Easter Service
Rexton Lion Nursing Home
April 24th 2011 – 2:30pm
Order of Service
Opening
Kathy L1 – I thought I knew God’s word well enough to recognize God’s Messiah at first glance, but I could not see him until I had hurt him, and until I was part of the group that condemned him to the cross.
Cecil L2 – I was just following orders. I was just doing my job. I didn’t really have choice. But my heart aches that I was a part of his suffering.
Galen L3 – It seemed like the world was out to get us. The world wanted to destroy us, like they crucified him. So I was hidden. I could not go to the cross. But something amazing happened as I made my way home.
L4 – After thousands of years people still talk about Christ’s resurrection, and even though I was not there it sometimes feels like I was. When I feel Christ’s presence in my life I feel like I am being resurrected.
Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat,
and the burden of the day.
Upon that cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me;
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess:
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.
I take, O cross, thy shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all the cross.
Scripture:
Psalm 22:1-18
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 “He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
Prayer of Approach
O Lord God,
We come in the wonder of this day. Today we come in worship and in praise, and together as your people we come to the open door of the tomb to encounter the living and eternal Christ, who is risen, and who calls us each by name.
Lord, we come to our good shepherd, who has laid down his life for the sheep and who brings us together as a flock, for tending care and even discipline; for both your rod and staff are a comfort to us.
Lord let us hear your voice as we pray. Lord, let feel your presences as we pray. Lord, revive us, renew us, resurrect us and make us a new and living people, born again through the blood of your sacrifice.
Lord, forgive us. Lord, forgive us for the times that we have looked for you in the wrong places. Lord, please forgive for the times we sought you by doing our own will and not yours, when we served our own ideas before we followed the guidance of your Law. Lord , forgive us for the times we have hidden our eyes from a neighbours sorrow, or ignored a stranger’s need. O Lord, help us to honour this day and know forgiveness that has come through Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, in whose name we pray.
Amen
Kathy – Reflection of a Pharisee: This man was said to be a troublemaker. He had stirred up the countryside, and even when he came into the holy city he was greeted by mobs with palm branches as if he was a king; as if he was the king.
But he walked with sinners, he ate with the unclean, and it was people like tax collectors and rough fishermen who followed him around. Every time he encountered one of us, a priest or any Pharisee he seemed to argue with us.
He was a lot like the rebel John the Baptist, who Herod had dealt with. Well, that should have been my first clue. John was not wrong, a little zealous maybe, but not wrong. He did not deserve death.
And I stood with all the other with all we thought we knew about God and God’s will. And when my vote came down in the Sanhedrin and I spat in Jesus face after Caiaphas tore his robes; did I condemn him, or did I condemn myself? I did not go to watch his punishment, or anything that followed. After he was taken to the hill outside the city called the skull, I pulled out the Isaiah scroll, and I read these words, and I wept for what my pride had caused me to do.
Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-6
1 Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Hymn: Lord of the dance
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth,
at Bethlehem I had my birth.
Refrain:
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
and I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
and I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.
I danced for the Scribe and the Pharisee,
but they would not dance and they wouldn’t follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John –
they came with me and the dance went on. Refrain
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
the holy people said it was a shame.
they whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,
and they left me there on a Cross to die. Refrain
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;
it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
but I am the Dance, and I still go on. Refrain
They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me –
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he. Refrain
The Lord’s Supper
Sacrament of Communion:
We come now to the Lord’s table, to celebrate the communion we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the Lord’s Table free to all who confess Jesus as Lord; for those who are joined to Him in the love we share as His people.
Prayer: Almighty God, we are gathered at this table, with these simple elements of bread and wine; and as a family at this table we seek a nourishment that these elements of food alone cannot provide. We seek your presence at this table, and that at this meal we can be gathered with you, and all those who proclaim Christ Jesus as your Son and our Saviour.
Lord, by the power of your Holy Spirit use these elements, crafting them to your purpose, that our spirits might be raised to give good praise to you in our lives. Anoint us with the power of your love, that in the celebration of this sacrament – given to us by your Son and our Saviour, Jesus the Christ – we might rise from this table full and deeply blessed.
Lord, hear our prayer, as we offer the prayer that Jesus taught us:
Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
Hallowed by 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 debts [trespasses/sins]
As we forgive our debtors [those who trespass/sin 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
Institution: As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church, so we have this testimony we share “That on the same night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said ‘Take. Eat. This is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me.’ In the same manner he took the cup – after they had sup – saying; ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Sacrament: Behold! The saving grace of Christ Jesus is this; “That while we were still sinners He came and died for us.” [Romans 5:8].
The Bread: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” [Matthew 26:26]
Bread distributed
The Cup: Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. . .” [Matthew 26:27, 28]
Wine/Juice distributed
The Apostle says: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord’s death until He comes”
Praise be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for by His body and Blood we can know salvation and be filled to overflowing with the joy of God’s love for us. Amen
Scripture: John 19:1-6, 17-24
1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face.
4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
“They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
Cecil – Reflection of a Soldier: As a soldier for Rome I have had to do terrible things. They ordered me to work in parts of the world that are far from my home and away from my family. Here in this part of the world we have to try and keep law and order, but our rules are not these people rules. They believe different things, and I don’t understand it most of the time.
But to see their leaders turn and treat one of their own people so harshly. And this man was not a thief or a murderer. He mostly gave speeches, and they were speeches about trying to learn to get along from all I have heard.
But some of the other soldiers, they wanted to make a mockery of him. They beat him, and one of them twisted some thorns into a crown and jammed it on his head so the thorns cut him. Then they all looked at me.
I grabbed a robe, and old dyed cloak and draped it over him. “There!” I said “A king need a robe!” The others laughed. Better him than me, right?
They took him away, I thought for good, but then we get the order to report to Golgotha, the place of execution outside the city. I knew we were supposed to execute a couple of thieves and the murderous Barrabbas, and for crooks like that I don’t mind doing justice.
But then I look up, and coming out of the city, the three of them, the thieves and that man, it’s not Barrabas, it’s that good man. Some people are yelling, others are crying. There is another man carrying the cross for him, because he looks barely able to walk. It was though the weight of the world was on him as he stumbled up to me on the hill.
And then the soldiers who had marched him to the hill threw him down, on the crossbeam at my feet, and then looked at me.
“Well, we’re waiting. Or are you enjoying the view?”
I looked into my hands. I’ve got the hammer and the spikes. I have a job to do . . . it’s just a job I have to do.
And I did my job.
Oh, what have I done?!
Hymn: Now let the vault of heaven resound
Now let the vault of heaven resound
in praise of love that doth abound,
‘Christ hath triumphed, hallelujah!
sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear,
repeat their song of glory here,
‘Christ hath triumphed, Christ hath triumphed!”
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Eternal is the gift he brings;
wherefore our heart with rapture sings,
‘Christ hath triumphed, Je sus liveth!’
now doth he come and give us life;
now doth his presence still all strife
through his triumph; Jesus reigneth!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Oh fill us, Lord, with dauntless love;
set heart and will on things above,
that we conquer through thy triumph;
grant grace sufficient for life’s day,
that by our life we ever say,
‘Christ hath triumphed, and he liv eth!’
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Adoring praises now we bring,
and with the heavenly blessed sing,
‘Christ hath triumphed, hallelujah!’
Be to the Father and our Lord,
to Spirit blest, most holy God,
thine the glory neverending!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Lord God, we thank you for the warmth of this place and the joy of our fellowship. Lord, we thank you for the people we gather with, who come from many roads of life, to be our brothers and sisters in this place.
Lord God we give you thanks for the joy of this day’s worship. We give you praise for the power of Christ Jesus, that he is risen and is with you in glory welcoming us in joy.
Lord God we pray for the world that does not know Christ, but we thank you for the chances we will have to share the good news in Jesus Christ with them. Help not to be shy, but to have courage and confidence in the truth. Christ has come, had died, is risen and shall come again in glory.
O Lord of peace, help us when we do not understand, and we struggle with each other. Help us to be patient with those who cannot understand our needs, and give us the voice we need to share our joys and sorrows, needs and hopes with those who care for us.
Lord God, Father of all, we pray for our families, and for all those who have loved us in our lives. We pray for this community and our home communities; and we give you thanks for all of our neighbours who still visit us, and to whom we are still dear remembered friends in prayer.
In our home Lord, we pray for healing and renewing of our spirits in you. We pray for the staff of this facility, who serve with your gifts to them. Bless them, Lord God, and keep them strong, give them joy in their own families, and forgive their occasional impatience with us, as they forgive us for not being patient with them.
Lord, in your mercy, keep us always in your loving grace, your enfolding wings; in Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Galen – Reflection of a dicisple: It took me a while to come out from hiding. I was with the disciples when the soldiers came, and I ran, like many of them did. I remember what they did to John the Baptist. I know what happens when people are taken away to courts in the middle of the night.
I ran because I wanted to live. I ran because I was afraid.
I ran and found a good hiding place. I hid there through the rest of the night, and even though I was terrified, I fell asleep there. I woke to the rooster calling to the new dawn. But there was no brightness to the day.
Not for me anyway.
I looked out from my hiding place, but I would not leave. It might seem safe enough but if I went too far, they’d catch me. I would not even look for food. And in that dark place I felt surrounded by fear, and it swallowed me that whole morning.
As the sun rose to the middle of the day I heard a great commotion. Curiosity got the better of me and I ventured out. I could see from that hiding place just outside the city walls to the hill where they held public executions. There were three of them on that hill. I began to think that if the soldiers had captured me, that I might be one of those poor souls being crucified.
But I never would have believed that Jesus was one of those men. He was so good. So wise and kind. So deeply strong.
And then the sky grew dark, and the earth began to shake. And it was then I knew what had happened. I returned to my hiding place, and I wept until the evening.
I ventured out again that evening, and this time made my way to the place were we had celebrated the Passover with Jesus. We were all gathered there.
On the first day after the Sabbath myself and one of the other disciples left to head home in Emmaus. It was about a day’s journey. He and I would return to the life we had led before.
But on the way we met someone who journeyed with us. By the time we reached Emmaus, all the doubts and fears I had bottled up inside since fear took hold of me in the garden were gone. I understood things as I had never understood them before. He explained all of the scriptures in a way that I could really understand them
We asked him to stay with us that night, to have supper at least. I invited him to break the bread and pray thanks for the meal, and when he did that the last part of my fear went away and I could at last see who he was. He was Jesus. He had risen from the dead.
And then he was gone, so we ran back to tell the others that we had seen the Lord.
Scripture: Luke 24:13-30
13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.
17He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
25He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Hymn: Thine Be the glory trans. R.B. Hoyle
Thine be the glory; Risen, Conquering Son
Endless is the victory; Thou o’er death hast won
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away
Kept the folded grave-clothes, where Thy body lay
Refrain:
Thine be the glory
Risen, conquering Son
Endless is the victory
Thou o’er death hast won!
Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly He greets us; scatters fear and gloom
Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing
For her Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting
Refrain
No more we doubt Thee Glorious Prince of life
Life is naught without Thee; aid us in our strife
Make us more than conquerors, through Thy deathless love
Lead us in Thy triumph to Thy home above
Refrain
Reflection: He was what the whole world was waiting for. All those centuries of looking for answers, in nature, in laws, in wars, in who we see ourselves to be as races, nations, people and even families.
There on the cross, over two thousand years ago, we were given the answers and yet people today are like people two thousand years ago; just looking past the cross, looking past Christ, and onto just something else.
Jesus died on the cross, and then rose to life from the grave. The reality of that scares a lot of people. They would rather not believe. They want to try and prove it wrong, or they have to try and prove it true, they have real trouble believing.
Other people say they believe, but then they don’t do much with their faith. They look for loopholes in believing in Christ so they can get away with all the things they want to do. Their faith doesn’t mean much to them.
It seems that even now after so many years of telling people about Jesus, and about his life, and his death, and most of all about his resurrection that people still cannot believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died take away our sins. Some people want to make believing in Jesus more complicated so they can control other believers; and then there are others who try to make it all seem so simple that believing seems to simple to really be the answer.
But I know it is. I hope you know this too.
Jesus died for you, because your sins made it necessary. Jesus died for me to for the same reason. I don’t know all of your sins, in fact I trouble keeping track of mine sometimes. But God’s love washes all those sins away.
We don’t deserve it, but I am happy that God loves me so much. I hope you know it too.
Come on, let’s believe in Christ, let’s love God like we are all brothers and sisters. That’s really why Christ Jesus came and taught us all those things and performed all those miracles and died on the cross and rose on the grave.
Rejoice! The resurrection is real! May God be praised. Amen
Commission and Benediction
18And Jesus came to his disiplces and said , “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
And now, May The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.