“Christ is
the world's light, Christ and none other; born in our darkness, he became our
brother.
If we have
seen him we have seen the Father: Glory to God on high!”
After
leaving the Good Friday Service with the words of this 1968 hymn by Rev. Fred
Pratt Green to remind us of the sacrifice of Jesus in becoming human and dying
for our sins, it was good to return this morning to rejoice together on Easter
Sunday Morning. After the Call
to Worship
Hymn TiS 370 Christ the
Lord is risen today
Christ the Lord is
risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven
in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and
triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye
heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
The robust
hymns written by Charles Wesley so long ago still stir our hearts and souls to
be active and eager in our adoration and worship. Grahame and Mavis really enjoyed playing this
hymn!
Prayers of
Adoration & Confession
These responsive prayers challenged us about the times we doubt or deny
God and distance ourselves through sin; to become overwhelmed and feel
separated from His Love.
Then the
amazing solution! No-one but you, Jesus, no-one but you!
Love poured out on
that cruel cross, a blood offering so we might go free.
Love poured out,
infusing this world with rivers of grace and hope of rebirth.
Love poured out, and
into these hearts, who drink from a stream that never runs dry
Halleluia! Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!
May this
prayer of ours resound not only in these walls but touch the lives of all we
meet and forever be the truth of which we speak. Halleluia!
Jesus is risen! He is risen
indeed! Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Offering /
Prayer Carolyn and Colin were helped with the
offering by Charlie and Oliver and Hugh asked for God’s Blessing on our gifts.
Children’s
Address: Hugh tackled the
difficult task of explaining the true message of Easter to young children. He did this gently and thoughtfully, without
spoiling the fun of a degree of chocolate indulgence, caused by the somewhat
confusing “commercial” message of bunnies laying chocolate eggs.
Bible Reading: Psalm 118:14-24
Page 457 Matthew 28:1-10 Page 755
Terry read
the Psalm which seems to have foretold how the death and resurrection of Jesus
might change our lives if we truly believe.
“With his right hand the Lord does mighty deeds, the right hand of
the Lord raises up. I shall not die but
live to proclaim the works of the Lord.”
Matthew’s
Gospel presents the most dramatic version of the resurrection with details of “A
violent earthquake; an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven; he came to the
stone and rolled it away and sat himself down on it.” No wonder the guards shook with fear and
passed out! No wonder the angel needed
to tell “the women” there was nothing to fear – that must have been a great
challenge for them to remain calm while being told by an angel that Jesus had
risen from the dead!
Hymn TiS 526 Lord Jesus
Christ, You have come to us
Patrick
Appleford wrote hymns in the style of 1950s popular music in order to take the
Gospel message to the younger people of that time. But this wonderful hymn has made the
difficult transition from acceptance as a contemporary hymn - to become a “traditional”
hymn. It was written for Holy Communion
and tells the story of; “The Christ, Mary’s Son, who was born as one of us
and who died and conquered the grave to set us free. The last verse takes up a
theme of the first - as the living Lord has come to us so we would come to
him.”
Reflection: “Resurrected
Christ”
Hugh began
his reflection by painting a funny picture of how we might react if, while
buying petrol for our car, we saw a person, presumed to be dead and lying in
the back of a hearse; sit up and look out the window and watch us with lively interest.
After all
the grief of the crucifixion, the nerves of Mary and the other women and Peter
and the other disciples must have been just about at breaking point by Sunday
morning. Although they had been told
that Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day, it was obvious that
nobody had allowed that impossible thought to penetrate their minds.
What
happened that first Easter is an amazing story and I think I would have been
like Thomas, who continues to get “bad press” for needing proof of the
resurrection of the man who stood alive before him after the agonizing death on
the cross - claiming to be Jesus. Hugh
told us that once he had “proof” Thomas had devoted his life to being a
missionary in India until his death.
In telling
us of the profound effect the resurrection had upon the disciples, Hugh
reminded us that; “Just before Christ was crucified Simon Peter denied
publicly that he even knew Christ and yet, a mere seven weeks later on the day
of Pentecost, Peter told the story of Christ’s death and resurrection with such
conviction and power that three thousand people became believers (Acts 2:41).” I am imagining the challenge of standing up
in front of 3,000 people to convince them they can have eternal life because a
man had risen from the dead. Yet I have
the benefit of the weight of witnesses to the power of faith in the
resurrection, through 20 centuries of believers!
Later in
the narrative of Matthew: 28, there is a story of how the chief priests gave
the soldiers a large sum of money to say that the disciples came during the night
and stole Jesus’ body while they were asleep.
As Hugh noted; the belief or not of this “stolen body scenario”,
describes the major difference between Christians and the rest of the world,
over the person Jesus Christ.
Hugh
finished his reflection with passion; “This is not propaganda, dear friends.
This is not a myth. It is not a story fabricated to deceive. This is the
jumbled testimony of actual witnesses to the most amazing event in history.
These witnesses to Christ’s resurrection recorded their testimony with all the
doubts of their friends and the accusations of their enemies.
The point
is… after they saw the resurrected Christ, these disciples were completely
transformed. They moved from doubting and fearful to dynamic and vigorous in
their witness to the resurrection … Let us not forget, not even for a second.
‘We live because He died, and we live eternally because he lived again.’ Yes. Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!”
Prayers of Intercession: Hugh prayed for all people throughout the world; In the name of Christ our Lord, who defeated death that we might live through his great love in dying for us and for our sins. He prayed for the church and for unity among leaders and congregations, working together to spread hope in a world where there is much despair and suffering. He asked that the comfort of the Risen Lord and the Easter message would touch the hearts and lives of all people, those known to us as well as those whose circumstances we don’t personally understand. Hugh asked us to gather our prayers and praises into one and say the Lord’s Prayer together.
Prayers of Intercession: Hugh prayed for all people throughout the world; In the name of Christ our Lord, who defeated death that we might live through his great love in dying for us and for our sins. He prayed for the church and for unity among leaders and congregations, working together to spread hope in a world where there is much despair and suffering. He asked that the comfort of the Risen Lord and the Easter message would touch the hearts and lives of all people, those known to us as well as those whose circumstances we don’t personally understand. Hugh asked us to gather our prayers and praises into one and say the Lord’s Prayer together.
Communion Served in the pews by Elaine, Pat, Colin and Carolyn
It was very pleasing to share in Holy Communion on Easter Morning, with
the Prayer after Communion said together, summing up our experience and our
future tasks.
Thank you, O Christ, for this feast of life. We are fed by your love; we
are strengthened by your life.
We are sent forth into this world to live your way and share your joy.
We are now commissioned to: feed as we have been fed, forgive as we have
been forgiven, love as we have been loved.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Hymn TiS 390 Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks ...
“Alleluia,
alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord, alleluia, alleluia, give praise to his
name.” This is the best known of the hymns written
by Composer - Lyricist: Donald Emry Fishel and it is easy to understand why the
gentle swinging rhythm and words please the singers of this hymn of rejoicing.
The
Benediction & Blessing
We were
sent out to be confident and full of renewed hope and trust in the transforming
love of God, followed by the Blessing: “And may Christ, Our Risen Saviour,
always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving
guide now and forever.” Amen.
Hymn TiS 720 Halle, Halle, Halle-lujah
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