Easter Service - Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel

Easter Service Order of Service

Easter Worship Service for April 12, 2020 at 11:30 AM

Welcome

P: He is risen!

C: He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah!

Opening Song: Jesus Christ is Risen, Today

Verse 1:

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!

Verse 2:

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!

Verse 3:

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!

Verse 4:

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!

Invocation

Confession and Forgiveness:

P: Blessed be the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, whose rising from the empty tomb brings to us the promise of life eternal. And so, we confess together in the presence of the living God,

C: We confess that we set our minds towards things of death, and not on the life that is revealed in Christ. In our fear and trembling, we quickly turn from You towards ourselves. Our fear leads us to doubt Your promise, harm our neighbor, and neglect Your creation. Resurrect us Oh God, and bring about Your new life in ourselves, in our community, and our world. Through the mercy of Your beloved Son, heal us from our sin, and give us the new breath of Your Spirit. Amen.

P: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ proclaims, “Do not be afraid!” Know that you are washed anew in his rising, and your sins are forgiven. Be at peace, and live in the everlasting love of God. Amen!

C: Amen

Song of Praise and Thanksgiving: O Praise the Name (Anástasis)

Verse 1:

I cast my mind to Calvary Where Jesus bled and died for me

I see His wounds, His hands, His feet. My Savior on that cursed tree

Verse 2:

His body bound and drenched in tears. They laid Him down in Joseph’s tomb

The entrance sealed by heavy stone. Messiah still and all alone

Chorus:

O praise the Name of the Lord our God.

O praise His Name forevermore

For endless days, we will sing Your praise.

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

Verse 3:

Then on the third, at break of dawn The Son of heaven rose again

O trampled death, where is your sting. The angels roar for Christ the King

(Chorus)

Verse 4:

He shall return in robes of white. The blazing sun shall pierce the night

And I will rise among the saints, My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face

(Chorus 2x)

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

First Reading – Acts 10:34-43

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Epistle Reading – Colossians 3:1-4

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.

Children’s Message Video

Sermon Hymn – I Know that My Redeemer Lives (vs 1,2, 7, 8)

Verse 1:

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.

Verse 2:

He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save;

He lives all glorious in the sky; He lives exalted there on high.

Verse 7:

He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death;

He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.

Verse 8:

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!

Sermon – “The Unexpected Resurrection”

John 20:1–18

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. 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.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 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.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 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.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
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 sits 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 Christian Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

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 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

Closing Song: Forever

Verse 1:

The moon and stars they wept. The morning sun was dead

The Savior of the world was fallen.

His body on the cross. His blood poured out for us.

The weight of every curse upon Him

Verse 2:

One final breath He gave, As Heaven looked away

The Son of God was laid in darkness.

A battle in the grave. The war on death was waged.

The power of hell forever broken

Pre-Chorus:

The ground began to shake. The stone was rolled away

His perfect love could not be overcome

Now death where is your sting. Our resurrected King

Has rendered you defeated

Chorus:

Forever, He is glorified. Forever, He is lifted high

Forever, He is risen. He is alive; He is alive!

(Pre-Chorus)

(Chorus)

Bridge:

We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah

We sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome

(Repeat 2x)

(Chorus 2x)

Upcoming Events

April 16, 7:30 PM – A Time of Prayer