Description
John 20:19-31
John recounts two appearances of Jesus to his apostles following the resurrection. He brings messages of peace and forgiveness. He reveals that he is sending them out. He breathes on them the Holy Spirit. Thomas, who is not at the first appearance, doubts and wants evidence. Jesus shows him and Thomas believes. Jesus blesses all those who have believed but not seen.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Time of Praise and Worship
Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)
Wilbur Chapman, Mark Hall, & Michael Bleecker, © 2009 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) My Refuge Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC)
It Was Finished On The Cross
Jonny Robinson | Nigel Hendroff | Rich Thompson, © 2021 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), CityAlight Music (Admin. by Integrity Music
Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)
Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford, Gabriel Wilson, Jenn Johnson, Joel Taylor, & Kari Jobe, © 2013 KAJE Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Worship Together Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Bethel Music Publishing
[Traditional Options]
Christ the Eternal Lord
LSB 829; WAR 339
O Savior, Precious Savior
ELW 820; HLC 98; LBW 514; LSB 527; LW 282
The Strife Is O’er
BH 91 172; CHH 221; EH 208; ELW 366; HLC 161; LBW 135; LSB 464; LW 143; NCH 242; PH 119; RS 587; WC 233; UMH 306; WAR 290
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
O Father, majestic is your name!
Worshipers
From the rising of the sun to its setting your name is to be praised Merciful God, Gracious Lord.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Hear us in the name of Your Son. For He has promised that where two or three of us are gathered in Your name He would be with us, and our prayer would be heard.
Worshipers
Hear us in the name of Your Son. For He is the revelation of your wisdom, the outpouring of your glory, the incarnation of your mercy toward us and the whole human race.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Light of Christ, awaken us this hour to the glory of your presence in our midst. Shine among us in such a way that the darkness without and within may be pushed back, such that we might truly see what is really real.
Worshipers
To you be the glory, All praise and honor, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God, now and evermore.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Praise the Lord! Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Resurrected God, though we have hidden ourselves in a locked room and huddled together as ones who build barriers, send your Living Word through our locked doors and into our guarded hearts that we might be witnesses of your grace and couriers of your goodness. By the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us the trust to believe the Gospel not because we see it but because we have been seen by it and transformed through it. In Your Holy Name, we pray, Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord we confess. In the risen Christ you broke the power of sin and evil. And yet we still live in the tombs of forgetfulness, anxiety and fear.
Worshipers
We have failed to love You as we should. We have neglected to love our neighbor. Indeed, we have even failed to love ourselves
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, I have betrayed you by following my own way. I have denied you by fearing to follow yours.
Worshipers
And I have mocked you by not taking your death and resurrection seriously. Lord, I am lost.
Let your forgiveness find me.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Almighty Father: we enter your presence confessing the things we try to conceal from you and the things we try to conceal from others.
Worshipers
We confess the heartbreak, worry, and sorrow we have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive us, the times we have made it easy for others to do wrong, the harm we have done that makes it hard for us to forgive ourselves.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord have mercy and forgive us through Christ. Amen
Worshipers
Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Peter spoke to the disciples who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He reminded them of the prophet Isaiah’s words that death would not hold Jesus, nor would His body see decay
4 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
