Christ Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed How can it be, the One who died, has borne our sin through sacrifice To conquer every sting of death? Sing, sing hallelujah. For joy awakes as dawning light when Christ s disciples lift their eyes. Alive He stands, their Friend and King; Christ, Christ He is risen. Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Oh, sing hallelujah. Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed; Christ is risen, He is risen indeed. Where doubt and darkness once had been, They saw Him and their hearts believed. But blessed are those who have not seen, yet, sing hallelujah. Once bound by fear now bold in faith, They preached the truth and power of grace. And pouring out their lives they gained life, life everlasting. The power that raised Him from the grave now works in us to powerfully save. He frees our hearts to live His grace; go tell of His goodness. He s alive, He s alive! Heaven s gates are opened wide. He s alive, He s alive! Now in heaven glorified. CALLED BY GOD Welcome & Call to Worship - based on I Peter 1:3-5 Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen. All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Leader: Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. All: He has given us new life and hope. He has raised Jesus from the dead. Known as the Paschal Greeting, the exchange of Christ is risen and He is risen indeed! is an Easter tradition practiced throughout the world. It s roots are in the conversations among the disciples after Jesus resurrection (i.e. Luke 24:14-35).
Leader: God has claimed us as his own. All: He has brought us out of darkness. He has made us light to the world. Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen. All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Song of Praise Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! Love s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! Corporate Confession of Faith We believe the good news that we have received, in which we stand, and by which we are saved: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised on the third day, He appeared first to the women, then to Peter and the Twelve, and then to many faithful witnesses. We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One of God, the firstborn of all creation. The firstborn from the dead. In Him all things hold together, in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell by the power of the Spirit. We believe Christ is the head of the body, the church, and by the blood of the cross reconciles all things to God, whether in earth or in heaven. Amen. 2
Praise the Savior, Now and Ever Praise the Savior now and ever; praise him,all beneath the skies; Prostrate lying suff ring, dying on the cross, a sacrifice. Vict ry gaining life obtaining now in glory he doth rise. Man s work faileth, Christ s availeth; he is all our righteousness; He, our Savior, has forever set us free from dire distress. Through his merit we inherit light and peace and happiness. Sin s bond severed, we re delivered; Christ has bruised the serpent s head; Death no longer is the stronger hell itself is captive led. Christ has risen from death s prison; o er the tomb he light has shed. For his favor, praise forever unto God the Father sing; Praise the Savior, praise him ever, Son of God, our Lord and King. Praise the Spirit; through Christ s merit he doth us salvation bring. CLEANSED BY GOD Corporate Confession of Sin Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. You broke into our dying, decaying world and have begun to work healing. You have begun a marvelous and miraculous work of redemption right before our very eyes. Yet, we resist your invitation to join you in the remaking and restoration of your world. We confess that we remain captivated by the gods of this world that promise so much, but deliver so little. We do not believe that you could be calling us to something more noble and beautiful than our own cramped personal dramas. So we settle for lives of comfort and mediocrity. We confess that we remain fixated on our own failures or the failures of others. We quickly forget that your grace is infinite. We quickly forget that Jesus came, not to call the righteous, but the unrighteous. Forgive us, God of mercy. Invade our lives by your Spirit and make us new. Grant that we may know the joy of abundant life given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. ** time for silent confession ** 3
What are the Words of Forgiveness? There s a reason we don t call this element The Forgiveness of Sins. As Protestants, we truly believe that there is only one mediator between God and humankind Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5). Therefore, no pastor or priest can offer God s pardon...this is the work of Christ alone, given freely by and directly from Him! Therefore, we are assured that as we confess our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ, He indeed does pardon us. Our pastors and leaders in worship merely offer this good news as it is proclaimed in Scripture (see 1 John 1:9). Words of Forgiveness - based on I Corinthians 15:54-57 Leader: This is what the Lord says: Death is swallowed in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death. All: But thank God! He has given us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. Leader: In Christ, your sins are forgiven, death has no grip on you, and you will share in His victory. All: Thanks be to God! Leader: He is Risen! All: He is Risen indeed! Passing of the Peace CELEBRATING GOD Song of Praise Arise & Sing There is a King, a risen King; radiant, He reigns in majesty. He conquered death, it has no sting, And at His word we will rise and sing. Arise, we will arise and sing! Arise, we will arise and sing! Come awake, rise from the ground, Open your eyes and see what you have found. Come awake, oh you who sleep, Search no more, for He is all we need. Beautiful, beautiful, There is not one, there is not one who is so beautiful! All the Poor and Powerless All the poor and powerless, all the lost and lonely, All the thieves will come confess, And know that You are holy, and know that You are holy. And all will sing out, hallelujah! And we will cry out, hallelujah! All the hearts who are content, all who feel unworthy, All who hurt with nothing left, Will know that You are holy. 4
The troubles of this world will wither up and die. That river of tears made by them all someday will be dry. There s gonna be a great rejoicing. There s gonna be a great joy river, There s gonna be a great joy river. Questions of this world someday will be known; Who s robing you of peace and who s the giver. There s gonna be a great joy river. Someday you will find me guarded in His fortress, Open heart and wings that never touch the ground. Someday we will gather in a grand reunion. Debts of this old world are nowhere to be found. Communion Minister: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Minister: As we come to the table, let us pray together: All: Gracious Lord, in this holy sacrament you give substance to our hope. May this meal be to us a comfort in affliction, and a pledge of our inheritance in that kingdom where there is no death, sorrow, or tears, but the fullness of joy with all your saints; through Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen. Minister: Therefore we proclaim the mystery of the faith: All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Minister: Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us. All: Therefore, let us keep the feast. ** Institution of the elements ** Minister: These are the gifts of God for the people of God. All: Thanks be to God! Minister: As our Savior taught us, so we pray, All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our 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 yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Why is it called communion? What we do during communion isn t merely a symbolic act or a remembrance it s more than that. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 teaches us that we are actually communing with Christ Himself as we partake of the elements. We mysteriously participate in the body and blood of Jesus. As we take communion, let us remember that Christ is spiritually present in a special way for us in this sacrament. Let s enjoy the feast! If you are not a follower of Jesus or are not prepared to share in the meal, please feel free to not participate and instead spend this time in prayer ( Prayers for Reflection are included in this worship guide). We hope this time is helpful to you as you consider your relationship with Jesus Christ and with his people, the church. 7
Prayers for Reflection Prayer for those searching Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open me to the reality of who you are. Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. Give me an understanding that is coherent, convincing, and that leads to the life you promise. Prayer of belief Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful I ever before believed, but through you, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt, bearing my punishment on the cross, and offering forgiveness and new life. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Savior and my Lord. Prayer for those struggling with sin Lord Jesus, grant that I may see in you the fulfillment of all my need, and may turn from every false satisfaction to feed on you, the true and living bread. Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely, and faithfully follow you in life. Prayer for renewal and commitment Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you in baptism, to love God and neighbor, and to a life of committed discipleship in your church. Grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with your people, to pursue forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace, and to live in the fullness of your Spirit. Amen. He Is Given Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the sacrifice? Here in the place of our sin, He will Himself provide. He is given, He is given. Here is the King of the Jews, but where is His crown of light? Here for the debt of our sin, How they have pierced His side. He is stricken! He is stricken! Here is the stone from the tomb, but where does His body lie? Here He has conquered our sin, and has gone up on high. He is risen! He is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! 8
SENT BY GOD Sending Song In Christ Alone In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song. This Cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love! What depths of peace! When fears are stilled, when strivings cease. My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe. This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on Him was laid; here in the death of Christ I live There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain; Then bursting forth in glorious Day, up from the grave He rose again. And as He stands in victory, sin s curse has lost it s grip on me, For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me. From life s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand. Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I ll stand. Community Life Benediction Minister: May the God of peace, who raised to life the Great Shepherd of the sheep, make us ready to do his will in every good thing, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. All: Amen. Minister: Alleluia! Christ is risen! All: The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! If the Call to Worship is one bookend, communicating to us that God has the first word, the benediction is its match, reminding us that He has the final word as well. The words of benediction (a Latin word meaning to speak well or to speak a good word ) are intended to bring a blessing. Rather than the worship service ending with a command or merely a see you next week, a blessing reminds us of the beauty of God s promise to be with us as we disperse. 9
FINANCIAL UPDATE Given Last Week: $3,047 Required to Date $70,809 (Jan. 1 - April 13) Given to Date $66,394.35 Over/[Under] [$4,414.65] Gifts can be placed in the offering basket on Sundays or mailed to: Hope Chapel 1825 Spring Garden St Greensboro, NC 27403 STAFF & CONTACT INFO Todd Jones, lead pastor todd@hopechapelgreensboro.org 336.420.9010 Michael Van Patter, director of worship arts michael@hopechapelgreensboro.org 336.207.1977 Betsy Greer, children s discipleship betsy@hopechapelgreensboro.org For more info, visit us online at: www.hopechapelgreensboro.org Online giving is now available on our website: www.hopechapelgreensboro.org/about/give/ SONG INFORMATION Christ Is Risen Keith Getty, Kristen Getty, Ed Cash (2012) Christ, the Lord, Is Risen Today Charles Wesley (1739), EASTER HYMN (1708) Praise the Savior, Now and Ever Venantius Fortunatus (ca. 530-609), Tr Augustus Nelson (1863-1949) Music, William Moore (1825) Arise and Sing Brenton Brown, Jason Ingram, and Marty Sampson (2012) All the Poor and Powerless Leslie Jordan, David Leonard (2010) Great Rejoicing Thad Cockrell (2010) He Is Given Isaac Wardell (2010) In Christ Alone Keith Getty, Stuart Townend (2001) Community Groups are central to the life of Hope Chapel. We would love to have you visit one of our eight groups, which are multi-generational and geographically based. They meet on Sunday evenings for dinner, fellowship, prayer and Bible study. Area Contact Address Phone Northeast GSO Bret Grieves 2926 Round Hill Rd 707-1265 Northwest GSO Kenny Crawford 3610 Tattershall Dr 209-6028 Starmount Jim Osborne 3505 Madison Dr 852-3297 Sunset Hills Todd Jones 2516 Berkley Pl 420-9010 Westridge Brent York 1808 Regal Ln 558-3809 North GSO Kevin Hanner 2620 Pewter Place 314-5583 Midtown David Dorich 2407 Kery Drive 430-7070 Lindley Park Ryan Bowles 2631 Beechwood Dr 553-8605