This Sunday's Readings: 28 April, 2024 - 5th Sunday of Easter
The 1st Reading: A Reading from First John (4:7-21)
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
The Psalm: Psalm 22 (25-31)
My praise is of him in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: "May your heart live for ever!"
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. For kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules over the nations.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust fall before him.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him; they shall be known as the Lord's for ever. They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn the saving deeds that he has done.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord. Amen
The Gospel: A reading from the Gospel of Christ, according to John (15:1-8)
Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 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. 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. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
The 1st Reading: A Reading from First John (4:7-21)
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
The Psalm: Psalm 22 (25-31)
My praise is of him in the great assembly; I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: "May your heart live for ever!"
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. For kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules over the nations.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust fall before him.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord.
My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him; they shall be known as the Lord's for ever. They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn the saving deeds that he has done.
All the ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord. Amen
The Gospel: A reading from the Gospel of Christ, according to John (15:1-8)
Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 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. 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. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
Read Your Bible: April 2024
01 Isaiah 25:1-9
02 Psalms 133-134 03 Psalm 135 04 Psalm 136 05 John 20:1-18 06 John 20:19-31 07 1 John 1:1–2:2 08 Acts 3:12-26 09 Acts 4:1-22 10 Acts 4:23-36 11 1 John 2:3-17 12 1 John 2:18–3:6 13 Psalms 3-4 14 Luke 24:36-53 15 Psalm 23 |
16 Ezekiel 34:1-10
17 Ezekiel 34:11-31 18 Revelation 7:9-17 19 Isaiah 49:1-13 20 1 John 3:7-24 21 John 10:1-16 22 Acts 8:26-40 23 Isaiah 52:1-12 24 Isaiah 52:13–53:12 25 Mark 16:9-20 26 1 John 4:1-16a 27 1 John 4:16b–5:5 28 John 15:1-17 29 1 John 5:6-21 30 2 John |
May 2024
01 John 14:1-14 02 Acts 10:34-48 03 Psalm 98 04 Psalm 101 05 Psalm 102:1-14 06 Psalm 102:15-28 07 Psalm 47 08 Psalm 93 09 Acts 1:1-11 10 John 17:6-19 11 Proverbs 23:15-25 12 Proverbs 31:10-31 13 Acts 1:12-26 14 Acts 2:1-21 |
Next Sunday’s Readings- Acts 10:44-48; Ps 98; 1 Jn 5:1-6; Jn 15:9-17