Theme: You Explain It
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series VII, Cycle B
Call To Worship (Psalm 118:1-2, 8-9, 14, 18)
One:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
All:
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
One:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals.
All:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
One:
The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
All:
The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
Collect (Based on Psalm 118:22-29)
Lord of life, Resurrected Jesus, though you were the stone rejected by the builders you have become the chief cornerstone of our lives. This is your Father's doing and remains marvelous in our eyes. You are God. We give thanks to you. We rejoice and are glad in you today. This is the day you have made for us. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Your steadfast love endures forever. As we proclaim your resurrection to others, challenge us, call us, claim us, as we seek to live by your words and your actions. Let our worship today mirror your steadfast love and encouragement as we minister to each other and the world. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Jesus died. Jesus is risen! Jesus dwells among us. Jesus will return! Amen.
Hymns
This Joyful Eastertide
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Proclaim The Tidings Near And Far
The Resurrection Of Our Lord
Easter Day
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Theme: Making A List, Checking It Twice
Call To Worship
Round up the witnesses. Peter. The twelve. Five hundred brothers and sisters at one time. James, his brother. All the apostles. Paul the Apostle. If that's good enough for you, then join us in our call to praise! Hallelujah, Jesus is risen!
Collect (Psalm 133:1 and 3)
One:
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
All:
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession (based on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Let us hand on to the world what we have received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. Amen.
Hymns
They Crucified My Savior
Christ Has Arisen!
Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna
The Resurrection Of Our Lord
Easter Day
Gospel Lesson: Mark 16:1-8
Theme: Cliffhanger!
Call To Worship
And now this news report from the Roman historian, Tacitus, about the year 64 A.D.
"[Because of a report that he himself had started the great fire of Rome], Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular."
-- Tacitus, The Annals, Great Books, Book 15, p. 168
Two thousand years later, this mischievous superstition is still breaking out! Hallelujah! Christ is risen!
Collect
Lord, we have died with you. Let us be raised with you! No matter what the world may say, we will follow you. In the name of the Risen Son, Amen!
Prayer Of Confession
Let every tongue confess, with us, that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Amen.
Hymns
The Strife Is O'er
Low In The Grave He Lay
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
One:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
All:
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
One:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals.
All:
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
One:
The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
All:
The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
Collect (Based on Psalm 118:22-29)
Lord of life, Resurrected Jesus, though you were the stone rejected by the builders you have become the chief cornerstone of our lives. This is your Father's doing and remains marvelous in our eyes. You are God. We give thanks to you. We rejoice and are glad in you today. This is the day you have made for us. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Your steadfast love endures forever. As we proclaim your resurrection to others, challenge us, call us, claim us, as we seek to live by your words and your actions. Let our worship today mirror your steadfast love and encouragement as we minister to each other and the world. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Jesus died. Jesus is risen! Jesus dwells among us. Jesus will return! Amen.
Hymns
This Joyful Eastertide
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Proclaim The Tidings Near And Far
The Resurrection Of Our Lord
Easter Day
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Theme: Making A List, Checking It Twice
Call To Worship
Round up the witnesses. Peter. The twelve. Five hundred brothers and sisters at one time. James, his brother. All the apostles. Paul the Apostle. If that's good enough for you, then join us in our call to praise! Hallelujah, Jesus is risen!
Collect (Psalm 133:1 and 3)
One:
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
All:
It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession (based on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Let us hand on to the world what we have received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. Amen.
Hymns
They Crucified My Savior
Christ Has Arisen!
Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna
The Resurrection Of Our Lord
Easter Day
Gospel Lesson: Mark 16:1-8
Theme: Cliffhanger!
Call To Worship
And now this news report from the Roman historian, Tacitus, about the year 64 A.D.
"[Because of a report that he himself had started the great fire of Rome], Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular."
-- Tacitus, The Annals, Great Books, Book 15, p. 168
Two thousand years later, this mischievous superstition is still breaking out! Hallelujah! Christ is risen!
Collect
Lord, we have died with you. Let us be raised with you! No matter what the world may say, we will follow you. In the name of the Risen Son, Amen!
Prayer Of Confession
Let every tongue confess, with us, that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Amen.
Hymns
The Strife Is O'er
Low In The Grave He Lay
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
