Well, both of our Easter Services were well attended and I thought both were very good services. After the Sunrise Service (which we held indoors due to the chilly morning) we had a breakfast and then the children had an Easter Egg Hunt. Ryan Daisy, Kim Daisy, Scotty DeVries, Jeff Franks, and I hid the eggs pretty much throughout the Church building and the kids had a wonderful time running around collecting the eggs. It was amazing how quickly these little people cleared out all the eggs, it was just a fraction of the time that it took all of us to hide the eggs.
I've attached the video of the sermon given at the 10:10 am service and scripts for both services. The sermon given at the Sunrise service is included in the script.
The sermon for the later service was over verses 1-18 in the 20th Chapter of the Gospel of John.
John 20:1-18New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Resurrection of Jesus
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
The focus of my sermon for this Easter Sunday had to do with the belief that Peter, the 'beloved' disciple, and Mary came to have in these scenes at the Tomb. (I choose not to identify the 'beloved' disciple as John as so very many do, as I don't personally believe that this disciple is John. Rather I believe him to be one of Jesus' brothers, most probably James) Each of these three people came away with different thoughts and beliefs after this encounter with the empty tomb. Peter, we are left to infer, doesn't know what to believe as one of the 'they' that did not understand the scriptures. Apparently, the 'beloved' disciple has a clearer understanding as we are told he believed (though we're not told specifically what he believed). It seems that he alone is leaving this tomb with the right understanding of our risen Lord.
Mary wanders away and encounters the risen Christ and once she recognizes him she 'believes' though I would point out that she doesn't need to believe she actually 'knows'. She alone has thus far seen the risen Christ and is absolute in her faith in him as the Messiah.
The word believe is an interesting word, Marcus Borg tells us in a number of his books that the word believe comes to us from the same root source as the word belove. To believe is to belove.
"To believe in God and Jesus was to belove God and Jesus. Namely, it meant to commit one’s self to a relationship of attentiveness and faithfulness." Marcus Borg
We recall the service earlier in 'Holy Week', our Maundy Thursday service; the word Maundy comes to us from the word for 'commandment' or 'mandate' in Latin. It is in reference to Jesus' final commandment in the Gospel of John found at Chapter 13, verse 34:
John 13:34New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
We are commanded to love one another, to beloved by each other, just as we are beloved by Christ, just as we belove Christ we are to belove each other. Taken in conjunction with the 'Great Commission' found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28, verses 19-20.
Matthew 28:19-20New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are commanded to love, and our commission is to take that love out into the world. It's really that simple, (and that difficult as well) to 'believe' and to 'belove' and to convey into this wanting world His love. Called to take God's love into an all too unloving world, may Christ strengthen and guide us in this task daily.
May you feel the love of Christ about you as you spread and convey that love to the world around you.
Be a blessing to someone today!
In All His Grace & Glory,
Roy
Sunrise Service Easter 2016, 7:00 AM
Call To Worship:
Leader: Alleluia. Christ is risen!
People: The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Leader: May His grace and peace be with you all.
People: May He fill our hearts with joy!
Leader: The tomb is empty.
People: Praise be to God!
Leader: Our Lord is risen!
People: Praise be to God!
Leader: Christ leads us on the road to life.
People: Praise be to God!
Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
People: Christ is here! Alleluia!
Opening Prayer:
Almighty and ever-loving God,
we gather to marvel at the mystery of Christ's resurrection.
In boldness you exalted the humble, empowering the weak.
In strength you snatched victory from the jaws of death.
In love you declared your crucified Son the savior of this world.
We celebrate this good news in an Easter festival of life.
With you we join in this joy-filled day.
Make your presence known to us through this service of worship.
In your grace-filled and Holy name we pray.
Amen.
Hymn: 'When I Survey the Wonderous Cross' No. 195 All
First Reading: Psalm 21: 1-6
Second Reading: Mark 16: 1-8
Message:
This morning is so full of images - the empty tomb - the voice of angels -
Mary's encounter with Jesus - the promises made through the prophets coming
true it is so rich - so full - so basic to who we are as an Easter
People.
Friday - sad Friday - the day we call God Friday - is brushed aside in one
glorious moment of realization one moment of startling fear and
overwhelming joy - a moment of holy awe - as the significance of what is
seen - and what is unseen comes crashing in.
Jesus is Risen. Death could not hold him.
And if it cannot hold him, it cannot hold us.
All that Jesus said about life and death
all that was understood only as idea - as a concept - as a vision
is made real in that empty tomb
and in that encounter in the garden.
And we today
- we standing here - before these rough and rude crosses
- we standing here before these emblems of suffering and shame
We share in it.
We share in the promises made to Children of Israel
and to the entire world through the Prophets.
We share in the promises made to the disciples
and to all who listened to Jesus as he walked towards his death
upon a slab of wood like these.
We share in it - for the word that he spoke to them - and to us
-- is made true and real by what we testify to this morn,
it is made true by the resurrection.
And more yet - it is made true by the testimony of our hearts
hearts here among us - this very day - who have been touched
by the spirit of the living Lord
hearts here which have heard Jesus knocking upon the door
and have opened that door
and had him come in and dine with them.
hearts that encountered the risen Christ what is now almost
thousands of years after the stone was first rolled back
and the tomb shown to be empty
and our Lord risen.
What is this Easter morn?
It is God's promise of a new day
It is God's promise of a new life
It is God's promise of a new world
coming to pass in our midst.
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
Praise be to God for his great love
And to Jesus his only Son.
And to the Spirit
All three in one.
Amen.
Hymn: 'Because He Lives' No. 562 All
Closing Prayer: (In Unison)
Almighty God,
who through your only‑begotten Son Jesus Christ
overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
Grant that we,
who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection,
may be raised from the death of sin by your life‑giving Spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
Benediction:
Hymn: 'Christ Arose' No. 224
Easter Service 10:10 AM at Woodlawn Christian Church
The Welcome, Announcements & Prayer Concerns Pastor Roy
The Community Gathers:
Prelude
Call to Worship Leon Hendricks
Leader: Christ has risen!
People: Christ has risen indeed.
Leader: Faith, hope, and joy are alive.
People: A new age is dawning, and death cannot harm us.
God of all creation, we praise you.
God of resurrection and eternal life, we have gathered here today
to worship you and to celebrate your unending and unfailing love.
Opening Hymn 'Christ the Lord is Risen Today' No. 216 All
Opening Prayer / Lord's Prayer Leon Hendricks
Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ, risen from death,
we praise you for changed lives and new hopes at Easter:
You came to Mary in the garden and turned her tears into joy.
For your love and your mercy:
People: We give you thanks, O Lord.
Leader: You came to the disciples by the lakeside,
and turned their failures into faith.
For your love and your mercy:
People: We give you thanks, O Lord.
Leader: You came to the disciples on the Emmaus road,
and turned their despair into hope.
For your love and your mercy:
People: We give you thanks, O Lord.
Leader: You come to us in our unworthiness and shame,
and turn our weakness into triumph.
For your love and your mercy;
People: We give you thanks, O Lord.
Leader: Lord Jesus, whenever there are tears or fear,
or failure, or despair, or weakness;
come reveal to us your love, your mercy, and your risen power;
for the glory of your name.
People: Alleluia!
Children's Chat Pastor Roy
The Community Proclaims The Word of God
Hymn of Preparation 'Christ is Risen Shout Hosanna' No. 222 All
First Reading Isaiah 53:3-5 Leon Hendricks
Second Reading Acts 10:34-43 Pastor Roy
Sermon John 20:1-18 Pastor Roy
Prayer Chorus 'I Come with Joy' No. 420 All
Pastoral Prayer
Leader: O Jesus Christ, risen master and triumphant Lord,
we come to you in sorrow for our sins,
and confess to you our weakness and unbelief;
we have lived by our own strength,
and not by the power of your resurrection.
In your mercy, forgive us.
People: Lord, hear us and help us.
Leader: We have lived by the light of our own eyes,
as faithless and not believing.
In your mercy, forgive us;
People: Lord, hear us and help us.
Leader: We have lived for this world alone,
and doubted our home in heaven.
In your mercy, forgive us;
People: Lord, hear us and help us.
Lift our minds above earthly things,
set them on things above.
Show us your glory and your power,
that we may serve you gladly all of our days. Amen.
The Community Shares the Lord's Supper
Communion Meditation Pastor Roy
Leader: Loving Father, living God,
it is right and appropriate and our joyful duty,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
especially today, on Easter Sunday,
when we greet our risen Lord Jesus.
People: We praise you, God, for all that you have done for us in Christ.
We praise you for his life through which he showed your love;
for his victory over evil
and his obedience which took him to the cross;
for his triumph over death
and for his coming to be our living Lord.
We praise you for this bread and wine,
through which we remember;
through which our faith and hope are renewed,
through which we receive the power of your Spirit
and share the fellowship of your undying love.
Honor and glory and praise be to you, living God,
here and everywhere, now and forever. Amen.
Communion Hymn 'I Know That My Redeemer Liveth' No. 225 All
Prayers of Thanksgiving Elders
Words of Institution Pastor Roy
Sharing the Lord's Supper
Giving Of Our Tithes and Offerings
Stewardship Thought Pastor Roy
Offering Music
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication Pastor Roy
The Community Departs For Ministry
Invitation Hymn 'Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain' No. 215 All
Benediction Pastor Roy
Parting Hymn God Be With You Til We Meet Again No. 434
Almighty God, who through your only‑begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life‑giving Spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
source: Book of Common Prayer, 1979 version, Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA.
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