Today's Theme for Worship: Life marches victorious over death. The salvation Christ brings is not just a rescue from a world gone bad but a resurrection to a world that will once again be good. Christ's victory restores life to us even now. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Hymn: 438 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

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!

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!

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!

4 Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
praise him, all you heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Text (sts. 1–3): tr. Lyra Davidica, 1708, alt.; (sts. 1–3): Latin, 14th cent.; (st. 4): Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

Text: Public domain

In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Confession

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Holy God, gracious Father,
    I am sinful by nature
        and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
    I have not loved you with my whole heart;
    I have not loved others as I should.
        I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
    But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
        with his innocent suffering and death.
  Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Lord, Have Mercy

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Amen.

Hymn: 938 This Is the Feast

Ref This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

1 Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God. (Refrain)

2 Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are his. (Refrain)

3 Sing with all the people of God,
and join in the hymn of all creation:

4 Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. (Refrain)

5 For the Lamb who was slain
has begun his reign. Alleluia! (Final Refrain)

Final Refrain
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Text: Richard W. Hillert, 1923–2010; John W. Arthur, 1922–1980

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Prayer of the Day:

Let us pray.

Almighty God, by the glorious resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, you conquered death and opened the gate to eternal life. Grant that we, who have been raised with him through Baptism, may walk in newness of life and ever rejoice in the hope of sharing his glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise now and forever.

Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 25:6–9

6On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
    8he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

9In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Psalm of the Day: 449 This Joyful Eastertide

1     This joyful Eastertide
    away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
    has sprung to life this morrow. (Refrain)

Ref Had Christ, who once was slain,
    not burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain:
    but now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
    but now has Christ arisen!

2     Death’s flood has lost its chill
    since Jesus crossed the river.
Lover of souls, from ill
    my passing soul deliver. (Refrain)

3     My flesh in hope shall rest
    and for a season slumber
till trump from east to west
    shall wake the dead in number. (Refrain)

Text: George R. Woodward, 1848–1934

Text: Public domain

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:51–57

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Adult Choir I Will Rise

Gospel: Luke 24:1–12 Luke 24:1–12

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8Then they remembered his words.

9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 440 Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands

1     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 alleluia!
    Alleluia, alleluia!

2     No son of man could conquer death,
    such ruin sin had wrought us.
No innocence was found on earth,
    and therefore death had brought us
into bondage from of old
and ever grew more strong and bold
    and held us as its captive.
    Alleluia, alleluia!

3     Christ Jesus, God’s own Son, came down,
    his people to deliver;
destroying sin, he took the crown
    from death’s pale brow forever.
Stripped of pow’r, no more it reigns;
an empty form alone remains;
    its sting is lost forever.
    Alleluia, alleluia!

4     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;
    disgraced, it lies defeated.
    Alleluia, alleluia!

5     Here the true Paschal Lamb we see,
    whom God so freely gave us;
he died on the accursèd tree—
    so strong his love—to save us.
See, his blood now marks our door;
faith points to it; death passes o’er,
    and Satan cannot harm us.
    Alleluia, alleluia!

6     So let us keep the festival
    to which the Lord invites us;
Christ is himself the joy of all,
    the sun that warms and lights us.
Now his grace to us imparts
eternal sunshine to our hearts;
    the night of sin is ended.
    Alleluia, alleluia!

7     Then let us feast this Easter Day
    on Christ, the bread of heaven;
the Word of grace has 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!
    Alleluia, alleluia!

Text: tr. Richard Massie, 1800–1887, alt.; Martin Luther, 1483–1546

Text: Public domain

Sermon

Apostles’ Creed

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 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 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 Christian Church,

the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Offering

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Hymn: 451 See, What a Morning

1. “See, what a morning, gloriously bright,

With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;

Folded the grave-clothes,

tomb filled with light,

As the angels announce, “Christ is risen!”

See God’s salvation plan,

Wrought in love, borne in pain,

paid in sacrifice,

Fulfilled in Christ, the Man, For He lives:

Christ is risen from the dead!

2. See Mary weeping, “Where is He laid?”

As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;

Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;

It’s the Master, the Lord raised to life again!

The voice that spans the years,

Speaking life, stirring hope,

bringing peace to us,

Will sound till He appears, For He lives:

Christ is risen from the dead!

3. One with the Father, Ancient of Days,

Through the Spirit who clothes

faith with certainty.

Honor and blessing, glory and praise

To the King crowned with pow’r and authority!

And we are raised with Him,

Death is dead, love has won,

Christ has conquered;

And we shall reign with Him, For He lives:

Christ is risen from the dead!

Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen.

Blessing

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 T give you peace.

Amen.

Hymn: 441 I Know That My Redeemer Lives

1 I know that my Redeemer lives!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
he lives, my everliving head!

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.

3 He lives to bless me with his love;
he lives to plead for me above;
he lives my hungry soul to feed;
he lives to help in time of need.

4 He lives to grant me rich supply;
he lives to guide me with his eye;
he lives to comfort me when faint;
he lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

5 He lives to silence all my fears;
he lives to wipe away my tears;
he lives to calm my troubled heart;
he lives all blessings to impart.

6 He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend;
he lives and loves me to the end;
he lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing;
he lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

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.

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!

Text: Samuel Medley, 1739–1799, abr.

Text: Public domain

Acknowledgments

Setting Two from Christian Worship

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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