Easter - 4/4/2021

 

Call to worship:

L: From a world that leaves the just to the mercy of the strong,

P: We come to worship the God who turns crosses into crowns

L: With hearts that long for the victory of life but fear the triumph of death,

P: We come to worship the God who turns the vanquished into victors.

A: Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Opening Hymn:   Up From the Grave He Arose   #322

1 Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:
Up from the grave he arose,
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2 Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior;
vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord! [Refrain]

3 Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! [Refrain]

Opening Prayer:   

Almighty God, on Calvary you chose the foolish to shame the wise, the weak to defy the strong, and the despised to mock the proud. Today we gather together not merely to applaud your choice but to ask for its repetition in us. Deliver us from the self-righteous addiction of the crucifiers that we might know the self-giving affection of the Crucified. Grant us the power to proclaim the Easter promise of participation in the conquest of Christ by living out the commitment of Jesus.  Amen.

Epistle Reading:  1 Corinthians 15: 1-11

Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, ² through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

³ For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, ⁴ and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Children's Sermon (link)

Hymn:  Easter People, Raise Your Voices   #304

1. Easter people raise your voices
Sounds of heaven in earth should ring
Christ has brought us Heaven's choices
Heavenly music let it ring
Alleluia alleluia
Easter people let us sing

2. Fear of death can no more stop us
From our pressing here below
For our Lord empowered us
To triumph over every foe
Alleluia alleluia
On to victory now we go

3. Every day to us is Easter
With its resurrection song
Even when life overwhelms us
Easter people sing this song:
Alleluia alleluia
Everlasting Sunday song.

Special Music - Pastor Kay.  (link)

Prayer of Dedication:

Almighty God, who set the sun in the heavens to light up the earth by day and the moon and the stars by night, you sent Jesus Christ to earth to light up our life by day and by night. We celebrate your gift of life. As you chased the shadows, you have shattered the darkness of Calvary. Now we know that nothing can ever again separate us from the light with which you flood all creation in Jesus Christ!

We are so thankful for your grace, O Lord, and we stand in worship, acknowledging you and giving you all glory, laud, and honor! Amen.

Gospel Reading:   John 20: 1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who 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 returned to their homes.

¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other 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 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” 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 Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because 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 she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon Title:    Those who believe (link)

If someone asks you what you believe in, what is your answer? Most people don’t have a prepared answer for this question and they most generally want to know what, specifically, the person thinks they should or shouldn’t believe in before they answer. So fine, let’s make it specific. Do you believe in God, in His Son Jesus Christ who saved us all from our sin and ourselves as well as certain death, in the Holy Spirit who has been with us from the very beginning and will remain with us through the very end, and the fact that these three entities are in fact One entity; the One True God who created us and loves us and advocates for us forever?

When explorers first went to Australia they found a mammal which laid eggs; spent some time in water, some on land; had a broad, flat tail, webbed feet, and a bill similar to a duck. Upon their return to England, they told the populace of this, and all felt it was a hoax. They returned to Australia and found a pelt from this animal and took it back to England, but the people still felt it was a hoax. In spite of the evidence, they disbelieved because they didn't want to believe.

If you look at Luke 16: 19-31, it tells the story quite well.

 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.  And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—  for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

The story that we heard in the Gospel lesson today is so fantastic that it seems like it would or should be difficult for anyone to believe, let alone, understand. But for those who believe, nothing can take away the truth of Jesus the Christ coming back from the dead; rising again to live forever for us. One of the most beautifully told stories in the Bible is Mary’s transformation from weeping and heartbroken to joyful exuberance. It is beautiful because it fulfills Jesus’ promise in 16: 20 “Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn to joy.”

As soon as Jesus said Mary’s name, she knew it was him; she knew because she believed. It begs the question, how many of us would immediately recognize Jesus if he called our name?

And Mary didn’t stop there, she went back and told the disciples that she had seen Jesus and what he had said. 

Jesus’ ascent and return to the Father gives the disciples the chance to share fully in his relationship with God. What is true of Jesus’ relationship with God (my Father, my God) is now true for the disciples’ relationship with God as well, (Your Father, your God). And now it is fully related that those who believe have become “children of God.”

We are in fact children of the Most High God. He created us. He loves us. We are His. He sent His Son to us in order to bring us back when we had walked away. 

So, are you one of those who believe?

Benediction:

The content of our belief is important: Jonathan Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, "What do you believe?" "Well, I believe the same as the church." "And what does the church believe?" "Well, they believe the same as me." Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, "And what is it that you both believe?" "Well, I suppose the same thing."

Run the numbers, check the facts, learn the rules, and study the evidence. And be ready to say, “Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed!”

Closing Hymn:  He Lives!   #310

1. I serve a risen Savior He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, Whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy; I hear His voice of cheer; And just the time I need Him He’s always near. Refrain He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. 2. In all the world around me I see His loving care, And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair; I know that He is leading, Through all the stormy blast; The day of His appearing Will come at last. [refrain] 3. Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, Lift up your voice and sing Eternal hallelujahs To Jesus Christ the King! The Hope of all who seek Him, The Help of all who find, None other is so loving, So good and kind. [refrain]