Sunday 27 April 2025
Second Sunday of Easter
Welcome!
We know not everyone who is part of Westwood Church is able to be in church on Sunday morning however, we thought it would be good to offer some excerpts from the Sunday morning service. Where we can, we offer parts of the service in text and audio, whichever works best for you. If you want to plug in headphones to your computer, tablet or mobile phone now is a good time to do it ! If you want to offer some comment or feedback just use the comment box at the end of this post.
Your Weekly Church Notices
Scripture
Acts 5: 27 – 32
John 20: 19 – 31
Praise – Now the green blade riseth
Prayers
There seemed no reason to hope. Your followers had seen you die, they each knew that , in their own way, they had brought you to it, not so much through their forsaking you in your time of need as in human weakness and sinfulness which that represented – the self-interest, the lack of commitment, the willingness to compromise that is so characteristic of all human beings.
They felt remorse, they knew their guilt, and they were aware of the limitations of their faith. Yet none of that stopped you from coming to them. Risen, Victorious, in every way different and yet the same Jesus who had suffered and died, and to those disciples who had failed you so utterly you brought new power, new purpose. Risen Saviour, conqueror of human sin, and victor over the power of death, raise us to newness of life.
We seek forgiveness for OUR failings and ask that we never lose sight of your saving grace, of all that you are able to do with even the most disheartened of people, disenchanted, or disillusioned. Even to us you can bring new avenues of faith. Keep us open to the journey of discovery you hold before us and give us the faith to walk with you, wherever you lead us. Risen Saviour, conqueror of human sin, and victor over the power of death, raise us to newness of life.
We stand in awe of the depth of your love for us that you should empty yourself of all but love to be with us, live this human life with us and share with us the depth of your grace and truth. Your offering far surpasses anything we can offer to you. But all you seek is a trusting, open and loving heart that responds in joyful praise and worship. And that is what we lay before you now.
Hear us as we join in the words of the Lord’s Prayer 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 debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory forever. Amen.
Address
Evening had come. It had been a bewildering day. An empty tomb was all that the disciples had seen. Mary Magdalene was insistent that she had spoken with the risen Jesus. She told the disciples what he had told her that he, Jesus, was returning to ‘His Father and their Father, to His God and their God.’ I don’t know about you, but to me, that sounds final. These are not words that create the expectation that Jesus will ever be seen again.
It’s hard to know how the disciples might have felt at this point. Bereft, yes, grieving for the death of their Lord, but maybe also disappointed that Mary Magdalene was the only one who could say she had seen and spoken with the risen Lord. What about them? Were they not going to share such an experience. If he was risen, if he was not dead, might the authorities come looking for them, might there be trouble ahead, might their lives still be in danger? We can understand the disciples hiding behind closed doors, out of sight of anyone who might say, ‘ I recognise him, he’s a Galilean, he was one of Jesus followers.’ On the Thursday night they had narrowly escaped sharing the same fate as Jesus; people had not forgotten within the space of three days. And if Jesus truly was alive maybe they were still in danger. There was comfort in being in each other’s company, comfort in sharing the stress of how to resolve their life or death dilemma.
And Jesus came and stood amongst them. In their fear and disbelief, he stood amongst them, “Peace be with you”. Jesus wounds in his hands and feet and side proving his physical presence and his credentials as being the crucified Jesus. There was joy at seeing the Lord, joy in knowing that it was truly him crucified and risen. And with the words, ”Peace be with you. As the Father sent me so I send you” their life or death dilemma was resolved. They moved out beyond the locked doors, they went back into the world where accusations might be thrown at them, where there was very real risks and even danger of death. The presence of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, did not perhaps remove all sense of fear and anxiety, but they knew what they had to do, they had purpose, they had a message, they had a gospel to share which they now knew to be greater and more important than their own lives.
Who knows what they did or said in the next seven days. Maybe the focus of their work was to get Thomas onboard; but Thomas was hard to convince. All we know is that a week later, on the Sunday, they gathered together once more and they locked the doors behind them. Were they just trying to recreate the setting of the previous Sunday hopeful that if everything was the same Jesus might appear to them again? If that is what they hoped for it worked.
The doors were locked yet Jesus stood amongst them and as before blessed them; “Peace be with you” he said. But now, Jesus’ focus is upon just one person. Thomas. Thomas wasn’t really any different to the rest. They had all doubted. They had all struggled to believe, to understand. None of them had been able to recall Jesus teachings about his death and rising and put them into context. But Jesus had prayed for his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane; prayed that His Heavenly Father would keep them safe, prayed that none of them would be lost. He, Jesus, was not prepared to lose Thomas not now, not anytime. Until Thomas was back in the fold Jesus work was not complete. Thomas saw the scars as the others had and like his fellow disciples came to that place of faith. “My Lord and my God!”
We may indeed be the people who have come to believe without seeing His physical presence, we have not touched the scars in His hands or feet or side. But there is the sense in the story of Thomas that we matter to our Lord as individuals. That when we seek, we will find, that our individual doubts will find faith, our own unique questions will be answered, simply because His love for us means He will not abandon us even if that means sacrificing His all out of love for you.
Praise – How often we like Thomas
Prayers for Others
The Death of Pope Francis
Father in Heaven we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ as they confront a time of mourning following the death of Pope Francis. As the leader of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis was open to building bridges with other Christian denominations. The St. Margaret’s Declaration, the Declaration of Friendship was forged during his Papacy bringing Scottish Catholics and Church of Scotland congregations a little closer together. We thank you for his service to Christ and his openness of heart. May you Lord guide the human heart in seeking his successor so that all who follow Christ might live with less division and greater openness of heart toward each other bringing Glory to your name. Lord hear our prayers…
Russia & Ukraine
It was always a tangled mess of politics and rhetoric, of conflict and casualties, yet we stood on the side of the right keen to support Ukraine against the aggressor Russia. And if it’s possible it’s even more tangled now than it ever was with another level of politics and rhetoric coming from the United States. It’s not about brokering peace or even a ceasefire, it’s not about saving lives on both sides, it’s about getting what you can when Ukraine is at its most vulnerable, exploiting a nation when it’s down; sheer greed and manipulation and it’s sickening. Whether the US of A continues in its role as mediator or withdraws all its support from Ukraine the outcome feels the same – Ukraine is being handed to Russia. And now we don’t know how to pray. What is the best outcome, the right outcome? When and how will you Lord protect the oppressed, the innocent, the weak? Where are you when we need you to be an angry and righteous God ready to act? We pray that Ukraine and Zelensky’s integrity will overcome the aggression, greed and expediency of those who surround them. Lord hear us in our prayers…
Biological Women and the Transgender issue
When we think of things that have become a tangled mess it’s not just in places of war that the boundaries become blurred. The Supreme Court defines a woman by her biological sex at birth, and that seems obvious and sensible yet, for those who are transgender women it is anything but obvious or sensible. The transgender community feel vulnerable and marginalised. We do not assume Lord that we have the answer to complex questions of gender and transgender but we do know that you spent so much of your ministry with those who felt marginalised and vulnerable. You gave them hope, acceptance, love and compassion. You call us to do the same, to see the child of God in every human being and to love as you love. We pray for those who feel rejected by society and pray that through us and through the love of Christ they can find acceptance. Lord hear our prayers…
Praise – There is a redeemer
The Grace
And now… May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and all whom you love, now and for evermore. AMEN.