Worship Guide
April 16, 2023
Second Sunday of Easter
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “It Is Well” Stefanie
Centering Words:
Be not dismayed, for Christ is alive, bringing hope and joy to our lives this day. Alleluia!
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
People: Our hearts are glad and our souls rejoice.
Leader: Do not worry or fear, for Christ is alive!
People: In this place, we find hope and joy.
Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
People: Let us worship the one who brings new life.
Leader: Let us pray
ALL: Life-giving God, we gather today to celebrate the resurrection of your Son. We are grateful for the new life he brings. We are grateful for the hope and joy he shares. We are grateful for leading the way, as he goes before us. Gracious God, today and every day, we offer you our thanks and praise. Strengthen our faith, that it may sustain us during difficult days and enable us to share your love with others. Open our hearts to new life and new possibilities. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Hymn: “Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus”
'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, “Thus says the Lord!"
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
’neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Jesus said to the disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.”
Beloved children of God, you are forgiven.
May this forgiveness bring peace to your souls, your minds and your body.
Amen.
*New Testament Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-32
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
22 “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
moreover my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One experience corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
‘He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.’
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.
Leader: This is the Word of God, for the People of God
People: Thanks be to God!
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Living Hope”
Hymn: “More Precious than Silver”
Lord, you are more precious than silver,
Lord, you are more costly than gold.
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds,
and nothing I desire compares with you.
Lord, you are more precious than silver,
Lord, you are more costly than gold.
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds,
and nothing I desire compares with you.
Lord, you are more precious than silver,
Lord, you are more costly than gold.
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds,
and nothing I desire compares with you.
Sermon: “Fullness of Joy” 1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit,
into every troubled breast!
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Psalter: Psalm 16
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my
cup; you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a glorious heritage.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
the Lord is at my right hand;
I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul
rejoices; my body also dwells secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your godly one see the pit.
11 You show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy, in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
and to the son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Amen.
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision”
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
Great God of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys,
O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Benediction
