Worship at Home - By Dave Elliott

Easter Worship at Home

Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!!

Alleluia. 

Prayer:

Come shout for joy, for the Lord is risen, he has conquered death. 

Hymn: Christ the Lord is risen today! 

https://youtu.be/cErtpg5hBSw?si=cSmB4KBUgUhMYFvH

Prayer:

Lord God on this glorious day we celebrate you, our risen Lord. You have conquered death and given us all the chance of everlasting life. You have conquered sin and given us the chance of redemption. You have shown us the power of real love that you give us that new life, that fresh start.

Amen.

Lords Prayer:

We say the prayer that Jesus taught us saying; Our Father who is in heaven....

Hymn: I know that my redeemer lives, what joy the blest assurance gives'

https://youtu.be/xMHv7zTxm8o?si=4nKD8SRD-kAv-QCe

Reading:

Luke ch 24 v 1-12

Address:

One of our Ministers in her devotions at our Preachers meeting at the start of Lent shared a tradition she had come across. It was for us to bury our Alleluias during Lent.  So she wrote the word on a piece of paper and gave one to each of us to bury til Easter Sunday. On this Easter day of course we bring out our Alleluias,  so many of our Easter hymns allow us to rejoice using this wonderful word, which means Praise the Lord.

This day is at the centre of our faith for it is at the heart of our belief about Jesus. If he has risen from the dead then surely all he has said and done in the Gospel is true. Jesus by coming back to life shows us he is the Messiah. In him we can trust not just for life after death but for eternal life beginning today when we reaffirm our faith in him 

I remember on Easter Sunday 1971 being at a Youth Conference in Birmingham.

On the Sunday we went to the service at Coventry Cathedral. We started our procession at the old bombed and ruined building and made our way to the modern cathedral. What a dramatic symbol for us all of new life, of love built out of the hate and destruction of war, a really strong and wonderful symbol of Easter day.

In our gospel story there is so much doubt about the fact Jesus was risen from the tomb. The women had gone to the tomb at the end of Sabbath to prepare the body of Jesus for burial. It was not there!! The angel told them Jesus had risen and they ran to tell the disciples. The disciples found this so hard to believe. There are so many people who do find the Easter story difficult to accept. Yet for me the fact that Christianity has been alive all these years means there must be truth in the risen Jesus. Far more important for me is that I know he lives in my life and is with me in all I do. What a great Easter joy that is. 

How special that when we face the thought of our own death there is a sense of hope in resurrection. Jesus said 'where I go, you go also' this is also important and comforting when we deal with the death of our loved ones. 

So have a Happy and Blessed Easter. I pray that for all of us this will be a time of real triumph over all that gets in the way of true living and that we will rejoice that Jesus is our King.

Amen

Prayer:

Lord we pray for all the times we have doubted you, when maybe we have been unaware of your risen presence in our lives, when we have felt we knew best. Forgive us Lord that some times the resurrection is hard to believe. We pray that today your risen power will be a reality and in all the days to come. We pray Lord for all whose lives are transformed by the risen Jesus as we seek to make a difference. 

We pray Lord for new life in our churches as we serve you and be your light in our communities. We pray today for your presence inspiring people to work for peace and hope in this troubled and divided world. We pray for hope for the end of war and the beginning of peace.

We pray for all the people we love and for the people we find it hard to love. 

Bless and be with all who are ill or who are sad. Pray that your risen power will bring them new life. 

Lord here our prayers for we offer them in your name.

Amen.

Hymn:

Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son.

https://youtu.be/lXzmjNE-yLA?si=L27H8zRMr3L6peOw

The Grace and Blessing of our Risen Lord be with us and with all God's people today and always

Amen.