Greetings and Invocation
Leader: Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The light of Christ rises in glory, overcoming the darkness of sin and death. Christ is risen!
People: Christ is our light! Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Song: Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, He all doth save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
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!
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!
Scripture—2 Samuel 22
The Lord is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock—I take refuge in him!— he’s my shield and my salvation’s strength, my place of safety and my shelter. My savior! Save me from violence! Because he is praiseworthy, I cried out to the Lord, and I was saved from my enemies. Death’s waves were all around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me. The cords of the gravesurrounded me; death’s traps held me tight. In my distress I cried out to the Lord; I cried out to my God.
God heard my voice from his temple; my cry for help reached his ears.
…The Lord lives! Bless God, my rock! Let my God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high!
Song: Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
Praise the one who breaks the darkness
with a liberating light; praise the one who frees the pris’ners,
turning blindness into sight.
Praise the one who preached the gospel, healing ev’ry dread disease,
calming storms and feeding thousands with the Father’s word of peace.
Praise the one who blessed the children
with a strong yet gentle word; praise the one who drove out demons
with a piercing, two-edged sword. Praise the one who brings cool water
to the desert’s burning sand;from this well comes living water,
quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
Let us praise the Word incarnate, Christ, who suffered in our place;
Jesus died and rose victorious that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness, seeing what our God has done; let us praise the true Redeemer, praise the one who makes us one.
Scripture—
John 11: 25-26
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
Romans 6:3-11
Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life. If we were united together in a death like his, we will also be united together in a resurrection like his. This is what we know: the person that we used to be was crucified with him in order to get rid of the corpse that had been controlled by sin. That way we wouldn’t be slaves to sin anymore, because a person who has died has been freed from sin’s power. But if we died with Christ, we have faith that we will also live with him. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. He died to sin once and for all with his death, but he lives for God with his life. In the same way, you also should consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.
People: Lord Jesus, since we have shared in your death through our baptism, we pray that you will raise us to new life so that we might also share in your resurrection. Help us to walk in this truth—in the newness of life through Jesus’ name. Amen.
Homily
Song: Because He Lives
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Chorus: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives!
How sweet to hold a newborn baby, And feel the pride and joy he brings;
But greater still the calm assurance: This child can face uncertain days because He Lives! Chorus
And then one day, I’ll cross the river, I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives! Chorus
Reading
Leader: Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; the Lord has risen!
People: He has risen indeed!
Leader: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting? Death has been swallowed up in victory!
People: Christ has risen indeed!
Leader: Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”
People: Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Leader: The Lord has risen!
People: He has risen indeed! Alleluia!
Benediction