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.

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

Leader: The tomb is dark, but empty
All: The one you are looking for has overcome the darkness
Leader: The stone has been rolled away
All: The one you are looking for has overcome death
Leader: The burial clothes are put aside
All: The one you are looking for is alive!
Leader: Christ is Risen!
All: Christ is Risen Indeed! Let us worship our Risen Savior!

 

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

The Resurrection of Jesus

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                Resurrection and Mary Magdalene     Rev. Jin Kook Kim

 

Happy Easter to you, Little Falls Church Family! May the joy and hope of Easter fill your hearts and lives today and every day! After a long journey of Lent, we are finally facing the glorious day of Easter Sunday and beginning our Easter Season. I hope we consider the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection and find how Jesus’ resurrection is related to us in the Easter Season.

 

For what reason do we have joy for Easter? Where does the joy of Easter come from? Our joy comes from Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus died on the cross after being mocked, whipped, and suffering. The Jesus who died on the cross rose again on the third day after he died. Because Jesus’ resurrection is deeply connected to us, we have joy for Jesus’ resurrection.

 

When Mary found the risen Jesus, she couldn’t stop expressing her joy for the risen Jesus. It was because of her personal relationship with him. For her, Jesus was not a stranger. He was her savior, her teacher, and her guide. Thus, whatever happened to Jesus, was like happening to her. It is like whatever happens to our family, it happens to us.

 

Like Mary, for us, Jesus’ resurrection is a great joy for us because of our deep and personal relationship with Jesus. His resurrection is not just a historical event. What is our relationship with Jesus? Jesus is our savior who died for us on the cross. We had to pay the wage of our sins through our death, but Jesus paid that for us through his death on the cross. He sacrificed himself to save us. Through his death on the cross, we have received forgiveness, salvation, victory, freedom, promise, and a new family. Jesus loves us and has shown his love for us through the cross. We love Jesus and we commit ourselves to Jesus and his ministry in the world. Our loving Jesus is risen from death, and we have great joy for his resurrection because of our intimate relationship with Jesus.

 

Jesus’ resurrection is deeply connected to us because Jesus’ resurrection is our resurrection. His resurrection story will be our resurrection story in the future. As we see in 1 Corinthians 15:20, Jesus has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. Jesus’ resurrection is the first fruits of those who have died. As Jesus is resurrected, we will be resurrected when we die. Death will not be the end of our lives, but it will be another beginning of our eternal life. This is a great hope for us. The hope of Easter is our eternal life in the kingdom of God. The hope of resurrection is that death is not the end of our lives but a point that we will get through to eternal life. Church Family, we will be resurrected. Death is not the end of us. Another life and the best life that will come to us after death. Our end is eternal life and life in the kingdom of God where there is only joy and happiness with God.

 

Church Family, what else does Jesus’ resurrection mean to you? How does Jesus’ resurrection connect to our lives today? Jesus’ resurrection gives us the assurance of Jesus’ care for us all the time. Let’s see Mary Magdalene’s story. What would she feel when Jesus died? Definitely, one of her feelings was sorrow. Another one would be fear, the fear of demons, and the fear of suffering that she had because Jesus was her healer and protector. She would feel she was not protected from demons anymore due to Jesus’ death.

 

However, she would have the assurance of Jesus’ care for her and Jesus’ presence in her life when she saw the risen Jesus and he called her name. She found that Jesus was with her and nothing, even death, could separate her from Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection meant that her protector was with her forever and death couldn’t take the protector at all.

 

Church family, Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and our protector is with us all the time. Jesus is with us always, and he will not leave us as he showed that death cannot make him far from us. So whenever fear or hardship comes to us, remember Jesus’ resurrection and his perpetual presence and care for us. The risen Jesus is our hope because he is with us always and he cares for us always.

 

Church family, let us trust that Jesus’ resurrection makes us get over a trauma, fear, or concern due to Jesus’ presence and care for us. And let us live out our lives with the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection. This Easter, may the Risen Jesus be more than a story—may he be your comforter in fear, your strength in hardship, and your hope in every day. 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!