Easter Vigil
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Lighting the Candles
Opening Prayer
Call to Worship
L: Out of the darkness of grief and despair
comes a message of hope. Christ is risen.
P: Christ is risen, indeed.
L: We run to the tomb to see for ourselves.
And it is true. Christ is risen.
P: Christ is risen, indeed.
L: We hear a voice call our name,
and we know our risen Lord
is with us now and always.
All: Christ is risen.
Christ is risen, indeed.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #367 Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
Scripture Genesis 22:1-18
Hymn #571 v. 1&5: Trust And Obey
Scripture: Exodus 14:10-31
Hymn #682, v. 1-2: Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-11
Hymn #702: Fill My Cup Lord
Scripture: Romans 6:3-11
Hymn #521: A New Name In Glory
Scripture: Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mk 16:1–8.
Sermon: Rolling Stones
Early on the first day of the week, the women were walking towards the tomb. They were there, of course, to finish the act of burying their friend Jesus. They had been there on Friday and experienced everything. They had watched as Christ’s body was removed from the cross and had joined the procession to take His body to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. And whether or not they had heard the discussion, they saw the guards put the stone in front of the tomb.
So that while they were walking towards the tomb, the question that was raised was, “who will roll the stone away?” They thought the stone would be a barricade to reaching Jesus. You see, they thought it was a big problem. But to God, it was no problem at all. To these ladies it was a challenge. To God it was a joke. What was for these ladies impossible was possible for God.
This morning, I wonder about the kind of stones people have over the entrance to their heart. You see, the Roman soldiers put the stone over the tomb in order to keep Jesus in, but people put stones over their hearts in order to keep Jesus out.
Stones like anger, or pride, or jealousy, or unforgiveness, or hatred, or whatever stone you might have. Stones that make us feel distant from God. Stones that we think will keep Christ from taking over, from demanding too much.
But when the stone was moved from the tomb, it wasn’t death that was found, but life. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.”
Holding onto our stones will lead to death. Letting God roll our stones away leads to life. You don’t have a single stone that is so large, God can’t move it. God has been rolling stones for a long time, and He is willing to roll yours today.
Hymn #361 - Worship Christ The Risen King
Benediction