Acts 9:36-43 Peter's ministry of prayer to raise Tabitha
Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd
Revelation 7:9-17 The Lamb will be their shepherd
John 10:22-30 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
10 All people that on earth do dwell
16 The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want
42 From all who dwell below the skies
81 The king of love my shepherd is
105 The great love of God
158 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
165 What a friend we have in Jesus
179 Christ is the world's true light
183 I danced in the morning when the world was begun
470 I'm not ashamed to own my Lord
479 Give me the faith that can remove / and sink the mountain to a plain
571 A new commandment
SA Lord of earth and all creation
Visions of Hope
In this Easter season of hope, the readings give us a vision of Christ as the
shepherd of a flock which unites people of all nations. It is a promise of peace
and wholeness -- God will wipe away every tear from their eyes [Revelation
7:16-17]. There were wartime songs with words like "There'll be love and laughter,
and peace ever after", but the benefits of peace came only after enormous sacrifice.
Neither did the visions of peace and victory in the Bible come without suffering
and sacrifice?
Jesus won the great victory over the enemies of humankind. In the vision of
the Revelation, he is seen as a king seated on the throne, but he is
called `the Lamb' -- The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
[Revelation 1:4-6; 7:10-12; 21:3-5; John 1:29]. Lambs were sacrificed in ancient
worship. Jesus is called the Lamb of God because his victory was won through
sacrifice. [John 15:13; Romans 5:7-8; Hebrews 10:4-7,10] When we share in the
blood of Christ we share in his life. [Leviticus 17:11,14; Matthew 26:27-28;
John 10:27-28]
The Gathering of the People of God
CALL TO WORSHIP
I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every
nation, ....robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out
in a loud voice, saying,
"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the
Lamb!"
And [with] all the angels ...around the throne ...they fell on their faces
before the throne and worshipped God, singing,
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and
power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." -- Revelation
7:9-12
HYMN 42 From all who dwell below the skies
PRAYER OF ADORATION
CONFESSION
Merciful God, our Maker and our Judge,
We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed:
We have not loved you with our whole heart,
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
We repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us. Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness
of life;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners. -- 1 Timothy 1:15
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us: Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
DOXOLOGY: Gloria in Excelsis [Front of Hymn Book]
Service of the Word
INTRODUCTION OF THEME: After struggle and death, visions of hope and loyalty.
A word to the children
FIRST READING Acts 9:36-43 Peter's ministry of prayer to raise Tabitha
HYMN 16 [Psalm 23] The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want
FOR THE EPISTLE Revelation 7:9-17 The Lamb will be their shepherd
GOSPEL John 10:22-30 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
HYMN 179 Christ is the world's true light
SERMON
NICENE CREED
OFFERING
SHARING TIME
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Thanksgiving for peace, loyalty and sacrifice.
General intercessions and for peace
For the Peace of the World
Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:
kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all people the true love of peace;
help the nations of the world to work out their differences.
God of the nations, whose kingdom rules over all:
have mercy on our broken and divided world;
Do not let threats multiply or power be used without compassion;
banish the spirit that makes for war that all nations and peoples
may learn to live as members of one family, and in obedience to your laws, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
The Lord's Supper
THE PEACE
HYMN 105 The great love of God
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Thanks and praise ..... in the eternal hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We thank you ....
[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]
THE LORD'S PRAYER
BREAKING THE BREAD
THE LAMB OF GOD
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy
on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us peace.
COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
The Sending Forth of the People of God
HYMN 183 I danced in the morning when the world was begun
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.
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