The Celebration of the Gospel
April 15, 2018 —Third Sunday of Easter
The Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.
Then proclaim totally changed lives,
rising from the forgiveness of sins.
—Luke 24.46-47
________ We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Amazing Grace Traditional, arr: J. David Hart
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies, listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP 1 John 3.1-3
Leader: See what love God has given us,
that God says, “You are my children!”
All: Indeed that is who we are.
The reason the world does not understand us
is that it does not understand God.
Here and now we are God’s Beloved children.
What we will be has not yet been revealed,
but we do know this: when God is revealed,
we will be like God, for we will see God as God truly is.
All who have this hope in God purify themselves,
just as Christ is pure.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
* SONG Christ Is Alive Blue hymnal # 318
____________We Attend to the Word__________
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Give Me Jesus arr. Moses Hogan
LISTENING PRAYER
God of Love, Risen Christ, you come to us and often we are bewildered. Come to us anyway. Come and speak to us, give us your peace, and send us by your Spirit, according to your word, to do your will in the world. We open our hearts to you, in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.
(10:30) NEW TESTAMENT READING Acts 3.12-19
[When Peter heals a crippled beggar the crowd wonders at his power. But he explains that it’s not Peter’s power, but the “name”—the presence and agency— of Jesus, who was crucified and raised, that has healed him.]
Peter had healed a man who had been lame from birth. Seeing it, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham and Sarah, the God of Isaac and Rebekah, and the God of Jacob and Rachel, the God of our ancestors has glorified God’s servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
And by faith in Christ’s name, Christ’s name itself has made this man strong, who you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what God had foretold through all the prophets, that God’s Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Holy One.
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GOSPEL Luke 24.36-48
[Jesus, risen from the dead, appears to the disciples, shows them his scars, and eats some fish. (He is not a ghost!) He then tells them to spread forgiveness that leads to changed lives (“repentance”).]
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
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SERMON The Resurrection that is forgiveness
SONG Freely, Freely Blue hymnal # 389
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
__________We Share at Christ’s Table__________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Including Native American Ministries Offering
Come Ye Sinners, Poor And Needy arr: Cindy Berry
(10:30) * COMMUNION SONG Christ Is Risen Blue hymnal #307
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Beloved, God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Faithful One, our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.
God, we thank you and we praise you, for out of darkness you brought light.
Out of slavery you brought a people to freedom.
In our wandering you lead us to new life.
You forgive our sin, heal our wounds and re-direct our living.
With each breath you re-create us, set us free, and invite us to start anew.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, Holy One, God of love and grace,
heaven and earth are glorious with your presence.
All Creation sings your praise, from the least to the greatest!
Blessed are they who come in your love.
All Creation is your glory, from the lowest to the highest!
[The Blessing and Covenant…]
Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
As often as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection until he comes again.
Remembering these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
risen from our brokenness and death,
risen from anger, resentment and judgment,
free to love, by the power of your Spirit alone,
in this moment and in eternal life.
Amen.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE HOLY MEAL [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]
PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. As you raised Christ from the dead, you have raised us to new lives. Send us into the world, to proclaim changed lives rooted in the gift of forgiveness, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World _____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Come, Let Us with Our Lord Arise Black hymnal #2084, v. 1-2
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]