THE RESURRECITON OF OUR LORD Easter Sunrise Service: March 31, 2013 The congregation may prepare themselves in silence before the service Narration: This morning we go back in spirit to the first Easter morning. Through word and song we relive the events that took place early in the morning. We experience for ourselves the joy that overwhelmed the hearts of those believing women and our Lord s disciples. The disciples did not understand or believe that Jesus would rise from the dead. They thought that his death meant the end of all their hopes. Because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, they spent the day huddled behind locked doors. The women also were not expecting Jesus to rise from the dead. On the first day of the week, after the Sabbath day of rest had ended, they left their homes and walked to our Lord s grave. There they intended to perform one last act of loving service by tending to his dead body with spices. Their hearts were filled with grief and sorrow. All they knew was that Jesus, the one in whom they had put their trust, was dead. Sometime after sunset on the Sabbath, which is when Sunday really began, Jesus body and soul reunited and he became alive. He left the still-sealed tomb. He then descended into hell. As the victorious Savior, he visited the abode of the damned, where he proclaimed his victory over Satan. The Bible tells us that he disarmed the powers of evil and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. No one knew that Jesus had risen yet. Shortly before sunrise, there was an earthquake. The soldiers standing guard fainted and then ran back to the city. An angel rolled the stone away from the entrance to the tomb to show the world its emptiness. Hymn 159 Morning Breaks Upon the Tomb The altar candles in the church are now lit. The lights of the church are fully lit, the bells are rung, and the minister proclaims: M: ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN! C: HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!
M: For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. C: Christ is Risen! ALLELUIA! Gospel Reading: Matthew 281-10 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you. 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. Greetings, he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me. M: This is the Gospel of our Lord! C: Alleluia! Christ is Risen! PRAYER OF THE DAY M: O God, who made this most holy morning to shine with the glory of the resurrection of our Lord, preserve in all your people the Spirit of adoption which you have given, that they may serve you in faith and joy, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. Easter Greeting M: Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! M: Why do you look for the living among the dead? C: He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. M: Hallelujah! Death has been swallowed up in victory!
C: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? M: The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law C: But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Hymn: 146 His Battle Ended There Easter Verses M: Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! M: He is not here C: Come see the place where they laid him M: He was pierced for our transgressions C: He was crushed for our iniquities M: The punishment that brought us peace was upon him C: By his wounds we are healed M: He was delivered over to death for our sins C: And was raised to life for our justification M: Oh that my words were recorded, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead or engraved in rock forever! C: I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. M: And after my skin has been destroyed C: Yet in my flesh I will see God M: I myself will see him with my own eyes I and not another C: How my heart yearns within me! All sing: He s risen, he s risen, Christ Jesus the Lord He opened death s prison, the incarnate Word Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song And earth, sea, and mountain the praises prolong Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden s door For all our transgressions his blood does atone Redeemed and forgiven, we now are his own (Hymn 143, vv. 1,4)
Easter Verses M: Christ is risen! C: He is risen indeed! M: If God is for us, C: Who can be against us? M: Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? C: It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? M: Christ Jesus who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us C: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? M: Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? C: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us M: I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, C: Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, M: Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, C: Will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hallelujah! All sing: The foe was triumphant when on Calvary The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree In Satan s domain did the hosts shout and jeer For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear But short was his triumph, the Savior arose And death, hell, and Satan he vanquished, his foes The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die (Hymn 143, vv. 2,3) 1. He Saw and Believed John 20:1-9 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Our response: Hymn 158 I Am Content! My Jesus Lives Again 2. Why are you Crying? John 20:10-18 Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, Woman, why are you crying? They have taken my Lord away, she said, and I don t know where they have put him. At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that is was Jesus. Woman, he said, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni! (which means Teacher). Jesus said, Do not hold onto me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: I have seen the Lord! And she told them that he had said these things to her. Our response: Hymn 156 Awake, My Heart, With Gladness 3. Peace Be with you! John 20:19-23 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you! After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the
Lord. After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. Hymn 165 vs. 1-4 O Sons and Daughters of the King 4. Stop Doubting and Believe! John 20:24-28 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you! Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas aid to him, My Lord and my God! Hymn 165 vs. 5-8 O Sons and Daughters of the King 5. Christ has indeed been raised from the Dead 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 But if its preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Hymn 165 vs. 9 O Sons and Daughters of the King Offering: We gather our Easter Sunrise offerings and please sign the Friendship Register Easter Sunrise Prayers The Blessing C: (sung) Amen. Amen. Amen. Closing Hymn: 162 He is Arisen! Glorious Word *************************************************************