unday, April 19, 2020
At 9:30 on the radio stations WAKR--1590 AM and 93.5 FM we broadcast our Easter Service. It lasts half-an-hour. At 10:00 am on YouTube and posted below we offer a modified video of the service.
The Order of Service is here:
Welcome
A Prayer for Confidence
O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning to you and resting in you we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Easter Acclamation and Collect
Alleluia! The Lord is Risen. The Lord is Risen indeed. Alleluia!
Let us pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 16: In Psalm 16. The Psalmist prays for God’s protection, and shows a deep confidence that God does protest us. Verse 7 speaks of God giving us counsel, wisdom for living every day, no matter what.
1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord,
my good above all other."
2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
upon those who are noble among the people.
3 But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.
4 Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.
6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.
8 I have set the Lord always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.
10 For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11 You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore
1 Peter 1:3-8
Maybe as many as a thousand years after than Psalm 16 was written, Peter the apostle wrote to his congregations in Asia Minor, what is now modern day Turkey. These early Christians were suffering harassment and persecution. Peter assured them that there was growth to be had in their tribulations. Real growth. But that growth would come, as the Psalmist knew, by trusting God. It wasn’t just a matter of will power. It’s was, for Peter, the power of the resurrection. Listen to what he wrote.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith-- being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire-- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
The Message: Stamina
Prayers
Let us pray for the kind of confidence and stamina we’ve just thought about, and let’s pray for our world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. We pray especially that our confession of you may be more deeply rooted, more bold, more effective, because you enliven us again and again to do your will and be your people.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. And we pray for wisdom for our leaders as they make policy decisions, as they provide information, and as they rebuild confidence among the world’s people.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. And we pray especially that we would treat all people as our beloved neighbor, and see with greater clarity ways to assist and support all those in need.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. Remove from them and us all fear and anxiety, and give them and us that grace of composure in all we do.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer: Susan
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Benediction
Father of all, we give you thanks and praise that, when we were still far off, you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us so we and all your children shall be free and the whole earth live to praise your name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.