Tag: Worship

The Fifth Sunday of Easter, 10 May 2020 – John 14:1-12, Psalm 33, 1 Peter 2:4-9 ~ “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

The Fifth Sunday of Easter, 10 May 2020 

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

We have beheld your glory, O God, in the face of Christ Jesus, your Son.
Enliven our faith, that through Christ we may put our trust in you.
Deepen our faith, that in Christ we may serve you.
Complete our faith, that one day we may live with you
in that place which Christ prepares for us,
where he lives with you now and always
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen
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Come Ye Disconsolate – Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway

Come, ye disconsolate, wherever ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.”

I said, earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 14:1-12 (NLT)

Jesus, the Way to the Father

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

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.
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Psalm 33 (Rejoice In The LORD O You Righteous) – Karl Kohlhase

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Prayers of Intercession:

Heavenly Father: You watch over those who fear you, those who rely on your unfailing love. Our hope is in you, Lord, hear our prayers –

+ for those whose hearts are troubled, that they may find their comfort in you….
+ for believers everywhere, that we may grow in our trust and awareness of your presence with us….
+ for those suffering the effects of this pandemic, that they may experience your calming closeness….
+ for those who are caring for the sick, that they may be protected from danger….

Heavenly Father: You watch over those who fear you, those who rely on your unfailing love. Our hope is in you, Lord, hear our prayers –

+ for joy-filled hearts that express your goodness and unfailing love….
+ for unwavering trust in the truth of your word, and your justice in all you do….
+ for awe at the wonder of your creation, spoken into being by your powerful word….
+ for confidence in your sovereignty, frustrating nations that reject you and blessing nations that revere you….

Heavenly Father: You watch over those who fear you, those who rely on your unfailing love. Help us to shine your light in the darkness, that all may see your goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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Goodness Of God – Bethel Music

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A Reading from the Epistles: 1 Peter 2:4-9 (NLT)

Living Stones for God’s House

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. A s the Scriptures say,

“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”

“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
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We Will Feast in the House of Zion – Sandra McCracken

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Closing: John 14:2-3 (NLT)

“I am going to prepare a place for you.
When everything is ready, I will come and get you,
so that you will always be with me where I am.”
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Fourth Sunday of Easter, 03 May 2020 – John 10:1-10, Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:20-25, ~ Jesus: the Guardian of our souls.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter, 03 May 2020 

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, you never cease to call even those far away,
for it is your will that all be drawn into one fold.

Attune our ears to the voice of the Good Shepherd,
who leads us always to you, that we may find under your tender protection
life in all its fullness.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever (and ever.
Amen.

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Praise to the Lord, the Almighty – (Nathan and Christy Nockels and band)

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A Reading from the Gospels: John 10:1-10 (NLT)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
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Psalm 23 (Surely goodness surely mercy) – Shane & Shane

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Prayers of Intercession:

Good Shepherd, Guardian of our souls: you are our provider and protector.
Lord, walk ahead of us, and help us to recognize your voice above all others.
Speak to each one of us by name, that we may be assured of your presence with us –

+ and always feel safe under your watchful protection ….

+ and always feel satisfied with your continual provision….

+ and find true rest and refreshment, the restoration of our souls….

+  and recognize your daily blessing , goodness and peace….

+ and stay close to you, following in your footsteps as you go before us….

+ and live by faith over fear even in this uncertain time of suffering and disease….

+ and live with strength and courage even in the face of death and destruction….

+ and receive the anointing of your Spirit when we are besieged by our enemies….

Good Shepherd, Guardian of our souls: enable us to live out our days with your strength and blessing –
assured that we will live with you forever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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A Reading from the Epistles: 1 Peter 2:20-25 (NLT)

Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

  • He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.
  • He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
  • He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
  • He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
  • By his wounds you are healed.

Once you were like sheep who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
the Guardian of your souls.
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Guardian Of My Soul – The Salvation Army Church in Oshawa, CA

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Closing: John 10:10 (NLT)

Jesus: “My purpose is to give [you] a rich and satisfying life.”
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Third Sunday of Easter, 26 April 2020 – Luke 24:13-35, 1 Peter 1:17-21, Through Christ you have come to trust in God.

The Third Sunday of Easter, 26 April 2020 

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God of mystery, out of death you delivered Christ Jesus,
and he walked in hidden glory with his disciples.

Stir up our faith, that our hearts may burn within us at the sound of his word
and our eyes be opened to recognize him in the breaking of the bread.

Grant this through Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead,
who lives and reigns with you now and always
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Walk With Me” – Kim Walker – Jesus Culture (Passion 2013)

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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 24:13-35 (NLT)

The Walk to Emmaus

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.”

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

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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Psalm 16 (Fullness of Joy) Shane & Shane

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Prayers of Intercession:

O Lord our God, you show us the path of life: support us by your presence and help us every step of the way, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • You alone, O God, are our inheritance, every good thing we have comes from you….
  • Keep safe all who come to you for refuge, O God, that we may find our rest in you….
  • Comfort us during our anxious nights, O God, with your presence close beside us….
  • Cover our homes and families during this pandemic, O God, with the blood of Jesus….
  • Provide sustenance, O God, for all those who have lost their jobs and livelihoods….
  • Turn our hearts from sadness, O God, to joy-filled faith and hope through our risen Lord….

O Lord our God, you show us the path of life: support us by your presence and help us every step of the way, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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A Reading from the Epistles: 1 Peter 1:17-21 (NLT)

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
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rust In You – Lauren Daigle

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Closing: 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The Second Sunday of Easter, 19 April 2020 – John 20:19-31, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Psalm 111 ~ “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

The Second Sunday of Easter, 19 April 2020

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God, through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, Christ, you established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may practice in their lives what they profess by faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Above All – Michael W. Smith

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A Reading from the Gospels: John 20:19-31 (NLT)

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Purpose of the Book

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.
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A Reading from the Book of Acts: Acts 2:14, 22-32 (NLT)

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.
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“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. King David said this about him:

‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’

“Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.”
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Tehillim: Psalm 111– Tav Mem Bet

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Prayers of Intercession:

Almighty and everlasting God: we thank you and praise you with all our hearts!

+ For all who love you remember your Son’s death for the forgiveness of their sins….

+ For all who love you remember your Son’s resurrection for their empowerment….

+ For all who live in you remember their transformation by your Word and Spirit….

Almighty and everlasting God: everything you do is glorious and majestic, and your power to bring justice will never end.

+ For the honor of your name, show your kindness, justice and mercy to all who are affected by this pandemic….

+ For the honor of your name, provide the essential supplies needed to all who are affected by this pandemic….

+ For the honor of your name, pour out your Spirit and show the nations of the world your mighty power….

+ For the honor of your name, give wisdom and good sense to all who are entrusted with leadership….

Almighty and everlasting God: your ways are true and right and fair – you are trustworthy and faithful. Renew us in faith and joy-filled expectation, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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A Reading from the Epistles: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)

The Hope of Eternal Life

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
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Grace Of The Lord Jesus Christ – Simon Khorolskiy & Brothers

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Closing: 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday of Easter Week, 14 April 2020 – John 20:11-18, Acts 2:14,36-41, Psalm 33:17-21 ~ “Believe and be baptized!”

Tuesday of Easter Week, 14 April 2020

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus Christ,
our hope, our light, and our salvation.

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A Reading from the Gospels: John 20:11-18 (NLT)

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.
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Acts 2:14,36-41 (NLT)

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this….

So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
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I Will Wait- based on Psalm  33  – Joshua Huff

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Closing: (NLT) – Psalm 33:20-21 (NLT)

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen