Worship Guide for Easter sunday (april 12th)

For information on these worship guides & instructions on how to access Kingdom Kids curriculum, please click HERE.

Tips for Working through the Order of Worship

We encourage that someone takes the lead in prompting through the prayers, reading, and discussion questions below, as many sections will have a “leader” and a response by “everyone.” Accordingly, each participant is encouraged to follow along on their own device (or displaying this on a screen everyone can see). *Underlined Text is meant to be read together, corporately.

ORDER OF WORSHIP

CALL TO WORSHIP
(Psalm 118, John 20)

Leader: Christ is risen!

Everyone: God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Leader: Death has lost its sting!

Everyone: God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Leader: Rejoice in this day of salvation!

Everyone: God’s steadfast love endures forever. Alleluia!

SINGING
Great Things
(The King’s Church)

RESPONSIVE READING
This excerpt comes from from the Heidelberg Catechism (learn more here and here), written in 1563 with a particular focus on how the doctrines of the Christian faith provide comfort & hope to believers.

Leader: How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?

Everyone: First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he obtained for us by his death.

Second, by his power we too are already raised to a new life.

Third, Christ’s resurrection is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection.

SCRIPTURE READING & SERMON
”The Risen Redeemer” (Luke 24:13-35)

DISCUSSION & PRAYER

Based on Luke 24:13-35 & Pastor Ian’s Sermon, discuss the following questions:

1. Where have you been “slow of heart” to believe the good news about Jesus?

2. Does your interaction with the Scriptures align with what Jesus taught here on the road to Emmaus? What would it look like for you to read the Word of God with Jesus at center of all of it?

3. What would it look like to walk in greater faith and confidence in this unique season with the good news of Easter in mind?

Spend a few minutes praying together for the following:

• Pray that we would be a church that believes & is transformed by the good news of the resurrection of Christ. Pray that our hearts would “burn within us” in faith.

• Pray for those who are in need of the saving work of Christ & the transforming power of the resurrection to turn to him in faith and repentance.

• Pray for the Lord to heal the sick, to slow the spread of the virus, and to be with all of those who are on the frontlines of care. Pray that the Lord would protect those who are the most vulnerable & to not allow fear & panic to dominate in our world right now.

CONFESSION OF SIN, COMMUNION, & ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*The Lord’s Supper is a meal instituted by Jesus for his followers to specifically remember his death on our behalf (see Matt. 26:26-28 & 1 Cor. 11: 23-26). Partaking in the bread and the cup together is a reminder of where our hope is rooted, and prepares us for the marriage supper of the Lamb that is to come in the New Heavens & the New Earth. Accordingly, only Christians (and Christians with a clear conscience) should partake in this meal. A confession of sin & assurance of pardon bookend communion below to capture our need and response to the death of Jesus.

CONFESSION OF SIN (John 20)

Leader: Merciful God, we don’t always recognize Christ, even when we are looking directly at your incarnate love. We cling to our assumptions about how life on earth should unfold, forgetting that life in your realm shatters those expectations.

Everyone: Forgive us when we go through our daily routine, forgetting to look for the Risen One. Open our eyes and our hearts, O God, to the full awareness of your presence with us, in each and every moment of our lives. We pray in the name of the Christ who is alive! Alleluia and Amen.

COMMUNION

Leader:
The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Acts 10)

Leader: The testimony of all the prophets is united in this message of good news:

Everyone: Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Rejoice, for our sins are forgiven!

SINGING
Christ Is Risen
(The King’s Church)

BENEDICTION

GIVING

In this unique & difficult time, it's important to remember that the Lord is still at work. We anticipate there being many ministry needs and opportunities in the coming days and weeks. As you are able, consider giving to support the mission & vision of The King’s Church.