Third Sunday of Easter)
4 May 2014
WELCOME:
We especially welcome family and friends of Bradly Blackwell, Jonty Lolait, Lachlan Horan, Lottie Noller, Tyler and Brayden Phillips, Adam Schwarz and Ashleigh Skilton who are to be confirmed this morning. We pray that you enjoy your time with our Saviour.
¯ THIS MORNING'S SONG'S OF PRAISE:
301, 156, 437, 577, (Choir 'Benediction'), 345, 271.
FIRST BIBLE READING:
Acts 2: 14a, 36-41
'Three thousand people repent and are baptised'. (NIV);
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd... 'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ'.
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call'.
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation'. Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
SECOND BIBLE READING:
1 Peter 1: 17-23;
'Set free by the sacrifice of Christ'.
Since you call on a Father who judges each one's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers and sisters, love one another deeply, from the heart.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
GOSPEL READING:
Luke 24: 13-35
'Jesus made known in the breaking of the bread'. (GNB);
On that same day, two of Jesus' followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about eleven kilometres from Jerusalem, and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; they saw him, but somehow did not recognise him. Jesus said to them, 'What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?'
They stood still, with sad faces. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, 'Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?' 'What things?' he asked.
'The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth', they answered. This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did. Our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and he was crucified. And we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to set Israel free!
Besides all that, this is now the third day since it happened. Some of the women of our group surprised us; they went at dawn to the tomb, but could not find his body. They came back saying they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he is alive. Some of our group went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they did not see him'.
Then Jesus said to them, 'How foolish you are; how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?' And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of all the prophets.
As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going further, but they held him back, saying, 'Stay with us; the day is almost over and it is getting dark'. He sat down to eat with them, took the bread, and said the blessing, then he broke the bread and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, but he disappeared from their sight. They said to each other, 'Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?'
They got up at once and went back to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven disciples gathered together with the others and saying, 'The Lord is risen indeed! He has appeared to Simon!'
The two then explained to them what had happened on the road, and how they had recognised the Lord when he broke the bread.
NOTES ON THE READINGS:
ACTS 2:14a, 36-41:
Peter in this Pentecost day sermon had already hammered home the people's part in rejecting Christ and crucifying him. Now he makes clear the enormous sinfulness of that act. The Jesus who rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God is none less than God's appointed Messiah. Upon the people's expression of guilt and remorse, Peter immediately gives the direction to go i.e. repentance. Entry into the kingdom of God is freely given to all who repent and believe the message of forgiveness.
Baptism confers, seals and guarantees God's acceptance of the sinner.
LUKE 24: 13-35:
St Luke gives us this warm and detailed description of a post-resurrection appearance of our Lord to show how the word of God makes Christ known. The two disciples walking from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus were utterly engrossed in their depressed disappointment over dashed hopes in Jesus' messiarship. The risen Lord himself joined them, unrecognised, explaining the necessity of both the death and resurrection in terms of the many prophecies recorded in the Scriptures. On reaching Emmaus, the two disciples invited the 'stranger' to join them. When he blessed the bread they recognised him. Their joy took them straight back to Jerusalem to spread the news among their fellow disciples.
Bible readings for Sunday 11th May 2014:
Acts 2: 42-47, 1 Peter 2: 19-25, John 10: 1-10.
1. Announcements:
This week in the Lord's Service - 4th - 11th May:
Parents please note: No Sunday School today.
Sunday School resumes 18th May.
Thursday - 10.30 am - Ladies Fellowship Group.
Saturday - 10.00 am - 11.00 am - 'Sing - along' time. 11.00 am to 12 noon - Choir practice.
Next Sunday - 9.30 am - Public Divine service - (Non Communion).
2. Church and Home studies groups:
This Wednesday sees the commencement of the Study series based upon 'A Hearing Heart' (The art of
Hermeneutics) - 11.00 am at 'Our Redeemer' and 7.30 pm at the home of Phil and Dorothea Worpel,
235 Scenic Road, Highton. All welcome to come along!!
3. Araluen 500 Cards Camp 2014:
The Araluen 500 camp is on again from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th July. Please see notice board near kitchen for details/application form.
4. Christian Life Weeks - Tandara:
Notice is given of upcoming CLW camps for youth 13 to 18 years at Tandara Lutheran Camp, Hall's Gap - 30th June to 4th July, 22nd to 26th September
and 29th September to 3rd October 2014.
For those interested, parents / campers letters and registration forms are available from the front foyer.
Coming up for your diary:
Friday 16th May - 7.30 pm - YPQ&A at the church.
Tuesday 20th May - 12.00 noon – Kaffeestunde.
Thursday 29th May - 2.30 pm - Worship service with H.C., followed by fellowship afternoon tea.
Friday 30th May - 9.30 am - Worship Team.
Tuesday 10th June - 7.00 pm - Church Council.