RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD / EASTER DAY
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD / EASTER DAY – Coronavirus
04-17-2022 10:00AM Zoom Worship
INTRODUCTION TO OUR WORSHIP:
This morning began with confusion and surprise: the stone was moved and the tomb was empty. Disciple women arrive, angels speak, and a teaching is remembered. Out of the confusion, hope emerges, and the women become the first to go and tell the good news to others. Out of the confusion, fear and uncertainty continue, and some are reluctant to believe the message of the women and to consider the possibility that Jesus kept his word. VACANT CROSS, EMPTY
TOMB, RISEN LORD. The surprise of Easter has not ended. Death, despair, and the devil don’t have the last word. God’s life-giving miracle continues in the hearts, minds, and lives of all who believe.
+ WE ANNOUNCE THE VICTORY +
EASTER SUNDAY OPENING RITE:
L We went there… L We should have brought the men…
C first thing in the morning… C and then we looked and saw.
L the three of us… L The stone was ALREADY rolled away…
C maybe a few others. C we went in, confused…
L It was very damp with a heavy dew… L there was NO body…
C there was a chill around and inside us. C now we were terrified.
L We took some spices… L Who were those young men in white?
C we thought there would be a smell. C It WASN’T Jesus!
L We took our tears… L They said that we shouldn’t be scared…
C we wanted to say good-bye. C Jesus was GONE!
L We were so scared… L They said that Jesus was raised…
C it was just us… C Jesus was ALIVE!
L the men wouldn’t come… L They urged us to remember…
C they were more scared than us. C and we dared to have hope.
L We ran up the road… L We ran back faster to tell the other disciples…
C we were out of breath… C but they said we were foolish women.
L but we walked through the graveyard… L We heard that Peter also went to the tomb…
C we were so anxious. C and was mostly just amazed.
L We wondered about the stone… L Easter seems too good to be true –
C who would roll it away? C Who will ever believe this GOOD NEWS?
OPENING SONG: “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” Green #143
- Now all the vault of heaven resounds in praise of love that still abounds:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear! Repeat their song of glory here:
“Christ has triumphed! Christ has triumphed!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
- Eternal is the gift he brings, therefore our heart with rapture sings:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Now still he comes to give us life and by his presence stills all strife.
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
- Oh, fill us, Lord, with dauntless love; set heart and will on things above
that we conquer through your triumph;
Grant grace sufficient for life’s day that by our lives we truly say:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
- Adoring praises now we bring and with the heav’nly blessed sing:
“Christ has triumphed! Alleluia!”
Be to the Father, and our Lord, to Spirit blest, most holy God,
all the glory, never ending! AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
CELEBRATION OF NEW LIFE IN CHRIST:
L My friends, we have a message to hear and a story to tell!
Let sorrow turn to joy,
let shadows turn to light,
let fear turn to faith,
let doubt turn to assurance,
let cowardice turn to courage,
let hesitation turn to proclamation
let death turn to life,
and let there be hope when hope is gone!
We are – only by God’s grace – EASTER people, always rising! Now let us bless and assure one another, offer a sign
and say the words, of what God has done for any and for all of us through Jesus Christ…
[Turn to a neighbor… make the sign of the cross on the forehead, or even your own… and say — ]
C “Receive [+] the sign of the cross. Because HE died, YOU are alive!”
SONG OF PRAISE: “Lord, I lift your name on high, Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life, I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way;
from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift your name on high!”
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY:
O God who loves us so dearly, the cross is vacant, the tomb is empty, and Jesus is alive!
May we trust that he is our Lord in life, in death, and in life beyond death.
May we find in Jesus our peace, our purpose, our power, and our promise now and forever, Amen.
+ WE PROCLAIM GOD’S SAVING WORD +
FIRST READING: ACTS 10:34-43 [Peter narrates the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, the story that is the basis of the Christian faith. The additional surprise even to Peter is this: God shows no partiality… Jesus Christ is for all people… and everybody who believes, receives! Christianity that is centered in the love of Jesus Christ can still barriers down.]
10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
10:35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
10:36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all.
10:37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
10:39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
10:40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,
10:41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.
10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
SONG SELECTION
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:19-26 [Paul describes the consequences of the resurrection, including the promise of new life in Christ to a world that has been in bondage to death. He celebrates the destruction of evil and the establishment of God’s victorious rule over all.]
15:19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
15:21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
15:22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
15:24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power.
15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Oh, how He loves you and me. Oh, how He loves you and me.
He gave His life, what more can He give?
OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU; OH, HOW HE LOVES ME;
OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME!
Jesus to Calv’ry did go, His love for this world to show.
What He did there brought hope from despair…”
THE HOLY GOSPEL: LUKE 24:1-12 [Expecting to find Jesus’ dead body, some of his women followers go to the tomb with embalming spices. But they come face to face with an empty tomb, angelic visitors, and a stunning message. Confused and excited, the women become the first to proclaim the amazing news of resurrection.]
24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.
24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
24:3 but when they went in, they did not find the body.
24:4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.
24:5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.
24:6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
24:7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”
24:8 Then they remembered his words,
24:9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
24:10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
24:11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
24:12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
DANCE SELECTION
BRIEF MEDITATION: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG SELECTION:
AN AFFIRMATION OF OUR FAITH:
We believe that God graciously revealed himself in Jesus Christ,
the Light of the world,
the Word of life made flesh
God’s own Son living among us,
and yet a human just like us.
We believe that Jesus Christ willingly
shared our life, its joys and sorrows;
taught us how to love God and each other;
allowed himself to be broken at the hands of humanity;
and met his death on a cross.
We believe, even beyond our understanding, that Jesus
was resurrected from the dead;
disarmed and conquered death;
cancelled out the power of sin;
and wiped the smile forever off of Satan’s face.
We believe that Jesus Christ is alive and well
in the Church that proclaims him;
in our lives that serve him;
in our world that needs him;
and everywhere that God’s love reaches now and forever. Amen.
OFFERING [If we are willing, we are the hands and feet of Jesus, carrying God’s love and forgiveness to others. With courage and conviction, let us commit who we are, how we act, and what we have to go, to show and tell!]
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “I Know It Was the Blood”
- I know it was the blood… I know it was the blood… I know it was the blood for me.
One day when I was lost, he died upon the cross… I know it was the blood for me.
- It was my Savior’s blood…
- They pierced him in the side…
- He’s coming back again…
OFFERING PRAYER:
O God, it is only by your amazing grace that we are Easter-alive today! Now give us the bold confidence and the passionate love to dry tears, to lift up broken hearts, and to testify with our gifts and our lives that there is new life, more life, eternal life in Christ. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION: “I Love to Tell the Story” Dennis Fortune
THE PRAYERS… We pray that THE WAY OF THE CROSS will continue to impact our lives and transform the world!
THE LORD’S PRAYER
+ WE ARE SENT TO SHOW AND TELL +
THE BENEDICTION:
L Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
L Leave with a message upon your heart: I have seen the Lord!
Leave with a message on your lips: I have seen the Lord!
Leave with a message revealed through your daily living: I have seen the Lord!
Go in the faith-filled power of the Risen Lord [+] to love God and to serve your neighbor in all that you do!
C AMEN NOW! AMEN ALWAYS!
CLOSING SONG: “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” Green #151
- Jesus Christ is risen today, Al — le – lu – ia!
Our triumphant holy day, Al — le – lu –ia!
Who did once upon the cross, Al — le – lu ia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, Al — le – lu – ia!
- Hymns of praise then let us sing, Al — le – lu – ia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly king, Al — le – lu – ia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Al — le – lu – ia!
Sinners to redeem and save, Al — le – lu – ia!
- But the pains which he endured, Al — le – lu – ia!
Our salvation have procured, Al — le – lu – ia!
Now above the sky he’s king, Al — le – lu – ia!
Where the angels ever sing, Al — le – lu – ia!
- Sing we to our God above, Al — le – lu – ia!
Praise eternal as his love, Al — le – lu – ia!
Praise him, all you heav’nly host, Al — le – lu – ia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Al — le – lu – ia!