Easter Online Worship Outline 4/12/20

Join us tonight on zoom at 5pm (click here; pw: holyweek ) or join us on YouTube livestream!

Gathering Time (unmuted,) Feel free to say hi and check in with others before the service begins! Welcome/Announcements Were You There, v 6 (unmuted, acapella) Were you there when the stone was rolled away? Were you there when the stone was rolled away? O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble Were you there when the stone was rolled away? Facing God (from Psalm 118)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

Leader: There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous!

All: We thank you that you have answered us and have become our salvation.

Leader: The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

All: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Leader: Let us worship God.

Standing on the Promises  Standing on the promises of Christ my king Through eternal ages let his praises ring Glory in the highest I will shout and sing Standing on the promises of God Chorus: Standing, standing Standing on the promises of God my Savior Standing, standing I’m standing on the promises of God Standing on the promises that cannot fail When the howling storms of doubt and fears assail By the living Word of God I shall prevail Standing on the promises of God Chorus Standing on the promises I cannot fall Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call Resting in my savior as my all in all Standing on the promises of God Chorus

Prayer of Confession & Assurance  (Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home) All: Risen Christ, through the Holy Spirit, we share in your transformative resurrection. Yet we struggle to be Easter people, especially in this time. Hope is hard to muster and listening to fears is tempting. Show yourself to us, as you showed yourself to Mary in the garden. Reveal your loving, constant, death-defeating presence to us. Strengthen us to be bearers of the Good News that matters most: 'I have seen the Lord!' Amen.

Leader: The Good News is that Christ has come and Christ will come again.  All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.  Children's Bible Story Speaker view so you can see the picture; top right hand corner John 20:1-18 Lectio Questions What stands out to you about this text? (character/word/sentence) Who do you identify with the most? 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. 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.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 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. 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.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 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.’” 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.

Discussion

What stands out to you about this text? (character/word/sentence)

Who do you identify with the most?

Homily

In Christ Alone - unmuted last verse In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All Here in the love of Christ I stand In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless Babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save ‘Til on that cross as Jesus died The love of God was satisfied For every sin on him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground his body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave he rose again And as he stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me For I am his and he is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ Unmuted: No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From a life’s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no human plan Could ever pluck me from His hand ‘Til he returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I stand ‘Til he returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I stand Prayers of the People Now is the time when we share the prayers on our hearts and minds. If you have a private prayer, you can email them to us throughout the week and the pastoral team will pray over them.  If you have a prayer, please unmute your mic to share.  After each prayer, I will lead our response on mute: Lord in your mercy // hear our prayers Now I will offer a prayer for the greater community and world. We will end by saying the Lord’s Prayer together in whatever language you prefer. Let us pray. ...ending in the Lord's Prayer (everyone on mute) Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen. A Remembrance of Communion Not only was this meal of grace a gift Jesus gave to his friends before his death and resurrection, Jesus revealed himself to others through meals after he had risen. Jesus said, whenever you eat or drink, do this in remembrance of me. That means in churches or around kitchen tables, we have the opportunity to remember the generous grace of Christ that is extended to all people.  We encourage you to read the story of the Walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) during the week and designate a meal together to eat around a table, break bread or whatever meal you’ve made, and be in fellowship with your household. If you are by yourself, perhaps FaceTime someone else and share a meal with them virtually.  Offering To give online, click here: https://www.thewordatbeacon.org/donate To give your prayers, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org God of provision, we thank you for the opportunities we have to participate in your work in the world. We offer up to you the gifts of our prayers, our presence in gatherings like this one, our financial resources, our time and energy in service to you and to others. Bless these efforts, multiply them, so that all our neighbors would know the depths of your love for them. Amen. 

Ain’t No Grave There ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down When I hear that trumpet sound I'm gonna rise right out of the ground Ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, look way down the river, what do you think I see? I see a band of angels and they're coming after me Ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me. Meet me in the middle of the air And if these wings don't fail me I will meet you anywhere Ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down (Everyone, unmuted) There ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down When I hear that trumpet sound I'm gonna rise right out of the ground Ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down

Sending/Blessing (from John 16:32-33)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

As we close this time together, let us read this word from Jesus to his disciples in a time of uncertainty,

All: “A time has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. Yet you are not alone, for my Father is with you. In me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Leader: The steadfast love of God goes with you, the deep and abiding peace of Christ goes with you, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit goes with you, now and always. Amen.

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