Peter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: “My fellow Israelites, tune in and I’ll set you straight. You already know about Jesus of Nazareth, and you know how God publicly endorsed him by enabling him to do powerful and amazing things which clearly had God’s fingerprints all over them. This man’s life was put in your hands, just as God had decided it would be – a decision made with eyes open to the consequences. You strung him up and killed him, and the fact that you got some outsiders to do your dirty work doesn’t change that. But that wasn’t the end of the story: God raised him up, breaking him free from the grip of death, and death was powerless to do anything about it. Clearly David was anticipating the experience of Jesus when he wrote:

I can see that you are always with me, Lord; you stick by me so I’ll never be pushed off track.

No wonder I’m on top of the world and songs of joy burst from my lips; there is even hope for my mortal body because of you.

You will never give me up to the grave, or leave your dedicated servant to rot.

You set my feet on a life-giving track, and you will give me the ultimate pleasure of being in your presence for keeps.

“My fellow Israelites, I’m not giving away any secrets when I say that our ancestor, King David, did himself die, and was buried. Even to this day, any of us can go and visit his grave and know that he’s gone. But he was a prophet who heard from God. He knew that God had promised to raise the ultimate King from his own family line. Seeing what this would mean, David pointed to the resurrection of the Messiah when he said:

He was not given up to the grave; nor was his body left to rot.

“So the fact is, Jesus is the Messiah and God has raised him up. And we all stand before you as witnesses to this fact.” ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Protect me, God, you are my place of refuge. I’m acknowledging you as the one in charge, LORD; you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I delight in the company of those who dedicate themselves to you; they are the salt of the earth. Those who worship other things will have nothing but grief. I will not buy into their futile devotions; I will not utter the names they revere. You are all I want, LORD, and all I need; you hold my future in your hands. You mark out the best of everything for me; you’ve set me up with a bright future. I heap accolades on you, LORD, for you always give me wise advice; even in the dead of night you fill my heart with your teachings. I’ll always stick close behind you, LORD; with you near by, I’ll never be pushed off track. You fill me with delight, LORD; joy erupts from deep in my bones; my body relaxes, safe in your care. You’ll never let the grave drag me down; your faithful servants are never left for dead. You set my feet on a life-giving track, LORD. To be in your presence is absolute bliss. All I could dream of comes from your hand. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

A standing ovation for God!! Applause! Honours! The richest rewards! All this and more for the God and Conceiver of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! Just look at the astonishing mercy evident in what God has done for us by raising Jesus the Messiah from the dead. Through this resurrection, God has given us all a fresh start, as people newly born into a life full of hope. And this newborn life can only get better, because God has put aside a nest-egg for us in heaven where its value cannot be eroded, degraded or rendered obsolete. It is all there waiting for you, and in the meantime, your faith will get you through, because God’s power is at work in it, protecting you from destruction and seeing you safely across the line into the life for which you are being saved — a life that will only be seen in all its glory when the curtain comes down on time as we’ve known it. All of this gives you every reason to celebrate with great joy, even though in recent times you have been repeatedly put under the heat of hostility and viciousness. You’ll come out the better for it. Solid gold — although here today and gone tomorrow — is only seen in all its beauty after it is refined by fire. Your faith, which is so much more precious than gold, will likewise be proved to be the genuine article when it emerges from the fire, and will thus attract even more credit and glory and honour when Jesus the Messiah takes centre stage. You have never seen him, but that doesn’t stop you loving him. You still don’t see him, and yet you are trusting him. And even now you are filled with a joy which words cannot describe; a joy which radiates the glories of heaven. And why not? Indeed, you are already tasting the life that is the ultimate reward for all who put faith into practice; the life for which you are being saved. ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

It was a Sunday – the first day of the week – when the tomb was found empty. That same evening, the disciples met together. They locked all the doors of the house where they were meeting because they were afraid of being tracked down by the religious authorities. Suddenly, Jesus appeared and stood among them saying, “Good evening to you all!” He proceeded to show them the deep scars in his hands and side. The disciples, of course, were over the moon at seeing the Lord again. Jesus spoke again, saying, “All the best to you. God sent me into the world, and in the same way, I’m sending you.” Having said that, he breathed a big breathe onto them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit; all of you. If you forgive anyone who has sinned, then their sins are forgiven. If you withhold forgiveness for any sins, they remain unforgiven.” When this happened, Thomas – known as “the Twin” and one of the twelve – was missing. The other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord, but they couldn’t convince him. “I’m not falling for that one!” Thomas replied. “I’d have to see the nail holes in his hands before I’d believe it. In fact I’d have to feel the holes myself, and touch the spear wound in his side.” A week later, the disciples again gathered behind locked doors in the same house, and this time Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors, Jesus came and stood among them again and said, “Good evening to you all!” Then he turned to Thomas and said, “Here are my hands, Thomas. Put your finger here in the wound.” And pulling up his shirt, he said, “And here is my side. You can put your hand in the hole. Let go of your doubts and trust me.” Thomas, of course, was blown away, and said, “You are my Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Believing is not that hard when you’ve seen me, is it? Imagine how much God will smile on those who put their trust in me without ever having seen me!” The disciples saw Jesus do many other things that demonstrated to them the reality of who he was, but they have not all been written down in this book. But what has been written here has been written for you, dear readers, so that you will know enough to see that Jesus is the anointed One – the Son of God – and so that by putting your trust in him you can come to have real life: the life that he lived and shares. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Let us lift up our hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God, for you have given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. In the first of your mighty deeds of power you created the heavens and earth. You formed for yourself a people, and through the law and prophets you led them on the road to life. Your child and our brother, Jesus Christ, came to us speaking words of peace and forgiveness. He was put to death by the enemies of life, but you kept your promise not to abandon your faithful one to death. You raised him up, and freed him from death’s power. Greeting us with hands still scarred, he stands with us in our fears, doubts and trials and protects us through faith for salvation into our glorious inheritance - boundless joy at your side forever. Therefore with ..... ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

We give you thanks for your Son, Jesus Christ, who greets us with hands still scarred and stands with us in our fears, doubts and trials, protecting us through faith for salvation into our glorious inheritance - boundless joy at your side forever. ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion) We give you all thanks and praise, O God, for you have given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. In the first of your mighty deeds of power you created the heavens and earth. You formed for yourself a people, and through the law and prophets you led them on the road to life. Your child and our brother, Jesus Christ, came to us speaking words of peace and forgiveness. He was put to death by the enemies of life, but you kept your promise not to abandon your faithful one to death. You raised him up, and freed him from death’s power. Greeting us with hands still scarred, he stands with us in our fears, doubts and trials and protects us through faith for salvation into our glorious inheritance - boundless joy at your side forever. Therefore, with our hearts lifted high, we offer you thanks and praise at all times through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus has commissioned us to announce the forgiveness of sins. You who have put your faith in Jesus the Messiah will receive the outcome of your faith, mercy for your sins and resurrection life in Christ. Sisters and Brothers,   your sins are forgiven;     be at peace. ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

As the father sent Christ Jesus, so now you are sent. Go then, with your hearts rejoicing, as those who have touched the marks of truth. Endure suffering, forgive sins, and love the Lord. And may God’s power be your protection; May Christ Jesus reach out to you with words of peace; And may the Holy Spirit fill you with indescribable and glorious joy. We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,    In the name of Christ. Amen. ©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net