Second Sunday of Easter 2025

Service

*Opening Prayer

*Call to Worship

(based on Psalm 150)

Leader:

Praise the Lord!

Let us worship God with joy!

People:

We praise You, Lord, for Your power and love!

Leader:

Praise God with music and dancing,

with every sound and every song!

People:

With all we are, and all we have,

we praise You, Lord!

Leader:

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

All:

Praise the Lord! Amen!

Hymn #225 Worship Christ The Risen King

Scripture Reading

Acts 5:27–32 NIV

The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

- Marti

Children's Message

Velda

Scripture Reading

John 20:19–31 NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, 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’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 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.” 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!” 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.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Sermon “From Scared to Sent” - Pastor Troy Horne

1. When you and I think about Easter, we think about joy and celebration.

We think about the excitement of the resurrected Lord and the empty tomb.

We think of the blessings and promises that come from serving a risen Savior.

Together we affirm: He is risen — He is risen indeed!

2.

But for those first disciples, Easter may have felt very different.

For them, it may have begun with fear, confusion, and doubt.

Our text this morning finds the disciples gathered together — but behind locked doors, afraid of the Jews.

We can understand their fear.

The same religious leaders who stirred up the crowds to demand Jesus' crucifixion might now be hunting for His followers.

It’s not hard to imagine them huddled together, worried that if they were found — they too might be arrested... or worse.

3.

But what if there was another reason they were hiding?

What if the resurrection wasn't just a threat from outside — but a fear from within?

These disciples knew what they had done... or rather, what they hadn't done.

Jesus had been arrested, betrayed by Judas, crucified, dead, and buried.

And now — news comes that He has risen.

What would that mean for them?

4.

Judas was already dead.

But Peter — Peter had promised Jesus over and over again he would never leave Him. (Matthew 26:33–35, Luke 22:33–34, John 13:36–38)

Yet Peter denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus said he would.

And the others? As far as we know, they ran away.

Frightened — partly for Jesus, mostly for themselves.

In Jesus' most critical hour, His followers were nowhere to be found.

5.

And now — word comes that Jesus is alive.

Let me ask you: What would you do if your closest friends abandoned you? What would be your first thought when you saw them again?

Maybe you’d be ready to "let them have it."

And if you could calm storms, turn water into wine, heal diseases, walk on water, and raise the dead...

Imagine what you might be able to do when you found them.

No wonder the disciples locked the doors!

Maybe they weren’t just afraid of the religious leaders — maybe they were afraid of Jesus.

6.

But then — Jesus comes.

He stands among them.

And what does He say?

"Peace be with you."

This is more than a simple "hello." This is Shalom — meaning:

Peace — not just absence of conflict, but wholeness.

Completeness — nothing missing, nothing broken.

Well-being — health and blessing.

Harmony — with God, with others, and within yourself.

All of that, rolled up into one word.

7.

Jesus shows them His hands and His side — the wounds are still there — and He says it again: "Shalom."

Because of what Christ has done — because of His sacrifice —

they now have peace, wholeness, well-being, and harmony.

And it’s in the light of that peace that fear melts into joy.

8.

And then — Jesus sends them out.

He says, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

He breathes on them — God Himself breathing new life into His people —

and He gives them power and authority: "If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Not only does Jesus speak peace — He commissions them with purpose.

9.

We could almost stop here... except for Thomas.

Ever wonder why he wasn’t there the first time?

Thomas has often been called "Doubting Thomas," but maybe it wasn’t just doubt that kept him away.

Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was grief.

Whatever it was — Thomas demands more: "Unless I see the nail marks... unless I touch the wounds... I will not believe."

10.

And again — Jesus comes.

This time, Thomas is there.

Again, Jesus speaks: "Shalom."

He invites Thomas to touch His wounds.

Whether Thomas actually does — we don’t know — but what we do know is that Thomas cries out: "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus acknowledges Thomas’s faith... but He also blesses all those who would come to believe — without seeing.

11.

You know — if you stop and think about it — that room full of disciples is a lot like this room full of disciples.

They were scared. They were unsure. They didn’t know what the future held. They had doubts. They had failed Him.

And yet — Jesus spoke peace over them.

He told them He loved them. He sent them out.

Today, Jesus stands here, speaking peace over your fears, your uncertainties, your worries, even your doubts.

Yes — there may have been times you failed Him.

But He doesn’t come to rebuke you. He comes to call you closer.

He invites you to repent. To confess your sins. To receive His peace.

And then — He sends you out.

We are still being sent.

The Commission

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Hymn #247 Spirit Of The Living God

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn #309 Pass It On

*Benediction

Hymn #286 Blest Be The Tie That Binds