WORSHIP RESOURCES
Third Sunday of Easter
Revelation 5:11-14
Sing with Full Voice!
Additional Scriptures
Psalm 30; John 21:1-19; Acts 9:1-6, 7-20
Preparation
Use a few minutes before the service to prepare “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” CCS 92. This original English tune might not be familiar to your group and could present a challenge. Many recordings of this version are available on the internet, for example: www.Youtube.com/watch?v=CFJvBwgmK_c. In this recording, the stanzas are in a different order than CCS, but all the words are available on the screen. Practice this hymn with your group.
Today is the second week of five in the book of Revelation. Worship planners might want to consider linking the services. For example, have the same character in period biblical costume read the Revelation scripture each week. Or choose a hymn that will be used each Sunday. It would be helpful to have the five speakers collaborate on their approaches to the theme scriptures. For additional information on the book of Revelation, listen to Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith: Projectzionpodcast.org/podcast/558--newbrew--revelation.
Prelude
Welcoming Hymn
“When Morning Gilds the Skies” CCS 89
OR “Lift Every Voice and Sing” CCS 555
Welcome, Announcements, Joys, and Concerns
Call to Worship: Psalm 30: 4-5, 11-12
Hymn
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” CCS 92
If this tune is unfamiliar or unprepared, use a video recording available on the
internet with which to sing along. Be aware that Charles Wesley wrote many stanzas to this hymn and any recording you use might not match the stanzas in Community of Christ Sings 92.
OR “Earth and All Stars” CCS 102
Invocation
Response
Scripture Reading
Place scripture readers throughout the worship space and ask them to read in loud, joyful, full voices.
Reader 1: Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne
Reader 2: and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
All Readers: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
Reader 3: Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
All Readers: “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Reader 1: And the four living creatures said,
All Readers: “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
—Revelation 5:11-14
Ministry of Music
Listen to a recording of “Worthy Is the Lamb” from G.F. Handel’s Messiah.
Testimonies
Ahead of time, ask participants who have sung Messiah to tell of their experiences and how it strengthened their testimony of Jesus Christ. And/or invite others in your group to spontaneously share their stories of “full voice” singing that affirmed their discipleship.
OR
Message
Based on Revelation 5:11-14
Prayer for Peace
Peace Hymn Repeat at least twice.
“Amen, Siakudumisa!” CCS 109
Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.
OR “Laudate Dominum” CCS 91
If unfamiliar with it, consider singing along with the vocal recording on Community of Christ Sings Audio Recordings, which is available from Herald House.
Light the peace candle.
Peace Prayer
Spirit of Revelation,
Show us the way to peace! People are dying unnecessarily. Suffering continues despite our best efforts. Lives are cut short by violence, greed, neglect, hunger, and unexplainable suffering. The list is endless. It is tempting to turn away. Open our eyes, just as the disciples’ eyes were opened to the risen Jesus! Open our hearts, that we would stay soft and stay with the brokenhearted, just as the women stayed at the cross. Open our hands to continue the work of pursuing peace. Though the work is hard, it brings us closer to you and to one another. And in that closeness, we find strength. In the name of Jesus, who is always close, Amen.
—Tiffany and Caleb Brian
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Invitation to Communion
All are welcome at Christ’s table. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a sacrament in which we remember the life, death, resurrection, and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. In Community of Christ, we also experience Communion as an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and to be formed as disciples who live Christ’s mission. Others might have different or added understandings within their faith traditions. We invite all who participate in the Lord’s Supper to do so in the love and peace of Jesus Christ.
Communion Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Communion Remarks
Hymn of Preparation
“In the Singing” CCS 519
OR “Let Us Break Bread Together” CCS 521
Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own.
Blessing and Serving of the Bread and Wine
Log in to Our Ministry Tools and search for Guidelines Lord’s Supper. If you have not used this library of resources, go to CofChrist.org/our-ministry-tools.
Disciples’ Generous Response
Statement
God’s astonishing compassion and love in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate example of generosity. God loves us abundantly and unconditionally. As we open our hearts to courageously and generously share by placing money in the offering plates or through eTithing, we reflect the movement of God’s astonishing love and compassion for the world.
On this Sunday, as we share in the sacraments, our offerings are dedicated to Abolishing Poverty and Ending Needless Suffering. This is how God’s generous compassion grows more visible in tangible ways.
If you have participants joining the worship online, remind them that they can give through www.CofChrist.org/give or through eTithing at www.eTithing.org (consider displaying these URLs).
Blessing and Receiving of Oblation, Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes
Pastoral Prayer for Community
Hymn Reprise
Repeat the hymn because of its close association with today’s scripture text.
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” CCS 92
Consider adding trumpets, violins, flutes (any C instrument)
to the melody of this hymn.
If this tune is unfamiliar or unprepared, use a video recording available online to sing along with. Be aware that Charles Wesley wrote many stanzas for this hymn and any recording you use might not match the stanzas in Community of Christ Sings 92.
OR “Earth and All Stars” CCS 102
Sending Forth
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Amen!”
—Revelation 5:13, adapted
Postlude
SERMON AND CLASS HELPS
Year C—Letters
Third Sunday of Easter
Revelation 5:11–14
Exploring the Scripture
The Revelation to John, in all its rich poetry, imagery, and mystery, expresses a theology of the cross. Revelation’s significance is not in predicting what God will do, but in what God has done for all creation through Christ, crucified and resurrected.
The praise hymn in these verses is the response of all creation to what God has done in Christ. The hymn highlights celebrating Easter beyond Resurrection Sunday. Worship at the throne of God and the Lamb highlights God’s care for all creation and the importance of fully inclusive worship in shaping the community’s identity and mission.
The verses of praise are understood more fully with a look at the previous verses. In his vision, John is anxious about finding someone with authority to open the seven seals of the scroll of history to reveal creation’s destiny. Christ Jesus is introduced as the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, but Christ the Lamb reveals God’s plan for creation. The image of a lion was perhaps what was hoped for in the Davidic Messiah, but it was the slain Lamb who was worthy of praise. The worship of all heaven and Earth is made possible through the Lamb as a revelation of God’s restoring and redeeming purposes in the world.
John’s vision, set in the heavenly throne room, includes God seated on the throne surrounded by four living creatures and twenty-four elders. The imagery places the Lamb equal to God, one honored as Creator, the other as Redeemer. The final hymn is voiced by every creature in heaven, on Earth, under Earth, and in the sea. They sing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessings and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (v. 13).
This grand scene includes every earthly and heavenly creature honoring God, the Creator, and Redeemer of all creation.
The slain Lamb is counter to the world’s image of power. It represents power through sacrifice. It does not represent God’s yearning for suffering, but rather God’s self-giving love that enters the world’s suffering. The resurrected Christ is the eternal expression of God’s love, rejecting suffering and death.
The worship of Christ crucified and resurrected rejects a culture of violence and oppression, anything that opposes God’s purposes of wholeness. Jesus, the peaceful One, resists the harsh powers of the empire and reveals God’s redemptive power through self-giving love. Doctrine and Covenants 165:6c affirms, “the way of suffering love that leads to the cross also leads to resurrection and everlasting life in Christ’s eternal community of oneness and peace.”
John’s vision of inclusivity through the worship of all heaven and Earth is seen in the early church’s worship. A beautifully diverse community formed to praise God’s victory over all that separates creation from God’s purposes of justice and peace. Its gatherings brought those separated by social structures: enslaved and free, Jew and Greek, men and women, wealthy and poor, privileged and marginalized.
Fully inclusive, Christ-centered communities peacefully resist the powers that seek to divide and oppress. They do this through worship, spiritual formation, compassionate ministry, and action. The upside-down reign of God is revealed when servanthood replaces political posturing, when human worth is honored fully, and when the natural world is freed from human greed and consumption. The suffering love that leads to resurrection and eternal life is known worldwide as Christ-centered communities embody justice, generosity, oneness, and peace.
Central Ideas
1. The worship of all heaven and Earth is made possible through the Lamb as the revelation of God’s restoring and redeeming purposes in the world.
2. John’s vision of inclusivity through the worship of all heaven and Earth is represented in the worship of the early church that brought together those separated by unjust societal structures.
3. The suffering love that leads to resurrection and eternal life is known today as Christ-centered communities that embody justice, generosity, oneness, and peace.
Questions for the Speaker
1. Where do you see examples of God’s redeeming purposes in the world?
2. What does fully inclusive worship look like in your community?
3. Where do you see self-giving love leading to new life?
SACRED SPACE: A RESOURCE FOR SMALL-GROUP MINISTRY
Year C—Letters
Third Sunday of Easter
Revelation 5:11–14
Communion
Gathering
Welcome
Today is the third Sunday of the Easter season. The Easter season continues for fifty days and concludes with the Day of Pentecost.
Prayer for Peace
Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.
Light the peace candle.
Creator God, we come to this place to worship you, but we also come to find peace.
Open our hearts to you, still our spirits, and free our minds to hear your voice.
May this flame of peace warm each of us to your Spirit of blessing, to your calming presence, and to your healing love.
May this sacred time together prepare us to be peacemakers in our homes, schools, workplaces, cities, countries, and world.
Make us one, loving God, through your peace. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Breath Prayer
Read the following to the group:
Jesus eats with his disciples following his resurrection. He asks his friends, “Do you love me?” to which they answer “yes.” Jesus then tells them, “Feed my sheep.” This is another way of saying “Love one another as I have loved you.”
During this Easter season our spiritual practice is a breath prayer. During the prayer, we use a word to breathe in and a word to breathe out. For today’s prayer we will breathe in the word love and breathe out the word judgment. This will remind us to fill our life with love and to let go of prejudices and judgments that keep us from loving others unconditionally.
Slowly read the following instructions:
Sit with relaxed posture and close your eyes. We will spend three minutes in centering prayer.
Breathe in a regular, natural rhythm.
As you breathe in, focus on love. As you exhale, release judgment.
Breathe in and out. Continue to focus on breathing in love and exhaling judgment.
Watch the time for three minutes. Urge participants to continue the breath prayer for the full three minutes.
When the time is up, share these closing instructions:
Offer a brief word of thanks to God, take a deep breath, and open your eyes when you are ready.
Sharing Around the Table
Revelation 5:11–14 NRSVue
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
John, a devout Christian, uses symbols that he is familiar with from the Hebrew Bible. Through John’s visionary experience, we see a door that opens into heaven, symbolizing an invitation to a throne room described in Chapter 4. In this scene:
· “The one seated on the throne” symbolizes God.
· Seven burning torches and a sea of glass are in front of the throne.
· Lightning and thunder are coming from the throne.
· Twenty-four elders are sitting in thrones, possibly representing twelve patriarchs of the Hebrew Bible and twelve apostles of the New Testament.
· Four living creatures with six wings and eyes all around, inside, and front and back are aware and watchful. The living creatures sing day and night to “the Lord God the Almighty who was and is and is to come.”
· The elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne, casting their crowns before the throne, and honoring the one seated there.
John’s vision shows that God is trusted and revered by the elders, the creatures, and the angels. This glimpse into heaven shows that God’s power will overcome the conflicts and turmoil to come.
John’s vision also uses imagery to emphasize the majesty and mystery of God as it was used in the Hebrew Bible.
· Exodus 19:16 depicts thunder, lightning, cloud, a trumpet blast, and smoke.
· 1 Samuel 2:10 uses thunder.
· Isaiah 6:2 describes winged seraphs.
· Ezekiel 1:4–21 describes living creatures. In Revelation, the creatures in the throne room are described as a lion, an ox, a human, and an eagle, symbolizing nobility, strength, wisdom, and swiftness, respectively. Thus, the reader gets a sense that heaven is powerful and situated to remain in control.
In the opening verses of Chapter 5, the one seated on the throne is holding a scroll that has writing on the inside, and it is sealed with seven seals on the back. Seals, such as those made by melted wax, authenticate a special decree or message from one in authority, such as royalty, to one who is empowered to receive it. We wonder what is written on the scroll and, as an angel asks, “who is worthy to open the sealed scroll?”
A lamb that appears to have been slaughtered takes the scroll from the one seated on the throne. The creatures and elders fall before the lamb and sing, recognizing that the lamb is the one who is worthy to open the scroll. Jews at that time would have known that the Messiah was the worthy one. However, the image is mystifying!
This small, broken one is not one who appears able to militarily defeat Rome, to open the scroll, and to set in motion the work of God. Yet, great power is to be wielded by a little lamb. God’s authority to govern the universe and the lamb’s power to reveal truths are evident.
The verses in today’s lesson demonstrate the extent of the trust and adoration from “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea” toward God and Jesus. As we continue to study Revelation, we will return to this scene in heaven as the rest of John’s vision unfolds.
Questions
1. How might this image of heaven bring comfort to the Christians with whom John shared his vision? How might it bring comfort to us today?
2. What feelings arise in you when you consider the image of Jesus as a slaughtered lamb? How does the image of the slaughtered lamb turn upside-down our expectation of what the Messiah is to be?
3. How might we recognize Community of Christ’s Enduring Principle of Unity in Diversity in today’s scripture in which “every creature on heaven and earth and under the earth and in the sea” are singing praises together?
Sending
Generosity Statement
Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint.
—Doctrine and Covenants 163:9
The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response. You also may give at CofChrist.org/give.
This offering prayer for the Easter season is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response.
God of rejoicing, we share our gifts joyfully and with thanksgiving in response to the generous gifts you have given us. May the offerings we share bring joy, hope, love, and peace into the lives of others so they might experience your mercy and grace. Amen.
Invitation to Next Meeting
Closing Hymn
Community of Christ Sings 97, “For the Music of Creation”
Closing Prayer
Optional Additions Depending on Group
- Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
- Thoughts for Children
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Communion Scripture
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
—1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NRSVue
Communion Statement
All are welcome at Christ’s table. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a sacrament in which we remember the life, death, resurrection, and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. In Community of Christ, we also experience Communion as an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and to be formed as disciples who live Christ’s mission. Others may have different or added understandings within their faith traditions. We invite all who participate in the Lord’s Supper to do so in the love and peace of Jesus Christ.
We share in Communion as an expression of blessing, healing, peace, and community. In preparation let’s sing from Community of Christ Sings (choose from below options):
· 516, “Coming Together for Wine and for Bread”
· 521, “Let Us Break Bread Together”
· 523, “As We Gather at Your Table”
· 526, “Is There One Who Feels Unworthy?”
· 528, “Eat This Bread”
· 532, “We Meet as Friends at Table”
Thoughts for Children
Materials:
· a star
· a picture of a rooster
· an apple (Also, bring a knife to cut the apple in pieces to share with children following the lesson. Bring additional apples so there are enough for all the children.)
· a heart
· a picture of a spiral (save for last)
Hold up one picture at a time and ask the children to identify the things it symbolizes or “means.” (For example, a rooster means early morning or corn flakes; an apple symbolizes health; a heart means love; a star could mean a sheriff, Bethlehem, or 100 percent on homework.)
We find symbols in scripture and in our church life.
Show the spiral. Say: In Community of Christ, the spiral symbolizes the path or journey of a disciple. As we walk with Jesus, we are drawn closer and closer to the center of the spiral, where we have significant encounters with God’s Spirit.
Then as we journey outward, we take what we have learned and share it with others. Disciples do this over and over again all through their lives.
Have the children hold out one hand, palm up. With the other hand, show them how to trace a spiral on their hand (inward journey…outward journey).
Thank the children for learning about symbols. Invite them to share the apple(s).