Easter Sunday

Father,

What a blessed relief to not have to carry that which is my due;

To be given freedom in place of punishment;

To be granted amnesty in the place of justice;

To be granted sonship in the place of alienation.

And to have these for all eternity is sweet bliss…

Thank you for the suffering servant, raised from the dead today.

Amen              

Good Friday Confession

Good Friday Confession

Father, we come to you in our weakness, with our fears and our unbelief. We are guilty of prayerlessness and guilty of often being asleep to the realities of this life. We live in our own strength and we live for this world forgetting that it will all soon pass.

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

Father we have often betrayed you and your son. We have doubted your love for us. We have doubted Jesus right to rule our world. We have not loved you alone. We have not desired to see the day when your son returns on the clouds of heaven.

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

Our Father, we been slow to listen to you, we have been lazy in our Bible reading, and slow to give our hearts to your word.

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

Our Father, we have been slow to pray and unwilling to throw ourselves on your mercy. We have failed to pray for our nation and our leaders. We have failed to pray for our brothers and sisters across the world.

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

Father, we have been lacking in love for the poor. We have desired what others have and we have loved money more than people. We have not cared for those oppressed by political authorities. We have not cared for those who do not know you and are heading to an eternity separated from you.

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

We have not been committed to personal transformation and holiness. We have let respectable sin reign in us. We have been content to be like everyone else. We have unquestioningly absorbed the values of our society and taken them as our own. 

Lord, in your mercy hear us and forgive us.

Lord’s prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today you daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the

     glory are yours now and for ever

Amen

Good Friday

Father you exercised considerable restraint as your innocent son died in our place.

   Give us restraint not anger.

   Grace not revenge.             

   Peace not hatred.

   Meekness not arrogance.

   Mercy not vengeance.

As we worship you alone…

Isaiah 53/Palm Sunday/Easter

Father, to be great is to serve;

to be first is to be slave of all.

Your son came as the despised servant

To give his life as a ransom for many:

  May we know that;

  Rejoice in it;

  Revel in its liberation;

  Embrace its challenge;

  Repent of our self-absorption;

  Follow your example;

  And glory in your character.

For Jesus Christ sake.

Amen

Isaiah 40

Father

We desire to see you

To know your might and to be your reward.

You have measured the heavens and weighed the earth,

No-one comes close to your greatness.

You have measured us and directed our paths;

You watch us;

You watch rulers and nations;

You blow on them and they cease to be;

No-one comes close to your greatness.

But for those who wait on you,

You grant strength and power.

You renew them when they stumble and fall.

Those who hope in you have their strength renewed;

They will soar on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not be faint. 

Acts 15

Father

Banish our idols.

Tear them from our hearts.

Prise them from our hands.

Grow holiness.

Give us a hatred of evil.

Increase love.

Make us more aware of others.

Sensitive to their needs.

Less self-absorbed.

Let grace reign in us.

Let grace rule us.

Let grace be our vision and our guide.

Let grace be our joy.

And you alone our worship.

Amen 

Amazing Grace

Father,

you are ineffable, immensely great, and immeasurably gracious…

You have stooped down to us

and saved us

by your grace alone

Forgive our efforts to top up our salvation

Forgive our hearts desire to contribute to our own eternity

May we simply trust in Christ and his grace alone

Amen