Stand UP, Christians ! This year . . . HOME CHURCH WORSHIP OUT-SIDE TO REACH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ! Included: HOME COMMUNION SERVICE

Hosanna, SAVE ! 
I pray (THEE) ! Followers of JESUS, prepare to give GLORY TO GOD on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and on RESURRECTION DAY.

 There is NO PROHIBITION (yet) against individuals or families to bear witness in their own homes, in their own yards, by their cars parked in the street or on their own hillsides, farms or fields .

 Some churches WILL hold services regardless of prohibitions by the TEN KINGS and their henchmen . . . the prohibitions DESIGNED to muffle the Church on the highest Holy Days of the Christian calendar.

These churches are not necessarily rebellious; they simply believe that The LORD JESUS CHRIST Who+ is Risen from the dead is EQUALLY ABLE to keep the Brethren from contracting illness when gathered together to PRAISE HIM+.

Other church groups, however, take the stand that a Christian witness is better given by NOT gathering together.

A “witness” gives open testimony, not hidden, yes? If it is not OPEN, it cannot bear witness, neither in court nor in any other setting.

However, let us NOT hide behind the robes of the church organization.

There is NO PROHIBITION (yet) against individuals

or families to bear witness

 in their own homes,

in their yards,

by their cars parked in the street,

on their own hillsides, farms, or fields.

So, on Palm Sunday, if there is no church worship service , let us escort the family outside and clip off a few branches of the nearest shrub, and plan to wave the branches as we march around the yard , (  or house, barn , cars, field, etc.) and sing

HOSANNA, in the Highest !  HOSANNA to the SON+ of David !

Let us answer back and forth to one another, like a responsive reading, with a leader proclaiming the Scripture and the other family members responding with “ HOSANNA in the Highest” and waving their branches !

Let us prepare to sing some hymns of praise and , if there is a loud-speaker or bullhorn, let us invite our neighbors to listen and sing with us.

Let us indeed BEAR WITNESS to The LORD JESUS, brothers and sisters, and not hide our light under a bushel because of fear.

Now then, let us have some Salvation tracts handy; some neighbors may be quite hungry for the hope and security that is in CHRIST JESUS. Anyone can walk by and pick up a Salvation tract from a little stand in the front yard marked “FREE”, near the mailbox, in a box on top of the car hood, or some such location.

Perhaps this is EXACTLY WHAT The LORD intended to happen this year, on these High Holy Days ?   

That is, we are not to stay “grouped together” as usual but to be scattered among the Un-redeemed, to plant seeds of faith and hope during this time of turmoil and upheaval of society.  

Perhaps His+ Unction is for an individual or the family itself to become a WITNESS unto our neighbors, instead of staying in a church building to do our worship ?

+  +  +

For GOOD FRIDAY*, perhaps we should prepare, individually or with the family, to have an outside vesper service with candles glowing inside paper sacks , in our own yard ( field, hillside, etc.) for a solemn remembrance of the Crucifixion of Our LORD.

If we do this in the dark, the WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD will have its eyes upon us. 

But . . . Let us sing ( and play guitar, violin, etc. ) some old, well-known hymns, like “The Old Rugged Cross” which most people know ; the whole neighborhood will have its ears upon us as well.  That way, they will KNOW it is for CHRIST and not just a time around the fire.

One very effective witness at a GOOD FRIDAY remembrance is to hear the sound of large , heavy nails being pounded into a thick board with a large hammer.

Every loud blow sends a shudder into the heart, a shudder reminding us of  how our sins have hurt HIM+, of what our DELIVERANCE has COST HIM+.    It drives the point home.

A Scripture reading followed by three blows of the heavy hammer for one Nail; a Scripture followed by three blows for the second Nail; then a Scripture followed by three blows for the third and final Nail.

+  +  +

GOOD FRIDAY Communion at home

Many churches hold a service of repentance on GOOD FRIDAY with communion.  

If the church does not meet for Communion, it does NOT mean that Christians cannot partake of His+ Supper.

We must simply do what has been done in other hard situations, even though  it may be uncomfortable for us. It weakens the Body of CHRIST   when we omit Communion. The LORD would not have us to neglect His+ Body and Blood.

If the father of the house is a sanctified Believer in CHRIST JESUS, he may want to read the Words of JESUS in Luke 22 and the Words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 11 to prepare the family for a family Communion with The LORD.

Here is an example that could be used or adjusted to whatever is fitting.

The leader of the small group of Christians or father of the family says: Blessed be GOD: FATHER, SON+ and HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.

The people respond: And blessed be HIS Kingdom forever. Amen.

The leader says: Let us pray. Almighty  GOD, unto Whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, that we may perfectly love THEE, and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name; through CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

Response: Amen

The father or leader announces: The Great Shema [ Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-31, and John 10:10 ]

The LORD JESUS said: The first of all the commandments is HEAR, O ISRAEL; The LORD our GOD is ONE LORD; I+ and My+ FATHER are ONE.

Thou shalt LOVE the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the First and great commandment. And the Second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. There is no commandment greater than these. The WORD of The LORD.

Response: Thanks be to GOD.

The leader: Let us search our hearts before The LORD, and with the help of the HOLY SPIRIT, let us make a hearty repentance unto The LORD for wrongs we may have done against HIM+ or against our fellow man.

The Leader may choose to have a few minutes of silence or to have the group hear or else read together, responsively Psalm 51.

The Leader:  If any man sin, we have an Advocate with The FATHER, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous; and HE+ is the Divine Covering for our sins.

The LORD has given us a Divine Invitation to Sup with HIM+.

All baptized believers who have prepared their hearts by repentance from the sins that do so easily beset us, and are in love and charity with their neighbors, and do henceforth intend to lead an amended life, are invited to present yourselves here at this table to partake of  The Supper of The LORD.

The partakers move in quietness to the Table, usually standing around it, but this arrangement may be changed at the discretion of the leader or father of the home. When all have come close, the leader begins:

Heavenly FATHER, we come before you now to do that which Your Beloved SON+ has commanded us to do: to partake of the unleavened bread and wine; and to do this in remembrance of HIM+; and to proclaim His+ death until HE+ comes again, in Power and in great Glory.

Bless this, our Communion, we pray.

In the night in which Our LORD was betrayed, HE+ took bread in His+ sinless hands and when HE+ had given thanks, HE+ broke it, and gave it to His+ Disciples, saying:

“Take, eat. This is My+ Body which is given for you. 

Do this, as often as you shall eat of it,

in remembrance of ME+.”

+  +  +

Likewise after Supper, taking the Cup and giving thanks, HE+ gave it to them, saying, 

“Drink ye all of this. This is My+ Blood of the New Covenant,

Which+ is being poured out for you and for many

for the remission of sins.

Do this, as often as you shall drink of  IT+,

in remembrance of ME+.”

+  +  +

Heavenly FATHER, we pray, send forth Thy Blessed HOLY SPIRIT into this unleavened bread and wine, that they may be for us the BODY+ and BLOOD+ of Your Beloved SON+, our LORD.

Now, in the words our LORD taught His+ Disciples, when they asked Him+, “LORD, Teach us to pray.” Let us pray together:

 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. 

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever. Amen.

The Sharing of the Unleavened Bread and The Cup

For a family or small group, everyone may stand quietly around the table. Before partaking of the Unleavened Bread, the leader or father of the home, takes the Unleavened Bread in his hands and breaks it into small pieces. 

Then picking up the plate and holding it before him, the leader says:

  

 “The Body of our LORD JESUS CHRIST Which+ is broken for thee, Preserve thy body and soul unto Ever-Lasting Life. Take, and eat this, in remembrance that CHRIST died for thee. And feed on HIM+ in thy heart by faith, with Thanksgiving”

~ As the leader presents the plate to each person, the leader says: 

“The Body of the LORD”  and the person responds: “Broken for me.”

Then, the person may partake of the morsel of Unleavened Bread in reverent silence. When all have been served the Bread and partaken of it, then the leader takes the Cup and says:

“The Blood of our LORD JESUS CHRIST Which+ was shed for thee, Preserve thy body and soul unto Ever-Lasting Life.

Take, Drink this, in remembrance that CHRIST’S Blood was shed for thee, and be thankful. “

~ As the leader presents the Cup to each person, he says:

 “The Blood of our LORD, the Cup of Salvation” and the person responds:      “Blood shed for me.”

The leader presents each baptized believer a sip from the Cup, wiping the rim with a clean towel after each presentation and turning the Cup slightly.

When all have been presented with the Bread and the Cup, the Partakers may be seated or kneel. The leader then prays, saying:

“Let us pray:

“O HOLY FATHER, thank YOU for the most precious Body+ and Blood+ of Your HOLY SON+ JESUS. 

Help us to walk worthy of Your SON+ and worthy of our Calling, and to bear Fruit that is pleasing in Your Sight, through Your Beloved SON+, in the strength of Your HOLY SPIRIT. 

Help us to overcome all things through Your Beloved SON+ and to be with YOU forever in the Kingdom of Your SON+.

Thanks be to GOD , WHO giveth us the victory, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Amen.”

And the congregation or family of Partakers respond:

“Thanks be to GOD !”

The leader then says: 

“Here endeth the Order of Holy Communion on this ( First Day of the Week, on this GOOD FRIDAY, or whatever Day it is. )”

It is appropriate to sing a hymn of Thanksgiving here, as the Communion Service ends.

* GOOD FRIDAY:

We firmly believe that The LORD was crucified on a  Wednesday morning at Passover time ( like it falls this year, 2020 ) and spent 3 nights and 3 days in the heart of the earth and was risen Sabbath ( Saturday) night. 

HE+ was not seen until just before the break of day; the women coming to the Tomb did not recognize HIM+ because it was still quite dark. But . . . HE+ had risen from the Tomb itself precisely after 3 nights and 3 days in the heart of the earth, regardless of when HE+ was first seen by the Brethren.

However, the GOOD FRIDAY is a remembrance that the church has embraced for years, so it is more important to join in that common remembrance than omit it.