Welcome and Opening Prayer
Good morning and welcome everyone
Today is the fifth Sunday in Lent and this is the second of our worship at home (on-line) services. You may like to light a candle as a reminder that Christ is present and say a prayer:
‘Loving God, abide with us. Holy Spirit, guide us in the truth and grace of Christ we ask. Amen.’
Sung Worship
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ is greater than our present circumstances. Listen and/or sing along to the following songs – just google them on YouTube or download on Spotify.
- Our God is greater (‘Water you turned into wine’)
- Jesus, be the centre
Scripture Reading
Read aloud the following verses from Psalm 130 (one of the lectionary readings for today)
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
Offering
If you aren’t already giving by automatic payment you could take a few minutes now to deposit your offering in the church’s bank account: ‘Tawa Baptist Church’ – account number, 02-0552-0180302-00.
During our gathered worship we normally stand while the offering prayer is made. We do this to signify that we aren’t just offering our money to God, we are offering ourselves as well. You might like to stand as you pray together…
‘Father God, our lives are in your hands. We thank you for all your provision. Make us fruitful for your glory we pray, in Jesus name. Amen.’
Birthdays and anniversaries
Our best wishes to all those who have had a birthday or an anniversary this past week.
While we are in level 4 alert for COVID-19, we are better not to post out chocolate fish. We’ll aim to catch you up when church regathers.
Notices
During the coming week you might want to get some grape juice and bread to have communion at home, next Sunday 5 April 2020.
Gospel Reading
Today’s gospel reading comes from the lectionary for the 29 March 2020. (A lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of Scripture readings appointed for worship on a given day or occasion.) This means today’s readings were chosen many months in advance.
Read aloud the following verses from John 11:17-45. (If there are others with you in your bubble, you might like to take it in turns to read a paragraph each.)
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two milesfrom Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Prayer
Follow the ACTS pattern of prayer. That is:
- Adoration – telling God what you like about him
- Confession – being honest with God about what you think, feel and have done. (This may include asking for forgiveness or expressing your feelings of sadness & lament.)
- Thanksgiving – thanking God for the good things
- Supplication – asking God for help, either for yourself or for someone else
More Sung Worship
Listen and/or sing along to the following songs
- ‘You are beautiful beyond description’ – view on YouTube or download on Spotify.
- ‘Greater than I’ – click on the following link
Sermon
You can either read the sermon notes attached to this email
Or, listen to an audio recording of the sermon via the following link:
Closing Song
Listen and/or sing along to the song, ‘Abide with me’ – either google it on YouTube or download on Spotify.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Benediction / Blessing
Proclaim the following blessing…
‘The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace. Amen.’
Tawa Baptist 