Easter Sunday
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
Alleluia! Christ is risen; the Lord is risen! Alleluia! Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! Alleluia! Let us worship God.
Christ the Lord is ris’n today! Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say: Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply: Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, he all doth 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 hath opened paradise. Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head; Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise; Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!
THE OPENING SENTENCES
Let the angel choirs of heaven now rejoice, and let the trumpet of salvation sound for the victory of so great a King. Let the earth rejoice, made radiant by such splendor, enlightened by the brightness of the eternal King; let it know that the whole world’s darkness is scattered. Let the Church rejoice, adorned with the brightness of so great a light. Let this temple of God’s people rejoice and resound with the loud voices of the saints:
Christ is risen!
CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Christ is risen!
CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes
This is the day that the Lord has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!
Almighty God, who through the resurrection of your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, has overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: Assist and support in us, we beseech you, the desires for your heavenly grace, that dying unto sin always, and living unto righteousness, we may at last triumph over death and the grave, in the full image of our risen Lord: to whom, with you and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end. AMEN.
THE GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.
THE CALL TO CONFESSION
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. (Psalm 32:3-4)
THE PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
Most merciful Father, who desires not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return to you and be saved. Comfort us who are grieved and wearied with the weight of our sins. Spare us who acknowledge our faults, forgive those who repent, loose us from our sins, and so make haste to help us, that we may follow after you with a pure heart in this world, and always live with you in the world to come. Through Jesus Christ our Lord…
A time of Silent Confession
O Lord Jesus, Prince of Life and First-born from the dead, whom though we have not seen, we love: Breathe upon us that we may receive the Holy Ghost, to abide with us continually both as the seal of our adoption, and as a down payment of our promised possession. Give us power to walk in the Spirit that we may not fulfil the desires of the flesh, but rather put sin to death in our flesh which is upon the earth, and purify ourselves even as you are pure, so that at your second coming to judge the world in righteousness, we also may appear with you, having our mortal bodies changed into the likeness of your own glorious body, according to the working whereby you are able to subdue all things unto yourself, the God over all, blessed forever. AMEN.
THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON
The last enemy to be destroyed is death….When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ… All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself… (1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-57)
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, who of His great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all who with sincere repentance and true faith turn unto Him: Have mercy on you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life in Jesus Christ our Lord. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN
The strife is o'er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!
The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed.
Let shouts of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!
The three sad days have quickly sped;
he rises glorious from the dead.
All glory to our risen Head.
Alleluia!
He broke the bonds of death and hell;
the bars from heav’n’s high portals fell.
Let hymns of praise his triumph tell.
Alleluia!
Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death’s dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!
THE MORNING PSALM
Psalm 93
The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.
THE PSALM PRAYER
Most powerful King of kings and Lord of lords, whose glory is incomprehensible, whose majesty is infinite, whose power is incomparable: Maintain your servants in quietness, and grant that we may be so settled on the certainty of your promises that, whatever sort of thing may come our way, we may abide firm in your faith and may live uprightly and without reproach in the midst of your Church, which Jesus Christ your Son has bought with his precious blood. AMEN.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON
A reading from Isaiah, chapter 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns as King!”
The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
you waste places of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
A SONG OF THE REDEEMED
O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done,
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth,
O King of all the ages.
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord,
and sing the praises of your Name?
For you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near and fall down before you,
because your just and holy works have been revealed.
THE EPISTLE LESSON
A reading from 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
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.
THE PRAYER FOR GRACE
Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
THE GOSPEL LESSON
A reading from Luke 24: 13-50
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
THE PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING
Father, we are thirsty for your Truth and Life. Bless our time now, as we consider your Word, and guide our thoughts to know your truth. And grant us your Spirit, that we may believe and know that we have fellowship in your life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
THE SERMON
THE MORNING PRAYERS
Almighty God, Father of all mercies: We your unworthy servants give you humble and sincere thanks for all your goodness towards us: you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. We bless you for our creation and preservation, and for all the blessings of this life. But above it all, we bless your Holy Name for your inestimable love in the redemption of the Church and the whole world by our Lord Jesus Christ, and for all the means of grace, whereby we grow more and more into his life and likeness, and for the hope of glory.
Especially today, Father, we praise you that you have remembered all your promises in sending your only-begotten Son in to the world, to take upon himself our frail and needy nature, who in his holy and blameless life fulfilled for us all obedience, and by whose perfect sacrifice of himself destroyed death and the one who had the power of death, and after he had given himself as a ransom for many, has by his glorious Resurrection restored light and life to the world.
Lord, we beseech you, give us a proper understanding of all your mercies, that our hearts may be always and sincerely thankful, and that we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips but in our lives; by giving ourselves up to your service, and by walking obediently before you in the way of holiness and righteousness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Prayers for Grace
Father, hear our intercessions now as we pray together in the name of Christ.
Send down your Spirit upon your Church, upon all your ministers of the Word and Sacraments, on all missionaries of the Gospel, and on all the faithful in every place. Heal the divisions that separate your people; give us grace to love one another, even as Jesus has loved us and given himself for us. Do this, we pray, for the honor and glory of your name.
Come, Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and King. Reign in your Kingdom; judge the world in righteousness and equity, break in pieces the rod of the oppressor, that all peoples may be blessed in you and all nations may call you blessed.
Bless our nation, Lord. Heal our bitter hatreds of each other, and in their place give us understanding, discretion, a love for what is good and right. Do not deal with us according to what we deserve, Just Judge of all, but rather, deal with us according to your mercy, we pray. Bring us to our knees in true repentance, and then lift us up again in faith, that your name may be glorified. Direct and bless all who are in lawful authority, especially your servants, Donald our president and Kay our governor, and all others whom you have called to public service. Give them, and those who advise them, the wisdom needed in this strange and difficult time. Let your fatherly favor preserve them, and your Holy Spirit govern their hearts. We ask this for Jesus’ sake.
Father, your truth endures from age to age: Direct in these times, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may speak your truth to make the heart of this people wise, its mind discerning, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Father of all mercies, we pray for all who, in this passing life, are brought down by all sorts of ills. Heal the sick, console those who mourn. Hear the pleas of the desolate and the last whispered prayer of the dying.
Almighty God, you are a very present help in time of trouble: Do not let the heart of your people fail when fear strikes, but rather sustain and comfort them until these present troubles are past. And since you alone know the cause and reason why this present pestilence has fallen upon the world, we pray that you will bless the means which are used to stay the spread of sickness, heal the hurt and wounded, console the bereaved and afflicted, protect the innocent and helpless, and deliver any who are still in peril, for your great mercy's sake. And to all who are beyond healing in this present life, grant your heavenly consolation and your saving grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Personal Thanksgivings and Intercessions
Hear us now, Father, as in the name of Christ, we offer our own thanksgivings and intercessions for those in sickness, grief, persecution, bondage, fear, or loneliness…
Feel free to pause the service for your personal prayers and thanksgivings for yourself, the Church, your officers, and others.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. And binding all our prayers in to one, hear us as together in faith we pray as our Savior taught us:
The Lord’s Prayer
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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 CATECHIZING OF THE PEOPLE
How was Christ exalted in his resurrection?
Christ’s exaltation in his resurrection began in that his body did not decay,
since it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
On the third day, he rose from the dead
by his own power
in the very same body in which he had suffered, but
without mortality, and the other common infirmities that belong to this life.
This very same body was, and remains, truly united to his soul.
By his resurrection, Christ declared himself
to be the Son of God,
to have satisfied divine justice,
to have conquered death as well as him who holds the power of death, and
to be Lord of the living and the dead.
He did all this as a general representative of humanity and as Head of his Church
What benefits do we, as believers in Jesus, receive in his resurrection?
In his resurrection, Christ
justifies those who believe in him,
makes us alive in his grace,
supports us against our enemies, and
assures us that we too will be resurrected from the dead at the last day.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son:
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife;
make us more than conqu’rors, thro’ thy deathless love:
bring us safe thro’ Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry thou o’er death hast won.
THE DISMISSAL
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
For his steadfast love endures forever!
O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Father, we give you most humble and sincere thanks, that, when he had died and was buried, you did not allow your Holy One to see corruption, nor leave his soul in the place of the dead, but revealed to him the path of life, and raise him from the dead, and set him at your own right hand in the heavenly places with all authority in heaven and on earth. Grant us grace, we pray, to know with true faith the glorious mystery of our Savior’s resurrection, and fill our hearts with joy and a living hope, that amid all the sorrows, trials and temptations of this present life, and in the hour of death, we may find strength and comfort from this sure pledge, of an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and unfading. Through him who died and now is alive forevermore. AMEN.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Alleluia!AMEN!