Jesus' Walk to Emmaus
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
A Celebration Of Resurrection
Invitation to the Easter Celebration
In the name of the risen Christ, welcome to the third Sunday in Easter. Whom have you met on your Emmaus road this past week? We will explore that theme today.
P: Good morning! Shalom! Peace! And God be with you on your highway!
M: We're glad we're here! But what does it mean? Who knows or cares that we're here?
P: Someone knows all about you, even as that someone knew those fellows who met and finally recognized him on that Emmaus road long ago.
M: Yes, yes! We know that we're counted among the living; we know that we're on record, because we have been counted.
P: And there's more to it than your being counted. The really up-to-date news is that you are known by someone more than a computer.
M: And how do we know this?
P: Because of the Good News experienced by those men on the Emmaus road; and because that same Jesus comes to us on our own Emmaus road. Thank God!
M: Alleluia! Amen! and Tah-dah!
Response
"He's Alive" (Avery and Marsh, from The Avery and Marsh Songbook, Hope Publishing Company. See Appendix I for address). Have the choir director teach this to the congregation; have the children lead the congregation in the action. Respond as the hymn writers suggest.
Prayer of Praise
This prayer always focuses on the person of God. Ask a young person to offer it. Give that person only the help that he/she asks for.
Hymn of Praise
"Sing Praise Unto the Name of God" (attr. to Matthaus Greiter, 1525; Genevan Psalter, Fred Anderson, 1983, 1989).
Recognizing Who We Are And Whose We Are
The Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Take a few moments to examine the road you traveled this past week. Smooth driving? Any ruts? Any barriers? Write down your experiences. (Two minutes.) Have a soloist sing, "Detour, There's a Muddy Road Ahead." Before the person sings, ask the people to think about how the message of that song fits their journey in life and in their life this past week. After the song, ask if any would be willing to share one insight. Share one of yours, though not necessarily one that you might discuss with your therapist.
The Act of Receiving New Life
Does the act of confession make any real difference in your life; or do you get stuck on the confession and never hear the pardon? If you have never heard the pardon part before, I invite you to hear it now.
P: Jesus the Christ meets us on the road and declares a new beginning, now!
M: He walks with us, recognizes us, accepts us, forgiving our past, and opening up the future.
P: He gives us a "faith-lift" in order for us to face life and see it through.
M: Therefore, we celebrate, in and through and by and with his power. Yes!
Response
"Let It Be," popular song, chorus only. Sing it several times; ask different groups to sing it, for example, children, the boomers, senior citizens, and so forth.
The Teaching
Message with the Children of All Ages and the Reading from the Newer Covenant
Ask three people to dramatize the passage. Ask a group of children to accompany the two men. Give them the freedom to speak to Jesus also, whatever is on their minds.
Proclamation of the Good News
Contrast this statement by Roy Eckardt with the experience of the disciples on the Emmaus road: "Our Easter finery has about as much power to save us as the Easter bunny."
Response, if you serve Communion
"Come, Risen Lord" (George Wallace Briggs, 1931; Alfred Morton Smith, 1941).
Stewardship Challenge
If you have met Christ on your personal Emmaus road, does that make a difference about what you put in the offering plate?
Charge to the Congregation
Recognizing Christ on our Emmaus road makes a difference in response to God's action. Christ openly declared his authority by reconciling black and white and red and yellow, rich and poor and everyone in between, ambitious and lazy, intelligent and stupid, hopeful and
hopeless, to the living God. The authority of God came to live in a manger, hung on a cross, broke loose from death, meets us all on our Emmaus road, and empowers all who choose to be empowered. That marked the beginning of a new way of life in which we are invited to share (paraphrase and revision of a statement by Arthur Fay Sueltz).
Meditation
The pessimist says, "All roads lead nowhere." The optimist insists, "All roads lead. Know where." Which idea guides you?
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Easter hymns.
Hymn of Praise: "That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright," Latin hymn before the eighth century; trans. John Mason Neale, 1851; alt.
Response to the Newer Covenant: (Choir) "Song of the Lord Among Us," Huub Oosterhuis, English version by C. M. DeVries.
Response to the Proclamation: (Choir) "Song of God's Presence," Huub Oosterhuis, English version by Walter Van Der Haas, Peter-Paul Van Lelyveld, et al.
(These two responses are found in Workers Quarterly, July 1967, Volume 39, Number 1, published by the Walther League. See Appendix I for address.)
Hymn of Dedication: "O, For a Closer Walk with God," Scottish Psalter, 1635; William Cowper, 1772 (two tunes).
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Easter hymns or Communion hymns.
Invitation to the Easter Celebration
In the name of the risen Christ, welcome to the third Sunday in Easter. Whom have you met on your Emmaus road this past week? We will explore that theme today.
P: Good morning! Shalom! Peace! And God be with you on your highway!
M: We're glad we're here! But what does it mean? Who knows or cares that we're here?
P: Someone knows all about you, even as that someone knew those fellows who met and finally recognized him on that Emmaus road long ago.
M: Yes, yes! We know that we're counted among the living; we know that we're on record, because we have been counted.
P: And there's more to it than your being counted. The really up-to-date news is that you are known by someone more than a computer.
M: And how do we know this?
P: Because of the Good News experienced by those men on the Emmaus road; and because that same Jesus comes to us on our own Emmaus road. Thank God!
M: Alleluia! Amen! and Tah-dah!
Response
"He's Alive" (Avery and Marsh, from The Avery and Marsh Songbook, Hope Publishing Company. See Appendix I for address). Have the choir director teach this to the congregation; have the children lead the congregation in the action. Respond as the hymn writers suggest.
Prayer of Praise
This prayer always focuses on the person of God. Ask a young person to offer it. Give that person only the help that he/she asks for.
Hymn of Praise
"Sing Praise Unto the Name of God" (attr. to Matthaus Greiter, 1525; Genevan Psalter, Fred Anderson, 1983, 1989).
Recognizing Who We Are And Whose We Are
The Act of Recognizing Our Humanity
Take a few moments to examine the road you traveled this past week. Smooth driving? Any ruts? Any barriers? Write down your experiences. (Two minutes.) Have a soloist sing, "Detour, There's a Muddy Road Ahead." Before the person sings, ask the people to think about how the message of that song fits their journey in life and in their life this past week. After the song, ask if any would be willing to share one insight. Share one of yours, though not necessarily one that you might discuss with your therapist.
The Act of Receiving New Life
Does the act of confession make any real difference in your life; or do you get stuck on the confession and never hear the pardon? If you have never heard the pardon part before, I invite you to hear it now.
P: Jesus the Christ meets us on the road and declares a new beginning, now!
M: He walks with us, recognizes us, accepts us, forgiving our past, and opening up the future.
P: He gives us a "faith-lift" in order for us to face life and see it through.
M: Therefore, we celebrate, in and through and by and with his power. Yes!
Response
"Let It Be," popular song, chorus only. Sing it several times; ask different groups to sing it, for example, children, the boomers, senior citizens, and so forth.
The Teaching
Message with the Children of All Ages and the Reading from the Newer Covenant
Ask three people to dramatize the passage. Ask a group of children to accompany the two men. Give them the freedom to speak to Jesus also, whatever is on their minds.
Proclamation of the Good News
Contrast this statement by Roy Eckardt with the experience of the disciples on the Emmaus road: "Our Easter finery has about as much power to save us as the Easter bunny."
Response, if you serve Communion
"Come, Risen Lord" (George Wallace Briggs, 1931; Alfred Morton Smith, 1941).
Stewardship Challenge
If you have met Christ on your personal Emmaus road, does that make a difference about what you put in the offering plate?
Charge to the Congregation
Recognizing Christ on our Emmaus road makes a difference in response to God's action. Christ openly declared his authority by reconciling black and white and red and yellow, rich and poor and everyone in between, ambitious and lazy, intelligent and stupid, hopeful and
hopeless, to the living God. The authority of God came to live in a manger, hung on a cross, broke loose from death, meets us all on our Emmaus road, and empowers all who choose to be empowered. That marked the beginning of a new way of life in which we are invited to share (paraphrase and revision of a statement by Arthur Fay Sueltz).
Meditation
The pessimist says, "All roads lead nowhere." The optimist insists, "All roads lead. Know where." Which idea guides you?
Music Possibilities In Addition To Those Already Suggested
Music for Preparation: Medley of Easter hymns.
Hymn of Praise: "That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright," Latin hymn before the eighth century; trans. John Mason Neale, 1851; alt.
Response to the Newer Covenant: (Choir) "Song of the Lord Among Us," Huub Oosterhuis, English version by C. M. DeVries.
Response to the Proclamation: (Choir) "Song of God's Presence," Huub Oosterhuis, English version by Walter Van Der Haas, Peter-Paul Van Lelyveld, et al.
(These two responses are found in Workers Quarterly, July 1967, Volume 39, Number 1, published by the Walther League. See Appendix I for address.)
Hymn of Dedication: "O, For a Closer Walk with God," Scottish Psalter, 1635; William Cowper, 1772 (two tunes).
Music for Dismissal: Medley of Easter hymns or Communion hymns.
