Order of Business

The planned ECBC quarterly business meeting has been moved from April 25 to May 2 to avoid having back to back luncheons/meetings after worship, as Carlos Peralta will be with us on April 18. Please note this in your schedules! See you there.

Personal Witness: Peace That Changed a Life

Spiritual seekers, or anyone else interested in matters of faith, may follow this link: http://hubpages.com/hub/Peace-That-Passes-All-Understanding and read about an experience of being touched by God that changed a life forever.

From the Bible: Easter Sunday: John 20:1-18

This reading is from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. This is why Christians celebrate Easter and consider it one of the holiest days of the year.

John 20: 1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to their homes.


11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Exton Community Baptist Church wishes everyone a blessed Easter and invites you all to our Easter services.

From the Bible: Good Friday: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Hebrews 4:14-16: Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 5:7-9: In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ...

Open Communion Today, Good Friday

Interim Pastor Reverend Jay Van Horn is throwing the ECBC church doors wide this afternoon. All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome to drop by and have communion with the pastor from 12 noon until 6 p.m. today. All seekers are welcome to stop by and have your questions answered and spend some time in the church in meditation.

We hope to see you there.

From the Bible: Maundy Thursday: Mark 14: 43-52

The mob has come to take Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane. This passage is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible:

Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." All of them deserted him and fled.
A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. The caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.

[Brief commentary on this reading from The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV): Verses 43-50: Emphasis is on the excessive force used by the Jerusalem rulers in their covert action to capture Jesus, as if Jesus were a violent bandit-chieftan. Jesus mocks their reluctance simply to seize him when he had been teaching in the Temple courtyard, which betrays their lack of "authority" and political impotence with the people.
51-52: Young man ... naked, presumably symbolic in the narrative, of the disciples now standing exposed as unfaithful deserters and of Jesus as defenseless before the rulers. The "young man" appears once more in the narrative in 16:5-7.]

Maundy Thursday Order of Service, 2010

Prelude - Donna Dunn

Hymn - #145 ("Were You There?")

Responsive Reading - Isaiah 53:1-6

Choir Anthem

Scripture Reading (Mark 14:43-52) - Pastor Jay

Devotional Message - Pastor Jay

Hymn #136 ("O Sacred Head Now Wounded")

Communion

Scripture Lessons and Tenebrae

Three Minute Monologue: Judas - Pastor Jeff

Hope to see you all at the church tonight ... no foolin'! All are welcome.