“Worship from Home”

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Brothers and Sisters; Grace and Peace to you! Welcome to worship from home. I am glad you are able to join me this morning as we bring glory, honour and praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. It does not matter where you are this morning, what you are wearing, how you are feeling, or what you may be dealing with; know that you are welcome here. Ask Him to meet you where you are today! He loves you and longs for a deeper relationship with you. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds for worship to our Lord and Saviour!

Call to Worship:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.”

“How fitting these words of comfort and praise are during these times which can cause us much anxiety and confusion and frustration. He is our Strength, and we should always FIRST seek His face... not only when trouble comes. Let’s always come to Him first, not only as a second or last option! Glory in His Holy name. Look to the Lord in His strength and love!” Let’s Pray!

Opening Prayer:
Abba Father, what a week it has been! Many of us do not even have words to describe the pain from this last week. Even though we hear this terrible news, we still need to remind ourselves that you are in control. You are a Good Good Father, and we need to remind others about your love and peace, which you can bring. You have the power to restore the broken hearted, and we lift to you all who have been affected. May they feel an overwhelming peace from you. Father, we gather together, from our different homes, and we worship you together as one family of God. Even though we miss one another, we have hope that we will one day come together again. As we bring our praises to you, reveal to us ways we can be used for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Songs of praise:

In whatever way, sitting, standing, listening, meditating or singing, I invite you to join me in some songs of praise this morning. Just click the link and it should bring you to our music this morning. Let’s sing to the Lord.

• “Everlasting God” 

• “Great Are You Lord”

• “I Need Thee Ev’ry Hour”

Prayers of the People

      Father, we come to you today and we give you thanks for who you are. We are thankful that you are good. We come to you today admitting that we indeed need you! Where would we be without you? Some of us come with thankful hearts; some come with a song of praise, while others may come to you with heavy hearts. Many of us feel the pain and intense sadness and we think of those families affected by the shootings. May you peace and comfort shine in the midst of darkness and may your presence be made known to the hearts of those who mourn. May they look to you and lean on you, for you are our great comforter.

            Father, we also pray for those who are still at work during the COVID-19 pandemic and we pray for them. May you protect them from harm and be with all of their families. For those who are feeling anxiety, frustration, impatience, cabin-fever, remind us of your goodness and that you have not left us. You are with us, for you tell us in your Word to “fear not for I am with thee, be not dismayed.” We have hope that you are always with us and we do not have to walk through life alone. Thank you for your daily presence. We now pray the prayer you taught us to pray saying: “Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory Forever and ever, Amen.”

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 63:1-3:

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”

Song:

• “Lord I Need You”

Meditative Thought: “What Have I Learned?”

      Friends, I look forward to sharing a word with you each week. You could say it is one of the highlights, along with the phone calls. I enjoy talking with each one of you and praying for you. While we cannot meet in person, it is a blessing to have this technology where we can connect virtually. This morning, I want to share something God has put on my heart.

      Recently, I have heard a great amount of discussion online from people wondering when life is going to get back to normal. That got me thinking “should life go back to normal as we know it?” There is so much that we can learn from this pandemic. Sometimes, we don’t really know our blessings until they are taken away. I said that once when we lost power during a winter storm. When we had power, did we take the time to appreciate it, or did we just take it for granted? There are many things that I have taken for granted and not even realized it. When these restrictions are lifted and I can visit my family once again, I will savor the visit. The next time I hug someone at church, I will take the time to let them know how much I appreciate their friendship. I have learned not to wish my days away because life is short. Sometimes we can get caught up in our day-to-day tasks and we say ‘we need a break.’ Now we are living that reality. When things resume, may we remember to take each new day and give thanks to God for another day to serve Him.

      It is a blessing to be able to attend church. Maybe we have taken that for granted and not thanked God for the freedom of going to church for worship. There is a lot we can learn. What has God been teaching you during this time? Compassion? Patience? Forgiveness? What are some things that maybe you have taken for granted that will change your way of life when this is over? Should we go back to normal, or should we find a new normal and embrace all of God’s blessings? I know I could be doing better. Our scripture tells us that the writer of the Psalm earnestly seeks God. May we also follow his example, and seek God during this time. Together, let’s learn to be more forgiving, more thankful, more loving and more patient. Let’s take nothing for granted. I challenge you…let’s not go back to normal after the pandemic. Let’s find a new normal together and embrace each new day given to us by our Heavenly Father. Amen.

Let’s lift our voices once more this morning! Brothers and Sisters, remember, no matter what you are going through today, know that Jesus loves you. Morning by morning there are new mercies! All that we have needed, God provided before we knew what we needed! He is faithful. He gives us strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow! What a wonderful loving Father we serve!

• “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

Benediction:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

***God Bless you! Anytime you would like prayer or if you have a prayer request, I am only a phone call or e-mail message away. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a safe and blessed Lord’s day.

– Pastor Stephen Wheaton

“Worship from Home”

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Brothers and Sisters; Grace and Peace to you! Welcome to worship from home. I am glad you are able to join me this morning as we bring glory, honour and praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. No matter where you are this morning, what you are wearing, how you are feeling, or what you may be dealing with; know that you are welcome here. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds for worship to our Lord.

Call to Worship: (Psalm 63:1-3)

 “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”

Opening Prayer:

Oh Holy Lord, you are worthy of all of our praises. You reign in majesty above us and are our Lord forever. We thank you for allowing us to be graced by your presence today, hallowed be your name. Accept our love and adoration in Jesus’ name. We pray, Father that you will always light our way with your presence. May all people see your glory through us and come to worship you as the living God. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Worship in Song:

In whatever way, sitting, standing, listening, meditating or singing, I invite you to join me in some songs of praise this morning. Just click the link and it should bring you to our music this morning. Let’s sing to the Lord.

• “Lord Most High”

• “Good Good Father”

• “Jesus Paid It All”

Prayers of the People

Gracious God, we offer thanks for this day and for the opportunity to worship you, even in this way online. During this time, may we be able to put aside the concerns of our daily lives, let go of all the things that stir up worries and simply be present here to your Spirit and your words. With all the happenings in our communities, may we remember the words of your psalm: “May we be still and know that you are God.” Lord, we bring to you our concerns for peace in our community and the world. We think of those who are still at work and we pray for their safety. May you protect their families. For those affected in nursing homes, I pray that you would be with the residents and all the care workers. Be with those who have experienced a death at this very trying time and I pray that you would bring only a peace that comes from you. May those affected be assured of your presence today and may they feel your comfort. For those who are feeling overwhelmed and impatient during this time, I pray that you would surround them with your love and remind them that there is hope. We can know this because Jesus is alive and is victorious over death. Through your strength and power, teach us to be still yet again and know that you are God. For those in our church family who is suffering through anxiety, depression, uncertainty, facing illness, I pray that you would comfort them. Thank you, Lord, for being the great comforter. Remind them of your love for them. Jesus paid it all for us, and we thank you for that gift! May we always remember what He did for us. We can have hope, because He is living hope. Thank you for this time we can share with our church family over media. It can be a blessing! May you bless each home today. Bless our hearts and open our eyes, ears and heart to your Word. This we offer in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture:

Philippians 2:9-11:

“No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.” For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Hymn: “O How He Loves You and Me”

Devotion: “What’s More Important?”

      Here we are…the week after Easter. There are many people who assume that Easter is finished for another year. They had their Easter dinner, they observed the meaning of the holiday (in a different way this year), and stated that it is done! I read a post on Facebook recently that said “Easter is over, now what?” The fact is that it has only just begun. Friends, we serve a Risen Saviour! Just because the ‘holiday’ has passed, the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection has not! Last week, someone asked me “What do you suppose is more important? Christmas or Easter?”  To be honest, all I could say is that they are both important. They are both the most joyful celebrations of the year for Christians. Most churches focuses a great deal on Advent leading to Christmas and Lent leading to Easter.

      I came across a daily bread reflection quite some time ago along the same topic. It said that a woman walked into church on Easter morning and said “Happy Christmas”, and corrected herself by saying “Happy Easter.” Her friend smiled and said “Can’t have one without the other.” At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation (how God took on flesh and came into the world) because the world was in need of a Saviour. John 3:16 explains this is how God loves the world: He gave His Son!

      At Easter, we celebrate that Jesus is not here…He is not dead…. He defeated death in our place. He lives! You see, both of these events were part of God’s great plan from the beginning of time. Jesus was born to die on the cross for our sins and to conquer death so that we could live. Which event is more important? Both are essential and it points us to the love of our Father! Easter is not finished just because the stores have stopped selling chocolates and the date of Easter has passed. Easter continues because we serve a Risen Saviour who has suffered on the cross of Calvary so we could have everlasting fellowship with the Father. These events prove how much God loves us.

      ‘He loves me!’ Say that aloud, believe and trust that promise and spread it to those who are struggling with hope today. Amid the turmoil and storm, know that He lovingly walks beside us and leads us through it all. Jesus is our hope! I read that “Christmas and Easter are two chapters of the same book.” Through both of these celebrations, it points us to His great love for us. Stand firm today knowing that no matter what the world throws at us, Christ is our sure and steady anchor. Not even death could contain Him. In our weakness, rest in His strength. In our hopelessness, rest in His hope. When we are lost, remember His love. He has risen for you and me. Because He lives, we have the hope of eternal life through Jesus’ power over death. Amen.

Let’s lift our voices once more this morning! Brothers and Sisters, remember, no matter what you are going through today, know that Jesus loves you. How Deep is His love, How Vast it is beyond ALL measures, that He would give His only Son, to make a wretch (us) His treasure! Wow…what love.

• “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us”

Benediction:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

***God Bless you! Anytime you would like prayer or if you have a prayer request, I am only a phone call or e-mail away. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a blessed Lord’s day, and stay safe. 

– Pastor Stephen Wheaton

“Worship From Home”

Sunday, April 12, 2020
Easter Sunday

Brothers and Sisters; Grace and Peace to you! I want to wish each of you a Happy Easter! Welcome to worship from home. I am glad you are able to join me this morning as we bring glory, honour and praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. No matter where you are this morning, what you are wearing, how you are feeling, or what you may be dealing with; know that you are welcome here. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds for worship to our risen King.

Call to Worship (Responsively proclaim):

• Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, the Lord has Risen! He has Risen indeed! The Lord has Risen! Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? Death has been swallowed up in victory. Christ has Risen indeed! Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has Risen! He has Risen indeed! Alleluia!

Opening Prayer:

Living God, on this most joyous day we offer our thanks and praise to you; creator of heaven and earth, creator and lover of all humanity. We praise you for Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the world. Born of a human, He shares our life. Eating with sinners, He welcomes us. Leading His followers, He guides us. Dying on the cross, He rescues us. Risen from the dead, He gives new life. We could never be thankful enough for this incredible gift. Accept our praise as we worship you this most holy day, because we have so much to be thankful for. This we offer in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Worship in Song:

In whatever way, sitting, standing, listening, meditating or singing, I invite you to join me in some songs of praise this morning. Just click the link and it should bring you to our music this morning. Let’s sing to the Lord.

• “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”

• “O Praise the Name” (Anastasis)

• “In Christ Alone”

Prayers of the People

     On this Easter morn we welcome you Jesus into our lives. We welcome your resurrection for it is life changing, life giving and life sustaining. We welcome the hope it brings to our world.  We welcome the joy it brings to our darkness.  We welcome the empty tomb for we know that it means you are not dead, but alive forevermore.

     Lord, may your resurrection give life to those are facing challenges today. Lord, may your resurrection give hope to those who are mired in despair, who feel hopeless, and who have given up all hope. Lord, may your resurrection give joy to those who feel no joy, and to those who have lost their way. This truly is a day to celebrate the glory of the risen Saviour. As we briefly pause, we ask that you would be with those who are still working in our communities who are exposed to the virus. Keep them safe and may you watch over their families. For those who are still working to keep us from going without, I pray that you would bless them with good health and safety. Be with our doctors and nurses and may you also watch over them so they may be able to assist the ill. We give you thanks that you are always with us, because we could never walk this path alone. To you be all glory! Thank you. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scriptures:

Matthew 28:1-9:

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.”

Philippians 2:9-11:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Hymn: “Because He Lives”

Devotion: “Jesus is Lord”

     Once again, we come to a very important date on the Christian calendar. This being said, it is more than just a date or holiday. It is Easter, a time of celebration. Easter morning has come just the same, but it feels different this year. With the virus shutting down life as we know it, we find ourselves worshiping at home. This does not mean that Easter is canceled. Jesus is still Lord, and He is risen! The words of our text are a shout of praise. They are a triumphant proclamation of what the Father God has done for Christ the Son as a result of the humiliation involved in His incarnation and shameful death on the cross. The apostle declares that because of this faithfulness of God’s unique and only begotten Son, He has been highly exalted to a position of sovereignty over all created things both in heaven and in earth. He declares that every tongue should proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

     Jesus Christ is Lord. What does that mean? Is that just an admiring title that has been given to Him? What are the implications of His being exalted to a position of lordship? The title lord is not as well known in our modern culture today as it was in biblical times. We are more familiar with terms that have a similar meaning, such as king, emperor, dictator, Prime minister, president, and commander in chief. The term lord is basically a title that carries with it the idea of ownership, authority, sovereignty, and power. This means that Jesus Christ has been given this divine authority from God and that every heart should recognize this, every tongue confess it, and every knee bow in acknowledgment of His lordship.

     (1). First, we need to know that Jesus Christ is Lord because of who He is. Jesus, our Saviour is the unique, sinless Son of God. He is the eternal Son who came and clothed Himself in the garment of human flesh. He lived on earth with the limitations of humanity as the eternal God with a human body. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet did not yield to sin. He has been exalted to lordship because of who He is. We hear a lot about this around Christmas, that God came to earth in the form of a little baby because the world was in need of a Saviour. It is all part of God’s greater plan. Will you acknowledge that Jesus is Lord because of who He is?

     (2). Second, Jesus Christ is Lord because of what He did. The eternal Son of God did not hold on to His being equal with God. He humbled himself and clothed Himself in human flesh, and limited Himself in submitting to God the Father. Philippians 2:6-7 tells us that ‘He did not consider equality with God, but He made Himself nothing. He became a servant of people, as we read in verse 7. Our Lord endured the humiliation, shame, and horror of death by crucifixion; the worst death imaginable. The word ‘excruciating’ comes from the word crucifix. Jesus died an excruciating death for you and me. He lived and died in the faith that God would give Him victory over death and the grave. God did raise Him from the cold chambers of death to live again. Hallelujah! It is proclaimed in scripture by the angel: “HE is not here, HE is Risen!”

     (3). Finally, Jesus Christ is Lord because of what He can do. This is Good News! Because He died for our sins, He can offer to us the gift of forgiveness. Will you call out and ask Him to forgive you? You sins have been taken care of on the cross. You are stamped with ‘paid in full!’ Jesus paid it all! As the hymn says: “Sin has left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.” Because our Lord Jesus conquered death and the grave and came forth alive, He can offer to us the gift of eternal life. God showed His love toward mankind because He loves you. Do you not know how much you mean to Him? “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him will never perish, but will have everlasting life” – John 3:16. Jesus came, lived, labored, died, conquered death, and lives forever to lead us to God. He lives and so is able to lead us into the world as servants of God. We do not serve a dead Saviour who lived a long time ago. An empty grave proves our Saviour lives. He is alive forevermore! 

We should recognize His authority over our time and His right to command our talents. That’s a Saviour worth serving.

            As we close this morning, I pray that you find Joy this Easter season. Even with all that is going on, trust in Jesus our risen Lord to help you through this time. I want you all to know that no matter where you are today or what you are dealing with, He loves you. Take time today to rejoice and give thanks for Jesus’ love; the cross of sacrifice; that He arose and lives; and for the free gift of Salvation. In Matthew 28:8, the women went to tell the disciples about the Risen Lord as they had been told! Friends, let’s do as the women did and spread this glorious news!  He is not here, He is Risen. Amen.

Let’s lift our voices once more this morning! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! Amen? No matter what we are faced with in our futures, know that we walk hand in hand with a risen Saviour. ‘He walks with me, and talks with me along life’s narrow way.’ I hope you will feel blessed by this song.

Hymn: "He lives"

 Benediction:

“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; May He be gracious to you, show you His favour, and give you His peace.” Amen.

(Numbers 6:24-26)

***God Bless you! From our home to yours, we wish you a safe and Happy Easter!***