Easter Season | Friday 26 Apr 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O God, whose Son Jesus Christ
is the Good Shepherd of your people:
Grant that, when we hear his voice,
we may know him who calls us each by name,
and follow where he leads; who,
with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“Peter and John placed their hands on them,
and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 8:17)
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From Psalms: Psalm 22 – Singing Our Stories
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OT Reading: Amos 8:11-13 (GW)
8:11 The days are going to come, declares the Almighty Lord,
when I will send a famine throughout the land.
It won’t be an ordinary famine or drought.
Instead, there will be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
People will wander from sea to sea
and roam from the north to the east,
searching for the Lord’s word.
But they won’t find it.
On that day beautiful young women and strong young men
will faint because of their thirst.
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The Passover Song – Sean Carter and Caroline Cobb – Trinity Fellowship
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NT Reading: Acts 8:9-25 (GW)
8:9 – A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great. Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, “This man is the power of God, and that power is called great.” They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic. However, when Philip spread the Good News about God’s kingdom and the one named Jesus Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized. Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized, he became devoted to Philip. Simon was amazed to see the miracles and impressive things that were happening.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God’s word, they sent Peter and John to them. Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. (Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.
Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money and said, “Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
Peter told Simon, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy God’s gift. You won’t have any share in this because God can see how twisted your thinking is. So change your wicked thoughts, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you for thinking like this. I can see that you are bitter with jealousy and wrapped up in your evil ways.”
Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you said will happen to me.”
After they had boldly spoken about the message of the Lord, they spread the Good News in many Samaritan villages on their way back to Jerusalem.
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Holy Spirit Rain down Hillsong / Highfield Community Baptist Church
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+ Almighty God our Savior, you desire that none should perish, and you have taught us through your Son that there is great joy in heaven over every sinner who repents: Grant that our hearts may ache for a lost and broken world. May your Holy Spirit work through our words, deeds, and prayers, that the lost may be found and the dead made alive, and that all your redeemed may rejoice around your throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift justice and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Deliver the hostages from captivity and restore their souls. Destroy every stronghold of the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And grant your heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically – and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually – through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 