THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD, EASTER DAY, April 12, 2020
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
WELCOME to the online celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. There’s a video of the service on our Church Facebook page. It will be available very early Sunday morning. We have organ and keyboard and singers to lead the music. And I assure you that we’re being safe and responsible and keeping some distance between ourselves.
May God bless us with resurrection eyes and resurrection hearts as we worship our risen Lord.
EASTER ACCLAMATION
Pastor: Alleluia! Christ is risen! People: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Pastor: This is the day the Lord has made; People: let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Pastor: For Jesus Christ is risen today! People: Alleluia!
OPENING HYMN 457, vs. 1-3 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
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!
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!
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!
INVOCATION Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Pastor: As we praise our risen Lord on this glorious day, let us pause to reflect on our daily struggle against sin and everything that draws us away from loving God and our neighbor.
Pastor: For all our sins in thought, word, and deed, both things we have done and things we have left undone; People: forgive us, Lord.
Pastor: For bringing hurt, strife, and painful words to those closest to us; People: forgive us, Lord.
Pastor: For the ease with which we drift from the good news of Christ’s resurrection, which has been delivered to us as of first importance; People: forgive us, Lord.
Pastor: Have mercy on us, restore us, and lead us. People: Give us risen eyes, and risen hearts, that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Pastor: Jesus Christ died for us in accordance with the Scriptures; He was buried, and on the third day He rose again in glory! In Him there is forgiveness for our sins, life for our souls, and joy for our hearts. Therefore, I, a called and ordained servant of our risen Lord, forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Alleluia! Amen.
EASTER PSALM (adapted from Psalm 118)
Pastor: The Lord is my strength and my song; People: He has become my salvation.
Pastor: Open to me the gates of righteousness, People: that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.
Pastor: O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, People: and His mercy endures forever!
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE 457, vs. 4 Jesus Christ is Risen Today!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as His love, Alleluia! Praise Him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: Let us pray. Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, You destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light. Grant that we who have been raised with Him may abide in His presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Job 19:25-27 (Our Redeemer lives!)
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Reader: This is the Word of our risen Lord. People: Thanks be to God!
EPISTLE Colossians 3:1–4 (Set your mind on things above.)
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Reader: This is the Word of our risen Lord. People: Thanks be to God!
ALLELUIA (sung to the tune “Easter Hymn”, LSB 457)
Let the whole creation cry: Alleluia! Glory be to God on high! Alleluia! Christ is risen from death’s sleep! Alleluia! Child of God no longer weep! Alleluia!
HOLY GOSPEL Mark 16:1–7 (Jesus is risen!)
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?” 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.
6 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. Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
Pastor: This is the Gospel of our risen Lord. People: Praise to You, O risen Christ!
GOSPEL RESPONSE (Sung to the tune Easter Hymn, LSB 457)
Glory to our God above! Alleluia! And on earth God’s peace and love! Alleluia! Christ is ris’n—the message heed! Alleluia! Join the triumph: “Ris’n indeed!” Alleluia!
EASTER CREED (Meaning of the Second Article)
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.
HYMN OF THE DAY 461, vs. 1-2, 7-8 “I Know that My Redeemer Lives”
I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, He lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives triumphant from the grave, He lives eternally to save, He lives all-glorious in the sky, He lives exalted there on High.
He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death; He lives my mansion to prepare; lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to His name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same, Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives “I know that my Redeemer lives!”
MESSAGE Resurrection Eyes Job 19:25-27
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Pastor: Lord Jesus, we give You thanks for Your sacrificial death, and we give You praise for Your glorious resurrection. Give us resurrection eyes and hearts, to see, embrace, and rejoice in the victory You won for the world. Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear our prayer, and give us life!
Pastor: O risen Lord, grant us grace for this time of need. According to Your good and gracious will, give healing and help to all who have been harmed by the corona virus in any way. Bless, guide and watch over all care-givers, first responders, and all who work to provide us with what we need for our daily lives. Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear our prayer, and give us healing.
Pastor: Risen Lord, give comfort to all who hurt, joy to all who grieve, peace to all who are troubled, shelter and provision to all in need, and mercy to all who call to You for help. Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear our prayer, and help us;
Pastor: Living Lord, you know the needs of all, and so we ask You to bless all according to their needs, including those we name in our hearts… Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear our prayer, and bless us;
Pastor: for You live and reign, O risen Lord, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. People: Amen.
Pastor: Lord, remember us in Your Kingdom of eternal glory, and teach us to joyfully pray.
All: 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.
BENEDICTION
Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor, and give you peace. People: Amen.
Pastor: Alleluia! Christ is risen! People: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
CLOSING HYMN 465 Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds
Now all the vault of Heav’n resounds
In praise of love that still abounds,
“Christ hath triumphed! He is living!”
Sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear!
Repeat their song of glory here:
“Christ has triumphed, Christ has triumphed!”
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Eternal is the gift He brings,
Wherefore our heart with rapture sings,
“Christ hath triumphed, He is living!”
Now still He comes and gives us life
And by His presence stills all strife.
“Christ hath triumphed, He is living!”
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
O 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 life we truly say:
“Christ hath triumphed, He is living!”
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
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!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Join us online next Sunday as the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection continues. Until then be safe, be well, and live and rejoice with resurrection eyes and hearts!
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Quarter 2. Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.