April 4, 2021 Easter Sunday

Welcome and greeting

Call to Worship for Easter Morning

It was early in the morning. Still dark. The dawn just starting to cut through the fog. The air hung heavy with expectation, as if the earth itself were holding its breath.

The echoes of the cross linger. His voice still rings out: It Is Finished. Into your hands I commit my spirit.

The story comes to us in pieces and fragments, hints and images:

A vineyard garden, grapes ready for the harvest.

A stone rolled away. The guards asleep at its side.

A pile of clothes folded in an empty tomb.

Peter and John, running in with disbelief. Walking out with questions and with hope.

But Mary stays behind. To weep in the garden. And we weep with her. There is so much loss. So much grief. So much death.

1 Rattle!

1 Saturday was silent; surely it was through. But since when has impossible ever stopped you?

2 Friday's disappointment is Sunday's empty tomb. Since when has impossible ever stopped you?

Chorus 1 This is the sound of dry bones rattling. This is the praise make a dead man walk again. Open the grave I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live again. This is the sound of dry bones rattling.

3 Pentecostal fire stirring something new, you're not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon.

4 Resurrection power runs in my veins, too. I believe there's another miracle here in this room. Chorus 1 Bridge My God is able to save and deliver and heal and restore anything that he wants to. Just ask the man who was thrown on the bones of Elisha if there's anything that he can't do, Just ask the stone that was rolled at the tomb in the garden what happens when God says to move. I feel him moving it now. I feel him doing it now. I feel him doing it now. Do it now. Do it now.

Chorus 2 This is the sound of dry bones rattling. This is the praise make a dead man walk again. Open the grave I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live again. Open the grave I'm coming out. I'm gonna live, gonna live again.

This is the sound of dry bones rattling.

Interlude 1 I hear the sound. (I hear the sound.) I hear the sound. (I hear the sound.)

Interlude 2 Live! (Live!) Live! (Live!) Dry bones hear the word of the Lord. (Repeat)

Live! (Live!) Live! (Live!) Chorus 2

CCLI Song # 7149088 Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Steven Furtick © 2020 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Maverick City Publishing Worldwide (Admin. by Heritage Worship Publishing) Bethel Music Publishing For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 2704322

2 With her we look up, and through her tears. We see angels, seated in victory on top of the stone.

Do not be afraid, they tell us. He is not here. Why do you look for the living among the dead? He. Is. Not. Here.

From the garden she hears a voice: Why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?

She still cannot see. The sun is rising. She is muttering with explanations, But Mary’s heart starts beating with tremors Of hope. Whom do you seek? He is not here.

And like a voice from heaven, She hears that voice. The voice she is longing for. The gardener speaks her name: Mary.

Jesus looks at you and Jesus speaks your name. The world is new as he speaks your name. You are made new as he speaks your name.

What the angels said was true. And it is true today.

Jesus is alive. Jesus walks. His heart beats in victory. Easter is announced by every breath he takes. Easter means that love has won. Death is finished. Satan is doomed. Evil is conquered. God is good.

Love’s redeeming work is done. It. Is. Finished. It. Is. Finished. He is not dead. He. Is. Alive.

~ submitted by Rev. Cambron Wright, Pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Bowling Green, KY.

3 Christ The Lord Is Risen Today 302

1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2. Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Words: Charles Wesley, 1739; music: Lyra Davidica, 1708. Public domain.

Opening Prayer

Time for Young Christians

Offering

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

4 Glorious

Look inside the mystery, see the empty cross; see the risen Savior, victorious and strong; no one else above him, none as strong to save; he alone has conquered the power of the grave.

Chorus Glorious, my eyes have seen the glory of the Lord; glorious, he stands above the rulers of the earth; Glorious, glorious, Lord, you are glorious.

Look beyond the tombstone, see the living God; see the resurrected ruler of my heart; no one else above him, none to match his worth; the hope of his returning fills the universe. Chorus

CCLI Song # 5548521 Brenton Brown | Paul Baloche © 2009 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 2704322

Scripture Mark 16:1-8

16When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6But 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. 7But 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.” 8So 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.

5 Christ Is Risen 307 1. Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna! Celebrate this day of days. Christ is risen! Hush in wonder; all creation is amazed. In the desert all surrounding, see, a spreading tree has grown. Healing leaves of grace abounding bring a taste of love unknown.

2. Christ is risen! Raise your spirits from the caverns of despair. Walk with gladness in the morning. See what love can do and dare. Drink the wine of resurrection, not a servant, but a friend; Jesus is our strong companion. Joy and peace shall never end.

3. Christ is risen! Earth and heaven nevermore shall be the same. Break the bread of new creation where the world is still in pain. Tell its grim, demonic chorus: "Christ is risen! Get you gone!" God the First and Last is with us. Sing Hosanna everyone! Words: Brian Wren, 1984. © 1986 Hope Publishing Company. OneLicense A-710639

Sermon Dazed and Confused

Sing with All the Saints in Glory 702 1. Sing with all the saints in glory, sing the resurrection song! Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, to the former days belong. All around the clouds are breaking, soon the storms of time shall cease; in God's likeness we, awaking, know the everlasting peace.

2. O what glory, far exceeding all that eye has yet perceived! Holiest hearts, for ages pleading, never that full joy conceived. God has promised, Christ prepares it, there on high our welcome waits. Every humble spirit shares it; Christ has passed th'eternal gates.

3. Life eternal! heaven rejoices; Jesus lives, who once was dead. Join we now the deathless voices; child of God, lift up your head! Patriarchs from the distant ages, saints all longing for their heaven, prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages, all await the glory given.

4. Life eternal! O what wonders crowd on faith; what joy unknown, when, amidst earth's closing thunders, saints shall stand before the throne! O to enter that bright portal, see that glowing firmament; know, with thee, O God Immortal, "Jesus Christ whom thou has sent!" Words: William J. Irons; Music: Ludwig von Beethoven; Public Domain.

Action Steps

Benediction