The Bulletin is at: 04-01-2018 – Easter Bulletin
The Service in PDF format is at: 04-01-2018 – Easter Service
or the service is as follows:
EASTER DAY
The Resurrection of our Lord
April 1, 2018
He Appeared!
AS WE GATHER
Christ is risen! It’s hard to imagine someone who was killed on Friday rising to live again on Sunday. It has happened only once and is what we celebrate today: Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus didn’t keep His resurrection a secret. He appeared to many people. He appeared to Mary, to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to Peter and the apostles, to His brother James, to more than five hundred people, and lastly to the apostle Paul. We believe Jesus rose from the dead because He said He would, because the Scriptures said He would, and because He appeared to many. Today we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, His appearance.
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
Stand
PROCESSIONAL HYMN: “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”
- Congregation & Choir Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Our Triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
- Congregation & Choir Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ our heav’nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
- Choir ONLY But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
- Congregation & Choir Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all you heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
Sit
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Christ is risen!
People: He is risen indeed!
Pastor: He died for our sins,
People: according to the Scriptures.
Pastor: He was buried in the tomb,
People: according to the definite plan of God.
Pastor: He rose from the dead
People: and appeared to many.
Pastor: Christ is risen!
People: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
OPENING UP TO GOD
Pastor: If Christ had not been raised from the dead, we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins. Let us consider our sinfulness and God’s great mercy in Christ.
~~ Silence for reflection ~~
Pastor: Heavenly Father,
People: we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. We confess our shameful thoughts about our leaders, enemies, and strangers. We confess our inappropriate words spoken to our families, friends, and colleagues. We confess our inappropriate actions toward our neighbors. For the sake of the risen Christ, forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we follow in His footsteps both now and when He returns in glory. Amen.
Pastor: If Christ had not been raised from the dead, we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins, but Christ rose from the grave, and death no longer has dominion over Him! God did this in accordance with the Scriptures to forgive our sins. As a called and ordained servant of the risen Christ and by His authority, I forgive your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
By Jean Anne Shafferman & Patti Drennan
Come, let us with our Lord arise, our Lord, who made both earth and skies, who died to save the world He made and rose triumphant from the dead.
Hallelujah! Rise and sing! Hallelujah, to Christ our king!
The strife is o’er the battle done, the victory of life is won. Our Christ has opened paradise, and death in vain forbids Him rise. Hallelujah! Rise and sing! Hallelujah, to Christ our King!
Then let us render Him His own, with solemn pray’r approach His throne, with meekness hear the gospel word, with thanks His dying love record.
Rise up and sing! Hallelujah, to Christ our King!
O sons and daughters, sing your praise on this most holy day of days. This is the day the Lord has made, that all may see His love displayed.
Hallelujah, Rise and sing! Hallelujah, to Christ our King!
Hallelujah, to Christ our King!
Hallelu! Rise and sing!
Pastor: Mighty Lord, Your own Son left the darkness of the grave to rise and show forth His glorious body as the firstborn of the dead. As You have united us to the cross of Christ by Baptism, so raise us up to newness of life that we may recall our Lord’s resurrection with joy and live it out by the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 25:6-9
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the LORD has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Stand
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
People: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Sit
HYMN: “I Know that My Redeemer Lives”
1.I Know that my Redeemer lives!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my everliving head!
- He lives triumphant from the grave;
He lives eternally to save;
He lives exalted, Throned above;
He lives to rule his Church in love.
- He lives to grant me rich supply;
He lives to guide me with his eye;
He lives to comfort me when faint;
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
- He lives to silence all my fears;
He lives to wipe away my tears;
He lives to calm my troubled heart;
He lives all blessings to impart.
“The Empty Tomb: A Place of Remembering”
GATHERING OF OUR EASTER OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY
Stand
Pastor: O God of Life, fill our hearts with resurrection joy.
People: Let the radiant beams of Easter’s light shine into the depths of our souls.
Pastor: Send the news of Christ’s victory over death into all the world.
People: Grant that many more nations may join the hosts of heaven in songs of triumph.
Pastor: In the promise of Easter take away from us the fear of death.
People: Renew us in the Spirit of Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life.
Pastor: O Lord, now use us and all we are to bring glory to Your name.
People: Use us through our daily lives, our resources, and our prayers, to be a blessing in our families, in our communities, and in our world.
Pastor: O Lord, we pray for all who suffer affliction of body, soul, or mind: those recovering from surgery and those who may be close to death. Particularly, we pray for (…) and others we now name before You (moment of silence) O Lord,
People: Heal people in need of your special care and use us to express Your love to them.
Pastor: O Lord, as we eat and drink together and share the very body and blood of our Lord.
People: We ask that we may be united with Christ and with each other, that we may share His glory, and that we may go our way and be His body in the world. Amen.
† SACRAMENT †
PREFACE
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
WORDS OF OUR LORD
Pastor: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My † body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My † blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
LORD’S PRAYER
Matthew 6:9–13
People: 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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Sit
DISTRIBTUTION
Communion will be served in a continuous line. For those who choose to receive the blood of Christ in individual cups, please place your empty individual cup in the bowl as you return to your seat. If you do not desire communion, but are desiring a blessing, you are welcomed forward for prayer.
“Blessed Assurance”
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
- Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
- Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
“Because He Lives”
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
How sweet to hold a new born baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives;
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
And then one day I’ll cross the river;
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.
Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
“Let Us Break Bread Together”
Let us break bread together on our knees;
Let us break bread together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
Let us drink wine together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Let us praise God together on our knees;
Let us praise God together on our knees;
When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord have mercy on me.
Pastor: Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
People: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Pastor: Let us go forth rejoicing, in the name of the Lord.
People: Amen.
Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and † give you peace.
People: Amen.
- I serve a risen Savior, he’s in the world to day;
I know that he is linging, whatever men may say;
I see his hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him he’s always near.
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, he lives salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.
- In all the world around me I see his loving care,
And though my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that he is leading, through all the stormy blast,
The day of his appearing will come at last.
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, he lives salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.
- Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek him, the help of all who find;
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, he lives salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.
Pastor: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.