In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and local recommendations, we are continuing to post our digital services for the time being for those who feel more comfortable worshiping at home. Socially-distanced in-person worship is now resuming each Sunday at 12pm. Please click the audio bar below to listen to today’s service. Scroll down to follow along with the service text.
(The lights are dimmed indicating the early morning hour and the pall of darkness that covers the hearts of the disciples as the women make their way to the tomb of their beloved, crucified Lord. We rise to face the cross in the back of the church and join the women on their way…)
(P-Pastor; W-Women; M-Men; C-Congregation)
P: 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,
W: “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
P: And looking 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,
M: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.”
P: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
(The congregation remains standing and continues to face the cross as it makes its way to the chancel)
Hymn: “Jesus Christ Is Ris’n Today”........................................................................ # 457
1 Jesus Christ is ris'n today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!
2 Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heav'nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save, Alleluia!
3 But the pains which He endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing, Alleluia!
4 Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia!
Praise Him, all ye heav'nly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C: who made heaven and earth.
P: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
C: Amen.
(Sung)
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
1. To God on high be glory, and peace to all the earth, good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus birth! We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name we sing—Our things for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’n-ly king.
2. To You, O sole begotten, The Father’s Son we pray; O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away. Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry, Where You in power are seated At God’s right hand on high-
3. For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord. Forever and forever, Be worshipped and adored. You with the Holy Spirit Alone are Lord Most High in God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad replay.
Collect for the day:
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray. Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Scripture Readings
Old Testament (Isaiah 25:6-9)
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
P: The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 16th chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(Mark 16:1-8)
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 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. 7 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.” 8 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.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day “He’s Risen, He’s Risen” LSB #480
1. He's risen, he's risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;
He opened Death's prison, The incarnate, true Word.
Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song
While earth, sea, and mountain their praises prolong.
2. The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.
In Satan's domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.
3. But short was their triumph, the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes;
The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high.
He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die.
4. O, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden's door.
For all our transgressions His blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are His own.
5. Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;
Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.
Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain;
With Father and Spirit He ever shall reign.
Sermon “He Is not Here!” (Mark 16:1-8)
Confession of Faith -- Nicene Creed
C: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only‐begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
P: Lord, in Your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen
Benediction
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn “The Day of Resurrection” LSB # 478
1 The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad,
The passover of gladness, The passover of God.
From death to life eternal, From sin's dominion free,
Our Christ has brought us over With hymns of victory.
2 Let hearts be purged of evil That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal Of resurrection light
And, list'ning to His accents, May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!" and, hearing, May raise the victor strain.
3 Now let the heav'ns be joyful, Let earth its song begin,
Let all the world keep triumph And all that is therein.
Let all things, seen and unseen, Their notes of gladness blend;
For Christ the Lord has risen, Our joy that has no end!
4 All praise to God the Father, All praise to God the Son,
All praise to God the Spirit, Eternal Three in One!
Let all the ransomed number Fall down before the throne
And honor, pow'r, and glory Ascribe to God alone!