April 12, 2020
The First Easter
Instructions for participating in at-home worship:
Readings and prayer are provided here as suggestions for your family to do together. Even though our church is not physically gathered together in one building, there is a unity in Christ that happens when we all read the same scriptures and say the same prayers separately in our homes. Know that as your family participates in this worship time in your home, you are joining many others doing exactly the same thing in their homes.
You may download and print this entire service BULLETIN as well as sermon NOTES for children from the Download Files section at the bottom of this page.
Call to Worship
8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let your glory be over all the earth.
— Psalm 57:8–11 (NIV)
Praise
Read God's Word Together
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
— 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 16-17, 20-22 (NIV)
Pray Together
Risen and reigning Lord, truly you are a high priest who has passed through the heavens. Truly you were tested as we are, and yet were without sin. With boldness we approach your throne, deeply assured of your mercy and grace in our time of need.
Your rising and your reigning give hope to your people. May all who live without hope today taste and see that you are good.
Your rising and your reigning call us, your people, to testify to your goodness. Equip each of us today to be bold witnesses of Easter news.
Your rising and your reigning call all the nations of the world to seek your peace. May your Spirit convict all people to submit to your rule and to pursue true peace.
Your rising and your reigning call each of us to turn from the path of death to the path of obedience and life. Send your Spirit to strengthen our resolve, and help us to live as people of life and light.
Your rising and your reigning bring life and light and healing. May all who suffer in the valley of the shadow of death and disease know your healing presence.
Your rising and your reigning are firstfruits of all that is to come: justice, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. May your kingdom come quickly. May we, your resurrection-people, never fail to bless and thank you for your immeasurable love and sure promises. All praise to you, risen Christ. Amen.
Message
Response
Audio only of message
Readings and prayer are provided here as suggestions for your family to do together. Even though our church is not physically gathered together in one building, there is a unity in Christ that happens when we all read the same scriptures and say the same prayers separately in our homes. Know that as your family participates in this worship time in your home, you are joining many others doing exactly the same thing in their homes.
You may download and print this entire service BULLETIN as well as sermon NOTES for children from the Download Files section at the bottom of this page.
Call to Worship
8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let your glory be over all the earth.
— Psalm 57:8–11 (NIV)
Praise
Read God's Word Together
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
— 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 16-17, 20-22 (NIV)
Pray Together
Risen and reigning Lord, truly you are a high priest who has passed through the heavens. Truly you were tested as we are, and yet were without sin. With boldness we approach your throne, deeply assured of your mercy and grace in our time of need.
Your rising and your reigning give hope to your people. May all who live without hope today taste and see that you are good.
Your rising and your reigning call us, your people, to testify to your goodness. Equip each of us today to be bold witnesses of Easter news.
Your rising and your reigning call all the nations of the world to seek your peace. May your Spirit convict all people to submit to your rule and to pursue true peace.
Your rising and your reigning call each of us to turn from the path of death to the path of obedience and life. Send your Spirit to strengthen our resolve, and help us to live as people of life and light.
Your rising and your reigning bring life and light and healing. May all who suffer in the valley of the shadow of death and disease know your healing presence.
Your rising and your reigning are firstfruits of all that is to come: justice, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. May your kingdom come quickly. May we, your resurrection-people, never fail to bless and thank you for your immeasurable love and sure promises. All praise to you, risen Christ. Amen.
Message
Response
Audio only of message
Bible Text: Mark 16:1-8 | Preacher: Tom VanderPloeg | The out-of-placeness and the feeling that something is not quite right about stay-at-home Easter 2020 might actually give us a closer glimpse of what that very first Easter Sunday was like.