Home Service Sheet for 19 April 2020

Home Service Sheet for 19 April 2020

Call To Worship  Psalm 16:1-11

O Lord, our God, you are worthy to receive all praise, glory and blessing. You have created this world and everything in it, giving to us all kinds of good gifts. Help me to remember all that you have done for me, particularly in your son, Jesus Christ. May I not forget that you are always with me, throughout the day and night. Help me now to be aware of your presence,  to hear your word and to serve you in faith and obedience. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Sing or read I stand amazed in the presence by Charles H Gabriel

https://youtu.be/_sgSowQ1rzY

1 I stand amazed in the presence  
Of Jesus the Nazarene, 
And wonder how He could love me, 
A sinner condemned, unclean. 

How marvellous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvellous! How wonderful!
Is my Saviour’s love for me!

2 For me it was in the garden, 
He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine.” 
He had no tears for His own griefs, 
But sweat-drops of blood for mine. 

3 In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To strengthen Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.

4 He took my sins and my sorrows, 
He made them His very own; 
He bore the burden to Calvary, 
And suffered, and died alone. 

5 When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

The Lord’s Prayer

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 that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

1st Bible Reading 1 Peter 1:3-9 
2nd Bible Reading John 20:19-31

Reflection

Over the next few weeks we’ll be thinking about Peter’s first letter in the New Testament together. Peter was writing to a scattered church that had been driven apart by Roman persecution in the second half of the First Century A.D. Those to whom the letter was written would probably have been quite scared and anxious about what the future held for them, and so Peter speaks words of encouragement and hope right from the very beginning of his letter.

Peter reminds the believers of what Jesus did for them not only in dying on the cross, but also in rising from the dead in resurrection power. As a result of this we have a wonderful, living hope set out before us that cannot perish or fade, and that is being kept safe for us by God himself. The Father has shown this to us in his Word, and because it is his promise we can trust it completely. Whether we’re living in fear of persecution, arrest, death or coronavirus, we can trust that God has prepared for us a place to be with him for eternity.

Peter goes on to speak of the believers’ joy, which might not seem like something they would be experiencing. Joy, though, is not the same as happiness; rather it has been defined as deep down gladness. Although our life’s experience may be tough and full of trials, nonetheless we can still rely on the fact that God is in control and has prepared a better future for us with him. Peter also reminds his readers that through difficult times God is helping us to grow in faith so that it may result in God receiving the praise, glory and honour he deserves.

The final thing Peter shows us in this reading is the purpose of all that Jesus did, and also all that Christians may go through in life – “the salvation of your souls”. What does this mean for us, though? Using some of the insights given by God to the Reformers we can say that we are saved from the righteous judgment of God that we deserve because of our sins. 
• We are saved in Christ alone (in other words without Jesus dying on the cross and rising again to life there would be no salvation).
• We are saved by grace alone (it’s not because of anything we have done or deserve, but rather because of God’s undeserved gift to us).
• We are saved through faith alone (nothing we do could ever be good enough, and so we need to believe God/believe that Jesus, God’s Son, died on the cross for us and rose again from the dead, because only he could pay the price for our sin).

This ties in very well with the last two verses from our second reading from John’s Gospel. Here John sets out his purpose for writing the Gospel, which he puts like this: “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” This is the very heart of our Christian faith - to bring salvation to sinners, reconciling humanity to God in Jesus Christ. If we do not focus on this something is very wrong. May we remember what Christ has done for us, and proclaim the good news to others. Amen!

Prayers of intercession

Almighty God, I thank you for all the ways you are already at work in this world you have made. You sustain it and are in control at all times. I bring before you some things that concern me at this time, asking that you would hear my prayer:
• For all suffering from illness, famine or violence. Particularly for those with Covid-19 and all those who are caring for them in hospitals or at home.
• For all governments and world leaders. Particularly with the hard decisions they are having to make now in response to the global pandemic.
• For those struggling to cope at this time. Perhaps due to mental health problems, loneliness, domestic violence or poverty.
• For the church worldwide, mainly unable to meet together for worship. May you strengthen and encourage your people, and continue to build your church. Pray particularly for those seeking to find new ways of ministering to the needs of others.
• For people I know with specific needs at this time…
I offer these prayers to you, Lord God, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer of Blessing

Heavenly Father, thank you for this time I have spent with you today. Thank you for all that I have learnt from you. Now may you, O Lord, give my brothers and sisters in Christ peace at all times and in every way, and be with them now. May you also remind me of your presence today and in the days to come. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.