Prayer Before Worship: God our Father, by raising Christ Your Son You conquered the power of death and opened for me the way to eternal life. Let my celebration today raise me up and renew my life by the Spirit that is within me. Grant this through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
In Today’s Worship: “CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!” We have followed Jesus to the cross, the tomb, and now we follow Jesus out of the tomb as He rises from the dead and appears to another witness: Mary Magdalene. Jesus’ Easter morning resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene might be unexpected. After all, Mary had endured a terrible past. Jesus had cast seven demons out of her in the early part of His ministry. But Mary is chosen to be this eyewitness, and she exclaims to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18). Mary is the first to see Jesus’ resurrected glory and proclaim this good news, which we speak again and again today, ”Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
