Easter Season | 2nd Sunday 07 Apr 2024: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31 ~ “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.”

Easter Season | 2nd Sunday 07 Apr 2024

+ In the name the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

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

Jesus said to Thomas,
“You believe because you’ve seen me.
Blessed are those who haven’t seen me
but believe.”
(John 20:29)

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Jesus Is Risen (feat. Ileia Sharaé) Lyric Video | Church of the City

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Reading from Acts of the Apostles: Acts 4:32-35 (GW)

The Believers Share Their Property

4:32 The whole group of believers lived in harmony. No one called any of his possessions his own. Instead, they shared everything.

With great power the apostles continued to testify that the Lord Jesus had come back to life. ⌞God’s⌟ abundant good will was with all of them. None of them needed anything. From time to time, people sold land or houses and brought the money to the apostles. Then the money was distributed to anyone who needed it.

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From the Psalms: Psalm 133 – “See How Good It Is” / Wendell Kimbrough feat. Sandra McCracken

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Reading from the Letters: 1 John 1:1-2:2 (GW)

John’s Reason for Writing

1:1 The Word of life existed from the beginning. We have heard it. We have seen it. We observed and touched it. This life was revealed to us. We have seen it, and we testify about it. We are reporting to you about this eternal life that was in the presence of the Father and was revealed to us. This is the life we have seen and heard. We are reporting about it to you also so that you, too, can have a relationship with us. Our relationship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that we can be completely filled with joy.

Through Jesus We Have a Relationship with God

1:5 This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him. If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful.

But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. If we say, “We aren’t sinful” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. If we say, “We have never sinned,” we turn God into a liar and his Word is not in us.

My dear children, I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God’s full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father. He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.

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It Was Finished Upon That Cross (Official Lyric Video) – CityAlight

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

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

20:19 That Sunday evening, the disciples were together behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you!” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad to see the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” After he had said this, he breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you forgive sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you don’t forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

20:24 Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, who was called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord.”

Thomas told them, “I refuse to believe this unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my fingers into them, and put my hand into his side.”

A week later Jesus’ disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, and believe.”

Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you’ve seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me but believe.”

Jesus performed many other miracles that his disciples saw. Those miracles are not written in this book. But these miracles have been written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that you will have life by believing in him.

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Profession of Faith: The Nicene Creed – Glenn Packiam / Integrity Music

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

+ O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly pray for all sorts and conditions of men; that you would be pleased to make your ways known to them, your saving health to all nations. More especially we pray for your holy catholic Church, that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate, [especially throughout the Holy Land]; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we pray for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. 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.

Easter Week | Saturday 06 Apr 2024: Psalm 133; Daniel 2:24-49; John 12:44-50 ~ Live in the light of eternal life.

Easter Week | Saturday 06 Apr 2024

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

Opening:

Heavenly Father, you have delivered us from the dominion of
sin and death, and brought us into the kingdom of your beloved
Son: Grant that, as by his death he has called us to life, so by his
love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

“I am the light that has come into the world
so that everyone who believes in me
will not live in the dark.”
(John 12:46)

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From Psalms: Psalm 133 – TEHILIM 133 (Enei Ma Tov) – lyrics Hebrew Pronunciation Tor Marquis | Levi Life Music

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OT Reading: Daniel 2:24-49 (GW)

2:24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy Babylon’s wise advisers. Daniel told him, “Don’t destroy Babylon’s wise advisers. Take me to the king, and I’ll explain the dream’s meaning to him.”

Arioch immediately took Daniel to the king. He told the king, “I’ve found one of the captives from Judah who can explain the dream’s meaning to you, Your Majesty.”

The king asked Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar), “Can you tell me the dream I had and its meaning?”

Daniel answered the king, “No wise adviser, psychic, magician, or fortuneteller can tell the king this secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. He will tell King Nebuchadnezzar what is going to happen in the days to come. This is your dream, the vision you had while you were asleep: Your Majesty, while you were lying in bed, thoughts about what would happen in the future came to you. The one who reveals secrets told you what is going to happen. This secret wasn’t revealed to me because I’m wiser than anyone else. It was revealed so that you could be told the meaning and so that you would know your innermost thoughts.

“Your Majesty, you had a vision. You saw a large statue. This statue was very bright. It stood in front of you, and it looked terrifying. The head of this statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its stomach and hips were made of bronze. Its legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of clay. While you were watching, a stone was cut out, but not by humans. It struck the statue’s iron-and-clay feet and smashed them. Then all at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were smashed. They became like husks on a threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain which filled the whole world. This is the dream. Now we’ll tell you its meaning.

“Your Majesty, you are the greatest king. The God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength, and honor. He has given you control over people, wild animals, and birds, wherever they live. He has made you ruler of them all. You are the head of gold. Another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to power after you. Then there will be a third kingdom, a kingdom of bronze, that will rule the whole world. There will also be a fourth kingdom. It will be as strong as iron. (Iron smashes and shatters everything.) As iron crushes things, this fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms. You also saw the feet and toes. They were partly potters’ clay and partly iron. This means that there will be a divided kingdom which has some of the firmness of iron. As you saw, iron was mixed with clay. The toes were partly iron and partly clay. Part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle. As you saw, iron was mixed with clay. So the two parts of the kingdom will mix by intermarrying, but they will not hold together any more than iron can mix with clay.

“At the time of those kings, the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. No other people will be permitted to rule it. It will smash all the other kingdoms and put an end to them. But it will be established forever. This is the stone that you saw cut out from a mountain, but not by humans. It smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told you what will happen in the future, Your Majesty. The dream is true, and you can trust that this is its meaning.”

King Nebuchadnezzar immediately bowed down on the ground in front of Daniel. He ordered that gifts and offerings be given to Daniel. The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings. He can reveal secrets because you were able to reveal this secret.”

Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many wonderful gifts. Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel governor of the whole province of Babylon and head of all Babylon’s wise advisers. With the king’s permission, Daniel appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to govern the province of Babylon. But Daniel stayed at the king’s court.

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Pilgrims – Worship Song | Worship Songs with IMAGES

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NT Reading: John 12:44-50 (GW)

12:44 Then Jesus said loudly, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me. Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I am the light that has come into the world so that everyone who believes in me will not live in the dark. If anyone hears my words and doesn’t follow them, I don’t condemn them. I didn’t come to condemn the world but to save the world. Those who reject me by not accepting what I say have a judge appointed for them. The words that I have spoken will judge them on the last day. I have not spoken on my own. Instead, the Father who sent me told me what I should say and how I should say it. I know that what he commands is eternal life. Whatever I say is what the Father told me to say.”

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Light of the world – Tim Hughes | Sing A New Song To The Lord

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son 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.

+ O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.

Easter Week | Friday 05 Apr 2024: Psalm 133; Daniel 2:1-23; Acts 4:23-31 ~ Don’t be afraid to speak God’s word boldly.

Easter Week | Friday 05 Apr 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins
and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the
leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you
in purity of life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.

“Lord, pay attention to their threats now,
and allow us to speak your word boldly.”
(Acts 4:29)

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From Psalms: Psalm 133 – Tehilim 133 Shir Ha-Ma’alot le-David // Colin Symes

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OT Reading: Daniel 2:1-23 (GW)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream about a Statue Made of Four Metals

2:1 During the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he had some dreams. He was troubled, but he stayed asleep. The king sent for the magicians, psychics, sorcerers, and astrologers so that they could tell him what he had dreamed. So they came to the king.

The king said to them, “I had a dream, and I’m troubled by it. I want to know what the dream was.”

The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! Tell us the dream, and we’ll interpret it for you.”

The king answered the astrologers, “I meant what I said! If you don’t tell me the dream and its meaning, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and its meaning, I will give you gifts, awards, and high honors. Now tell me the dream and its meaning.”

Once more they said, “Your Majesty, tell us the dream, and we’ll tell you its meaning.”

The king replied, “I’m sure you’re trying to buy some time because you know that I meant what I said. If you don’t tell me the dream, you’ll all receive the same punishment. You have agreed among yourselves to make up a phony explanation to give me, hoping that things will change. So tell me the dream. Then I’ll know that you can explain its meaning to me.”

The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can tell the king what he asks. No other king, no matter how great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, psychic, or astrologer. What you ask is difficult, Your Majesty. No one can tell what you dreamed except the gods, and they don’t live with humans.”

This made the king so angry and furious that he gave an order to destroy all the wise advisers in Babylon. So a decree was issued that the wise advisers were to be killed, and some men were sent to find Daniel and his friends and kill them.

While Arioch, the captain of the royal guard, was leaving to kill the wise advisers in Babylon, Daniel spoke to him using shrewd judgment. He asked Arioch, the royal official, “Why is the king’s decree so harsh?” So Arioch explained everything to Daniel.

Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time so that he could explain the dream’s meaning. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about this matter. He told them to ask the God of heaven to be merciful and to explain this secret to them so that they would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise advisers in Babylon.

The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision during the night. So Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said,

“Praise God’s name from everlasting to everlasting
because he is wise and powerful.
He changes times and periods of history.
He removes kings and establishes them.
He gives wisdom to those who are wise
and knowledge to those who have insight.
He reveals deeply hidden things.
He knows what is in the dark,
and light lives with him.
God of my ancestors, I thank and praise you.
You gave me wisdom and power.
You told me the answer to our question.
You told us what the king wants to know.”

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Christ Our Wisdom | Sovereign Grace Music

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NT Reading: Acts 4:23-31 (GW)

The Apostles and Other Believers Pray for God’s Help

4:23 When Peter and John were released, they went to their own people and told them everything the chief priests and leaders had said. When they heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God, “Master, you made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. You said through the Holy Spirit, who spoke through your servant David (our ancestor),

‘Why do the nations act arrogantly?
Why do their people devise useless plots?
Kings take their stand.
Rulers make plans together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.’

“In this city Herod and Pontius Pilate made plans together with non-Jewish people and the people of Israel. They made their plans against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. Through your will and power, they did everything that you had already decided should be done.

“Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

When they had finished praying, their meeting place shook. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s word boldly.

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We’ve a Story To Tell To The Nations | Robert Bates

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ 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.

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.

Easter Week | Thursday 04 Apr 2024: Psalm 133; Daniel 1:1-21; Acts 2:42-47 ~ Don’t be afraid to connect with other believers.

Easter Week | Thursday 04 Apr 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty God, you show those in error the light of your truth
so that they may turn to the path of righteousness: Grant that
all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body
may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All the believers kept meeting together,
and they shared everything with each other.
(Acts 2:44)

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From Psalms: Psalm 133 – Hallelujah / Hine Ma Tov – “Behold How Good and Pleasant” (ft. Joshua Aaron, Nizar Francis), LIVE Harp Worship at Sea of Galilee

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OT Reading: Daniel 1:1-21 (GW)

Daniel and His Friends Remain Faithful to God

1:1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and attacked it. The Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah and some utensils from God’s temple over to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar took the utensils to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put them in the temple treasury.

The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility. They were to be young men who were healthy, good-looking, knowledgeable in all subjects, well-informed, intelligent, and able to serve in the king’s palace. They were to be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians.

The king arranged for them to get a daily allowance of the king’s rich food and wine. They were to be trained for three years. After that, they were to serve the king. Among these young men were some Judeans: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief-of-staff gave them ⌞Babylonian⌟ names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach. To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego.

Daniel made up his mind not to harm himself by eating the king’s rich food and drinking the king’s wine. So he asked the chief-of-staff for permission not to harm himself in this way.

God made the chief-of-staff kind and compassionate toward Daniel. The chief-of-staff told Daniel, “I’m afraid of my master, the king. The king determined what you should eat and drink. If he sees that you look worse than the other young men your age, he would have my head cut off.”

The chief-of-staff put a supervisor in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the supervisor, “Please test us for ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare us to the young men who are eating the king’s rich food. Decide how to treat us on the basis of how we look.”

The supervisor listened to them about this matter and tested them for ten days. After ten days they looked healthier and stronger than the young men who had been eating the king’s rich food. So the supervisor took away the king’s rich food and wine and gave them vegetables.

God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.

At the end of the three-year training period, the chief-of-staff brought all the young men to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked to them and found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah among all of them. So these four men served the king. Whenever the king asked them about things that required wisdom and insight, he found that they knew ten times more than all the magicians and psychics in his whole kingdom.

Daniel served the royal palace until the first year of King Cyrus ⌞of Persia⌟.

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Another In The Fire – Hillsong UNITED

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NT Reading: Acts 2:42-47 (GW)

Life as a Christian

2:42 The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. A feeling of fear came over everyone as many amazing things and miraculous signs happened through the apostles. All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other. From time to time, they sold their property and other possessions and distributed the money to anyone who needed it. The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food. At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.

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Better Together | Worship Song | FBC Ladies

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace to take to heart the grave dangers we are in through our many divisions. Deliver your Church from all enmity and prejudice, and everything that hinders us from godly union. As there is one Body and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so make us all to be of one heart and of one mind, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and love, that with one voice we may give you praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God in everlasting glory. 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.

Easter Week | Wednesday 03 Apr 2024: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Song of Solomon 3:1-11; Mark 16:1-8 ~ Don’t be afraid: I am going ahead of you.

Easter Week | Wednesday 03 Apr 2024

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

Opening:

O God, whose blessed Son
made himself known to his disciples
in the breaking of bread:
Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him
in the fullness of his redeeming work;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

“Go and tell his disciples and Peter
that he’s going ahead of them to Galilee.
There they will see him, just as he told them.”
(Mark 16:7)

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From Psalms: Psalm 118 | “His Steadfast Love Endures Forever” – Jason Silver

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OT Reading: Song of Solomon 3 (GW)

The Young Woman Dreams about Searching for Her Beloved
[ BRIDE ]
3:1 Night after night on my bed
I looked for the one I love.
I looked for him but did not find him.
I will get up now and roam around the city,
in the streets, and in the squares.
I will look for the one I love.
I looked for him but did not find him.
The watchmen making their rounds in the city found me.
⌞I asked,⌟ “Have you seen the one I love?”
I had just left them when I found the one I love.
I held on to him and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother’s house,
into the bedroom of the one who conceived me.

Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me
by the gazelles
or by the does in the field,
that you will not awaken love
or arouse love before its proper time.

A Description of the Royal Procession
[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

3:6 Who is this young woman coming up from the wilderness
like clouds of smoke?
She is perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from the merchants’ scented powders.
Look! Solomon’s sedan chair!
Sixty soldiers from the army of Israel surround it.
All of them are skilled in using swords,
experienced in combat.
Each one has his sword at his side
and guards against the terrors of the night.
King Solomon had a carriage made for himself
from the wood of Lebanon.
He had its posts made out of silver,
its top out of gold,
its seat out of purple fabric.
Its inside—with inlaid scenes of love—
was made by the young women of Jerusalem.
Young women of Zion, come out and look at King Solomon!
Look at his crown,
the crown his mother placed on him on his wedding day,
his day of joyful delight.

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Dance With Me/Glory Come Down: Jewish & Gentile artists worshipping Jesus from rooftop in Jerusalem

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NT Reading: Mark 16:1-8 (GW)

Jesus Comes Back to Life

16:1 When the day of rest—a holy day, was over, Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James), and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Jesus.

On Sunday they were going to the tomb very early when the sun had just come up. They said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. It was a very large stone. As they went into the tomb, they saw a young man. He was dressed in a white robe and sat on the right side. They were panic-stricken.

The young man said to them, “Don’t panic! You’re looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He’s not here. Look at the place where they laid him. Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he’s going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them.”