Easter Sunday Morning Worship Service, April 12, 2020
Beloved Congregation of Seacrest,
There are several options available to you this Easter Sunday. The worship services at 10:30 and 5:00 will be broadcast live on Zoom. You can get both video and Audio by connecting to your Zoom App and typing in the ID Number. Or you can dial into Zoom, type in the ID Number and listen over your phone. The information for Zoom is available through an email sent out by the church office.
We are also continuing to post the worship service format on the web-site, with an audio recording of the Sermon. (www.seacrestchurch.com)
So whether we are together or apart, we will be worshipping the Lord our God in unity, joining in a chorus of praise to God.
You do not have to use this format, God did not prescribe a fixed format for worship. But we believe the following elements ought to be present in our worship and we hope that this format will prove to be a helpful tool. The goal of our worship is the glory of God.
Call to Worship: On your own, or together with your family, read the call to worship. You may find it beneficial to read it out loud. Let the words of the Scripture draw your heart and mind near to God.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you– unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Cor. 15:1-4 ESV).
Invocation: Spend a few minutes in prayer. The word invocation comes from a Latin word invocare which means to call upon or to appeal to. So in the invocation, we call upon our Father (Matthew 6:9), acknowledging that He is God, confessing that we trust Him. Ask Him to lead you by his Spirit in worship through the intercession of Jesus Christ.
Sing: Singing is an important part of worship. God desires it, (Psalm 96:1-2). We will be including the words of several familiar hymns. I urge you to lift up your voice and Sing to the Lord, bless his name, tell of his salvation from day to day.
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By Charles Wesley
Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth reply, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ has burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened Paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died, our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!
Apostles Creed: Christian, What do you believe?
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer: Take time for extended prayer. Don’t forget, prayer is talking with God just as you would talk with an earthly parent who loves you, (See Matthew 6:9-15). There is a model that God’s people have used for many years that gives a helpful outline for your prayer. It has been called the ACTS Model: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.
- Adoration: Begin your time of prayer by praising God. Praise Him for who he is and for all that he has done. (See Psalm 150 for an example)
- Confession: Confession is the act of agreeing with God about the things that we have done wrong. It is acknowledging what we have done that is displeasing to God. It includes things done, and things left undone. It includes our words, thoughts and actions. Confess them and ask God to forgive you. Be assured of his promise: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn. 1:9 ESV)
- Thanksgiving: Take time to be thankful to God. Sometimes in times of crisis such as these we forget to thank God for his many blessings. Thank him for your salvation, for his steadfast love, for his protection, his peace and provision, for our Seacrest Church family, to suggest a few things.
- Supplication: This is when you pray regarding your needs and the needs of others. Prayer for your family, your friends, your pastor, elders and deacons, missionaries, those who are ill. Pray for the spread of the gospel, and the building up of followers of Christ. This is also a time when you would pray concerning what is going on in the world, praying for those in authority, the Coronavirus pandemic. This is also a time to pray for God’s guidance, wisdom, protection, and opportunities to serve Him.
Give: God calls upon his people to give at least a tithe of our income and other offerings to the work of the Lord through the Church of Jesus Christ. By doing so we acknowledge that God is the Lord of our life, and that all that we have has come from his hand. We have recently made available Online Giving at Seacrest. You can do so by going to https://seacrest.breezechms.com/give/online, and following the directions.
Scripture Reading: We will be posting the Scripture passage that the sermon will be drawn from. Don’t forget, as I have often reminded you, God speaks most directly to his people when His Word is read. Take your time as you read the Scripture. You may find it helpful to read it out loud, (See Psalm 1).
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Click HERE to listen to the sermon.
The Text: 1 John 5:20
The Title: Why Did Jesus Come? So That You Might Know God!
Pray: Pray for your understanding of God’s Word and for wisdom and ability to believe what the Word of God says we should believe, and to do what the Word of God says we should do.
Sing: Close your time of worship with prayer.
Because He Lives
By Gloria and William J. Gaither
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
And then one day I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!
Please remember that you are deeply loved by God, (see Romans 8:35-39) and by us, (see Philippians 1:3-10). If you have particular needs, prayer requests, ideas, or just want to talk, I can be reached either at the church (561) 276-5533, or on my cell phone (561) 704-8333. If you would like a pastoral visit, please call and we will be happy to set up a time to get together.
May the Lord bless you during these difficult days!
Leave a Reply