The Season of Easter: A Promise That Cannot Wait

Opening Announcements — Rev. Johan Dodge

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship!

Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact

with this growing community of faith. And so if you are joining us for

the first time, I say to you what I say every Sunday. You are welcome

here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of

God for God’s Very Good Creation.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be 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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Let us unite our hearts in prayer, saying,

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the church throughout the world, that as we celebrate the great

fifty days of Easter we may renew our faith and strengthen our

witness in Jesus ‘name.

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For pastors, teachers, and ministers, especially our bishop Dotti

Escobedo-Frank. our District Superintended Sandy Olewine, that they

recognize the risen Christ in Word and Sacrament and lead your

church with wisdom, humility, and courage;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the governments of the world and its leaders, especially

President Biden, Governor Newsome; that they may resist the sin of

corruption and serve the common good;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our planet Earth, that all people may be good stewards of its

resources and share in its abundance;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the poor and the stranger, that they may receive a place of refuge

and hope, and that the church may offer the hospitality the first

disciple offered to Jesus on the road to Emmaus;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For the sick and those in distress, that they may find healing for their

pain and be restored to fullness of life;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our neighbors, that we may live together in peace and share in

our resources;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer.

For our enemies, that they may receive good things, and that we,

your servants, not return evil for evil;

God of resurrection, hear our prayer. Almighty God, receive these prayers we offer, and by the power of

your Holy Spirit make us witnesses to the glorious resurrection of

Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Amen.

Lord, you opened the meaning of the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and set their hearts ablaze. By the power of your Spirit kindle our hearts as we hear your word proclaimed, that we may receive you with joy. Amen.

Acts 2:¹⁴a, 36-41 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ³⁶ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” ³⁸Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” ⁴⁰ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 1 Peter 1:17-23 ¹⁷ lf you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. ¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. ²² Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. ²³ You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. Luke 24:¹³-35 13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹ He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²² Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” ²⁵ Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. ²⁸ As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” ³³That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Rev. Johan Dodge

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

After Jesus has revealed himself to his disciples and they recognize

Jesus for whom he is, Jesus disappears, the disciples are left to look

back on their afternoon with Jesus and declare: — Were not our

hearts burning within us? As we walk the life of following Jesus, we

too will have moments when our hearts were burning within us. Have

you had an Emmaus experience?

music composed and played by John Fluker, pianist

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Taylor White

Bountiful are God’s gifts to us. In gratitude, let us offer our hearts and

the fruit of our labor to God’s service.

Almighty God, by your grace, accept the fruit of our labor and the offering of our lives. Let us be a sacrifice of thanksgiving in union with our risen Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever. Amen.

May the grace of Jesus Christ our risen Lord, the love of God who raised him from the dead, and the power of the Holy Spirit who fills the world with new life bless and keep you. Alleluia! Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.