The Celebration of the Gospel
April 12, 2015 — Second Sunday of Easter
My Lord and my God— I believe in you.
_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE Andante Tranquillo Felix Mendelssohn
[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
Leader: Blessed be the God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
All: By the Grace of God we have been born anew to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
* SONG Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Blue hymnal #89
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________ We Attend to the Word___________
THE WORD IN SONG
O For a Closer Walk Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: Eternal and all-powerful God, Create and awake in us a new and contrite heart, that we may regret our sins, recognize our weaknesses, and receive from you.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Loving God, you put away nothing of what you have created, and you forget the sins of those who repent.
Lord, have mercy.
Everlasting God, we have not loved you enough in our brothers and sisters. We seek forgiveness of you and of each other.
Lord, have mercy.
All: God of all mercy, grant us full pardon and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, for your great glory we gather together your separated people. Let us no longer live beside each other as strangers. Satisfy the longings of our hearts, grant our rightful requests, and unite us soon in one holy name through your Son Jesus Christ who lives and reigns eternally. Amen.
FIRST READING Acts 4.32-35
[The life of the early church in the decades after Jesus’ death. They held possessions in common and sold them to give to those who were needy.]
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
PSALTER Psalm 133
[How good good it is when people live in unity!]
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.
NEW TESTAMENT 1 John 1.1-2.2
[We have actually seen eternal life in Jesus. This life unites us with each other and with God. When we let God’s light, or presence, fill us, it helps us shed our selfishness so that we can truly live out our loving communion with others.]
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. This life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with God and was revealed to us. We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with God and with the Only Begotten Jesus Christ.
We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from God and proclaim to you, that God is light and in God there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with God while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus God’s Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, the One who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and God’s word is not in us.
GOSPEL John 20.19-31
[After his death Jesus appears to the disciples and to Thomas. He breathes on them, like God breathing into the dust of the earth to bring Adam to life, giving them his spirit.]
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the people, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
SERMON Rise in the New Nature Kai Chur, Student Intern
SONG Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates Blue hymnal #213
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
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.
PASSING THE PEACE
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Holy, Holy Jimmy Owens, arr: Fred Bock
* OFFERING SONG Doxology Black Blue hymnal #94
* PRAYER Blue hymnal # 321
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG O Spirit of the Living God Blue hymnal #539
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We lease stand and sing to your 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
I Sing The Mighty Power Of God arr: Ron Boud
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.
Following worship please join us for fellowship and refreshments.]