Third Sunday Of Easter
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle B
Call To Worship
Taken from 1 John 3:1-3 (The Message)
Leader:
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!
People:
Rejoice -- for we are called children of God!
Leader:
That's who we really are.
People:
And it is why the world doesn't really know us,
Leader:
Or take us seriously,
People:
Because it has no idea who God is or what he is up to.
Leader:
But friends, that is exactly who we are:
People:
Children of God.
Leader:
And that's only the beginning.
People:
Who knows how we will end up?
Leader:
What we know is that when Christ is revealed,
People:
We will become like him.
Leader:
So, all who look forward to his coming -- stay ready -- live ready lives, and become like him.
People:
Amen.
Jesus is what we need to be.
Leader:
You are the light of the world!
People:
Light our fire.
Leader:
You are the salt of the earth.
People:
Fill us with your flavor.
Leader:
You are the vine.
People:
Sustain us.
Leader:
You are the bread of life.
People:
Feed us.
Leader:
You are the resurrection and the life.
People:
Raise us up,
Leader:
Breathe your life into us
People:
And through us
Leader:
Into the whole world.
People:
Amen.
Another possibility this morning would be to use the Luke reading as an introduction to worship. Here is one way to use it. You will need a narrator, and a person to speak the words of Jesus. You could have the Jesus character dress in robes and appear to the congregation or just do it as a dramatic reading.
Narrator: Soon after Jesus was raised from the dead he appeared to the disciples as they were gathered together in a secret room. They were startled and frightened when he came among them, thinking he was a ghost. But he said to them,
Jesus: Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.
Narrator: When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet, and while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them,
Jesus: Do you have anything here to eat?
Narrator: They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. Jesus is here among us this morning. Let us allow him to speak his mind to us, that we, too, might disbelieve for joy. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
We are less like Jesus than we could be because we are busy with the stuff of this world. This confession acknowledges that fact.
Leader:
So busy are our lives
People:
With this task and that.
Leader:
We are running 'round doing stuff
People:
And that is a fact.
Leader:
And though the stuff we do
People:
Seems important at the time,
Leader:
Its eternal significance
People:
Isn't worth a dime.
Leader:
Forgive us, Lord, for putting our energies into the busyness of Satan,
People:
A busyness of doing good things
Leader:
At the expense of doing the best things.
People:
Help us to put our love for you first,
Leader:
Our love for others second,
People:
And all other business
Leader:
After those two. Amen.
In a similar vein ...
Leader:
Virginia asked, "Is there really a Santa Claus?"
People:
Our world asks,
Leader:
"Is Jesus Christ real?"
People:
Father, we confess that we have not made Jesus real with our words or actions.
Leader:
We've been wrapped up in the same things as the world around us,
People:
Striving and straining
Leader:
After things that amount to nothing.
People:
Lord, may Easter enflame our hearts with a desire for you,
Leader:
And the things of your kingdom,
People:
That we might lead a lost world
Leader:
On the way,
People:
To the truth,
Leader:
And into the light,
People:
That will usher in the reign of joy
Leader:
And peace on earth.
People:
Amen.
This last one once again uses a springtime metaphor.
Leader:
While the beauty of spring's newness blooms before us,
People:
We must confess to you, O Lord,
Leader:
Our failure to bring freshness and beauty to our lives.
People:
We have failed to prepare the soil of our lives
Leader:
To receive the seed of your truth and grace.
People:
We have failed to attend to the weeds of busyness,
Leader:
And temptation,
People:
And anger,
Leader:
And bitterness,
People:
And so much more.
Leader:
So our growth has been minimal,
People:
Our joy has not bloomed,
Leader:
Our peace has been stunted,
People:
Our impact on the world around us has been insignificant.
Leader:
Forgive our failures,
People:
And fill us with desire to live for you. Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader:
It is there for the taking.
Forgiveness for your sin;
Healing from your brokenness;
Love for the lonely;
Light for the lost;
Life for the dying.
It is there. A gift to be received.
It takes only the humility to admit your brokenness and the willingness to surrender your broken life to the Lord of love.
Will you seize this gift or will you continue in brokenness?
People:
Let us seize the gift.
Leader:
Amen.
Second option for this week.
Leader:
The unbelievable truth at the core of our faith is that God is love!
People:
Pure love.
Leader:
Receive this love now, and let it radiate forth from you.
People:
Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Let us bow our heads and pray. Gracious God, for all the blessing we take for granted each day, we thank you. For friends, loving families, nice homes, food to spare, and so much more, we praise you. You have blessed us. Now help us to be blessings to others by using these gifts to share your love. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
This morning we will use the Psalm as a basis for the Pastoral Prayer. You may want to explain that you will be praying the Psalm.
Let us pray: Answer us when we call to you, O righteous God.
Give us relief from our distress; be merciful and hear our prayer.
You have said that you have set apart the godly for yourself;
That you will hear when we call.
In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.
Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Benediction
Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Hymns
Abide With Me
Breathe On Me, Breath Of God
Close To Thee
Day By Day
Early, My God, Without Delay
He's Everything To Me
Hear My Call
God Speaks To Us In Bird And Song
I Am Thine, O Lord
I Hunger And I Thirst
I Love The Lord, His Strength Is Mine
Near To The Heart Of God
Nearer My God To Thee
O Lord My God Most Earnestly
One Day
Seek The Lord Who Now Is Present
There Is One Way
Thine Is The Glory
Thou Art My God, O God Of Grace
While I Seek Thy Protecting Power
Contemporary Choruses
Come, Now Is The Time To Worship, Brian Doerksen
Draw Me Close, Kelly Carpenter
Heart Of Worship, The, Matt Redman
Here I Am To Worship, Tim Hughes
I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, Martin Smith
I Give You My Heart, Reuben Morgan
Knowing You, Graham Kendrick
Other Music
I Go To The River, Ray Boltz
Wonderful song about how God refreshes us when we get weary and needy.
Love's Been Following You, Twila Paris
God is always pursuing us.
O Lord, Your Love, Caedmon's Call
A pure worship song. Great for a Sunday when you are preaching on thirsting for God.
Taken from 1 John 3:1-3 (The Message)
Leader:
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!
People:
Rejoice -- for we are called children of God!
Leader:
That's who we really are.
People:
And it is why the world doesn't really know us,
Leader:
Or take us seriously,
People:
Because it has no idea who God is or what he is up to.
Leader:
But friends, that is exactly who we are:
People:
Children of God.
Leader:
And that's only the beginning.
People:
Who knows how we will end up?
Leader:
What we know is that when Christ is revealed,
People:
We will become like him.
Leader:
So, all who look forward to his coming -- stay ready -- live ready lives, and become like him.
People:
Amen.
Jesus is what we need to be.
Leader:
You are the light of the world!
People:
Light our fire.
Leader:
You are the salt of the earth.
People:
Fill us with your flavor.
Leader:
You are the vine.
People:
Sustain us.
Leader:
You are the bread of life.
People:
Feed us.
Leader:
You are the resurrection and the life.
People:
Raise us up,
Leader:
Breathe your life into us
People:
And through us
Leader:
Into the whole world.
People:
Amen.
Another possibility this morning would be to use the Luke reading as an introduction to worship. Here is one way to use it. You will need a narrator, and a person to speak the words of Jesus. You could have the Jesus character dress in robes and appear to the congregation or just do it as a dramatic reading.
Narrator: Soon after Jesus was raised from the dead he appeared to the disciples as they were gathered together in a secret room. They were startled and frightened when he came among them, thinking he was a ghost. But he said to them,
Jesus: Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.
Narrator: When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet, and while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them,
Jesus: Do you have anything here to eat?
Narrator: They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. Jesus is here among us this morning. Let us allow him to speak his mind to us, that we, too, might disbelieve for joy. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
We are less like Jesus than we could be because we are busy with the stuff of this world. This confession acknowledges that fact.
Leader:
So busy are our lives
People:
With this task and that.
Leader:
We are running 'round doing stuff
People:
And that is a fact.
Leader:
And though the stuff we do
People:
Seems important at the time,
Leader:
Its eternal significance
People:
Isn't worth a dime.
Leader:
Forgive us, Lord, for putting our energies into the busyness of Satan,
People:
A busyness of doing good things
Leader:
At the expense of doing the best things.
People:
Help us to put our love for you first,
Leader:
Our love for others second,
People:
And all other business
Leader:
After those two. Amen.
In a similar vein ...
Leader:
Virginia asked, "Is there really a Santa Claus?"
People:
Our world asks,
Leader:
"Is Jesus Christ real?"
People:
Father, we confess that we have not made Jesus real with our words or actions.
Leader:
We've been wrapped up in the same things as the world around us,
People:
Striving and straining
Leader:
After things that amount to nothing.
People:
Lord, may Easter enflame our hearts with a desire for you,
Leader:
And the things of your kingdom,
People:
That we might lead a lost world
Leader:
On the way,
People:
To the truth,
Leader:
And into the light,
People:
That will usher in the reign of joy
Leader:
And peace on earth.
People:
Amen.
This last one once again uses a springtime metaphor.
Leader:
While the beauty of spring's newness blooms before us,
People:
We must confess to you, O Lord,
Leader:
Our failure to bring freshness and beauty to our lives.
People:
We have failed to prepare the soil of our lives
Leader:
To receive the seed of your truth and grace.
People:
We have failed to attend to the weeds of busyness,
Leader:
And temptation,
People:
And anger,
Leader:
And bitterness,
People:
And so much more.
Leader:
So our growth has been minimal,
People:
Our joy has not bloomed,
Leader:
Our peace has been stunted,
People:
Our impact on the world around us has been insignificant.
Leader:
Forgive our failures,
People:
And fill us with desire to live for you. Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader:
It is there for the taking.
Forgiveness for your sin;
Healing from your brokenness;
Love for the lonely;
Light for the lost;
Life for the dying.
It is there. A gift to be received.
It takes only the humility to admit your brokenness and the willingness to surrender your broken life to the Lord of love.
Will you seize this gift or will you continue in brokenness?
People:
Let us seize the gift.
Leader:
Amen.
Second option for this week.
Leader:
The unbelievable truth at the core of our faith is that God is love!
People:
Pure love.
Leader:
Receive this love now, and let it radiate forth from you.
People:
Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Let us bow our heads and pray. Gracious God, for all the blessing we take for granted each day, we thank you. For friends, loving families, nice homes, food to spare, and so much more, we praise you. You have blessed us. Now help us to be blessings to others by using these gifts to share your love. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
This morning we will use the Psalm as a basis for the Pastoral Prayer. You may want to explain that you will be praying the Psalm.
Let us pray: Answer us when we call to you, O righteous God.
Give us relief from our distress; be merciful and hear our prayer.
You have said that you have set apart the godly for yourself;
That you will hear when we call.
In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.
Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Benediction
Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Hymns
Abide With Me
Breathe On Me, Breath Of God
Close To Thee
Day By Day
Early, My God, Without Delay
He's Everything To Me
Hear My Call
God Speaks To Us In Bird And Song
I Am Thine, O Lord
I Hunger And I Thirst
I Love The Lord, His Strength Is Mine
Near To The Heart Of God
Nearer My God To Thee
O Lord My God Most Earnestly
One Day
Seek The Lord Who Now Is Present
There Is One Way
Thine Is The Glory
Thou Art My God, O God Of Grace
While I Seek Thy Protecting Power
Contemporary Choruses
Come, Now Is The Time To Worship, Brian Doerksen
Draw Me Close, Kelly Carpenter
Heart Of Worship, The, Matt Redman
Here I Am To Worship, Tim Hughes
I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, Martin Smith
I Give You My Heart, Reuben Morgan
Knowing You, Graham Kendrick
Other Music
I Go To The River, Ray Boltz
Wonderful song about how God refreshes us when we get weary and needy.
Love's Been Following You, Twila Paris
God is always pursuing us.
O Lord, Your Love, Caedmon's Call
A pure worship song. Great for a Sunday when you are preaching on thirsting for God.
