Easter

March 31, 2013

Opening Hymns:
304 Easter People Raise Your Voices http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh304.sht

Scripture Reading:
John 20:1-18

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Message:
Jesus has conquered death! He has risen, and those who are able to see Him are awestruck. The question we need to ask ourselves is, how will His death and resurrection transform our lives? What are we going to do with the good news that has been made known to us?

Mary couldn’t help but run to the disciples with the news. The disciples and all who were able to see Jesus, spread the word around. Think of all the songs that have been written giving praise to God and to Jesus. The joy seems to be contagious. So I encourage you to keep the joy flowing. Sing those songs of praise, smile, laugh, hug, dance, and cry for joy. Jesus has risen. He has paid the price of our sins, and He lives. Alleluia!!!

Time of Prayer
Dearest Lord, thank you for the joy that you have given to us on this day. Let us carry the joy with us so that we can spread it to others. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
302 Christ the Lord is Risen Today  http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh302.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God