**CALL TO WORSHIP “Our God Reigns” (St. 2-3)
2 He had no stately form;
He had no majesty.
That we should be
drawn to Him.
He was despised,
and we took no account of Him,
Yet now He reigns
With the Most High. [Chorus]
Chorus:
Our God reigns! (4x)
3 Out of the tomb He came
With grace and majesty;
He is alive, He is alive.
God loves us so see here His hands,
His feet, His side.
Yes we know
He is alive. [Chorus]
**OPENING HYMN “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds,” LW#131
1 Now all the vault of heav’n resounds
In praise of love that still abounds:
“Christ has 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, allelulia!
2 Eternal is the
gift He brings,
Therefore our heart with rapture sings:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Now still He comes to give us life
And by His presence stills all strife.
Christ has triumphed! He is living!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
3 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 lives we truly say:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
4 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!
**INVOCATION (Matthew 28:19)
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen
**CONFESSION/ABSOLUTION (1 John 1:8-9)
Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
People: But, if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(silence for reflection and self examination)
Pastor: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
People: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your most Holy Name. Amen.
Pastor: God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of the Word I therefore forgive you all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
**KYRIE ELEISON: Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord, have mercy, have mercy, O Lord.
** GLORIA IN EXCELSIS (to be sung)
Pastor: Glory be to God on high
People: and on earth peace, good will toward men. We praise you, we bless you, worship you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory. O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy; who takes away the sin of the world, receive our prayer, who sits at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy. For you only are holy; you only are the Lord; you only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
**PRAYER FOR TODAY
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
People: Almighty God, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You overcame death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
EPISTLE ~ 1 Cor. 15:51-57
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death
is swallowed up in victory.”
55
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
**(Sung)Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal life. Alleluia.
**THE GOSPEL Mark 16:1-8
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to Mark the 16th Chapter.
People: Glory to you, O Lord
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 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. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, O Christ.
**WHAT WE BELIEVE The 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 thence 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
SERMON HYMN “Because He Lives” TFBF#93
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives
How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain day, because He lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives
And then one day, I’ll cross the river
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives
THE MESSAGE
OFFERTORY
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
**THE LORD’S PRAYER
THE BENEDICTION (Numbers 6:24-27)