Pemberville
United Methodist Church
This Is Love!
Love That Forgives Our Sin
John 20:1-10;19-23
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. 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!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, …
19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
Heavenly Father,
We lift up our hearts to worship your holy name,
Thank you for your perfect plan of salvation, through your Son Jesus.
Forgive us for falling short of what you made us to be;
We have failed in our love for you and in our love for others.
In your mercy and love you came for us,
you died and raised up for us, victory over death and evil is yours Jesus.
When we find ourselves stuck, at a dead-end,
crossing a line we shouldn’t have crossed, ashamed to admit we need your help,
We know we cant do it on our own, we need your resurrection life.
We hear your calling and say yes, we want to give your our life,
We want to love you fully and follow you closely.
Just as you breathed on your disciples with the Holy Spirit, breathe on us.
We receive your Holy Spirit, we welcome your saving rule in our lives,
as we receive your forgiveness and you.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Love That Conquers Death
1Cor15:20-26
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving us with an unfailing, everlasting love.
Thank you for sending your Son to earth as our savior
because of your grace and mercy for us.
Jesus, we believe you laid down your life, willingly. You are one with the Father.
His love and your love are one. In your death on the cross, we see this love.
And in your resurrection we see the Father’s love that would not let you go.
Jesus, we say “Yes” to you today. We want to experience your love for us.
We want to be in Christ so that the Holy Spirit can be in us.
Come now, Holy Spirit. Bring your resurrection life in us.
Make our hearts that were dead in sin alive again.
Fill us with new power to obey you and to love you.
Send us into the world with this resurrection life.
Fill us with the hope that one day we will know this resurrection life in fullness.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Love That Makes All Things New
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new
Heavenly Father,
Our Creator and Redeemer, We praise your Holy name.
Thank you for Your love for your world.
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world
to rescue and to redeem us even though it is fallen and under the power of Sin.
Jesus, Thank you for taking the full weight of Evil upon yourself,
draining the poison and taking the sting of death.
By the power of your resurrection, new creation broke into this world.
Lord, we want to get in on this new creation. We want your life to overtake ours.
We want to be made new and to be set right,
By your grace let new creation begin in us today.
Make us stewards of your grace and glory.
Help us to share this hope, the true hope of resurrection and new creation with the world around me.
In the holy name of Jesus we pray.
Amen