Living Room Worship, 4/19
[JOIN THE ELDER-LED SERVICE ON SUNDAY AT 9AM HERE]
We believe the Gospel of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and reign is the greatest news ever announced, and that through it God is remaking everything. Jesus Christ died for the sins of his people on Good Friday, and on the third day he rose from the dead, and was thus declared to be Lord (or King) of all the nations of the earth. This is the central announcement of the Christian Faith. His death means that you no longer need to bear the penalty for your sins. His resurrection means that the terrible penalty of death for His people and for creation itself has been undone. His reign is a reign that aims at the remaking of this old world. Taking what is broken and making it whole and new.
“Jesus himself is the new Temple at the heart of the new creation, against that day when the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. And so this Temple, like the wilderness tabernacle, is a temple on the move, as Jesus's people go out, in the energy of the Spirit, to be the dwelling of God in each place, to anticipate that eventual promise by their common and cross-shaped life and work.” - N.T. Wright, How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels
Call to Worship
The call to worship is a reminder that God welcomes us into His presence. [Leader reads aloud over all present, taken from Matthew 28:1-10]
Reader: Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,
Together: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
Reader: So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Christ is Risen!
Together: He is Risen Indeed!
Reader: Come, let us Worship our Risen King.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside
Confession of Sin
As we come into the presence of God, we are made aware of ways that we have failed to love Him, trust Him and obey Him. He promises that all who confess their sins will be forgiven and cleansed. God, through the work of Jesus deals completely with our guilt and our shame. We encourage you to kneel, bow your head, and reflect on ways that you have not lived in step with God’s commands and confess these to our good King and Father. You will stand when the Assurance is read.
[Invite everyone present to kneel and read this together.]
Together: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for Jesus’ sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous and joyful life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
[Confess sins privately]
Assurance of Pardon
Leader will read this aloud once all rise]
Leader: Now stand, lift up your heads, and hear the good news: Christ has died for your sins! Christ has risen to conquer death! Christ, even now reigns for the undoing of all that sin and death have done to us and to our world. For all who believe in Jesus, your sins are forgiven. All who are in Christ are a new Creation, the Old Life has gone, a New Life has begun, and we are welcomed home as beloved sons and daughters of our God. In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Together: Thanks be to God.
King Of Kings
In the darkness, we were waiting
Without hope, without light
'Til from Heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of glory, Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross
For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died
And the morning that You rose
All of Heaven held its breath
'Til that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death
And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who'd come
To the Father are restored
And the church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel, shall not faint
By His blood and in His name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
The Nicene Creed
Creeds represent one of the Church’s earliest attempts to define the bounds of what we confess to be true. It focuses primarily on the incarnation of Jesus, the trinitarian nature of God, and the unity of the church being rooted in the apostolic witness, which is given to us in the Bible.
[Read together]
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
We believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Scripture Readings and Sermon
[Please read the scriptures aloud when prompted to on the video.]
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 66:15-24
New Testament Reading: Luke 24:1-53
Prayer
Our God is not detached from our world - He hears and answers our prayers. During this time of great need, we are all aware of our need for God to move and display his power and glory in both the world around us and in the lives of those near to us. Whether you are alone or with your family, take a moment to pray aloud the written prayer below, then silently pause to reflect on the prayer, and then conclude this time by asking God to move in specific ways for those in your home by name, your neighbors, and your city. [Taken from The Book of Common Prayer, 2019]
Together: O God, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to die upon the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the devil and the power of death: Grant us grace to die daily to sin, that we may live with him in the joy of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Benediction
God now sends us into the world, to both tell our neighbors about Jesus’ work, and to wield our lives for their good.
Doxology
[Everyone stands, raises their hands, and sings together]
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow Praise Him, all creatures here below Praise Him above, ye heavenly host Praise Father, Son, and Holy GhostAmen.
Benediction
[Remain standing as the leader reads aloud]
Leader: May you find rest in the great work of Jesus on our behalf. May you go bearing witness to the victory Jesus has won over sin and death. And may we all celebrate and live as those for whom God is making all things new. May the peace of God be with you,
Together: And also with you!
Interpreting and Applying the Sermon Text
We encourage you to take some time in the coming days to reflect on the sermon text and answer the following questions individually or with friends and family.
There was a point at which the disciples didn’t understand the Scriptures in relation to Jesus (Luke 24:27, 44-47). Are there questions that you have about how Christ is the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption for the world? How can you commit to wrestling with those questions this week? Who do you need to include in trying to gain understanding?
Those who saw the resurrected Jesus overflowed with joy and reacted by spreading the good news that Jesus is risen. The Spirit has also made the resurrected Jesus known to you. Where do you have opportunities to share that good news (both for you personally and for others) this week?
What would it look like for you to spend this Eastertide “continually…blessing God” (Luke 24:53)?