Sunday 25th April 2021 (4th Sunday of Easter)
The sermon and prayers were recorded at the morning service on 25th April 2021. Other videos are from earlier services.
Before you begin, take a moment to pray. Ask your heavenly Father to show you the grace of Jesus, and to fill you afresh with his Holy Spirit. Think of a few other members of the church (if you are from St George’s) and pray also for them.
Start of Service
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us:
so let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness:
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Christ once raised from the dead dies no more:
death has no more dominion over him.
In dying he died to sin once for all:
in living he lives to God.
Count yourselves therefore as dead to sin:
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ has been raised from the dead:
the first fruits of those who sleep.
For as by man came death:
by man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
for as in Adam all die:
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Confession
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
You have been born again, not of perishable seed,
but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,
hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you
and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name.
Amen.
Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness,
for by his wounds you have been healed.
May God who loved the world so much that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive you your sins and make you holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
bible readings and sermon
Today we continue our series in 1 Peter, about life as “God’s elect, exiles scattered…”
Our first reading is 1 Peter 1:3-9 and 4:7-13.
The Gospel reading is John 16:29 to 17:5
After the sermon, take time to respond to God’s Word to you. Whenever we hear from God a good practice is to think of TSP (“teaspoon”):
T for Thank You - what do you need to praise God for?
S for Sorry - what do you need to confess?
P for Please - what do you need to ask of God, for yourself and others?
creed and prayers
Today the prayers are led by Peter Pugh.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
commissioning and blessing
You have come to Jesus Christ, the living Stone,
rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him.
We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God’s special possession,
so that we may declare the praises of him
who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires,
which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives in this world that,
even if you are accused of doing wrong, people may see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Amen. [1 Peter 2:4,9,11-12]
The end of all things is near.
Lord, make us alert and of sober mind,
so that we may pray.
Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
In all things may God be praised through Jesus Christ.
To him be the glory and the power, for ever and ever. Amen. [1 Peter 4:7-8,10,11]
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the eternal covenant,
make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen. [Hebrews 13:20-21]
Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you are not a regular member of St George’s but want to connect with us, please please contact us via this page. We have Evening Prayer using Zoom every day (except Saturdays) at 5pm and you are welcome to join us. Contact us for details. Our Prayer page gives you Bible readings and reflections for each day and many of us are finding these such an encouragement.
Find out more about hope during the coronavirus pandemic.