3/31/24: Easter Dawn (6:00 a.m.)

THE EASTER SEASON

After forty days of repentance and prayer, the Church bursts forth in jubilant praise at the Resurrection of our Lord.  The alleluias and glorias which were muted for Lent ring out again as the Bride of Christ welcomes her Bridegroom back from the dead.  Easter is the pinnacle of the Church Year, the oldest festival and season celebrated by the worshipping Church.  For a full week-of-weeks (49 days) the Church celebrates the resurrection of Christ on the Sundays of Easter which culminate on the 50th day, Pentecost.

EASTER MORNING

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

The Church gathers at dawn and throughout the morning to remember the early hours of the first Easter Sunday.  After three days in the tomb, Christ returned to dry our tears and remove our fears.  Jesus wants no soul left in mourning over death.  He laid down his life, and he took it up again.  He removed the sting of death by becoming salvation for us, so that we can call God our Father.

WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION FAITH IS FUTILE

It would not be productive to look for help in a cemetery. A corpse can do only one thing—rot. This is the source of the crushing sorrow Jesus’ followers felt. He was the one in whom they had placed all their hope for a better reality. Now he was dead, so they thought. They were overwhelmed with sorrow, not just because they missed their friend. It now all seemed so pointless: the years and miles following Jesus, witnessing his miracles, listening to him. He was dead! And a corpse can only do one thing.

The resurrection changed everything. The disciples saw clearly that Jesus is who he said he was and did what he said he’d do. They realized their faith rested on a rock-solid foundation. Here is the resurrection reality. If Christ had not been raised, our faith in him would be futile. He could do nothing to help us.

But Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

God bless your worship.

Pastor David Clark will preach on John 20:1-18
"I Have Seen the Lord"
* Mary expected a dead teacher.
* Mary found a living Savior.
* Mary found a Savior to proclaim.

View or download this service folder

Easter Dawn service is held outside and is not livestreamed.