5th Sunday of Easter (Year: A)
Date: Sunday, May 14th, 2017, 11:00
Old Testament: Acts 7:55-60
Psalms: Ps. 31:1-5,15-16
55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:55-60 (NIV)
Epistle: 1 Peter 2:2-10
1In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
2Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
3Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
5Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
15My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
16Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
Psalms 31:1-5,15-16 (NIV)
Gospel: John 14:1-14
2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--
5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, "
8and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:2-10 (NIV)
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4You know the way to the place where I am going."
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 14:1-14 (NIV)