Everything you need for April 24 online worship.
Preparations for Worship:
- Do your best to eliminate distractions like the phone, TV, etc.
- Worship actively! Whether you are by yourself or with others, try reading the parts of the service aloud (responses, lessons, and prayers).
- This service is for children too. Help them participate. Ask those who have that ability to read a prayer or lesson aloud. Take a moment to describe what’s happening. Ask questions. Encourage little ones to draw what they are hearing while you all listen. Unlike our more typical Sunday worship at church, you can pause at any time for questions and discussion.
- Before you begin, load each of the videos below. (You might first have to get past a distracting ad.)
- Pause for a moment of quiet meditation. Then pray:
“Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and speak your praise. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
CONFESSION OF SINS
The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you.
We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
We give thanks, most merciful Father, that you have received Payton as your own child and made him a member of Christ’s body, the church. Now, we pray, grant to him and to all your church on earth that, being dead to sin, we may live to righteousness and, being buried with Christ into his death, we may also share in his resurrection, so that, with all your saints, we may inherit eternal life; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
LESSON – ACTS 5:12, 17-32
12Many signs and wonders were done among the people through the hands of the apostles. With one mind, they all continued meeting in Solomon’s Colonnade. 17The high priest rose up, along with his associates (that is, the party of the Sadducees), because they were filled with envy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, brought them out, and said, 20“Go, stand in the temple and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life.” 21After they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began to teach. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin (that is, the whole council of elders of the people of Israel). Then they sent orders to the jail to have the apostles brought in. 22But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. They returned and reported, 23“We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were puzzled about them, wondering what could have happened. 25Then someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people.” 26Then the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles in without force, because they were afraid that the people might stone them. 27After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin. The high priest asked them, 28“Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring this man’s blood down on us!” 29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you arrested and killed by hanging him on a cross. 31God exalted him to his right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
GOSPEL – JOHN 20:19-31
19On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” 22After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
DEVOTION – REVELATION 1:4-18
CONFESSION OF FAITH
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings may be given on-line at tithe.ly/risensavior, mailed to the church, or dropped off at the church.
Our members have joined together in faith and love to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Guests need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Glorious Lord, You have worked the salvation of the world through the death and resurrection of Your Son.
Give strength to our praise, and let our hearts and mouths be filled with the joy of Your wondrous works.
Lord God Almighty, You stoke the fires of Your churches as lights in the darkness of this world.
As we gather in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, comfort and embolden Your holy ones to serve in Your presence and to cherish the words You have written to Your churches.
Heavenly Father, Your Son visited disciples hiding away for fear of the Jews, as well as John when he was exiled by the Romans to Patmos.
Sustain all Your disciples in the throes of persecution. Visit them with Your Easter Gospel, and give them their portion in the resurrection unto life everlasting.
Lord God of hosts, You have added believers to the Lord Jesus in all times and places, from those receptive and hostile alike. Shepherd the nations, and bring all peoples to embrace the Gospel of the resurrected Christ.
Curb wicked rulers and break their power, that all would be brought to the feet of Jesus in worship.
O Great Physician, even the shadows of Your apostles brought healing to the afflicted people of Jerusalem. Bring comfort and patience in sickness to Samantha Timm as she waits to get on the liver transplant list.
As we rest under the shadow of Your wings, heal Your afflicted servants, that they would rejoice in Your steadfast love.
Father in heaven, there are over a billion people in India who do not know and confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Through the faithful preaching of your saving Word, move them to repentance for their unbelief and sin. Soften their hearts of stone and give them hearts of faith. Bless the faithful service of the pastors who have been trained in the seminary program in India and now serve local congregations, children’s homes, and a school of 200 students. As they provide basic needs for children, provide opportunities to speak about the greatest need of knowing and believing in Jesus and the hope of eternal life we have in him.
Help our national church body to make God-pleasing decisions in how to support this important mission work in India.
We implore You, O Lord, to sanctify and keep y our people in the truth. Your Word is truth. Preserve us from false teaching; bring us to repentance for every place where love or zeal has faltered; grant us and our children bold and steadfast hearts to remain faithful to this confession and church, suffering all rather than to fall away from it; and unite us with all Christians in a true confession of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray…
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 forever and ever. Amen.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.