Worship Notes for Easter Sunday 3/28/2008
Mar 20th, 2008
Greetings, Redeemer Family!
I’m writing you a bit earlier than usual this week because I’d love for you to meditate on the events of today, Maundy Thursday. Here are a few of my thoughts for you on this day which has been observed as an integral part of “Holy Week” by Christians for the past 2000 years.
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Maundy Thursday…a strange-sounding term for a day that reminds us of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his betrayal, trial, and crucifixion, and glorious resurrection.
1. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.
He took on the form of a servant…the one who was fully God. (Think of the pictures of Philippians 2) Washing his disciples’ feet was a picture of what he was going to do the following day.
2. Jesus gave them a new commandment (mandatum novum):
”love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
The term “Maundy Thursday” was derived from the Latin mandatum novum. Now that you know that, every time you hear the term “Maundy Thursday” you will be reminded that at the last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and gave them a new commandment. (John 13:34)
3. In the process of the Passover meal, when Jesus broke the bread, he gave it to the disciples, identifying it as his body, broken for them. He identified the cup of wine as “my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
And he instructed them to do this “until he comes again.”
So…for 2000 years Christians have been doing just that as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
I love the connection that we can have with those who for 2000 years have claimed his blood as their salvation…and have looked eagerly for his coming again. We are not alone. Peculiar, particular, paradoxical….yes… but THIS is reality.
And…in the light of Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday, we can truly regard “Good Friday” as “good.” Life-giving.
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Easter Sunday Worship
We’ll begin our worship service on Easter Sunday with the account of the empty tomb from Matthew 28:
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; He is risen, just as He said.”
He is not here; He is risen! Alleluia!
And of course, we’ll sing “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
“Christ the Lord is ris’n today,” Alleluia!
sons of men and angels say: Alleluia!
raise your joys and triumphs high; Alleluia!
sing ye heav’ns and earth, reply. Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Alleluia!
Christ has burst the gates of hell: Alleluia!
death in vain forbids his rise; Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise. Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia!
where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died, our souls to save; Alleluia!
where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
foll’wing our exalted Head; Alleluia!
made like him, like him we rise; Alleluia!
ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and heav’n! Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be giv’n; Alleluia!
thee we greet triumphant now; Alleluia!
hail, the Resurrection, thou! Alleluia!
Text by Charles Wesley, 1739
A number of our young instrumentalists and our children’s choir will be helping us to worship this Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection together.
Sometimes the truth, importance, and joy of the resurrection can become womething which we take for granted. A question from the Heidelberg Catechism may help us to remember the importance of Christ’s resurrection:
The Heidelberg Catechism, Question #45:
How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?
Answer:
First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death.1
Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life.2
Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection.3
1. Ro 4:25; I Co 15:16-20; I Pe 1:3-5
2. Ro 6:5-11; Eph 2:4-6; Col. 3:1-4
3. Ro 8:11; I Co 15:12-23; Php 3:20-21
…and we’ll use the following Easter Litany and prayer to affirm our faith in Christ and to ask the Holy Spirit for the power that propels us to that obedience which comes by faith:
Easter Litany
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits
of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes
also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we also will live with him.
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
(From I Cor. 15, Rom. 6; and Col. 3)
Prayer
Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to the death of the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection have delivered us from the power of our enemy, give to us by your Holy Spirit the desire and strength to die daily to sin that we might live in union with Christ and in the joy of his resurrection power; through Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. Amen
We’ll use a contemporary hymn which has been sung around the world to rehearse the Lord’s death and resurrection and long for His coming again.
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! – Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!
Words by Stuart Townend; Music by Keith Getty
©2001 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music
Used by permission CCLI # 2419466
Mike is preaching this week on John 11:33-45 in a message titled “Weeping and the Resurrection.” Please read this passage and ask the Spirit to speak to us, that these eternal truths might be precious to us and continue to transform us.
We’ll hail Jesus as our king, the Lion of Judah, as we respond to the preaching of the Word.
Lion of Judah
You’re the Lion of Judah, the Lamb Who was slain,
You ascended to Heaven and evermore will reign;
at the end of the age when the earth You reclaim,
You will gather the nations before You.
And the eyes of all men
will be fixed on the Lamb
Who was crucified;
with wisdom and mercy and justice
You’ll reign at Your Father’s side.
And the angels will cry, “Hail the Lamb
Who was slain for the world, rule in power.”
And the earth will reply, “You shall reign
as the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords.”
There’s a shield in our hand and a sword at our side,
there’s a fire in our spirits that cannot be denied;
’cause the Father has told us, for these You have died,
for the nations who gather before You.
And the ears of all men
need to hear of the Lamb
Who was crucified;
Who descended to hell,
yet was raised up
to reign at His Father’s side.
Words and Music by Robin Mark
©1997 Daybreak Music, Ltd. (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
Used by permission. CCLI #2419466
May there be a fire in our spirits that cannot be denied…because the Lord has died for us and He Is Risen!
Blessings in Christ,
John Bennetch