麻豆约拍

Please note:听This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.

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It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

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EQUIPPING CALLING GOING 2017

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WELCOME
Good morning. On this St George's Day welcome to the seaside town of Scarborough on the North Sea coast of Yorkshire. I'm overlooking the beautiful South Bay, a huge sandy beach with Scarborough harbour at one end. Behind me is Scarborough Spa, where are gathered over a thousand Christians of all ages for a week long celebration of fellowship, worship and teaching called 'Equipping, Calling, Going' whose mission is to call Christians to renew their commitment to God鈥檚 purpose. ECG, whose roots are in the Methodist church, is celebrating it's tenth anniversary this year. This week we're exploring how we become infused by God's spirit, stirred by Mission, encouraged by Unity and inspired by the Word.

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We now begin our service in the Grand Hall of Scarborough Spa where the band and congregation join to sing Matt Redman's great song of praise and worship, Bless the Lord, O my soul

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Bless the Lord O my soul (Matt Redman)

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OPENING PRAYER

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Reflections from students

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Here is love vast as the Ocean (recorded at the Festival)

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MIRIAM

Link鈥�.Calvin Samuel now leads us in the first of three Easter week reflections

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CALVIN - INTRODUCTION

The week following the resurrection of Jesus was a tumultuous week for those who were part of his inner circle and who would form the first generation of Christians. The Gospel of John chapter 20 captures that week and describes their struggle to make sense of the events of Easter. Three characters in that story stand out for me:听 Mary, Thomas and the unnamed beloved disciple. We will spend a little time with each of them in turn, beginning with the beloved disciple.

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READING: John 20.1-2 The beloved disciple

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 鈥淭hey have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don鈥檛 know where they have put him!鈥�

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REFLECTION 1: THE BELOVED DISCIPLE

The beloved disciple is one the more intriguing characters in John鈥檚 Gospel. This disciple is never explicitly identified, but the phrase appears 5 times in John. In chapter 13 this disciple sits next to Jesus at the last supper; in chapter 19 the disciple is present as Jesus dies on the cross; in chapter 20 on the day of resurrection, this disciple is one of the first on the scene at the empty tomb; and in chapter 21 this disciple crops up twice in Jesus鈥� final appearance to his disciples. Indeed, John鈥檚 gospel makes the claim (21.24) that it is based on the testimony of the beloved disciple.

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Who is this beloved disciple?听 Tradition says it is John.听 Others have argued that it is Lazarus, James the brother of Jesus, some have even argued that it is Mary Magdalene herself.听 Other have argued that John鈥檚 Gospel intentionally obscures the identity of the beloved disciple so that we the readers might more easily place ourselves in the position of one whom Jesus loves and one who loves Jesus in return and testifies of him. I confess that I am not particularly persuaded by that last argument, but I really do like it.

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Today, we celebrate the feast of St George, patron saint of England, but who in fact hailed from Cappadocia in modern day Turkey. Apart from a few details, we know almost nothing about George. Despite this, George is celebrated as a saint across all five continents.

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Like the Beloved Disciple the key thing that we know about St George is of his love for the risen Christ, for which he was martyred near Palestine.

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John鈥檚 Gospel in highlighting this unnamed disciple makes a profound statement听 about the millions of faithful Christians will never have their names recorded in history. However, though the world may not know our names, the name of each disciple is recorded in the Lamb鈥檚 book of life.

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SONG 鈥� Breath on me breath of God (CD: King鈥檚 Singers)

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READING 2: John 20.11-18 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus鈥� body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 鈥淲oman, why are you crying?鈥� 鈥淭hey have taken my Lord away,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd I don鈥檛 know where they have put him.鈥� At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, 鈥淲oman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?鈥� Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 鈥淪ir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.鈥�

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REFLECTION 2: MARY

Early in the morning Mary came to seek the body of Jesus. In other Gospel accounts, Mary is accompanied by several women; but in John鈥檚 account, she is alone. The tomb is empty. The body of Jesus鈥�.. gone.

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Mary has no thought of resurrection.听 She assumes a rather more nefarious explanation.听 Jesus鈥� body has been removed, perhaps for further indignity.

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So, she weeps.听 Interestingly, in the previous chapter Mary is at the cross as Jesus as he dies. No weeping is recorded there, but now, the tears come, hot, unbidden, and unstoppable.

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As she weeps, bent over in grief and loss, she is at just the right angle to catch sight of angels in the tomb. Her tears are a prism refracting her vision enabling her to see what had so far eluded her.听 Then she turns, still weeping, and sees Jesus. Inexplicably she does not recognise him.听 It is only as he calls her by name, 鈥淢ary!鈥� that she recognises him and answers in reply, 鈥淩abbouni!鈥�

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Those two words are all that need be said:听 Mary!听 Rabbouni!

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Out of that encounter Mary runs from the tomb, for the second time that morning, but on this occasion, she has a mission and a message: I have seen the Lord!

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That personal call and response, that mission and message are what Easter is about. Faith is truly Christian when we, like Mary, are called by name, catch sight of the risen Christ, and can tell others of our personal encounter with Jesus.

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Christ the Lord is risen today (CD: Maddy Prior)

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READING 3: John 20.24-29 Jesus appears to Thomas

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 鈥淲e have seen the Lord!鈥� But he said to them, 鈥淯nless 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.鈥�

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, 鈥淧eace be with you!鈥� Then he said to Thomas, 鈥淧ut your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.鈥�

Thomas said to him, 鈥淢y Lord and my God!鈥� Then Jesus told him, 鈥淏ecause you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.鈥�

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REFLECTION 3: THOMAS

That evening, on the day of the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples. Thomas was not with them when Jesus came. So when they said, we have seen the Lord, Thomas refused to believe, until he had seen Jesus for himself.听 One week after the resurrection, on a Sunday like today, Jesus once again came and stood among them and challenged Thomas for his unbelief.

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Thomas may have garnered for himself the unflattering nickname Doubting Thomas but he also does something very important. Thomas put into words the distinctive Christian doctrine, that this Jesus, who was crucified, died, and buried, and rose on the third day, this man Jesus, born as every human is born and died as every human dies, is nevertheless the God of heaven and earth.

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It is the resurrection of Jesus, and this encounter with the risen Christ which so radically transforms Doubting Thomas into Witnessing Thomas.听 According, to early church tradition, within a few years of the resurrection Thomas was to be found witnessing to the resurrection of Jesus in far flung India. He is regarded as founder of the ancient Mar Thoma Church in India.

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The bodily resurrection of Jesus IS hard to believe. There are many today who, like Thomas, doubt it could have happened. It sounds no more likely than George slaying a dragon. Such questioning, such searching for truth is an essential part of Christian discipleship, and each new generation of Christians has to wrestle afresh with these same ancient truths.

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Yet it is only when we, like Thomas, encounter the risen Christ for ourselves, when we can say, with conviction, that Christ is risen indeed, and when with Thomas we fall to our knees in worship declaring 鈥楳y Lord and my God鈥� it is then that Christian discipleship takes root.

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Easter represents a challenge to our comforting certainties about truth. God will not fit into a mould of human rationality, and cannot be contained by the limits of human possibility.听 Easter speaks of a God in Christ who breaks free of chains of death and offer the possibility of his resurrection life to all who believe in him.听 This is the unapologetic challenge of Easter: Will you believe in the risen Christ?

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My prayer for all who struggle to believe is that like Thomas you will receive your own challenging and liberating encounter with the risen Christ.听 Amen.

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I believe (Hillsongs 鈥� recorded at the Festival)

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MIRIAM

Link to prayers

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PRAYERS

Our prayers are lead by some of those attending this week's festival. We begin with a prayer for Saint George written by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.

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Heavenly Father, give us the bravery of St George

听to stand up for the truth and the glory of God

听that we have seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

听Give us the strength to overcome

听in our lives and in the world,

听all that is contrary to your rule of justice and love.

听Help us to be good news to the poor,

听proclaim release to the captives

听and recovery of sight to the blind;

听let the oppressed go free, and

听proclaim the good news of God's favour and Jubilee.

听Amen

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Gracious God,

we offer our prayers for your world, our nations and for ourselves.

We pray today for those who live in crisis, through conflict or natural disaster.

Help us to remember that your Son, Jesus Christ, is the Prince of Peace and so we pray for peace between nations, within our communities and in our homes.

We particularly remember those whose lives have been devastated by war and natural disaster, praying in particular for the people of Syria,

help us to remember that you weep with those who weep,

may we respond generously to the needs of our neighbours.

God of grace

Hear our prayer

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Gracious God,

We pray for this United Kingdom.

thanking you for the beauty and complexity of these islands;

We pray for the General Election, for all standing for office, for those who will count votes, for returning officers and for the media who will tell the stories of the election.

We give thanks for the processes of democracy

and offer our prayers for those who do not enjoy such freedom.

God of grace

Hear our prayer

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Gracious God,

We pray for ourselves.

Help us to be wise in the use of all the gifts we have been given,

Help us to remember that each of us is called by you to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ,

following him and his example of loving service.

Help us to combine the many gifts we bring,

that we might build your kingdom on earth.

God of Grace

Hear our prayer

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[lord's prayer]

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LORD鈥橲 PRAYER

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Amazing Grace (recorded at the Festival)

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BLESSING

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