Praise to God for His Majesty
Call to Worship
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
*Trinity Hymnal No. 279
Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands,
for our offenses given;
but now at God’s right hand he stands
and brings us life from heaven;
therefore let us joyful be
and sing to God right thankfully
loud songs of hallelujah. Hallelujah!It was a strange and dreadful strife
when life and death contended;
the victory remained with life,
the reign of death was ended;
Holy Scripture plainly saith
that death is swallowed up by death,
his sting is lost forever. Hallelujah!Here the true Paschal Lamb we see,
whom God so freely gave us;
he died on the accursed tree -
So strong his love! — to save us.
See, his blood doth mark our door;
faith points to it, death passes o’er,
and Satan cannot harm us. Hallelujah!So let us keep the festival
whereto the Lord invites us;
Christ is himself the Joy of all,
the Sun that warms and lights us.
By his grace he doth impart
eternal sunshine to the heart;
the night of sin is ended. Hallelujah!Then let us feast this joyful day
on Christ, the Bread of heaven;
the Word of grace hath purged away
the old and evil leaven.
Christ alone our souls will feed,
he is our meat and drink indeed;
faith lives upon no other. Hallelujah!
Prayer of Invocation
*Trinity Hymnal No. 735
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, amen.
*Confession of Faith
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirt,
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Confession Before a Holy God
Reading of the Law
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
Confession of Sin
Assurance of Pardon
47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Means of Grace
Prayer of Intercession
*Scripture Reading and Text
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Sermon
The First Witness
Rev. James Alexander
Prayer of Application
*Trinity Hymnal No. 286
Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Rise, O church, and lift your voices,
Christ has conquered death and hell.
Sing as all the earth rejoices;
resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the risen King!See the tomb where death had laid him,
empty now, its mouth declares:
“Death and I could not contain him,
for the throne of life he shares.”
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the risen King!Hear the earth protest and tremble,
see the stone removed with pow’r;
all hell’s minions may assemble,
but cannot withstand his hour.
He has conquered, he has conquered,
Christ the Lord, the risen King!Doubt may lift its head to murmur,
scoffers mock and sinners jeer,
but the truth proclaims a wonder
thoughtful hearts receive with cheer.
He is risen, he is risen,
now receive the risen King!We acclaim your life, O Jesus,
now we sing your victory;
sin or hell may seek to seize us,
but your conquest keeps us free.
Stand in triumph, stand in triumph,
worship Christ, the risen King!
Thanksgiving and Blessing
Offering
*Trinity Hymnal No. 274
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.Refrain: Thine be the glory, risen conqu'ring Son;
endless is the vict'ry thou o’er death hast won.Lo! Jesus meets thee, 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.
*Benediction
*Trinity Hymnal No. 731
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heav'ly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.