(All our songs this morning are from Hymns & Psalms (H&P) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Thornton Methodist Church and led by Stuart Ayrton one of our Circuit Local Preachers.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
Call to worship
Come, embrace the risen Christ. Come, embrace the Prince of peace. Come, embrace his pierced hands. Come, meet your Lord and your God.
Song – 590 H&P – Now in the name of him who sent
Prayers
Loving Lord,
We gather here, and in this moment, to worship you. We come as we are – young and not so young, happy, sad, Worried, carefree – full of faith or maybe struggling a bit.
And we know that, here in this place, We will meet with you, and you will meet with us. Risen Lord, together, may we discover more of you, and experience your presence
Not only in our worship, but throughout our lives.
The disciples told Thomas, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But that wasn’t enough for Thomas; He’d already missed out once, and he needed to see for himself.
We gather today, determined not to miss out on anything you have in store for us;
Our doors and hearts are open to you, O Lord. Risen Jesus, meet us here today.
We need to meet you for ourselves. Come, Lord Jesus.
Father God, you are always there for us, Whether we feel it or not. Lord Jesus, you come to us today, and say: ‘Peace be with you’; We open our hearts and receive your perfect peace into our imperfect doubting lives. Holy Spirit, you lead us to the fullness of joy; We can’t wait to experience you more. Come, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
A prayer of confession with response.
Lord, the disciples came together, even though they were afraid. Forgive us for the times we keep ourselves to ourselves, Whether through fear, or any other reason.
Unlock our hearts to you, Lord. May we stop doubting and believe.
The disciples weren’t trying to lock you out; They weren’t even expecting you.
Forgive us for the times when we, consciously or unconsciously, try to keep you at a distance– When we just have ‘stuff’ that distracts. Unlock our hearts to you, Lord.
May we stop doubting and believe.
Thomas really wanted Jesus to be alive, but he hung out for his own experience.
Forgive us for the times we take second-hand information and miss out on the personal experience of the fullness of your presence. Unlock our hearts to you, Lord.
May we stop doubting and believe.
Sometimes we do come, but without proper preparation, Rushing into your presence, and not thinking much about what will happen next. Unlock our hearts to you, Lord.
May we stop doubting and believe.
Jesus freely gave the disciples power, through the Holy Spirit, To forgive people’s sins. And we thank you, God, for the touch of your spirit in our lives, The assurance of forgiveness when we truly repent.We unlock our hearts to you, Lord. You grant us your peace. Amen.
Song – 255 H&P – Crown Him with many crowns
Meditation
Denial
Peter, the Rock –
Who’d have thought it? When it came to the test of faith An ultimate failure –
At the sound of the three crows The prediction came true Denial
In the room after Resurrection The disciples gathered as always The one doubter Thomas – Put your hand in the hole in Jesus’ side Put your finger in the nail holes in Jesus’ hand. After this, there is no denial.
In this room of God We followers of Jesus How many doubters are there?
If you took the test of faith, Would you pass with flying colours? Or would you take the Easy way and turn Your back on the truth and deny The Lord, Your God…?
We now hear the familiar Bible passage telling a story about the disciple Thomas, the disciple I have great empathy with, he is known as the doubting one. I have also heard him referred to as the honest one.
Reading
Song – 202 H&P – Low in the grave he lay
Sermon
The risen Jesus appears among his disciples when Thomas is absent. Jesus breathes on them and says, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’ A week later, Jesus appears again and speaks to Thomas directly. Thomas cries out, ‘My Lord and my God!’ In the days following Jesus’ death and resurrection the rollercoaster ride of the disciples continues. They have moved from sorrow to joy, back to fear and then to faith sprinkled with some disbelief. We see Jesus addressing doubts, restoring faith, offering peace and the Holy Spirit. At the end of each episode of a gripping TV drama series, viewers are often left wondering what happens next. They may be shown a few tantalising scenes from next week’s episode, or they might want to stream the whole series and watch it all at once, such is the power of the programme’s appeal. When we realise that the Easter story is even more compelling, we can’t help being drawn into its drama. We know what happened next in, as it were, episode two. But, many episodes further on, we may wonder what happens next in our lives. The disciples in the passage today knew personal fear, locking themselves in a room following the crucifixion of their friend. But when the risen Jesus appears with them, Jesus speaks peace into their fear. And he sends them out. We all feel fear in particular circumstances, but Jesus can give us his peace by his Holy Spirit. This gift of peace can still our fears. Jesus’ death and resurrection were incredible then, and now to us. Jesus had spoken of this, and there are some prophetic hints in the Old Testament, but still it tests the faith of many people. It cannot be explained or recreated like boiling an egg – which can be seen, predicted, and explained scientifically. Thomas found it so hard to believe, he needed physical proof. Thomas was destined to doubt forever but Jesus intervened. Jesus shows by his actions that Thomas mattered to him, and Thomas believed. Jesus acknowledges that many people will believe without having seen him.
‘Fake news’, increasingly prevalent today, has us questioning all we hear. How do we decide what is true when exploring the Easter story? Let’s unlock some of the evidence: The testimony of Mary Magdelene who finds the tomb empty and speaks to Jesus; the testimony of the disciples encountering Jesus whose hands and side they see; the testimony of Peter and the disciples talking to the people of Jerusalem – they were all there. Also, there were: the prophecies in the Old Testament telling of the Messiah who will not ‘taste death’; the changes in behaviour of the disciples from fearful to confident; the longevity of the story particularly for us today; the effect of the story on hearers who just know that they know. Jesus says, ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ The truth of the Easter story comes by way of testimony, starting with Mary Magdalene who finds the tomb empty and speaks to Jesus in the garden. Would she, a woman, be believed? In the time of Jesus, that was unlikely – women were generally of little status; but Jesus called her name and showed her he had indeed risen. Then there was the testimony of the disciples locked in a room, afraid and disheartened. Jesus appeared to them, letting them see his hands and side, offering Peace and breathing the Holy Spirit on them. Their joy at being in his physical presence encouraged them and dispelled their fear. Thomas perhaps represents many who find it difficult to believe unless they see it for themselves. His scepticism contrasts with the faith of the others, but is a common trait that many of us will share. Yet, Thomas too came to understand and believe.
Out into the wider community, as the weeks and months move on, there is the testimony of Peter and the apostles talking to the people of Jerusalem. They testified because they were there. Their eyewitness account of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and of his appearing to them after his death, was real and personal; it could be recounted with enthusiasm and confidence. They had received the blessing of Jesus and the Spirit had been breathed on them. Thomas gets a bit of a bad press when we only remember him as doubting. There is evidence of the longevity of the story as it has been preached in churches down the centuries and is still real to people today. Surely ‘fake news’ would have been found out by now. Then there is the effect of the story on some who hear it and just know that they know. An inner realisation of truth, a faith that cannot be explained – but is real. As Jesus says to Thomas, ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ For hundreds of years Jesus has not been seen physically, but people trust and believe, recognising the values he taught and accept them for themselves.
So how do we measure truth? How do we decide fake news or living reality? On what is our faith built? Maybe on a story – but more than a story. A living, life-giving relationship with Jesus who offers us his Peace and his Spirit.
Curiosity is an incredibly strong human urge. We want to know Things we didn’t know before. The when, where, who, what and why. It’s how we learn and grow, form relationships, make progress. It’s why so many of us love to watch or read mysteries and thrillers, attend fan events for our special interests, or follow the latest scientific developments. It’s why journalism exists. And while it’s not always possible, we long to know and experience things for ourselves, first-hand, whenever we can. We want to be there in the room when the announcement is made; to watch the key scene before someone else tells us about it; to grasp whodunnit right as the detective does; to sit under the cherry tree as stray petals gently fall about us; to be pitch-side when the goal is scored. So, is it any wonder that Thomas, too, wanted to meet the risen Christ for himself, first-hand, before he would believe (John 20:24-25)?
We don’t always regard Thomas as a good example of faith, but are we always as eager to discover and meet with Jesus, or as quick to proclaim our belief once we have seen? Spoilers or trailers? Countries have always spied on each other and always will. They want to find out what’s going to happen next, so they can get ahead and prepare. Knowledge is power, jealously guarded to preserve advantage. Leaks like those recently exposed are at best embarrassing and at worst, dangerous. Thank goodness – thank God! – then, that this is not God’s way. Almighty yet gracious, our God sent us previews to announce the coming of the Messiah, like the prophecy in David’s Psalm (Psalm 16; Acts 2:25-32).
These previews weren’t spoilers but trailers to help us prepare to receive ‘an inheritance that is imperishable’ (1 Perter 1:4). This promise can’t be spoiled. Through Jesus’ life, God ‘attested’ further to that hope, ‘with deeds of power, wonders, and signs’ (Acts 2:22), many of them ‘written [in this book] so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name’ (John 20:31). Then, in Jesus’ death we see God give up power for our sake, with our reconciliation to God the victory prize, ‘a new birth into a living hope’ (1 Peter:3). We can’t be there in the room as Thomas finally grasps the truth but, as we read the denouement of this great locked-room mystery, we can ask God to unlock our hearts through his Spirit, so that we too can understand, and cry out with Thomas in response ‘My Lord and my God!’ (John 20:28). Coming soon: Glorious joy! How much more then should we celebrate and share the news of the ‘living hope’ we have through our faith, ‘more precious than gold’? (1 Peter 1:3,7)
Song – 213 H&P – This joyful Eastertide
Prayers of Intercession
Gracious God, who hears the cries of the forgotten, And sees those who are hidden: draw close. We ask for your loving kindness to surround those Who are struggling with anxieties, doubt or despair, And we pray that they may know your peace.
We ask for your unfailing, powerful love to pierce The outer shell of hearts grown hard, For those who once whispered your name But now seem unwilling to seek you.
We pray that your love might compel them To draw near to you once more.
We think of those at a loss as to how to cope With even the simple practicalities of life –and We pray for your empowering, and for others to offer help in appropriate ways, So that they might no longer feel alone. Have mercy, gracious God, who defeats death and sin. You overcome the darkness, you cannot be contained. Fill our lives today with the power of your Spirit. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Offertory
Song – 452 H&P – The God of Abraham praise
Blessing Lord Jesus, Walk with us through this week, support us when we try to see the truth In things that puzzle us. Give us courage to search for answers, And hold us in your unfailing and all-encompassing love, Each and every day. Amen.
