The
Resurrection
of Our Lord
(Easter
Day)
Prelude
Welcome
and Announcements
Lutheran
Service Book Divine Service Setting Three
Stand
457
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today LSB
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!
D
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!
Text:
tr. Lyra Davidica, 1708, London, alt.; (sts.
1–3): Latin, 14th
cent.; (st. 4): Charles Wesley, 1707–88
Text:
Public domain
CONFESSION
AND ABSOLUTION
The
sign of the cross may be made by all in
remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
LSB
184
P
In
the name of the Father and of the TSon
and of the Holy Spirit.
C
Amen.
Exhortation
P
Beloved
in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart
and confess our sins
unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name
of our Lord Jesus
Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P
Our
help is in the name of the Lord,
C
who
made heaven and earth.
P
I
said, I will confess my transgressions unto the
Lord,
C
and
You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence
for reflection on God's Word and for
self-examination.
Confession
of Sins
P
O
almighty God, merciful Father,
C
I,
a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all
my sins and iniquities
with which I have ever offended You and justly
deserved Your temporal
and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry
for them and
sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your
boundless mercy and
for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter
sufferings and death of
Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious
and merciful to me, a
poor, sinful being.
Absolution
P
Upon
this your confession, I, by virtue of my office,
as a called and
ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace
of God unto all of
you, and in the stead and by the command of my
Lord Jesus Christ I
forgive you all your sins in the name of the
Father and of the TSon
and of the Holy Spirit.
C
Amen.
SERVICE
OF THE WORD
Kyrie
C
Lord,
have mercy upon us.
Christ,
have mercy upon us.
Lord,
have mercy upon us.
Salutation
and Collect of the Day
P
The
Lord be with you.
C
And
with thy spirit.
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.
Sit
Psalm Psalm
16;
antiphon: v. 10
Preserve
me, O God,
for
in
you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord,
“You
are my Lord;
I
have no good apart from you.”
As
for the saints in the land,
they
are
the excellent ones,
in
whom
is all my delight.
The
sorrows of those who run after another god shall
multiply;
their
drink
offerings of blood I will not pour out
or
take
their names on my lips.
The
Lord
is my chosen portion and my cup;
you
hold
my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant
places;
indeed,
I
have a beautiful inheritance.
I
bless the Lord
who gives me counsel;
in
the
night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord
always before me;
because
he
is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore
my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my
flesh
also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to
Sheol,
or
let
your holy one see corruption.
You
make known to me the path of life;
in
your
presence there is fullness of joy;
at
your
right hand are pleasures forevermore.
First
Reading
Acts
10:34–43
Peter
opened his mouth and said: “Truly
I understand that God shows no partiality, but
in every nation anyone
who fears him and does what is right is
acceptable to him. As for the
word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news
of peace through
Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves
know what happened
throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee
after the baptism that
John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit and with power. He went about doing good
and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with
him. And we are
witnesses of all that he did both in the country
of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him
on a tree, but God
raised him on the third day and made him to
appear, not to all the
people but to us who had been chosen by God as
witnesses, who ate and
drank with him after he rose from the dead. And
he commanded us to
preach to the people and to testify that he is
the one appointed by
God to be judge of the living and the dead. To
him all the prophets
bear witness that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness
of sins through his name.”
A
This
is the Word of the Lord.
C
Thanks
be to God.
Epistle Colossians
3:1–4
If
then you have been raised with Christ, seek the
things that are
above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand
of God. Set your
minds on things that are above, not on things
that are on earth. For
you have died, and your life is hidden with
Christ in God. When
Christ who is your life appears, then you also
will appear with him
in glory.
A
This
is the Word of the Lord.
C
Thanks
be to God.
Stand
Alleluia
and Verse
C
Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Holy
Gospel
Matthew
28:1–10
P
The
Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the
twenty-eighth chapter.
C
Glory
be to Thee, O Lord.
Now
after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first
day of the week, Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the
tomb. And behold, there
was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord
descended from
heaven and came and rolled back the stone and
sat on it. His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing
white as snow. And
for fear of him the guards trembled and became
like dead men. But the
angel said to the women, “Do
not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus
who was crucified. He
is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come,
see the place where
he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples
that he has risen from
the dead, and behold, he is going before you to
Galilee; there you
will see him. See, I have told you.” So they
departed quickly from
the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to
tell his disciples. And
behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”
And they came up and 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, and there
they will see me.”
P
This
is the Gospel of the Lord.
C
Praise
be to Thee, O Christ.
Sit
465
Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds LSB
465
1 Now
all the vault of heav’n
resounds
In
praise of love that still abounds:
“Christ
has
triumphed! He is living!”
Sing, choirs of angels, loud and
clear!
Repeat
their song of glory here:
“Christ
has triumphed!
Christ has triumphed!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
2 Eternal
is the gift He brings,
Therefore
our
heart with rapture sings:
“Christ
has
triumphed! He is living!”
Now still He comes to give us
life
And
by His presence stills all strife.
Christ
has triumphed!
He is living!
Alleluia,
alleluia,
alleluia!
3 O
fill us, Lord, with dauntless love;
Set
heart and will on things above
That we
conquer
through Your triumph;
Grant
grace sufficient for life’s
day
That
by our lives we truly say:
“Christ
has triumphed!
He is living!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
D
4 Adoring
praises now we bring
And
with the heav’nly
blessèd
sing:
“Christ
has triumphed! Alleluia!”
Be to the Father and our Lord,
To
Spirit blest, most holy God,
All the glory, never ending!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Text:
Paul
Z. Strodach, 1876–1947,
alt.
Text:
© 1958
Augsburg
Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no. 110004199
Sermon
Easter
1
A April 9, 2023 Matthew 28:1-10
The
Greatest
Story Ever Told
The
life
of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been called
“the greatest story
ever told.” There was a movie about Jesus
with that title. We
have all heard that story many times. I
don’t think I have to give
anyone a spoiler alert if I say at the end
Jesus rises from the dead. Imagine what a
shocker that must have been for someone
hearing the
story of Jesus for the first time. So,
what’s new in the greatest
story ever told for us who already know the
ending. There just might
be in there some details, some nuances, some
twists that maybe we
haven’t considered in a while or perhaps
never thought about at
all.
Matthew
begins
by telling us that Mary Magdalene and the
other Mary went to
Jesus’ tomb. We know who Mary Magdalene is.
Jesus cast seven
demons out of her. The Bible never says
exactly what Mary did when
she was demon possessed. There has been
speculation about her
leading a sordid life, but the Bible never
says that. What’s
important is that she was a sinner in
Satan’s grip who was saved by
Jesus. That makes you and me just like her,
a redeemed sinner.
Who
was
that other Mary? We presume she was the
mother of James and
Joseph who watched Jesus be crucified in the
previous chapter of
Matthew’s gospel. But Mary was a common name
at that time and
place. Jesus’ mother was named Mary. If it
was important for us
to know exactly who she was, scripture would
have made it clear.
Maybe
the
point is that there are lots of Christians
out there, people who
are nameless and faceless to us, but God
knows them. Being a
Christian doesn’t mean you have to be well
known or well connected. I would love to
have everyone here have their name on our
church
membership rolls. But far more important is
that your name is
written in The Lamb’s Book of Life. You
don’t have to be my or
anyone else’s buddy to be a Christian, you
only have to have Jesus
as your friend.
Matthew
also
tells us that the two Mary’s went to Jesus’
tomb after the
Sabbath, on the first day of the week. Some
people want to quibble
over the timeline. Saturday was the Sabbath;
Sunday is the first day
of the week. It’s that simple. When
Christians debate little,
inconsequential details like that, it’s an
embarrassment to our
faith.
Note
how
the women went “toward the dawn.” That’s
early in the
morning. Let’s give the Marys some credit
for getting up at all. Their world had just
come crashing down. Jesus’ death had
devastated them, it crashed all their hopes.
I admit there have been
times when I have had a lot of trouble
getting out of bed in the
morning because the thought of facing
another day was more than I
could handle.
I’ve
bet
you have felt that way sometime too. All
that got me up, and
probably got the women up, was the dogged
faith God was going to get
us through some way somehow. How blessed we
are that God gets us
perpendicular each day and headed toward the
dawn. Amazing things
can happen in life if you just show up.
At
about
that time, there was an earthquake. You
recall there was also
an earthquake when Jesus died too. In the
Lord’s Prayer we pray
that “Thy will be done or earth as it is in
Heaven.” Sometimes
momentous events in the heavenly sphere are
accompanied by dramatic
events in the earthly sphere. Nature was in
tune with Jesus’
atoning death and his glorious resurrection.
All of Creation
witnesses to Christ.
An
angel
descended and rolled back the stone sealing
the tomb. That was
no small feat. A stone like that would have
required several strong
men to move it. You notice that angels are
present at the most
crucial moments in Jesus’ life: his birth,
his temptation, his
agony in the garden, and here at his
resurrection.
We
tend
to think of angels as cute little cherubs.
In the Bible
everyone’s first reaction when they see an
angel is terror. Angels
are fierce. The tough Roman soldiers tremble
faint when they see
them. To the women the angel says “Fear
not.” That’s what
angels always say. And the women, full of
faith, did not faint, they
conversed with the heavenly being.
Apparently,
Jesus
had been raised before the angel descended.
In our Creed we
confess our belief that, as the Bible says,
Jesus descended into
Hell. That was before he appeared to anyone
on earth. It was a
victory lap Jesus took around the nether
world proclaiming his
victory. The angel didn’t unseal the tomb to
let Jesus out –
Jesus didn’t need any help. The angel opened
the tomb to let the
women in so they could be witnesses.
First,
the
angel tells the Marys that Jesus is risen.
If one of God’s
angels says it, you can believe it. Think of
all the lies and false
predictions we so easily believe that come
from human beings with
sinister, ulterior intentions, and how hard
it is for us to believe a
heavenly angel or God’s handpicked human
eyewitnesses. Not only
did the women hear that Jesus was risen,
they saw the evidence of the
empty tomb. With the guards there and the
heavy stone, no one could
have stolen Jesus’ body. And don’t even try
to say that Jesus
faked his death or was in a coma and revived
and escaped. Jesus had
been beaten to a pulp and the soldiers who
crucified him knew their
business – no way were they going to fail to
carry out a death
sentence. That would mean their death. Jesus
had died and Jesus was
raised. Case closed!
The
angel
told the women to go tell Jesus’ disciples
what they had
heard and seen, and let them know Jesus was
going to appear to them. It’s said the women
went with “fear and great joy.” How could
they feel both fear and joy? If Jesus is
risen, the possibilities
for us are endless and that’s both a good
thing and more than a
little frightening.
We
think
we know the world. We are comfortable with
our way of life. If Jesus is alive, it
changes everything. We can’t go on living
our mundane lives. We can let go of the
grudges we’ve been
nursing, and the bad attitudes we harbor,
and the vices that have
become habits – but do we really want to? Do
we really want Jesus
to be our Lord or are we not ready for an
upgrade over the idols
we’ve been serving?
Next
is
a surprising twist. The women meet Jesus.
Sometimes, when we’re
busy with something else, Jesus surprise us.
He finds us when we
aren’t expecting him. What did the women do
when they encountered
the risen Christ? What would you do? Ask
Jesus questions? “Lord,
can you make a rock so heavy that you
yourself can’t lift it?” Maybe ask Jesus for
a favor? “Jesus. I know now that you can do
anything. Could you arrange for me to hit
the Mega-millions just
once. I’m not greedy.”
The
Marys
didn’t ask questions or ask favors. They
worshipped. That’s
the proper response. That’s what we ought to
do. That is what we
are doing. The Risen Christ is here among us
today just as surely as
he was with the women on that first Easter.
Jesus said, “Wherever
two or three are gathered in my name, there
I am in the midst of
them.” Jesus is here in our gathering! Jesus
is the incarnate
Word of God. Here we proclaim the Word. You
have heard Jesus speak. At the last Supper
Jesus gave the disciples the sacrament of
his
body and blood. We will celebrate Holy
Communion here today. Christ
himself is present among us!
Jesus
sent
the women to tell his brothers he was going
to meet them. Isn’t
that incredible. Jesus doesn’t call his
creatures or his slaves or
his students. He calls us his family. He
loves us. And he loves us
so much, he is going to appear to us one
more time in glory.
Forty
days
after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into
Heaven, to his
Father and our Father. One day, Christ will
come again and take us
to be with him forever in perfect peace and
blessedness. There in
his eternal kingdom there will be no more
pain, no more sorrow, no
more death, no more tears. That is Good News
we want to share with
everyone. So, our Easter message is: Christ
has died. Christ is
risen. Christ will come again. Amen
Stand
Votum
P
The
peace of God, which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus.
C
Amen.
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 T
of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS
Each
petitions ends with: P Lord in Your mercy, C
hear our prayer
Let
us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ
Jesus and for all
people according to their needs.
Almighty
God, when doubt and fear weigh us down, console
us with the certainty
that Christ is risen from the dead and that He
rules over all things
for our good and greets us with life in His
Means of Grace. Lord, in
Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Gracious
Lord, lead Your people in Your steadfast love,
and guide them in
strength to Your holy abode. Sanctify our homes.
Be the companion of
those who live alone. Make our households places
where Your wisdom
and grace are found. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Your
right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power. Grant
that all in authority
would govern according to Your will, maintaining
order and curbing
evil, that we may live in peace. Lord, in Your
mercy, hear
our prayer.
Righteous
Lord, You have seated Christ at Your right hand
for our deliverance.
Remember those afflicted with illness and injury
[including
_____________]. Give
them health and strength according to Your will.
Sustain them in
faith, knowing that, for Jesus’ sake, You will
raise them in glory
on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Eternal
God, thanks be to You for victory over death
through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Remember all who mourn. Comfort them
with the promise that
You love them with an everlasting love, and will
raise them and all
Your people from the dead; through the same
Jesus Christ, Your Son,
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever. Amen.
Sit
Offertory
Invitation -Easter
Remembering
the words of our Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed
to give than to
receive." Let us give now with joy and
thanksgiving our gifts,
tithes and offerings to the Lord.
Choir
Anthem
Offertory
LSB
192
C
Create
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
spirit within me.
Cast
me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy
Holy Spirit from me.
Restore
unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me
with Thy free spirit.
Amen.
Offertory
Prayer
God
our Father, on this holy day [in this holy
season] you give us the
joy of recalling the rising of Christ to new
life. Accept the
offerings of your people and by these Easter
mysteries, bring us to
the glory of the Resurrection. We ask this
through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
SERVICE
OF THE SACRAMENT
Stand
Preface LSB
194
P
The
Lord be with you.
C
And
with thy spirit.
P
Lift
up your hearts.
C
We
lift them up unto the Lord.
P
Let
us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
C
It
is meet and right so to do.
Proper
Preface
P
It
is indeed right and salutary that we should at
all times and in all
places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord,
holy Father, almighty
and ever-living God. But chiefly we are bound to
praise you for the
glorious resurrection of our Lord; for he is the
true Passover Lamb
who gave himself to take away our sin, who by
his death has destroyed
death, and by his rising has brought us to
eternal life. And so,
with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the
witnesses of the
resurrection, with earth and sea and all their
creatures and with
angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we
praise your name
and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
C
Holy,
holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n
and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna,
hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed
is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh
in the name of the
Lord.
Hosanna,
hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
The
Words of Our Lord
P
Our
Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was
betrayed, took bread, and
when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave
it to the disciples
and said: “Take,
eat; this is My T
body, which is given for you. This do in
remembrance of Me.”
In
the same way also He took the cup after supper,
and when He had given
thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink
of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament
in My T
blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness
of sins. This do, as
often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Lord’s
Prayer
LSB
162
P
Lord,
remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to
pray:
C
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.
Fraction
P: When we eat
this bread, we share the body of Christ. When we
drink
from this cup, we share the blood of Christ.
C: Reveal yourself to us, O Lord,
in the breaking of bread as once you
revealed yourself to your Apostles. Amen.
Agnus
Dei
C
O
Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the
sin of the world, have
mercy upon us.
O
Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the
sin of the world, have
mercy upon us.
O
Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the
sin of the world,
grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Sit
The
pastor and those who assist him receive the body
and blood of Christ
first and then distribute them to those who come
to receive, saying:
Distribution LSB
199
Take,
eat; this is the true body of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, given
into death for your sins.
Amen.
Take,
drink; this is the true blood of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ,
shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Amen.
Stand
The
Dismissal
In
dismissing the communicants, the following is
said:
P
The
body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthen and preserve you
in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart Tin
peace.
C
Amen.
Stand
Nunc
Dimittis
C
Lord,
now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace
according to Thy word,
for
mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou
hast prepared before
the face of all people,
a
light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of
Thy people Israel.
Glory
be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Ghost;
as
it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be, world without
end. Amen.
Thanksgiving LSB
200
A
O
give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
C
and
His mercy endureth forever.
Post-Communion
Prayer
P: Almighty God,
you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for sin
and a
model of the godly life. Enable us to receive
him always with
thanksgiving and to conform our lives to his;
through the same Jesus
Christ our Lord.
C:
Amen
Benediction
P
The
Lord bless you and keep you.
The
Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious
unto you.
The
Lord lift up His countenance upon you and Tgive
you peace.
C
Amen,
amen, amen.
477
Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven LSB
477
1 Alleluia,
alleluia!
Hearts
to heav’n
and voices raise:
Sing
to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to
God a hymn of
praise;
He
who on the cross a victim
For the
world’s
salvation bled—
Jesus
Christ, the King of Glory,
Now is
risen from the
dead.
2 Alleluia,
Christ is risen!
Death
at last has met defeat:
See
the ancient pow’rs
of evil
In
confusion and retreat;
Once
He died, and once was buried:
Now He
lives
forevermore,
Jesus
Christ, the world’s
Redeemer,
Whom
we worship and adore.
D
3 Alleluia,
alleluia!
Glory be to God on high:
Alleluia
to
the Savior
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia
to
the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity!
Alleluia,
alleluia
To the triune Majesty!
Text
(sts.
1, 3): Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85;
(st.
2): rev. The Jubilate Group
Text
(sts. 1, 3): Public domain
Text
(st. 2): © 1982
The
Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used
by permission: LSB
Hymn License no. 110004199
CLOSING
RESPONSE
P
Go
in Peace! Serve the Lord!
C
Praise
be to God!
Acknowledgments
Unless
otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are
from the ESV®
Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News
Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Created
by Lutheran Service Builder © 2023
Concordia
Publishing House.
The Resurrection of Our Lord
(Easter Day)
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Lutheran Service Book Divine Service Setting Three
Stand
457 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today LSB 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!
D
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!
Text:
tr. Lyra Davidica, 1708, London, alt.; (sts.
1–3): Latin, 14th
cent.; (st. 4): Charles Wesley, 1707–88
Text:
Public domain
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation LSB 184
P In the name of the Father and of the TSon and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination.
Confession of Sins
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
Absolution
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the TSon and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
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.
Sit
Psalm Psalm 16; antiphon: v. 10
Preserve
me, O God,
for
in
you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord,
“You
are my Lord;
I
have no good apart from you.”
As
for the saints in the land,
they
are
the excellent ones,
in
whom
is all my delight.
The
sorrows of those who run after another god shall
multiply;
their
drink
offerings of blood I will not pour out
or
take
their names on my lips.
The
Lord
is my chosen portion and my cup;
you
hold
my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant
places;
indeed,
I
have a beautiful inheritance.
I
bless the Lord
who gives me counsel;
in
the
night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord
always before me;
because
he
is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore
my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my
flesh
also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to
Sheol,
or
let
your holy one see corruption.
You
make known to me the path of life;
in
your
presence there is fullness of joy;
at
your
right hand are pleasures forevermore.
First Reading Acts 10:34–43
Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Colossians 3:1–4
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse
C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Holy Gospel Matthew 28:1–10
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-eighth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and 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, and there they will see me.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Sit
465 Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds LSB 465
1 Now
all the vault of heav’n
resounds
In
praise of love that still abounds:
“Christ
has
triumphed! He is living!”
Sing, choirs of angels, loud and
clear!
Repeat
their song of glory here:
“Christ
has triumphed!
Christ has triumphed!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
2 Eternal
is the gift He brings,
Therefore
our
heart with rapture sings:
“Christ
has
triumphed! He is living!”
Now still He comes to give us
life
And
by His presence stills all strife.
Christ
has triumphed!
He is living!
Alleluia,
alleluia,
alleluia!
3 O
fill us, Lord, with dauntless love;
Set
heart and will on things above
That we
conquer
through Your triumph;
Grant
grace sufficient for life’s
day
That
by our lives we truly say:
“Christ
has triumphed!
He is living!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
D
4 Adoring
praises now we bring
And
with the heav’nly
blessèd
sing:
“Christ
has triumphed! Alleluia!”
Be to the Father and our Lord,
To
Spirit blest, most holy God,
All the glory, never ending!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Text:
Paul
Z. Strodach, 1876–1947,
alt.
Text:
© 1958
Augsburg
Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no. 110004199
Sermon
Easter 1 A April 9, 2023 Matthew 28:1-10
The Greatest Story Ever Told
The life of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been called “the greatest story ever told.” There was a movie about Jesus with that title. We have all heard that story many times. I don’t think I have to give anyone a spoiler alert if I say at the end Jesus rises from the dead. Imagine what a shocker that must have been for someone hearing the story of Jesus for the first time. So, what’s new in the greatest story ever told for us who already know the ending. There just might be in there some details, some nuances, some twists that maybe we haven’t considered in a while or perhaps never thought about at all.
Matthew begins by telling us that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus’ tomb. We know who Mary Magdalene is. Jesus cast seven demons out of her. The Bible never says exactly what Mary did when she was demon possessed. There has been speculation about her leading a sordid life, but the Bible never says that. What’s important is that she was a sinner in Satan’s grip who was saved by Jesus. That makes you and me just like her, a redeemed sinner.
Who was that other Mary? We presume she was the mother of James and Joseph who watched Jesus be crucified in the previous chapter of Matthew’s gospel. But Mary was a common name at that time and place. Jesus’ mother was named Mary. If it was important for us to know exactly who she was, scripture would have made it clear.
Maybe the point is that there are lots of Christians out there, people who are nameless and faceless to us, but God knows them. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you have to be well known or well connected. I would love to have everyone here have their name on our church membership rolls. But far more important is that your name is written in The Lamb’s Book of Life. You don’t have to be my or anyone else’s buddy to be a Christian, you only have to have Jesus as your friend.
Matthew also tells us that the two Mary’s went to Jesus’ tomb after the Sabbath, on the first day of the week. Some people want to quibble over the timeline. Saturday was the Sabbath; Sunday is the first day of the week. It’s that simple. When Christians debate little, inconsequential details like that, it’s an embarrassment to our faith.
Note how the women went “toward the dawn.” That’s early in the morning. Let’s give the Marys some credit for getting up at all. Their world had just come crashing down. Jesus’ death had devastated them, it crashed all their hopes. I admit there have been times when I have had a lot of trouble getting out of bed in the morning because the thought of facing another day was more than I could handle.
I’ve bet you have felt that way sometime too. All that got me up, and probably got the women up, was the dogged faith God was going to get us through some way somehow. How blessed we are that God gets us perpendicular each day and headed toward the dawn. Amazing things can happen in life if you just show up.
At about that time, there was an earthquake. You recall there was also an earthquake when Jesus died too. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray that “Thy will be done or earth as it is in Heaven.” Sometimes momentous events in the heavenly sphere are accompanied by dramatic events in the earthly sphere. Nature was in tune with Jesus’ atoning death and his glorious resurrection. All of Creation witnesses to Christ.
An angel descended and rolled back the stone sealing the tomb. That was no small feat. A stone like that would have required several strong men to move it. You notice that angels are present at the most crucial moments in Jesus’ life: his birth, his temptation, his agony in the garden, and here at his resurrection.
We tend to think of angels as cute little cherubs. In the Bible everyone’s first reaction when they see an angel is terror. Angels are fierce. The tough Roman soldiers tremble faint when they see them. To the women the angel says “Fear not.” That’s what angels always say. And the women, full of faith, did not faint, they conversed with the heavenly being.
Apparently, Jesus had been raised before the angel descended. In our Creed we confess our belief that, as the Bible says, Jesus descended into Hell. That was before he appeared to anyone on earth. It was a victory lap Jesus took around the nether world proclaiming his victory. The angel didn’t unseal the tomb to let Jesus out – Jesus didn’t need any help. The angel opened the tomb to let the women in so they could be witnesses.
First, the angel tells the Marys that Jesus is risen. If one of God’s angels says it, you can believe it. Think of all the lies and false predictions we so easily believe that come from human beings with sinister, ulterior intentions, and how hard it is for us to believe a heavenly angel or God’s handpicked human eyewitnesses. Not only did the women hear that Jesus was risen, they saw the evidence of the empty tomb. With the guards there and the heavy stone, no one could have stolen Jesus’ body. And don’t even try to say that Jesus faked his death or was in a coma and revived and escaped. Jesus had been beaten to a pulp and the soldiers who crucified him knew their business – no way were they going to fail to carry out a death sentence. That would mean their death. Jesus had died and Jesus was raised. Case closed!
The angel told the women to go tell Jesus’ disciples what they had heard and seen, and let them know Jesus was going to appear to them. It’s said the women went with “fear and great joy.” How could they feel both fear and joy? If Jesus is risen, the possibilities for us are endless and that’s both a good thing and more than a little frightening.
We think we know the world. We are comfortable with our way of life. If Jesus is alive, it changes everything. We can’t go on living our mundane lives. We can let go of the grudges we’ve been nursing, and the bad attitudes we harbor, and the vices that have become habits – but do we really want to? Do we really want Jesus to be our Lord or are we not ready for an upgrade over the idols we’ve been serving?
Next is a surprising twist. The women meet Jesus. Sometimes, when we’re busy with something else, Jesus surprise us. He finds us when we aren’t expecting him. What did the women do when they encountered the risen Christ? What would you do? Ask Jesus questions? “Lord, can you make a rock so heavy that you yourself can’t lift it?” Maybe ask Jesus for a favor? “Jesus. I know now that you can do anything. Could you arrange for me to hit the Mega-millions just once. I’m not greedy.”
The Marys didn’t ask questions or ask favors. They worshipped. That’s the proper response. That’s what we ought to do. That is what we are doing. The Risen Christ is here among us today just as surely as he was with the women on that first Easter. Jesus said, “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Jesus is here in our gathering! Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. Here we proclaim the Word. You have heard Jesus speak. At the last Supper Jesus gave the disciples the sacrament of his body and blood. We will celebrate Holy Communion here today. Christ himself is present among us!
Jesus sent the women to tell his brothers he was going to meet them. Isn’t that incredible. Jesus doesn’t call his creatures or his slaves or his students. He calls us his family. He loves us. And he loves us so much, he is going to appear to us one more time in glory.
Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven, to his Father and our Father. One day, Christ will come again and take us to be with him forever in perfect peace and blessedness. There in his eternal kingdom there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more death, no more tears. That is Good News we want to share with everyone. So, our Easter message is: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Amen
Stand
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
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 T of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS
Each petitions ends with: P Lord in Your mercy, C hear our prayer
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, when doubt and fear weigh us down, console us with the certainty that Christ is risen from the dead and that He rules over all things for our good and greets us with life in His Means of Grace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, lead Your people in Your steadfast love, and guide them in strength to Your holy abode. Sanctify our homes. Be the companion of those who live alone. Make our households places where Your wisdom and grace are found. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power. Grant that all in authority would govern according to Your will, maintaining order and curbing evil, that we may live in peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Righteous Lord, You have seated Christ at Your right hand for our deliverance. Remember those afflicted with illness and injury [including _____________]. Give them health and strength according to Your will. Sustain them in faith, knowing that, for Jesus’ sake, You will raise them in glory on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Eternal God, thanks be to You for victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember all who mourn. Comfort them with the promise that You love them with an everlasting love, and will raise them and all Your people from the dead; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Sit
Offertory Invitation -Easter
Remembering the words of our Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Let us give now with joy and thanksgiving our gifts, tithes and offerings to the Lord.
Choir Anthem
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
God our Father, on this holy day [in this holy season] you give us the joy of recalling the rising of Christ to new life. Accept the offerings of your people and by these Easter mysteries, bring us to the glory of the Resurrection. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
Stand
Preface LSB 194
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them up unto the Lord.
P Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
C It is meet and right so to do.
Proper Preface
P It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and ever-living God. But chiefly we are bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of our Lord; for he is the true Passover Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin, who by his death has destroyed death, and by his rising has brought us to eternal life. And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Lord’s Prayer LSB 162
P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
C 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.
Fraction
P: When we eat this bread, we share the body of Christ. When we drink from this cup, we share the blood of Christ.
C: Reveal yourself to us, O Lord, in the breaking of bread as once you revealed yourself to your Apostles. Amen.
Agnus Dei
C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Sit
The pastor and those who assist him receive the body and blood of Christ first and then distribute them to those who come to receive, saying:
Distribution LSB 199
Take, eat; this is the true body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, given into death for your sins.
Amen.
Take, drink; this is the true blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Amen.
Stand
The Dismissal
In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:
P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart Tin peace.
C Amen.
Stand
Nunc Dimittis
C Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,
for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Thanksgiving LSB 200
A O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
C and His mercy endureth forever.
Post-Communion Prayer
P: Almighty God, you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life. Enable us to receive him always with thanksgiving and to conform our lives to his; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and Tgive you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
477 Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven LSB 477
1 Alleluia,
alleluia!
Hearts
to heav’n
and voices raise:
Sing
to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to
God a hymn of
praise;
He
who on the cross a victim
For the
world’s
salvation bled—
Jesus
Christ, the King of Glory,
Now is
risen from the
dead.
2 Alleluia,
Christ is risen!
Death
at last has met defeat:
See
the ancient pow’rs
of evil
In
confusion and retreat;
Once
He died, and once was buried:
Now He
lives
forevermore,
Jesus
Christ, the world’s
Redeemer,
Whom
we worship and adore.
D
3 Alleluia,
alleluia!
Glory be to God on high:
Alleluia
to
the Savior
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia
to
the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity!
Alleluia,
alleluia
To the triune Majesty!
Text
(sts.
1, 3): Christopher Wordsworth, 1807–85;
(st.
2): rev. The Jubilate Group
Text
(sts. 1, 3): Public domain
Text
(st. 2): © 1982
The
Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used
by permission: LSB
Hymn License no. 110004199
CLOSING RESPONSE
P Go in Peace! Serve the Lord!
C Praise be to God!
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2023 Concordia Publishing House.