Fifth Sunday of Easter Yr. B – 02/05/21 St. John the Baptist Duncan
Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:24-30
I John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8

Alleluia! Christ is Risen.
The Lord is Risen Indeed. Alleluia!

Good morning, welcome to all on this 5th Sunday of Easter, Year B. It is a privilege and honour to share in worship with you today.
May his grace and peace be with you.
May he fill our hearts with joy.

MORNING PRAYER
The Gathering of the Community

We gather recognizing that we live, work, and play in the traditional lands of the Coast Salish People, Cowichan Tribes.

We continue to commit ourselves to the work of reconciliation and relationship building with our First Nations neighbours.

Today we hold up in prayer the Front-line Workers, in particular today the Fire Fighters and Paramedics.

Call to Worship
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord: I know my own and
my own know me.             John 10.14

O come let us worship.

HYMN:  “Tell Me the Old, Old Story”

Tell me the old, old story,
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child,
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.

Tell me the old, old story,
Tell me the old, old story,
Tell me the old, old story,
Of Jesus and His love.

Tell me the same old story,
When you have cause to fear
That this world's empty glory
Is costing me too dear;
Tell me the story always,
If you would really be,
In any time of trouble,
A comforter to me. (Refrain)

INTRODUCTORY RESPONSORY

My life is in your hand, deliver me;
* shine on your servant with the light of your love.
My life is in your hand, deliver me;
* shine on your servant with the light of your love.
In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
Shine on your servant with the light of your love.
Incline your ear to me;
make haste to deliver me.
Shine on your servant with the light of your love.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;
for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
Shine on your servant with the light of your love.
I put my trust in the Lord;
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
Shine on your servant with the light of your love.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
My life is in your hand, deliver me;
* shine on your servant with the light of your love



PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD:
First Reading: Acts 8:26-40
In Jerusalem, Stephen has been stoned to death for his faith. Persecution of Christians is so widespread that many have left the city. Philip the evangelist has visited Samaria, where he has found many eager to accept the good news and be baptised.

Second Reading: 1 John 4:7-21
The author has stressed two signs of fellowship with God: faith in Christ and love of fellow Christians. The Holy Spirit inspires confession of who Christ really is: he has come from God, to be truly human. The author has told his Christian readers: you “are from God”

THE GOSPEL
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel according to John 15:1-8
Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[b] by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become[c] my disciples.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon: -The Ven. Brian Evans
May the words of my lips and meditations of our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord. Amen.
“God is LOVE -not- love is God”
You will recall last week the title for my sermon was, “Are we Good Shepherds?”
In many ways the scripture lessons for this week continue with that theme. Certainly they continue with the challenge of just how are we being Christ’s baptized? How are we living out our baptismal ministry? I often think in the midst of sharing in the sacrament of baptism I want to ask, “So what now?” What is next.
There needs to be life after the font.
Certainly for Philip there is life after the font.
Today we engage with Philip as he is taken on a slight detour in his vocational travels. Or at least we can presume this as an angel of the Lord speaks to him. The angel suggests he take an alternate route – a route through the dessert. This could suggest it may not have been his first choice.
There is a song from Scotland about such a subject dealing with the High Road and the Low Road!
As so often happens in life when we are taken out of our comfort zone, good things happen. Philip meets up with an Ethiopian eunuch. As they encounter one another, Philip notes the eunuch is reading from the scrolls. In particular from the prophet Isaiah.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."

THEN.
Then the eunuch asks Philip to explain all this to him.
Now I am sure Philip had other business to take care of, as we all do. EXCEPT. Except Philip puts everything on hold to take a moment to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
We know the rest of the story. They come to a place on the road where there is water and the eunuch requests baptism.
What better time.
Over the years I have received many requests for Baptism. Often the question goes like this: When or how can I be baptized? My standard answer is, when would you like to be baptized.
If you read the rubrics of our Prayer Books there are suggestions about when it is appropriate to be baptized. Personally I like the practice of Philip and the eunuch.
This is one of those moments when I would like to know the “rest of the story”!
All we know is when the eunuch came out of the water Philip was no where to be seen and the eunuch went on his way “rejoicing”.
One of the great praise hymns in the LBoW is “On Our Way Rejoicing”. The Refrain goes like this:
On our way rejoicing,
as we homeward move,
hearken to our praises,
O blest God of love!
My research tells me this hymn was originally written for the First Sunday after Trinity. Think about it for a moment. Pentecost has just taken place (one of the great moments for baptism), now Trinity Sunday, the celebration or we might say affirmation of our believing in a Triune God. Then this great moment when in praise we announce we will be on our way rejoicing.
Then for us John scales it up a notch for us today in his letter to the church. Today with John we observe in going on our way rejoicing the world will be observing to see if we truly have faith in Christ and love of our neighbours.
The interpreters in my NIV translation of the Holy Scriptures advises: “Real love is like God, who is holy, just and perfect. If we truly know God, we will love as he does.
In more than one of my research adventures today the one topic most agree upon is the title for my remarks today.
Some go to great lengths to explain how the world has changed the idea of God being love to love is God.
Takes us back to my comments last week about ‘shepherd’ being both noun and verb.
In reading this Gospel I can only think of how the eunuch in his going on his way rejoicing must have become one of the branches on the vine bearing fruit. Certainly Philp took time out of his busy day to bear fruit.
In preparation for recording this service following last weeks debacle members of our team spent some time of Wednesday preparing to record this week.
Following and in preparation of my sermon, I am reminded of all those faithful baptized in the world who give so generously we might say in “watering” the vineyard. Those who are the branches bearing fruit.
When we look out into the world let us look past the branches not bearing fruit and celebrate the evidence of God’s love .
The evidence of God’s love which must be spread throughout the world. This is the evidence which will bear fruit.
Each year when I am pruning my roses and our little apple tree I live in fear of what I should be pruning and what I should not.
Being honest, this is the portion of this lesson from our Lord for which I have great difficulty. I am that person who always wants to give the benefit of the doubt.
At the same time we all know those who remain connected to the vine grow even stronger. As so in the sense of horticulture so to in Christian culture.
It is then we will come to understand God is love. Love which will give us the strength to engage in the activity of the church. The activity which is within the walls and the church without walls.
We are about God’s abiding grace. Which brings us back to the Letter of John to the early church: faith in Christ and love of neighbour.
As we listen to the Hymn following the opening Call to Worship :
You are the vine, we are the branches.
Keep us abiding in You.
(repeat) You are the vine, we are the branches,
Keep us abiding in You.

Then we’ll grow in Your love,
Then we’ll go in Your name,
That the world will surely know
That you have power to heal and to save.

You are the Vine, we are the branches,
Keep us abiding in You.

Yes, God is LOVE.
Thanks be to God,
<AMEN>
HYMN “YOU ARE THE VINE”
You are the vine, we are the branches.
Keep us abiding in You.
(repeat) You are the vine, we are the branches,
Keep us abiding in You.

Then we’ll grow in Your love,
Then we’ll go in Your name,
That the world will surely know
That you have power to heal and to save.

You are the Vine, we are the branches,
Keep us abiding in You.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say,
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:
United to Christ in the Spirit of love, let us pray that our lives will bear abundant fruit for God’s reign of peace, justice, holiness, and compassion.
Our prayer response today: “Gracious God, may we abide in love.”
Lead us by the Spirit of truth to the beauty of your saving Word that we may be cleansed from all evil. As we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus, we pray: Gracious God, may we abide in love.
Guide heads of nations and legislative bodies by your Spirit of wise counsel that they may foster compassion in the hearts of citizens. As we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus, we pray:
Gracious God, may we abide in love.
Empower church leaders through your sacred Spirit to promote the dignity of every person, thereby witnessing to a genuine love for our neighbour. As we rejoice in the resurrection of
Jesus, we pray: Gracious God, may we abide in love.
Through the Spirit of unity draw diverse races and cultures into common bonds of respect and care. As we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus we pray: Gracious God, may we abide in love.
We ask for continued guidance for, Anna our Bishop, Rev. Brian, Rev. Ted, and Rev. Heather, Rev. Elaine Julian, and Bishop Lynne McNaughton, Diocese of Kootenay as they continue to seek your voice and fulfill your will. As we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus we pray: Gracious God, may we abide in love.
Sustain through the consoling Spirit all who grieve the loss of a loved one. As we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus, we pray: Gracious God, may we abide in love.
God, may your church abide in the saving love of Christ and
its prayers be found acceptable in your sight. We pray in the
name of the risen Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

COLLECT OF THE DAY:
Almighty God,
your son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life.
Give us grace to love one another
and walk in the way of his commandments,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer:
As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
All: Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: “Seek Ye First”

1 Seek ye first the kingdom of God And His righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah!

2 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah!

BLESSING:
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
DISMISSAL
Let us go in peace to love and serve God and our neighbour.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia.