Little Falls United Methodist Church 

 

 Easter Sunrise Service

 

April 17, 2021 - 6 am

 Prepare yourself for Worship! 

 

GREETING & INVOCATION

 

Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ our Lord. My brothers and sisters in Christ: On this most holy morning in which Jesus Christ passed over from death to life, we gather as the Church to watch and pray. This is the Passover of Christ, in which we share in Christ's victory over death.

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CALL TO WORSHIP

 

Leader: Do not stand at the tomb and weep. Christ is risen!
All: Do not let your hearts be in morning: Christ is risen!
Leader: Run to tell others the great good news: Christ is risen!
All: Believe the good news Christ is risen! HALLELUJAH!

 

OPENING HYMN  Christ the Lord is Risen Today   UMH 302 v 1, 3, 5
 

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!

 

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 vict'ry, boasting grave? Alleluia!

 

5. Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!

Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!

Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!

Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

 

PRAYER 

All: Loving God of light, we hid in the darkness and you brought the light of Salvation to our eyes and our spirits. We praise you for the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. We have received the greatest good news of healing, hope, and restoration. Praise be to you, eternal God, for this gift of love. AMEN.

 

SCRIPTURE READING                      Luke 24:1-12 (NRSV)

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The Resurrection of Jesus

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24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The 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. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 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. 

 

MESSAGE               Jesus Gives Us Resurrection           Rev. Jin Kook Kim

 

Good morning, everyone! You are here in the early morning. I am not sure that you are a morning person, and this is the time for you to begin your day usually. Or you want to make today, Easter Sunday, special to welcome the risen Jesus at dawn as the women came to the tomb early in the morning and saw the risen Jesus. I welcome you again.

Have you waited for Easter Sunday? Were you excited about the coming Easter Sunday? Why have you waited for Easter Sunday? What makes you excited for Easter Sunday and let you be here in this early morning? The answer would be the risen Jesus. Easter Sunday is the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us, rose from death and completed the victory. It is a great joy for us because we love Jesus, and he rose again. It is a joy for us because we know that Jesus gave up his life for us and our sins. He didn’t deserve death, but he took it for us. He died on the cross for us instead of us. He took our place of death. He died to save us from sin and death. He died for God’s forgiveness for us. He died to give us a new life. We believe that we are the reason that he died, so the fact that Jesus rose from death is our great joy. Jesus, who we love, is risen indeed. Jesus has been resurrected from death. Alleluia!

 

That’s not all. Jesus’ resurrection is not only for Jesus but for us because Jesus gives us resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection is our hope because Jesus showed us through Jesus’ resurrection that we will be resurrected from death. People in the world think that death is the end of our lives. However, we don’t think like that but believe that we will have another life from resurrection. When Jesus came to a girl who had just died, everyone thought it was done, and there was nothing that Jesus could do because she had died already. However, Jesus resurrected her and let her have a new life. Our God is the almighty God. Our Jesus is powerful more than death. And we are in God, and we are in Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection is our resurrection. Jesus’s life is our lives. We celebrate Easter Sunday not only for Jesus’ resurrection but also for our resurrection that Jesus has promised and our hope in Jesus’ resurrection. 

 

Little Falls Church Family, 

I hope we live out our lives with the hope of resurrection that Jesus showed and Jesus has promised to us. Whatever we face, whenever we feel like it is done and there is nothing that we can help ourselves with, let us remember that Jesus will resurrect us. Our end is not death but resurrection. Even when we fail something in our lives or we are in big trouble, Jesus’ promise of resurrection is still for us and with us. Our life stories will not end with death but resurrection. Jesus is risen! Jesus is risen indeed! We will be risen. We will be risen indeed because Jesus gives us resurrection. Let us rejoice for Jesus’ resurrection! Let us praise God and give thanks to God for our resurrection that we will have as Jesus has promised us! Amen!

 

CLOSING HYMN                          He Lives                              UMH 310

 

1. I serve a risen Savior

He's in the world today

I know that He is living

Whatever men may say

I see His hand of mercy

I hear His voice of cheer

And just the time I need Him

He's always near

 

(Refrain)

He lives He lives

Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life's narrow way

He lives He lives

Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives

He lives within my heart

 

2. In all the world around me

I see His loving care

And though my heart grows weary

I never will despair

I know that He is leading

Through all the stormy blast

The day of His appearing

Will come at last

(Refrain)

 

3. Rejoice rejoice O Christian

Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King

The Hope of all who seek Him

The Help of all who find

None other is so loving

So good and kind

(Refrain)

 

BENEDICTION                                                                              Rev. Jin Kook Kim

 

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Christ is with us in this place. Christ goes with us into the world. Be now in Peace! Christ is Risen! Amen!