Call to worship
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Hymn StF 148 Come let us with our Lord arise
1 Come, let us with our Lord arise,
our Lord, who made both earth and skies:
who died to save the world he made,
and rose triumphant from the dead;
he rose, the Prince of life and peace,
and stamped the day for ever his.
2 This is the day the Lord has made,
that all may see his love displayed,
may feel his resurrection’s power,
and rise again, to fall no more,
in perfect righteousness renewed,
and filled with all the life of God.
3 Then let us render him his own,
with solemn prayer approach his throne,
with meekness hear the gospel word,
with thanks his dying love record,
our joyful hearts and voices raise,
and fill his courts with songs of praise.
4 Honour and praise to Jesus pay
throughout his consecrated day;
be all in Jesus’ praise employed,
nor leave a single moment void;
with utmost care the time improve,
and only breathe his praise and love.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 148 .
Prayers
This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Let us rejoice and be glad.
God is our salvation.
Let us rejoice and be glad.
In the presence of God and of one another:
Let us rejoice and be glad.
Amen.
Loving God,
we come before you in our brokenness,
and with our fears and doubts
We come seeking unity and peace.
Bind us together by the power of your Spirit,
that strengthened in faith, we may worship you in spirit and in truth.
In the name of Christ crucified and risen.
Amen.
Forgive us, Father,
for the times when our faith has wavered.
For the times we have demanded proof.
For the times we have doubted.
For the times we have put limits on your power in our thinking.
Give us the faith that believes.
Give us the faith that accepts.
Give us the faith that is ready to be surprised
by the immensity of your power and your love.
Amen.
Silence
May the living God
raise us from despair,
give us victory over sin
and set us free in Christ. Amen.
Collect Prayer
Faithful God, the strength of all who believe
and the hope of those who doubt;
may we, who have not seen, have faith
and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading John 20.19-31
19When it was evening on the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’
26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 27Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ 28Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ 29Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Hymn StF 316 When Easter to the dark world came
1 When Easter to the dark world came,
fair flowers glowed like scarlet flame:
At Eastertide, at Eastertide,
O glad was the world at Eastertide.
2 When Mary in the garden walked,
and with her risen Master talked:
3 When John and Peter in their gloom
met angels at the empty tomb:
4 When ten disciples met in fear,
then ‘Peace’ said Jesus, ‘I am here.’
5 When Thomas’ heart was hurt and grieved,
then Jesus’ wounds his doubt relieved:
6 And friend to friend in wonder said:
‘The Lord is risen from the dead!’
7 This Eastertide with joyful voice
we’ll sing: ‘The Lord is King! Rejoice!’
At Eastertide, at Eastertide,
O sing, all the world, for Eastertide.
- H. Hamilton (1886–1958)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 316
Words: © Oxford University Press. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.
Talk: Jesus says “As the Father sent me, so I send you”
In the Acts of the Apostles the arrival of the Holy Spirit is pictured as a seemingly noisy unmistakeable big event complete with howling wind and tongues of flame. Yet John describes the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples very differently. It is a very personal, quite gentle moment
Jesus breathes on the disciples. It is a very direct transfer of power– the life and energy that inspired and drove Jesus is now given the disciples when Jesus says to them “Receive the Holy Spirit”
The picture is a bit similar to the creation story in Genesis where God first breathes life into Adam. Here Jesus gift is to breathe new life into the disciples and to the Church.
The giving of the Holy Spirit is thought by most commentators to be the point at which the apostles are commissioned. The apostles are often thought to be the 12 disciples although there are actually now only 10 official disciples present. Judas has died and Thomas is we are told not there. Yet we need to understand what this apostleship means. We often picture the apostles in terms of men of status and power fitting of stained-glass window images or carved into stone statues adorning beautiful cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris.
Yet it is not clear that those commissioned and sent out are actually only the remaining members of the 12. It could be that there was a wider group of disciples including the women who are present.
We often think that the position of Apostle represents some exalted high-status positions that are occupied by Jesus’ chief lieutenants on earth. Yet actually, the name apostle refers not so much to a position as much as a role. The word Apostolein in Greek means the ones who are sent out.
Apostles are only apostles to the extent that they are commissioned by Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit and act in obedience to Jesus just as Jesus acted in obedience to God the Father.
Their mission is to continue the work of Jesus is pronouncing the forgiveness of sins. So often the Church in the past has seen itself as having a policing role enforcing its understanding of God’s law. Yet here in this passage we find the purpose of the principal purpose of the disciples, and the Church is to be agents of God’s grace. Yes, the apostles can determine who is forgiven and who is not. Yet we need to remember from Jesus teaching that we only receive and know forgiveness in proportion to our willingness to be forgiving ourselves.
The male disciples had failed Jesus pretty spectacularly so they above all people should be aware of the need to gracious to others if they hope that God will be gracious to them.
A song to think about – “Here I am send me” Darlene Zschech
Every knee will bow
Every tongue confess
Every heart will cry out Your Name
You are welcome here welcome
Every life will see the glory of our King
Jesus come and reign in our hearts
You are welcome here welcome
Holy Spirit come
Come in power
My life is Yours
My life is Yours
Holy Spirit come
Start a fire
My life is Yours
My life is Yours
God of heaven and earth
We long for more of You
Come and meet with us as we pray
You are welcome here welcome
Here I am send me
Here I am send me
Here I am send me God
You send me to the nations
You send me to my neighbours
Send me with Your love
Written by: Darlene Zschech, Andy Mak
© 2017 Integrity Worship Music & EWI, Inc & Native Tongue Publishing
CCLI: 7074926
Some questions to think about…
How do you imagine the disciples felt to be sent out by Jesus?
Do you think they were confident or anxious?
Have you ever felt that God might be calling you to do something e.g. help someone; do a particular job, etc?
If so, how did you respond?
If you said “Yes” to God what difference did that make?
Intercession
Lord, we live today in a troubled world,
where no one leaves their doors open any more,
where we feel we have to lock up everything that is of value to us,
where we are too afraid to use our possessions
for fear of damaging them, or having others spoil them.
Jesus says As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
May I be the answer to someone’s prayer today.
Lord, it’s not only things that can get damaged
but also people – in so many ways.
We pray for people whose lives are limited through ill health,
for those who find it difficult to believe there is a way out of their suffering.
Jesus says As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
May I be the answer to someone’s prayer today.
We pray for those locked into themselves through mental illness,
that they will receive the treatment and understanding they need.
We pray for wisdom for those who care for them.
Jesus says As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
May I be the answer to someone’s prayer today.
We pray for all those who have to lock their doors to dwell in safety,
for those who live in fear of war or natural disaster,
for those who suffer abuse behind locked doors.
Jesus says As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
May I be the answer to someone’s prayer today.
We pray for prisoners,
for those who have to be locked up for their own safety,
and the safety of others,
for chaplains who seek to bring your light into their lives.
Jesus says As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
May I be the answer to someone’s prayer today.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
We say together the prayer that Jesus gave us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn StF 303 I know that my Redeemer lives
1 I know that my Redeemer lives —
what joy the blest assurance gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
he lives, my everlasting Head!
2 He lives, to bless me with his love;
he lives, to plead for me above;
he lives, my hungry soul to feed;
he lives, to help in time of need.
3 He lives, and grants me daily breath;
he lives, and I shall conquer death;
he lives, my mansion to prepare;
he lives, to lead me safely there.
4 He lives, all glory to his name;
he lives, my Saviour, still the same;
what joy the blest assurance gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!
Samuel Medley (1738–1799)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 303 .
Closing Prayers:
God the Father,
by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead,
strengthen us to walk with him in his risen life;
and may almighty God bless us
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alleluia!
Go in joy and peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Alleluia!