April 12, 2020

Prelude:
“Come Lord Jesus”

Call to Worship

Leader
Christ is Risen!
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He is Risen, Indeed!
Leader
Christ is Risen!
All
He is Risen, Indeed!
Leader
Christ is Risen!
All
He is Risen, Indeed!

Resurrection Hope and Worship:

Leader
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,
All
nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Leader
Behold! I tell you a mystery.
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We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
Leader
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
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For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Leader
For this perishable body must put on the imperishable,
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and this mortal body must put on immortality.
Leader
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,
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then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
Leader
"O death, where is your victory?
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O death, where is your sting?"
Leader
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
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But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Congregational Response of Praise
Hymn Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

1 "Christ the Lord is ris'n today," Alleluia! sons of men and angels say; Alleluia!
raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia! Sing ye heav'ns, and earth, reply. Alleluia!

2 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Alleluia! Christ has burst the gates of hell: Alleluia!
death in vain forbids his rise; Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!

3 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!

4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! foll'wing our exalted Head; Alleluia!
made like him, like him we rise: Alleluia! ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!

5 Hail, the Lord of earth and heav'n! Alleluia! Praise to thee by both be giv'n; Alleluia!
thee we greet triumphant now; Alleluia! hail, the Resurrection, thou! Alleluia!

Prayer of Worship

The Word of the Lord

Matthew 27:62-66
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.' Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

Congregational Response of Praise
Hymn Worship Christ, the Risen King!

1 Rise, O church, and lift your voices, Christ has conquered death and hell.
Sing as all the earth rejoices; resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the risen King!

2 See the tomb where death had laid him, empty now, its mouth declares:
""Death and I could not contain him, for the throne of life he shares.""
Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the risen King!

3 Hear the earth protest and tremble, see the stone removed with power;
all hell's minions may assemble, but cannot withstand his hour.
He has conquered, he has conquered, Christ the Lord, the risen King!

4 Doubt may lift its head to murmur, scoffers mock and sinners jeer,
but the truth proclaims a wonder thoughtful hearts receive with cheer.
He is risen, he is risen, now receive the risen King!

5 We acclaim your life, O Jesus, now we sing your victory;
sin or hell may seek to seize us, but your conquest keeps us free.
Stand in triumph, stand in triumph, worship Christ, the risen King!

The Word of the Lord
John 20:26-29

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Congregational Response of Praise
Hymn I Know That My Redeemer Lives—Glory Hallelujah!

1 I know that my Redeemer lives –glory, hallelujah!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives – glory, hallelujah!
Shout on, pray on, we're gaining ground – glory, hallelujah!
The dead's alive and the lost is found – glory, hallelujah!

2 He lives, he lives, who once was dead – glory, hallelujah!
He lives, my everlasting Head – glory, hallelujah!
Shout on, pray on, we're gaining ground – glory, hallelujah!
The dead's alive and the lost is found – glory, hallelujah!

3 He lives, to bless me with his love – glory, hallelujah!
He lives to plead for me above – glory, hallelujah!
Shout on, pray on, we're gaining ground – glory, hallelujah!
The dead's alive and the lost is found – glory, hallelujah!

4 He lives, all glory to his name! - glory, hallelujah!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same - glory, hallelujah!
Shout on, pray on, we're gaining ground – glory, hallelujah!
The dead's alive and the lost is found – glory, hallelujah!

We Confess Our Faith: Belgic Confession Article 20

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We believe that God-- who is perfectly merciful and also very just-- sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience (our sin) had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death. So God made known his justice toward his Son, who was charged with our sin, and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us, who are guilty and worthy of damnation, giving to us his Son to die, by a most perfect love, and raising him to life for our justification, in order that by him we might have immortality and eternal life.

Sermon
1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Response: “Ain’t No Grave” The Bandowskis

Congregational Response of Thanksgiving
Hymn Up from the Grave He Arose

1 Low in the grave he lay – Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day – Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose, (He arose!) with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. (He arose!)
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!) Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2 Vainly they watch his bed – Jesus, my Savior; vainly they seal the dead – Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose, (He arose!) with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. (He arose!)
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!) Hallelujah! Christ arose!

3 Death cannot keep his prey – Jesus, my Savior; he tore the bars away –Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose, (He arose!) with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. (He arose!)
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!) Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Benediction

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.