April 20, 2025 | Easter Sunday
PRELUDE “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” Barb Dougherty
Call to Worship Horatius Bonar
Pastor: The Angel said, “He is not
here!” This is the only
place such news could be
Good News.
People: “Christ is here” was good
news at Bethany, when
Lazarus lay in the tomb.
Pastor: “Christ is here” was good
news in Nain, where the
widow’s son lay on the
funeral bier.
People: “Christ is here” was good
news at Magdala, when
Mary was possessed by
seven devils.
Pastor: But “Christ is not here” is
the Good News from
Joseph’s tomb. He is not here.
He is risen, just as He
said!
All: He is risen! He is risen
indeed!
BAPTISMAL HYMN “Holy Spirit, Dove Divine” CH#467
BAPTISMS
PRAYER of INVOCATION
from Exodus 33:18-19
SONG of ADORATION “Alleluia! Alleluia!” CH#365
Confession and Assurance
READING of GOD’S LAW
Hear God’s Law, His Will for Your Life, from John 15:9-17
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends . . . You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. ◆
PRAYER of CONFESSION
The Scottish Collects, 1595
Father of mercies, You do not delight in the death of a sinner—extend your compassion upon us, and wash us from all our sins that we have committed against Your holy Majesty since the time we entered the world; create in us a clean heart, and strengthen us continually with the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we—being fully consecrated to Your service—may set forth your praises, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Savior, Amen.◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON
from Eph 5:25-27
Hear these words of comfort from the Apostle Paul:
Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the Church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Friends in Christ, rest assured in the victory of the Risen Christ over sin, death and Satan, and that you stand forgiven in the sight of God. Amen. ◆
SONG of RESPONSE “Christ Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed”
How can it be, the One who died
Has borne our sin through sacrifice
To conquer every sting of death
Sing, sing hallelujah
For joy awakes as dawning light
When Christ's disciples lift their eyes
Alive He stands, their friend and king Christ, Christ, He is risen
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Oh, sing hallelujah
Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
Where doubt and darkness once had been
They saw Him and their hearts believed
But blessed are those who have not seen
Yet, sing hallelujah
Once bound by fear now bold in faith
They preached the truth and power of grace
And pouring out their lives they gained
Life, life everlasting
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Oh, sing hallelujah
Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
The power that raised Him from the grave
Now works in us to powerfully save
He frees our hearts to live His grace
Go tell of His goodness
He is alive, He is alive! Heaven's gates are opened wide
He's alive, He's alive!
Now in heaven glorified (x2)
© Getty Music Publishing CCLI Song Number 6399205
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH
2nd London Baptist Confession
Leader: Brothers and sisters, what
do we believe concerning
the resurrection of the
dead?
People: We believe that the bodies
of men, after death,
return to dust and see
corruption, but their souls
neither die nor sleep,
having an immortal
subsistence.
Leader: Where do the souls of the
righteous go?
People: Their souls are made
perfect in holiness and are
received into paradise,
where they behold the face
of God in light and glory,
waiting for the full
redemption of their bodies.
Leader: And what hope do we have
because Christ is risen?
People: As Christ rose from the
dead with the same body
in which He suffered, so
we believe that the dead
shall be raised up at the
last day.
Leader: Will we be raised in the
same way?
People: Yes—our very same bodies
shall be raised, though
with different qualities,
and shall be united again
to our spirits forever.
Leader: What will the resurrection
mean for the righteous?
People: The righteous shall be
raised in honor and made
Like unto Christ’s own
glorious body.
Leader: And what shall we say
then?
People: Christ is risen!
Leader: He is risen indeed!
All: Hallelujah! Come, Lord
Jesus!
RIGHT HAND of FELLOWSHIP
OFFERTORY Valerie Marvin
DOXOLOGY CH#815
PRAYER of DEDICATION
JUDSON KIDS “The Easter Song”
PASSING of the PEACE
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever.
Amen. ◆
Ministry of the Word
SONG “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” CH #367
PRAYER for ILLUMINATION
St. Ambrose
Merciful Lord, the comforter and teacher of Your faithful people, increase in Your church the desires that You have given and settle the hearts of those who hope in You by enabling us to understand the depth of Your promises that all of Your adopted children may even now see, with the eyes of faith, and patiently wait for, the light which as yet You do not openly reveal, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. ◆
SCRIPTURE Mark 15:31-39; 16:1-8
So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were cruci-fied with him also reviled him.
And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabach-thani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And look-ing up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 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. 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.” 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.
SERMON “New Day”
SONG of RESPONSE “Glory Be to the Father” CH#813
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
