[NOTES: A leader should read the Scriptures and prayers in plain text. All should read together the words in bold. Headings and words in italics are for guidance and instruction, and need not be read aloud. All words of songs should be sung together. The lyrics in bold are repeated refrains. The worship guide works best viewed on a computer or tablet when possible.]
GATHERING
[God calls his people to worship him and prepares our hearts to hear his Word.]
Call to Worship | John 14:1-14
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
One: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
The tomb is empty!
The stone has been rolled away!
Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Risen Lord.
Death has been swallowed up in victory!
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?
Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
Come, let us worship the Risen Christ!
Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Risen Lord.
Death has been swallowed up in victory!
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?
Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
Come, let us worship the Risen Christ!
Sing: Jesus Strong and Kind
Jesus said that if I thirst
I should come to him
No one else can satisfy
I should come to him
Jesus said if I am weak
I should come to him
No one else can be my strength
I should come to him
For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus strong and kind
I should come to him
No one else can satisfy
I should come to him
Jesus said if I am weak
I should come to him
No one else can be my strength
I should come to him
For the Lord is good and faithful
He will keep us day and night
We can always run to Jesus
Jesus strong and kind
Jesus said that if I fear
I should come to him
No one else can be my shield
I should come to him
Jesus said if I am lost
He will come to me
And he showed me on that cross
He will come to me
I should come to him
No one else can be my shield
I should come to him
Jesus said if I am lost
He will come to me
And he showed me on that cross
He will come to me
Sing: All Things
This heavy load was never mine to bear
So I cast my cares upon You Lord
This weary road I've traveled for so long
Would You take my hand and lead me on
You are working all things for my good
You are working all things for my good
When I cannot see it God I still believe it
You are working all things for my good
When troubles come and nights are filled with tears
I will fix my eyes upon the One
Whose perfect love has conquered every fear
Hold me in Your everlasting arms
So I cast my cares upon You Lord
This weary road I've traveled for so long
Would You take my hand and lead me on
You are working all things for my good
You are working all things for my good
When I cannot see it God I still believe it
You are working all things for my good
When troubles come and nights are filled with tears
I will fix my eyes upon the One
Whose perfect love has conquered every fear
Hold me in Your everlasting arms
I see it breaking on the horizon
The dark of night giving way to the dawn
The day is coming and hope is rising
Your joy will be my strength
Your joy will be my song
The dark of night giving way to the dawn
The day is coming and hope is rising
Your joy will be my strength
Your joy will be my song
WORD
[God speaks to his people through the Scriptures in the power of the Holy Spirit.]
Prayer For Illumination
Almighty God,
through your only Son you overcame death
and opened to us the light of eternity.
Enlighten our minds and kindle our hearts
with the presence of your Spirit,
that we may hear your words of comfort and challenge
in the reading of the scriptures,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
through your only Son you overcame death
and opened to us the light of eternity.
Enlighten our minds and kindle our hearts
with the presence of your Spirit,
that we may hear your words of comfort and challenge
in the reading of the scriptures,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Scripture Reading | Ephesians 6:10-20
[Read the text together and then play the teaching video.]
TABLE
[God unites his people to himself as we respond to his Word.]
Prayers of the People
Gracious Father, every good and perfect gift is from you.
May we hold fast to your goodness
with joy and thanksgiving
even in these days of uncertainty.
[Take a moment to thank God for ways he has blessed you in the last week.]
Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.”
At your command, the sick were made well.
Come to our aid now,
in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus,
that we may experience your healing love.
[Take turns praying for each of the following:]
- Comfort for those who are afraid.
- Healing for those who are sick
- Provision for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers.
- Other people and situations God has laid on your heart.
We know you are the Prince of peace, Lord of lords, the King of kings.
We praise you for your goodness and your mercy,
And we ask this all in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.
Amen.
Sing: Lord Have Mercy
For what we have done and left undone
We fall on Your countless mercies
For sins that are known and those unknown
We call on Your name so holy
For envy and pride for closing our eyes
For scorning our very neighbor
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior
Lord have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us
Lord have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us
We fall on Your countless mercies
For sins that are known and those unknown
We call on Your name so holy
For envy and pride for closing our eyes
For scorning our very neighbor
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior
Lord have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us
Lord have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us
For what You have done Your life of love
You perfectly lived we praise You
Though tempted and tried You fixed Your eyes
You finished the work God gave You
And there on the tree A King among thieves
You bled for a world’s betrayal
You loved to the end Our merciful friend
How pure and forever faithful
For hearts that are cold for seizing control
For scorning our very Maker
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior
You perfectly lived we praise You
Though tempted and tried You fixed Your eyes
You finished the work God gave You
And there on the tree A King among thieves
You bled for a world’s betrayal
You loved to the end Our merciful friend
How pure and forever faithful
For hearts that are cold for seizing control
For scorning our very Maker
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior
Confession and Assurance
Let us confess our sins to God.
[Silence may be kept.]
As you have promised us in your Word so we believe, and find assurance:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[1 John 1:9]
Let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
[Silence may be kept.]
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name.
Amen.
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name.
Amen.
As you have promised us in your Word so we believe, and find assurance:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[1 John 1:9]
Let us pray as our Savior has taught us.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Communion
What I received from the Lord is what I deliver to you, that the Lord Jesus Christ, on the very night when he was betrayed, took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat. This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And in the same way after supper, he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to the disciples, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread, and whenever you drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again. These are the gifts of God for the people of God. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord in the gift of his Son.
[Those who are baptized may share in the bread and the cup.]
[Those who are baptized may share in the bread and the cup.]
Sing: His Heart Beats
His heart beats his blood begins to flow
Waking up what was dead a moment ago
And his heart beats now everything is changed
'Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through his veins
And his heart beats his heart beats
He breathes in his living lungs expand
The heavy air surrounding death
Turns to breath again
He breathes out his Word in flesh once more
The Lamb Of God slain for us is a lion ready to roar
And his heart beats
So crown him the Lord of Life
Crown him the Lord of Love
Crown him the Lord of All
He took one breath and put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
I know I know his heart beats
He rises glorified in flesh clothed in immortality
The first-born from the dead
He rises and his work's already done so he's resting
As he rises to reclaim the bride he won
And his heart beats
Waking up what was dead a moment ago
And his heart beats now everything is changed
'Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through his veins
And his heart beats his heart beats
He breathes in his living lungs expand
The heavy air surrounding death
Turns to breath again
He breathes out his Word in flesh once more
The Lamb Of God slain for us is a lion ready to roar
And his heart beats
So crown him the Lord of Life
Crown him the Lord of Love
Crown him the Lord of All
He took one breath and put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
I know I know his heart beats
He rises glorified in flesh clothed in immortality
The first-born from the dead
He rises and his work's already done so he's resting
As he rises to reclaim the bride he won
And his heart beats
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
He must reign until no enemy is left
The last enemy to be destroyed
To be destroyed is death oh
His heart beats he will never die again
I know that death no longer has dominion over him
So my heart beats with the rhythm of the saints
As I look for the seeds the King has sown
To burst up from their graves
I know I know he took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
I know I know he took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
How great how great is his victory
I know I know his heart beats
His heart beats
I know I know his heart beats his heart beats
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
He must reign until no enemy is left
The last enemy to be destroyed
To be destroyed is death oh
His heart beats he will never die again
I know that death no longer has dominion over him
So my heart beats with the rhythm of the saints
As I look for the seeds the King has sown
To burst up from their graves
I know I know he took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
I know I know he took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting O grave
How grave is your defeat
How great how great is his victory
I know I know his heart beats
His heart beats
I know I know his heart beats his heart beats
SENDING
[God sends his people out to love and serve him in the world.]
Closing Prayer
O God our fortress,
guard us against the enemy of our souls.
Grant us wisdom in your Spirit to see through all deception,
that we may walk in the light that overcomes the darkness.
Give us knowledge in your Son, the divine Word,
that we may remain steadfast in the truth.
Remind us that we are loved by our Father in heaven,
that we may know and believe that you are always good.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
Benediction
Go in peace, rejoicing in your risen Savior,
to live in the power of his resurrection
for the sake of his glory and his Kingdom here on earth.
Amen.
What Now?
If you have questions about Jesus and what it means to follow him, we would love to talk with you about it. Get in touch with us any way that works for you, call our office, send us an email, send us message on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We'll get back to you as soon as we can and find a good way to meet with you while maintaining social distancing, to pray with you and talk with you about your next steps in your walk with Jesus.
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Need prayer? Click here to send us your prayer requests, (personal or anonymous). If you want us to follow up with you, we'll be happy to give you call and pray with you.