THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

MAY 24, 2020

THE RINGING OF THE BELLS AND THE WELCOME

OPENING HYMN: A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (493)A hymn of glory let us sing!New hymns throughout the world shall ring: Alleluia, alleluia!Christ, by a road before untrod,Ascends unto the throne of God. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The holy apostolic bandUpon the Mount of Olives stand. Alleluia, alleluia!And with His faithful foll’wers seeTheir Lord ascend in majesty. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

To them the shining angels cry,“Why stand and gaze upon the sky?” Alleluia, alleluia!“This is the Savior,” thus they say;“This is His glorious triumph day!” Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father, the Son, and of theHoly Spirit.

People: Amen.

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,and the truth is not in us.

People: But if we confess our sins, God, who isfaithful and just, will forgive our sins andcleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(SILENT PRAYER) (MOMENTO DE ORACIÓN PERSONAL)

Pastor: Señor, ten piedad de nosotros. People: Señor, ten piedad de nosotros.

Pastor: Cristo, ten piedad de nosotros. People: Cristo, ten piedad de nosotros.

Pastor: Señor, ten piedad de nosotros.People: Señor, ten piedad de nosotros.

Pastor: Let us then confess our sins to God:People: Most merciful God, we confess that we are

by nature sinful and unclean. We havesinned against You in thought, word, anddeed, by what we have done and by what wehave left undone. We have not loved Youwith our whole heart; we have not loved ourneighbors as ourselves. For the sake of YourSon, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that wemay delight in Your will and walk in Yourways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

Pastor: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

RESPONSE: HIMNO DE ALABANZA

Entonemos un canto de alabanza, entonemos un cántico al Señor,Entonemos salmodias celestiales, entonemos mil cánticos de amor Entonemos salmodias celestiales, entonemos mil cánticos de amor

Demos gracias al Padre por la vida, Demos gracias al Padre por Jesús.

Y sigamos la senda de la gloria con la carga divina de la cruzY sigamos la senda de la gloria con la carga divina de la cruz.

Demos gloria al Señor por este día,Por sus muchos cuidados, por su amor,Porque Dios en su gran misericordiaNos dio vida en Jesús nuestro Señor,Porque Dios en su gran misericordiaNos dio vida en Jesús nuestro Señor.

THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (La Oración del Día)Risen Lord Jesus, draw our eyes back onto You and tothe world around us. Guide us by your love and prepareour hearts for the way, that we may join you at theFather’s side, where you reign with the Spirit in glory,now and for ever. Amen.

THE SCRIPTURE READINGS (SEE INSERT) (After each reading:)

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.People: Thanks be to God!

Acts 1:1-141 Dear Theophilus: In my first book I wrote about all the thingsthat Jesus did and taught from the time he began his work 2untilthe day he was taken up to heaven. Before he was taken up, hegave instructions by the power of the Holy Spirit to the men hehad chosen as his apostles. 3For 40 days after his death heappeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubtthat he was alive. They saw him, and he talked with them aboutthe Kingdom of God. And when they came together, he gavethem this order: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift Itold you about, the gift my Father promised. John baptized withwater, but in a few days you will be baptized with the HolySpirit.” 6 When the apostles met together with Jesus, they askedhim, “Lord, will you at this time give the Kingdom back to Israel?”7 Jesus said to them, “The times and occasions are set by myFather’s own authority, and it is not for you to know when theywill be. But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will befilled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem,in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Aftersaying this, he was taken up to heaven as they watched him,and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They still had their eyesfixed on the sky as he went away, when two men dressed inwhite suddenly stood beside them 11and said, “Galileans, whyare you standing there looking up at the sky? This Jesus, whowas taken from you into heaven, will come back in the sameway that you saw him go to heaven.”1 Peter 4:12-16; 5:6-1112 My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful ordeals youare suffering, as though something unusual were happening toyou. 13Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, sothat you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed. 14Happyare you if you are insulted because you are Christ’s followers;this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting onyou. 15If you suffer, it must not be because you are a murdereror a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people’s affairs.16However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don’t beashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ’s name.... 5:6

Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that hewill lift you up in his own good time. 7Leave all your worries with

him, because he cares for you. 8 Be alert, be on the watch! Yourenemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking forsomeone to devour. 9Be firm in your faith and resist him,because you know that your fellow-believers in all the world aregoing through the same kind of sufferings. 10But after you havesuffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you toshare his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfectyou and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. 11Tohim be the power forever! Amen.

Luke 24:44-53 44Jesus said to them, “These are the very things I told you about whileI was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses,the writings of the prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.” 45Thenhe opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and said tothem, “This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must risefrom death three days later, 47and in his name the message aboutrepentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to allnations, beginning in Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things.And I myself will send upon you what my Father has promised. Butyou must wait in the city until the power from above comes down uponyou.”50Then he led them out of the city as far as Bethany, where heraised his hands and blessed them. As he was blessing them, hedeparted from them and was taken up into heaven. 52They worshipedhim and went back into Jerusalem, filled with great joy, 53and spent alltheir time in the Temple giving thanks to God.

THE APOSTLE’S CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty maker of heavenand earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who wasconceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and wasburied. He descended into hell. The third day he rose againfrom the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at theright hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he willcome to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, thecommunion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, theresurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

SERMON HYMN: JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE (803)Joyful, joyful we adore Thee,God of glory, Lord of love!Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,Praising Thee, their sun above.Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,Drive the gloom of doubt away.Giver of immortal gladness,Fill us with the light of day.

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,Stars and angels sing around Thee,Center of unbroken praise.Field and forest, vale and mountain,Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea,Chanting bird, and flowing fountainCall us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving,Ever blessing, ever blest,Well-spring of the joy of living,Ocean-depth of happy rest!Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,Fountainhead of love divine:Joyful, we Thy heav'n inherit!Joyful, we by grace are Thine!

CHILDREN’S SERMON

SERMON THE PRAYERS

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thykingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us notinto temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is thekingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

THE BLESSING Pastor: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of

God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be withyou always. / La gracia del Señor Jesucristo, elamor de Dios, y la comunión del Espíritu Santosean con todos ustedes.

People: Amen

CLOSING HYMN: A HYMN OF GLORY LET US SING (493) You see Him now, ascending highUp to the portals of the sky.” Alleluia, alleluia!“Hereafter Jesus you shall seeReturning in great majesty.” Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Be now our joy on earth, O Lord,And be our future great reward. Alleluia, alleluia!Then, throned with You forever, weShall praise Your name eternally. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

O risen Christ, ascended Lord,All praise to You let earth accord: Alleluia, alleluia!You are, while endless ages run,With Father and with Spirit one. Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!