2022-Apr=17 10:00AM Easter Sunday

Liturgy

Preservice Song: Thine is the glory
*Votum & Salutation
*Opening Song: Hymn 37: 1, 2
Ten Words of the Covenant
Song of Response: Ps. 16: 4, 5
Prayer
Reading of Scripture
- Isaiah 6:1-13
- Romans 11:1-12
Song of Preparation: Ps. 30: 1, 2, 5
Reading of the Text: Matthew 27:62-28:15
Ministry of the Word: The Truth of the Resurrection
1. Christ's enemies suppress it
2. Christ's followers broadcast it
*Song of Response: Hymn 32
Thanksgiving Prayer
Offertory: Hope Mission
*Song of Closing: Hymn 84
*Benediction

We as Christians tend to focus on Christ's death. We should focus on His resurrection. Of course, you cannot talk of His resurrection without talking about His death.
Consider the message of the disciples immediately following Christ's ascension; they preached of His resurrection.
The pharisees wanted to make sure that the disciples could not spread rumors about Jesus after he had been killed.
The soldiers reported back to the pharisees what they had seen. The pharisees believed the soldiers, but bribed them to lie and say that the disciples had stolen the body of Christ.
Why did the pharisees lie? Why didn't they accept the truth and believe? They were thinking only of their earthly power.
But we also need to think of this from the perspective of God's plan. God spoke through Isaiah about the hardening of their hearts; how they would not accept the truth. They were "ever seeing but not understanding" (see also Mark 4:12).

At first, Christ's followers were at a loss; they did not understand what was going on.
The message was simple but profound and full of hope: Death. Resurrection. Salvation. Rebirth.