GREETING
WELCOMING WORDS
HYMN-#139, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Nockels, Hymn with Lyrics, Contemporary)
LITANY OF RESPONSE (Call to Worship)
Every day is Easter
When Thomas touched the wounds
and Jesus said believe he was freed,
it was Easter day
When Peter’s three “yes’s” to Jesus
finished his three denials
it was Easter day
When Mary Magdalene came ready to embalm the dead,
and found an empty tomb,
it was Easter day
When the disciples looked from afar
at a breakfast of fish on the beach
it was Easter day
When Emmaus became synonymous with welcome
and the breaking of bread with strangers
it was Easter day
When Paul was blinded by the light
and recognized the grace filled voice lovingly speaking in his head
it was Easter day
When the hungry are fed at the table
the same table as the rich
it is Easter day
When weapons are beaten to ploughshares
and peace is a word to be shouted
it is Easter day
When the stranger is welcomed in community
and the lonely are restored to relationship
it is Easter day…
Amen.
~ written by Roddy Hamilton,
HYMN #162- “Alleluia, Alleluia Give Thanks to the Risen Lord”
Alleluia Alleluia Give Thanks to the Risen Lord
Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks To The Risen Lord
Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Praise To His Name (Refrain)
1 Jesus Is Lord Of All The Earth
He Is The King Of Creation
2 Spread The Good News O’er All The Earth
Jesus Has Died And Has Risen
3 We Have Been Crucified With Christ
Now We Shall Live Forever
4 Come Let Us Praise The Living God
Joyfully Sing To Our Savior
OPENING PRAYER: Leader-The Lord be with you
People-And also with you
In these early days after the resurrection, we wonder what it all means.
We can relate to the women who fled the tomb with terror and amazement.
We understand Thomas and his need for proof that would come
only by touching the wounds and seeing the nail marks.
We understand the fear and confusion
that kept the disciples in the shadow cast by closed doors.
We also keep company with the travelers on the Emmaus road
who felt the strange burning of the truth and hope and love
weaving into the sadness that consumed them on their walk.
We find ourselves in that eternal movement
between fear and faith, doubt and conviction, wonder and worry,
and we trust that you are present with us, O God.
We trust that like the disciples we will be able to stand
and tell the whole message about this life that:
Love is stronger than hate
Life has the final word over death
Beyond what we can see with our eyes,
there is a bond of humankind that can draws us together. As the machines of greed and war trample the world and its peoples,
we remember that there are seeds of justice and love and goodness and grace
that are planted in all our souls.
It is a complicated and frightening world.
Strengthen us as we stand and bear witness to this whole life,
the life of the Risen One,
even Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERTORY: Praise God from whom all blessing flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below: Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: Leader-Lord in Your Holy Mercies
People-Hear our prayers
Hymn #164- “Come My Way, My Truth, My Life”
Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life
1. Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
such a way as gives us breath,
such a truth as ends all strife,
such a life as killeth death.
2. Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
such a light as shows a feast,
such a feast as mends in length,
such a strength as makes his guest.
3. Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
such a joy as none can move,
such a love as none can part,
such a heart as joys in love.
READING OF SCRIPTURES:
(Acts 2: 14a, 36-41)
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, [a] this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,[b] what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
(Luke 24:13-35)
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.[b] 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, [c] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. [d] Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah[e] should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So, he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[f] while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Recorded Music
SERMON: “Some Will Not Like You, But God Is Not One of Them!”
Hymn #369- “Blessed Assurance”
Blessed Assurance by Fanny Crosby – Worship Video Lyrics
1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior, all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending, bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]
3 Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. [Refrain]
Blessing of worship, Benediction-Dismissal
