An Easter Welcome
‘On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In 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? He is not here; he has risen!”
—Luke 24:1-6
Death in His Grave
Though the earth cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
For the souls of men she craved
Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
Disfigured and disdained
On Friday, a thief
On Sunday, a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with the keys to hell on that day
Firstborn of the slain
The man Jesus Christ laid death in his grave
So three days in darkness slept
The morning sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And overturn his rule
Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled anew
On Friday, a thief
On Sunday, a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with the keys to hell on that day
Firstborn of the slain
The man Jesus Christ laid death in his grave
Death in his grave
Death in his grave
Death in his grave
He has cheated hell
And seated us above the fall
In desperate places, he paid our wages
One time once and for all
On Friday, a thief
On Sunday, a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with the keys to hell on that day
Firstborn of the slain
The man Jesus Christ laid death in his grave
John Mark McMillan © 2008 Integrity Worship Music CCLI 241710
An Easter Call to Worship
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has raised Jesus from the dead.
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,
and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!”
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the Angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life reigns.
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Isaiah 26:19, Romans 13:12, the Troparion of Pascha, an Orthodox hymn chanted at Easter (“Pascha”), John Chrysostom’s, Sermon on the Lord’s Resurrection & Traditional Easter Affirmation.
Christ is Risen
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you’ve bled for us
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but heaven’s will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer’s crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
O, death, where is your sting
O, hell, where is your victory
O, church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, he’s alive, he’s alive
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Matt Maher, Mia Fieldes © 2009 Thankyou Music CCLI License 241710
Arise My Soul, Arise!
Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears
The bleeding sacrifice
In my behalf appears
Before the throne my Surety stands
Before the throne my Surety stands
My name is written on his hands
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears and rise
He ever lives above
For me to intercede
His all redeeming love
His precious blood to plead
His blood atoned for every race
His blood atoned for every race
And sprinkles now the throne of grace
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears and rise
Five bleeding wounds he bears
Received on Calvary
They pour effectual prayers
They strongly plead for me
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die”
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears and rise
My God is reconciled
His pardoning voice I hear
He owns me for his child
I can no longer fear
With confidence I now draw nigh
With confidence I now draw nigh
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise
Shake off your guilty fears and rise
Charles Wesley and Kevin Twit ©1996 Kevin Twit Music. CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts – Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)
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
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
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
Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, he is alive
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
Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, he is alive
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome
Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, he is alive
Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford, Gabriel Wilson, Jenn Johnson, Joel Taylor, Kari Jobe © 2013 Bethel Music, KAJE Songs, Worship Together Music CCLI 241710
Baptism {10:30 a.m.}
The child being presented for infant baptism this morning is Titus Robert Stevens, covenant son of Robert and Sarah Stevens.
1 Corinthians 15:50-56
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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.
For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 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.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Testimony
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Crown him with many crowns
The Lamb upon his throne
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of him who died for thee
And hail him as thy matchless King Through all eternity
Crown him the Lord of love
Behold his hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above
In beauty glorified
All hail, Redeemer, hail
For thou hast died for me
Thy praise and glory shall not fail Throughout eternity
Crown him the Lord of life
Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those he came to save
His glories now we sing
Who died, and rose on high
Who died, eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die
Matthew Bridges, 1851. Tune, DIADEMATA, George J. Elvey, 1868CCLI 241710
An Easter Prayer
Risen Jesus, we adore you! You are worthy of worship and praise.
You were dead and now you live.
Cause your Spirit, who raised you from the grave,
to raise us in heart and hope and deed.
Make us a merciful people, strengthen us to live in the power, love,
beauty and joy of the Resurrection.
With hearts that break for the broken, and lives that reflect your peaceful Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven, until Christ returns to make all things new.
Through Jesus, our Risen King. Amen.
A Shield About Me
Thou, O Lord, are a shield about me
You’re my glory
You’re the lifter of my head
Thou, O Lord, are a shield about me
You’re my glory
You’re the lifter of my head
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
You’re the lifter of my head
Charles Williams, Donn Thomas ©1980 Spoone Music/Word Music, LLC. CCLI 241710
Let us Love and Sing and Wonder
Let us love and sing and wonder
Let us praise the Savior’s name
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame
Let us love the Lord who bought us
Pitied us when enemies
Called us by his grace and taught us
Gave us ears and gave us eyes
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He presents our souls to God
Let us wonder, grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more
He who washed us with his blood
He who washed us with his blood
He who washed us with his blood
Has secured our way to God
Let us praise, and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high
Here they trusted him before us
Now their praises fill the sky
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He will bring us home to God
John Newton © 2001 Laura Taylor Music. CCLI 241710
An Easter Reading – Acts 2:23-28
This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
The Easter Message
“You Will Not Abandon My Soul”
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia
Charles Wesley, Tune EASTER HYMN. from “Lyra Davidica”, London, 1708
Benediction
chapelgate worship 