ONLINE SERVICE FOR ZION EVANGELICAL CHURCHEASTER DAY, APRIL 12, 2020

While it is sad that we cannot be together today as God’s people, we rejoice in the glory of the resurrection! The gloom and sadness of Good Friday has ended. Jesus has conquered sin and death, and by doing so has opened the door for us to follow. It is a day of unequaled joy, light and love as we truly understand the Father’s incredible love for us. Even in your isolation, may you experience the love of the Father as we come to give Him thanks for this wonderful day.

Keep those affected by the virus in your prayers—those affected physically, emotionally and economically. Our other prayer concerns:

David Kuhn, Lynn’s brother, recovering from coronavirusParents of Bridget Back, our regional Good News Club director, both in the hospitalJanet Theobald, recovering from a heart attack and doing well at homePastor Randy Wilken, recovering from a stroke and doing better at homeNancy Benson, continuing to battle stomach cancer

Call to Worship

The Lord is risen! He is risen, indeed! Risen Lord Jesus, we rejoice in Your glorious and triumphant victory over death. For Your victory is our victory, and Your triumph is our triumph. Let us today and forever with all of heaven give thanks and honor and praise to You, to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Opening Hymn: “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFjnlBn0K10

Lyrics

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!Raise your joys and triumps 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 our souls to save, Alleluia!Where thy vic-tor-y, 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!

God’s Word

Jeremiah 31:1-6

1 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” 2 This is what the LORD says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel.” 3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 4 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful. 5 Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit. 6 There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.’”

John 20:1-18

1 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. 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.

Sermon: “Do You Get It?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7c0Pha4kT8

Time for Our Children: https://youtu.be/fgIpTikU9sY

Parents: Here is a good video that explains Easter—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL8R158Ujp4

Gathering Prayer (from 1 Corinthians 15:17-20) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A17-20&version=NIV

If it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised our preaching is useless and so is your faith. If only for this life we have hope if Christ, we of all people are most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead! Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

Apostles’ Creed: Our Statement of Faith

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the one holy universal Christian church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, Amen.

Sermon Hymn, “The Day of Resurrection” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIx_0jhW1Y

Lyrics:

The day of resurrection!Earth, tell it out abroad;The Passover of gladness,The Passover of God.From death to life eternal,From earth unto the sky,Our Christ hath brought us over,With hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil,That we may see arightThe Lord in rays eternalOf resurrection light;

And list’ning to His accents,May hear, so calm and plain,His own “All hail!” and, hearing,May raise the victor strain.

Now let the heav’ns be joyful!Let earth the song begin!Let the round world keep triumph,And all that is therein!

Let all things seen and unseenTheir notes in gladness blend,For Christ the Lord hath risen,Our joy that hath no end.

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

Offering

Our faithful people are reminded that even during this time of isolation and confinement, the work and needs of the church continue. Please consider mailing your tithes and offerings to the church so that we do not fall behind financially. Our address is 7025 E 100 North, Shelbyville, IN 46176.

Our Prayer of Thanks

Lord God, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving on this day in which we celebrate the resurrection of Your Son. Through Him we find forgiveness, reconciliation and new life. Help us to live with the joy of Easter all our days, and share its good news with others, to the glory of Your name, Amen.

Closing Hymn: “The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtH33gvq4v0

Lyrics

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

1. The strife is o’er, the battle done;Now is the victor’s triumph won

Now be the song of praise begun,Alleluia!

2. The pow’rs of death have done their worst;But Christ their legions has dispersed;Let shouts of holy joy outburst:Alleluia!

3. The three sad days are quickly sped;He rises glorious from the dead;All glory to our risen Head:Alleluia!

4. He closed the yawning gates of hell;The bars from heav’n’s high portals fell;Let hymns of praise His triumphs tell:Alleluia!

5. Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,From death’s dread sting thy servants free,That we may live, and sing to thee,Alleluia!

Refrain

Benediction (from 1 Corinthians 1:3)

The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia! Grace and peace be with you from God our Father and from His risen Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IF ZION CAN BE A BLESSING TO YOU DURING THIS TIME, PLEASE LET US KNOW. YOU CAN REACH PASTOR BRAD AT 662-236-2846 OR

BSCHULTZ27@GMAIL.COM