Sunday April 12th, The Resurrection

Order of Service for Worship at Home

April 12th, Easter Sunday

Moment of Silence - Pray silently, remember that you are in the presence of God and humble yourself before him.

Opening Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23  

Prayer of Praise

A suggested prayer of praise: Dear God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come now to praise you in the name of your Son and with the help of your Holy Spirit. We come to thank you for your great mercy by which you sent us Jesus whom You raised from the dead for our salvation. Lord Jesus, we exalt your name and thank you for your great love for us in taking on flesh and dwelling among us.  We thank you for bearing our sin and guilt on the cross. Father, we praise You for your wisdom and goodness to call us to a hope that that we cannot fully imagine.  You tell us that we are Christ’s glorious inheritance and that you have chosen us and given us to Him forever. We lift up your name for your power by which You raised Him and by which you work your will in us.  Help us now to worship you in Spirit and in truth.

Song 1: Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery

Come behold the wondrous mystery

In the dawning of the King

He the theme of heaven’s praises

Robed in frail humanity

In our longing, in our darkness

Now the light of life has come

Look to Christ, who condescended

Took on flesh to ransom us

Come behold the wondrous mystery

He the perfect Son of Man

In His living, in His suffering

Never trace nor stain of sin

See the true and better Adam

Come to save the hell-bound man

Christ the great and sure fulfillment

Of the law; in Him we stand

Come behold the wondrous mystery

Christ the Lord upon the tree

In the stead of ruined sinners

Hangs the Lamb in victory

See the price of our redemption

See the Father’s plan unfold

Bringing many sons to glory

Grace unmeasured, love untold

Come behold the wondrous mystery

Slain by death the God of life

But no grave could e’er restrain Him

Praise the Lord; He is alive!

What a foretaste of deliverance

How unwavering our hope

Christ in power resurrected

As we will be when he comes

What a foretaste of deliverance

How unwavering our hope

Christ in power resurrected

As we will be when he comes

Reading: Romans 6:1-14  (read in preparation for confession)

Prayer of Confession

A suggested prayer of confession: Heavenly Father, we are reminded from this Scripture that we still need much greater love for righteousness. We need the sanctifying work of Your Spirit in us.  We have professed faith in Jesus, but we have too often presumptuously neglected to walk in obedience to you as He did.  Oh Father, forgive us for our neglect.  We have not loved your Word or taken time for prayer as we should.  We have looked to earthly distractions to overcome our boredom.  We repent of our wasted time.  Forgive us, we pray and cleanse us of every sinful choice, every prideful thought, every selfish action, and every foolish word.  Grant us the grace to grow in Christlikeness, to live our lives to God as He did and to consider ourselves dead to sin.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 5:6-11

Remember that the gospel is true and that God loves to save sinners. If while we were sinners and enemies of God, He reconciled us to Himself through His Son, how can we ever doubt that as His adopted children He will save us completely by Jesus’ life?  Thank God, He has promised to finish the work He began in us and get us safely home to glory.  

Song 2: Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown him with many crowns,

the Lamb upon his throne;

hark! how the heav'nly anthem drowns

all music but its own:

awake, my soul, and sing

of him who died for thee,

and hail him as thy matchless King

through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of love;

behold his hands and side,

rich wounds, yet visible above,

in beauty glorified:

no angel in the sky

can fully bear that sight,

but downward bends his burning eye

at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace;

whose pow'r a scepter sways

from pole to pole, that wars may cease,

absorbed in prayer and praise:

his reign shall know no end;

and round his pierced feet

fair flow'rs of paradise extend

their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,

the Potentate of time;

Creator of the rolling spheres,

ineffably sublime:

all hail, Redeemer, hail!

for thou hast died for me:

thy praise shall never, never fail

throughout eternity.

Song 3: The Strife is O’er, The Battle Done

The strife is o'er, the battle done,

the victory of life is won;

the song of triumph has begun.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst,

but Christ their legions hath dispersed:

let shouts of holy joy outburst.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia!

The three sad days are quickly sped,

he rises glorious from the dead:

all glory to our risen Head!

Alleluia, alleluia!

He closed the yawning gates of hell,

the bars from heaven's high portals fell;

let songs of praise his triumphs tell!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,

from death's dread sting your servant's free,

that we may live and sing to thee.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia!

Song 4: 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.

Prayer of Supplication

Some suggestions for a prayer of supplication:

• Ask God for grace to believe in the gospel and the forgiveness of sin
• Ask God to sanctify us and make us like Christ
• Ask God to glorify his own name in all the world

Video Devotional (or read Luke 24)

Prayer of Response (ask God to sanctify us and make us doers of his word)

Song 5: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I know that my Redeemer lives;

what comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, He lives, who once was dead;

He lives, my everliving Head.

He lives to silence all my fears,

He lives to wipe away my tears,

He lives to calm my troubled heart,

He lives all blessings to impart. 

He lives and grants me daily breath;

He lives and I shall conquer death;

He lives, and while He lives, I'll sing;

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives triumphant from the grave,

He lives eternally to save,

What joy this blessed assurance gives,

I know that my Redeemer lives!

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above all heavenly host

Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

Song 6: All Hail the Power

All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name!

Let angels prostrate fall;

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all;

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all.

Crown him, ye martyrs of your God,

who from his altar call;

extol the Stem of Jesse's rod, 

and crown him Lord of all;

extol the Stem of Jesse's rod, 

and crown him Lord of all.

Ye seed of Israel's chosen race,

ye ransomed of the fall,

hail him who saves you by his grace, 

and crown him Lord of all;

hail him who saves you by his grace, 

and crown him Lord of all.

Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget

the wormwood and the gall,

go, spread your trophies at his feet, 

and crown him Lord of all;

go, spread your trophies at his feet, 

and crown him Lord of all.

Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe,

on this terrestrial ball,

to him all majesty ascribe, 

and crown him Lord of all;

to him all majesty ascribe, 

and crown him Lord of all.

O that with yonder sacred throng

we at his feet may fall;

we'll join the everlasting song, 

and crown him Lord of all;

we'll join the everlasting song, 

and crown him Lord of all.

Closing Prayer

Doxology

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly host

Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

Amen 

*** Giving: Remember that, even though we aren’t meeting and can’t take up an offering, we’ve still covenanted together to give of our financial resources to the work of the Grace Church here in Roanoke and around the world. You can give online here: gcrva.churchcenter.com/giving