Happy Easter!
Christ is Risen!
Christ is Risen indeed!
A number of years ago, I developed a Lesson and Hymn service that would parallel a Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols. For the Easter service, I have organized the readings from the earliest to the latest. The hymn numbers refer to the United Methodist Hymnal, the scripture text is from the NRSV. (I should also note, that I don’t believe that I wrote the Call to Worship nor the Opening Prayer, but it has been long enough ago, I’m having trouble finding the references. I will update this when I find them.)
Enjoy. May the wonders of Easter Resurrection bless you this day, and always.
Blessed Be,
Rev. Joel
Table of Contents
An Easter Service of Readings and Hymns
Invitation to Worship
L: Alleluia! Praise be to God! Christ has risen indeed.
P: We bring our joyful alleluias to this place today!
L: The tomb is empty, and new life hovers in this dawn.
P: We praise God for the mystery and the excitement of new life present in this day!
HYMN: … “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise” … #312
Opening Prayer:
This is the day, Lord God, that you have made! Raising Christ from the dead, and raising us with Christ, you have fashioned for yourself a new people, washed in the flood of baptism, sealed with the gift of the Spirit, invited to the banquet of the Lamb! In the beauty of this Easter morning, set our minds on the new life to which you have called us; place on our lips the words of witness for which you have anointed us. We ask this through our risen Savior, Christ the Lord. Amen.
EASTER ACCOUNTS –
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK…”
(Note that these accounts are arranged in probable chronological order.)
The First Account: ~70 CE
Words at the Tomb ………… Mark 16:1-8a
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and 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. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
HYMN: … Christ is Alive (v. 1-3) … #318
The First Account, Amended:
Continuation ………… Mark 16:8b-20
And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterward Jesus himself sent out through them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation
Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were still mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after had had been risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of god. Andy they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
HYMN: … Christ is Alive (vs 4-5) … #318
Another Account: ~80-95 CE
Words at the Tomb ………… Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go Quickly and tell his disciples, ‘for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him,” This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
HYMN: … Easter People, Raise Your Voices … #304
Another Account: ~85 CE
At the Tomb ………… Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came tot eh tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third ay rise again.” They the remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother o James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
HYMN: … Christ the Lord is Risen Today (vs. 1-2) … # 302
Two More Accounts: ~ 85 CE
Walking on the Road ………… Luke 24:13-35
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded u. They were in the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them all the things about himself in all the scriptures.
As they came near the village to which thy were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how the had been made known to them in the braking of the bread.”
HYMN: … On the Day of Resurrection … #309
Yet Another Account: ~85 CE
While they were talking ………… Luke 24: 36-53
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
HYMN: … Christ the Lord is Risen Today (vs. 3-4) … # 302
Another Account: ~80-90 CE
In the Garden ………… John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have take the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together; but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings laying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings laying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not laying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” she turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
HYMN: … In the Garden (v. 1) … # 314
Another Account: ~80-90 CE
Evening of the First Day ………… John 20:19-23
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
HYMN: … Christ the Lord is Risen Today (vs. 3-4) … # 302
Silent Reflection (or Your Account for this current year)
HYMN: … He Lives … # 310
Benediction:
Hear the Good News – The tomb is empty – Christ has been Raised from the dead. Alleluia, Alleluia.
Go in Peace and Celebration to share the Good News that has happened to us this day!
Go in Peace and with the Spirit as you Love and Serve the Risen Lord.
Amen.