Sixth Sunday of Easter

The Collect

Sixth Sunday of Easter
O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards thee, that we, loving thee in all things and above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Preface of Easter

Old Testament Reading

Acts 11:19-30
¹⁹Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. ²⁰But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. ²²Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. ²³When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. ²⁴For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. ²⁶And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. ²⁷And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. ²⁹Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. ³⁰This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. -- NKJV
- OR -

Isaiah 45:11-13,18-19
¹¹Thus says the LORD, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: " Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. ¹²I have made the earth, And created man on it. I-My hands-stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. ¹³I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward," Says the LORD of hosts. ¹⁸For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: " I am the LORD, and there is no other. ¹⁹I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ' Seek Me in vain'; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. -- NKJV

Psalm

Psalm 33
¹Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.

²Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

³Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

⁶By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

⁹For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.

¹⁰The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

¹³The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.

¹⁴From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;

¹⁵He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.

¹⁶No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

¹⁷A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,

¹⁹To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.

²¹For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.

²²Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
-- NKJV


- OR -

Psalm 33:1-8,18-22
¹Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.

²Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

³Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

⁴For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

⁶By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,

¹⁹To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.

²¹For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.

²²Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
-- NKJV

New Testament Reading

1 John 4:7-21
⁷Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. ¹³By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ¹⁵Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. ¹⁷Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹We love Him because He first loved us. ²⁰If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. -- NKJV
- OR -

Acts 11:19-30
¹⁹Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. ²⁰But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. ²²Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. ²³When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. ²⁴For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. ²⁶And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. ²⁷And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. ²⁹Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. ³⁰This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. -- NKJV

Gospel Reading

John 15:9-17
⁹"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹²This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. ¹⁴You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷These things I command you, that you love one another. -- NKJV