The Bulletin is at: 04-08-2018 – Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 04-08-2018 – Service
or the service is as follows:
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
April 8, 2018
AS WE GATHER…Thomas is seldom remembered for anything other than his doubt. In our quest to find relatable biblical characters, we often leave Thomas as a man who needed evidence—proof. We may miss his bold confession: “My Lord and my God!” While the other ten disciples had seen Jesus eight days earlier, none of them confessed as Thomas did. And none of them believed until Jesus appeared to them and spoke His Word to them. Focus today not on Thomas’ doubt but rather on his confession of faith.
RINGING OF THE BELL…After the ringing of the bell, we take a few moments in silence to prepare our hearts and minds for today’s worship.
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
P: He brings us light
C: that shines in our darkness.
P: He brings us life
C: that death cannot overcome
P: God is light.
C: In Him there is no darkness at all.
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
WE CONFESS OUR SINS
P: Psalm 28 says, “Lord, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.” This passage reminds us that we are to revere God and His place of worship above all other things. A rightly prioritized life has God in the center. Let us now take some time to reflect upon the priorities we have chosen.
Silence for Reflection
P: We confess.
C: We have to face it Lord, we are sinners in need of your grace. We have not made You the number one priority in our lives. Instead, we have valued those things that have little to do with you: comfort, fear of the unknown, work. For this reason, we come to you now, confessing our sin, asking for your forgiveness, and grace to reprioritize our lives.
RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS
P: Jesus’ number one priority is us. There were no distractions that slowed Jesus down as he made his way to the cross. Jesus set aside earthly concern to make us his priority. Because of this, grace is ours. I announce this grace to you today in the forgiveness of sins. By the command of Jesus, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of endless glory fills my heart with joy and love,
Teach me ever to adore Thee, may I still thy goodness prove.
Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.
P: The Lord be with You!
C: And also with you!
P: We pray.
C: O Lord, we thank you for being the One who delivers people. Give us a heart that cherishes Your deliverance of us. Let us cling to your rescuing arms so tightly that You may define our whole being. Now that you have brought us back to you, may we never want to be anywhere else, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Great unity filled the early church.
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving 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 were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
CHOIR ANTHEM: “Are You Washed in the Blood?”
By Elisha A. Hoffman & Benjamin Harlan
REFRAIN: Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
REFRAIN
Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Do you rest each moment in the crucified? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
REFRAIN
When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
REFRAIN
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
There’s a fountain flowing for the foul unclean, o be washed in the blood of the lamb!
REFRAIN (x2)
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? (x2)
Thomas needed to see Jesus to believe.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, 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 in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, 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; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, 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 believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
SERMON HYMN: “Blessed Assurance”
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
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.
- Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
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.
- 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.
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.
C: I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
And was born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate.
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
We offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us – ourselves, our time, our possessions.
P: It is fitting that this banner be sanctified by prayer for use in the Lord’s house.
P: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, Your Son is the express image of Your glory so that when we behold Him we contemplate Your unending mercy. Bless and sanctify this Easter banner, which is offered in honor of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that all who behold it may, by Your grace, be strengthened in the true faith and worship You with a steadfast heart. We pray this through Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
P: The Lord Almighty, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless this Easter banner and those who behold it.
C: Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
After each portion of the prayers, these words are spoken:
P: Lord, in your mercy.
C: hear our prayer.
CLOSING SONG: “To God Be the Glory”
- To God be the glory, great things He has done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son.
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father,
Thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory,
great things He has done.
- O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To ev’ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father,
Thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory,
great things He has done.
- Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing thro’ Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father,
Thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory,
great things He has done.
P: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!