WORSHIP SERVICE INFORMATION FOR SUNDAY 04/24/2011
Praise the Lord people of God! This Sunday is Resurrection Sunday, when all of Christianity celebrates the foundational truth of our faith that Jesus Christ overcame death and the grave. As the songwriter said “because He got up, I can go up!” Join me in being excited about the good news of the Gospel. Please see notes at the end of this email.
Our preaching focus this week is on the motivation and result of the empty tomb, and why we should be celebrating this day and everyday. Here is our text…
TEXT: John 20:1-13
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,
7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
WHAT THE SERMON IS ABOUT: The power of love to elevate.
SUGGESTED CHILDREN'S MESSAGE: Footsteps Liturgical Dance Ministry
RESPONSIVE READING: #591 Love
MEMORY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds (KJV)
NOTES:
The Homegoing celebration for our brother Charles Dennis is as follows:
WAKE: Friday, April 29th, 6:00-9:00 PM
FUNERAL: April 30th, 9:30-11:30 AM
REPAST: Following Internment at Pine Grove Cemetery
ALL of the above will take place at
Greater Bethlehem Temple, 21 Light Street, Lynn (because Zion was previously rented out for a wedding). To all of those that I count on to help make these home-going celebrations successful, it is as though we were doing the service at Zion but it will be at Bishop Bennett’s church. We will have to do all of the planning and execution. (i.e. music, choir, ushers, food for after wake, clean up,etc.). If you have any questions about your role and how you can help, please call me. (617-980-1872 cell)
Hope to see some of you at the Good Friday Seven Last Word Service at Washington Street Baptist Church this Friday.(12-3 PM)
Finally, let me just say to each of you that really appreciate you and your work in ministry. We have a pretty busy schedule ahead, but I want to encourage you to try to pause and reflect this week because we are Children of God, forgiven, born again, and given the promise of eternal life. Therefore in spite of “the cares of this old world” we have a reason to celebrate—so let’s have a high praise celebration this Sunday. PS: We are expecting company this Sunday, better get there early, or someone may be in your seat (smile).
Bless each of you.
Pastor W. C. Hill