+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Father, you draw all people to you who believe in your Son Jesus Christ. Faith, Lord, is what I need. Give me a living faith that I may encounter Jesus Christ, your Son, today –
in your word that you speak to me,
in the bread that you offer me,
and in the food that I can give and can be to another.
Through Jesus Christ, your Son and my Lord, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit now and for ever.
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Reading: John 6:44-51 (NLT)
For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”
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Reflection & Prayer:
Heavenly Father:
+ you have given me your written Word in the Scriptures; teach me what it means – that I may listen and learn from you.
+ you have given me your incarnate Word in your Son; draw me continually to him – that I may be raised up on the last day.
+ you have given me your enacted Word in the Sacraments; give me the bread of life – that I may live forever.
Almighty, ever-living God, you alone offer eternal life to the world. Stay close to me and reveal your loving-kindness in my life that I may be a faithful, compelling witness to your mercy and grace. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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“Christ Be All Around Me” – All Sons & Daughters
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Concluding Prayer
Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. – Psalm 66:16-17 (NLT)
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Lord God, I praise and thank you for your apostles. Through them I have come to know that Jesus is alive and risen. May I too be a witness to the risen Jesus by the way I live his risen life, even though I am flawed and weak, that people may find through me the way to the Father of Jesus my Lord.
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Reading: John 14:6-14 (NLT)
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
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Reflection & Prayer:
Father God: thank you for giving me your Son. I believe that you are in the Son, and the Son is in you. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to you except through him.
+ Without Jesus, I am homeless – I have no Way to come to you
+ Without Jesus, I am confused – I have no Truth to guide me.
+ Without Jesus, I am dead – I have no Life ahead of me.
Lord Jesus: thank you for showing me the Father.
+ You have spoken his life-giving words to me.
+ You have shown his wondrous works to me.
+ You have demonstrated his unfailing love for me.
Holy Spirit: thank you for living within me through belief and baptism.
+ You are always with me and will never leave me or forsake me.
+ You teach me and remind me of everything Jesus has said and done.
+ You empower me to become the person I was always meant to be.
Almighty God: send me out to do the work you have given me to do, to love and serve you as a faithful witness of Christ my Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.
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“Here’s My Heart Lord” – Lauren Daigle
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Concluding Prayer
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. – Psalm 19:1-2 (NLT)
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, generous Father, you have given us your Son Jesus that we may relive with him and like him his passion and his resurrection. Through Jesus, give us the courage to place ourselves into your hands in the trials of life and in death, that one day we may see your glory and at your right hand your Son Jesus Christ, who lives with you for ever.
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Reading: John 6:30-35 (NLT)
They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
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Reflection & Prayer:
“Give us today the food we need….” – Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
Thank you heavenly Father for providing for my daily temporal needs.
“I am the bread of life.” – John 6:35 (NLT)
Thank you Lord Jesus for providing for my eternal spiritual needs.
“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” – John 6:63 (NLT)
Thank you gracious Holy Spirit for giving me eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Continue your transforming work in me that I may become more like him.
O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. – Psalm 31:1-2 (NLT)
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Our living God, we hunger for lasting life and happiness and the fulfillment of all our hopes. Satisfy all our hungers through your Son Jesus Christ, who is our bread of life. And when he has filled us with himself, may he lead and strengthen us to bring to a waiting world the food of reconciliation and joy, which you alone can give to the full. We ask this thorough Christ our Lord.
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Reading: John 6:22-29 (NLT)
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
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Reflection & Prayer:
Lord Jesus: I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
As the week unfolds, help me to better understand the significance of my confession of faith.
+ Take me deeper into the mystery and wonder of who you are.
+ Satisfy the hunger of my soul with every Word that you speak.
+ Implant your Kingdom within me that it may become my heart’s desire.
+ Show me what it costs to follow you wherever you lead me.
Lord Jesus: you alone have the Words of eternal life; set my sights on the realities of heaven. My life is hidden in you – who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“This I Believe” – Hillsong Kiev
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Concluding Prayer
I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. – Psalm 119:26-27 (NLT)
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help me read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus.
In the light of God’s written Word, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. And so, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in me a silence that I too may listen to your voice in the Scriptures and make sense of the world around me. Awaken me to the power and force of your resurrection that I may witness first-hand that you are alive and present among us today.
I ask this of you, who lives and reigns with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen
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“His Name” – Urban Rescue
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Reading: Luke 24:13-35 (NLT)
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
“What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”
Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.
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Reflection & Prayer:
On this Third Sunday of Easter, I declare:
Christ is risen from the dead!
He has brought us victory over sin and death!
Alleluia!
Gracious God: Thank you for pursuing me and walking with me at times when I least expect it.
+ You alone can satisfy the hungers of my heart; you have the words of eternal life.
+ You revealed yourself through the Scriptures; teach me what is true and make me realize what is wrong in my life. Correct me when I am wrong and teach me to do what is right.
+ You passed on the Good News of Easter through trustworthy witnesses; keep me faithful to these truths, and give me the saving wisdom that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
+ You revealed your presence in the breaking of the bread; open my eyes today that I may recognize your presence in Holy Communion.
Gracious God: Every day that I walk with you is a life-changing adventure. Give me the opportunity to tell others what I have seen and heard. And prepare the hearts of those who listen to receive all that you have for them. I ask this through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
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“Our Story” – Urban Rescue
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Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ: thank you for the Word that has enabled me to better understand the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten my actions and grant me the strength to practice what your Word has revealed to me. To the glory of your name – you who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
__________
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
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The Peanut Gallery 