit,
give each of us faith,
that hearing your Word
we, too, may proclaim,
“I have seen the Lord!” Amen.

Scripture

Before the readings: 
Testimony for the church
from Jesus, the Alpha and Omega.
Revelation 22:13–14

After the readings: 
These words are trustworthy and true. 
Thanks be to God.
Revelation 21:5

Sermon

Ascription of Praise

After the sermon:
Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor 
and power and might be to our God
forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 7:12

Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song

Affirmation of Faith

Life in Christ is life eternal.
The resurrection of Jesus is the sign
that God will consummate the work
of creation and reconciliation beyond death
and bring to fulfillment
the new life begun in Christ.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.26