Your March 31st, Sermon & Ministry Resources
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Lectionary Readings — Easter Sunday — March 31, 2024
Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18
Call to Worship (based on John 20:1-18)
Leader: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
People: On this glorious Easter morning, we gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
Leader: As Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning and found the stone rolled away,
People: So we come, seeking the Living One, who has overcome death and the grave.
Leader: Though she wept with grief, Jesus called her by name, turning her sorrow into joy.
People: In our worship, let us listen for the voice of the Risen Christ, calling us into new life and hope.
Leader: Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father."
People: We rejoice in His presence among us, even as we await the fullness of His kingdom.
Leader: Christ has risen, just as He said! Let us worship God with joy, for death has been swallowed up in victory!
People: Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
All: Alleluia! Let us worship the Risen Christ, whose love and power know no end. Amen.
Opening Prayer (based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11)
Let us pray,
Gracious and Almighty God, on this Resurrection Sunday, we come before You with hearts brimming with joy and gratitude, celebrating the victory of Your Son, Jesus Christ, over death. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15, it is the good news of Jesus’ death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day, according to the Scriptures, that stands as the cornerstone of our faith.
Lord, we are humbled by the depth of Your love and the power of Your grace that brought Jesus from death to life, ensuring our own resurrection and eternal life in Him. You have fulfilled Your Word and demonstrated Your faithfulness through the ages, from the witnesses who first saw the risen Lord to all of us gathered here today, united in the joy of His resurrection.
As we proclaim with Paul that Your grace towards us has not been in vain, may we, too, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in Your work, knowing that in the Lord, our labor is not in vain. Empower us by Your Spirit to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus, living as people of hope, transformed by the reality of the empty tomb.
On this glorious day, help us to grasp the magnitude of what it means to say, “Christ has risen indeed!” May this truth renew our minds, inspire our hearts, and guide our actions. Let the joy of Easter not just be a momentary celebration but a lasting reality in our lives, shaping us to be bearers of Your light and love in a world that so desperately needs the hope of the risen Christ.
In the power of Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].
Sermon Outline: Resurrection Reality: Encountering the Living Christ — John 20:1-18
Introduction:
Begin with the early morning scene of the first Easter, where Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb. Set the stage for the transformative power of the resurrection, not only as a historical event but as a reality that impacts our lives today.
I. Mourning Turned to Marvel (John 20:1-2)
Point: Mary Magdalene’s initial visit to the tomb is marked by sorrow and loss. Her discovery of the stone rolled away and the empty tomb shifts her mourning into a sense of marvel and confusion.
Application: Reflect on how the resurrection turns our mourning into marvel. In our moments of loss and confusion, the empty tomb reminds us that God’s purposes are often beyond our understanding yet always grounded in His love and power.
II. Perplexity to Proclamation (John 20:3-10)
Point: The disciples’ race to the tomb and their subsequent departure, not fully understanding what has happened, illustrates a journey from perplexity to the beginning of proclamation.
Application: Consider how the resurrection moves us from confusion and doubt to the bold proclamation of Christ’s victory. Our faith journey often mirrors this progression, growing from initial bewilderment to confident witness.
III. Despair to Discovery (John 20:11-16)
Point: Mary’s weeping outside the tomb leads to a personal encounter with the risen Jesus, though she initially doesn’t recognize Him. Her despair is transformed into discovery when Jesus calls her by name.
Application: Explore how the resurrection turns our despair into discovery of Jesus’ personal love and call for us. Like Mary, we may not always recognize Jesus in our circumstances until He reveals Himself to us in a personal and transformative way.
IV. Recognition to Resurrection Mission (John 20:17-18)
Point: Jesus’ revelation to Mary and His instruction for her to go and tell the disciples is a pivotal moment where personal recognition of the risen Lord leads to participation in the resurrection mission.
Application: Discuss how recognizing Jesus as the risen Lord compels us to share this good news with others. Our encounter with the living Christ propels us into mission, to “go and tell,” becoming active participants in spreading the joy and hope of the resurrection.
Conclusion:
The resurrection of Jesus is a reality that changes everything, from our deepest sorrows to our greatest doubts. It invites us to experience a transformative journey: turning mourning into marvel, perplexity into proclamation, despair into discovery, and recognition into resurrection mission.
As we celebrate Easter, let the empty tomb remind us that the resurrected Christ is alive and active in our lives, calling us to live in the light of His victory, to share the hope of His resurrection, and to be empowered by His presence every day.
Closing Prayer:
Pray for the congregation to deeply experience the transformative power of the resurrection, to recognize Jesus’ presence in their lives, and to respond to His call with joy and dedication, sharing the hope of the risen Christ with the world.
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