Worship Helps for Easter 2
Artwork: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas
Artist: Caravaggio
Date: 1601-1602
Worship Theme: Final
preparation to be the risen Christ’s witnesses begins with sight. The apostles
were blessed with visibly seeing the risen Lord. Overcoming their doubts by the
power of the Spirit, they would boldly proclaim the new life to be found in the
Living One. Blessed to see through eyes of faith, the vision of the First and
the Last fills our hearts with this confidence: “Christ has died. Christ has
risen. Christ will come again.” (CW 406)
Old Testament: Genesis 15:1-6
After this, the word of
the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your
shield, your very great reward." 2 But Abram said, "O
Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who
will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram
said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be
my heir." 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This
man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your
heir." 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the
heavens and count the stars-- if indeed you can count them." Then he said
to him, "So shall your offspring be." 6 Abram believed the
LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
1. When God appeared to Abram to
comfort and reassure him, how did Abram respond? (See 15:2, 3.)
2. What did Abram see when God took
him outside his tent?
3. When Abram believed what he could not
see, what happened?
Epistle: 2 Peter 1:16-23
We did not follow
cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For
he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from
the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am
well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from
heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have
the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay
attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must
understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own
interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of
man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
4. On a hilltop, of what were Peter,
James and John eyewitnesses?
5. What does this sight mean for all of
us, who have not seen Jesus in his glory?
Gospel: John 20:19-31
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!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and
side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again
Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending
you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins,
they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the
disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him,
"We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the
nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand
into his side, I will not believe it." 26 A week later his
disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors
were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with
you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here;
see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and
believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my
God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me,
you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have
believed." 30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the
presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
6. Each of the four Gospels has a
commission near its end to share the good news. What is that commission in
John’s Gospel?
7. If with your own eyes you have not
seen your Lord, now raised from the dead, is that a problem?
8. What is the ultimate purpose of
all that John wrote down about Jesus?
Answers:
1. Though God came to Abram in some kind of vision, Abram complained at
first, in response. Abram had no children. All he could foresee was one of his
servants becoming his heir.
2. Abram saw far more stars than he could count.
3. “Abram believed
the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Picture God putting a
credit in his ledger, not a debit, despite what Abram deserved. (The same
happens for us, through faith in the risen Christ.)
4. Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty. They saw him
gleaming with glory only God has.
5. Peter says what he witnessed proves that we
do not believe myths about Jesus. He really rose from the dead, bodily. He
really reigns at the Father’s right. He really will reappear soon to judge all
people when the day finally dawns “and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
We can trust every word of God’s inspired word totally.
6. “Peace
be with you,” Jesus said. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” With
that he breathed on the disciples and gave them and us amazing authority: “If
you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them,
they are not forgiven.”
7. With Job and believers through the ages, we long to see our Lord—yet
Jesus told Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
8. The Spirit did not inspire John to write down every miraculous sign
Jesus performed. Whatever John shares with us in print has one main purpose:
that we may believe that Jesus is God’s Anointed One, his only Son, and that by
believing we may have life in his name.
Putting your faith into action
Can you
feel the joy? The disciples and Thomas felt the joy of the resurrection. They
were overjoyed. With the eyes of faith, we too see the Lord every time he comes
to us through his Word and sacrament. May this joy fill your hearts as you
eagerly serve our risen Lord!
A reading from the Book of Concord for the
2nd Sunday after Easter
I believe that there is upon earth a little holy group
and congregation of pure saints, under one head, even Christ. This group is
called together by the Holy Spirit in one faith, one mind, and understanding,
with many different gifts, yet agreeing in love, without sects or schisms. I am also a part of this same group, a sharer
and joint owner of all the goods it possesses.
I am brought to it and incorporated into it by the Holy Spirit through
having heard and continuing to hear God’s Word, which is the beginning of
entering it. In the past, before we had
attained to this, we were altogether of the devil, knowing nothing about God
and about Christ. So, until the Last
Day, the Holy Spirit abides with the holy congregation or Christendom. Through this congregation He brings us to
Christ and He teaches and preaches to us the Word. By the Word He works and promotes
sanctification, causing this congregation daily to grow and to become strong in
the faith and its fruit, which He produces.
We further believe that in this Christian Church we
have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and
Absolution and through all kinds of comforting promises from the entire
Gospel… God’s grace is secured through
Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Spirit through God’s
Word. Yet because of our flesh we are
never without sin. - Large
Catechism, Article III, The Apostles’ Creed (paragraphs 51-54)
Hymns for this Sunday: 142, 165, 159, 168, 160
165 O Sons and
Daughters of the King
1 O sons and daughters of the King,
Whom
heav’nly hosts in glory sing,
Today the
grave has lost its sting!
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 On that first morning of the week,
Before the
day began to break,
The Marys
went their Lord to seek.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 An angel bade their sorrow flee,
For thus he
spoke unto the three,
“Your Lord
will go to Galilee.”
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
4 That night th’ apostles met in fear;
Among them
came their Lord most dear
And said,
“Peace be unto you here.”
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 When Thomas afterwards had heard
That Jesus
had fulfilled his word,
He doubted
if it were the Lord.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 “Thomas, behold my side,” said he,
“My hands,
my feet, my body see;
And doubt
not, but believe in me.”
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 No longer Thomas then denied;
He saw the
feet, the hands, the side;
“You are my
Lord and God,” he cried.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
8 Blessèd are they that have not seen
And yet
whose faith has constant been;
In life
eternal they shall reign.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
9 On this most holy day of days
To God your
hearts and voices raise
In laud and
jubilee and praise.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: attr.
Jean Tisserand, d. 1494, abr.; tr. John M. Neale, 1818–66, alt.
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