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Blessed be the Holy Trinity, one God, by whose hand we are given new birth. To those speaking, we are given new life. Amen.

>> United to Christ in the waters of baptism, we are welcomed, restored, and supported as citizens of the new creation. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism. Holy God, holy and merciful, holy and mighty, you are the river of life.

You are the everlasting wellspring. In mercy and might, you have freed us from death and raised us with Jesus, the firstborn of the dead. In baptismal waters, our old life is washed away, and in them we are born a new.

Glory to you for oceans and lakes, for rivers and streams, honor to you for waters that wash us clean, quench our thirst, and nurture both crops and creatures. Praise to you for the lifegiving water of baptism, the outpouring of the spirit of the new creation. Wash away our sin and all that separates us from you.

Empower our witness to your resurrection. Strengthen our resolve in seeking justice for all. Satisfy the world's need through this living water.

Where drought dries the earth, bring refreshment. Where despair prevails, grant hope. Where chaos reigns, bring peace.

We ask this through Christ with who and the Holy Spirit reigns forever. >> Amen. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you.

>> [music] >> Jesus Christ today. Hallelujah. Let us sing [music] hallelu until [music and singing] Christ our kinglu [music] and >> [music] >> Hallelujah.

[music] tolle our sales angels. ever single [music] Sing to our God [music and singing] alone. Praise eternal [music and singing] bless his lovel.

[music] Hallelu praise. [music] Father, son, and holy. [music] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

[chanting] God, we worship you. We praise you for your glorious [music] son of the father. God, [music] lamb of God, you take away the s of the world, have mercy on us at the right hand of the father.

Receive our [music] pray for you alone. You alone are the [music] Jesus Christy [music] in the glory [singing] of God. >> The Lord be with you.

>> And also with you. >> Let us pray together. Oh God, you gave your only son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption and by his glorious resurrection, you delivered us from the power of death.

Make us die every day to sin that we may live with him forever in the joy of the resurrection through your son Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen. Please be seated.

I invite children to visit with me for just a few minutes. Good for you. I'm glad you're here.

Are you glad you're here? >> Yes. It's a very special day.

It's a very special reason. I'm glad. But most importantly, God is glad you're here.

>> God has fed you. >> And you look like you have a beautiful Easter dress with lots of things on it. >> I've already said the special word.

This is Easter. When you got up this morning, was there anything special at your house? >> I got Legos.

>> Okay. And you also have a boo on your knee. Yeah.

But >> you got an Easter basket. Was there anything in the Easter basket? Okay.

Well, well, that makes it even better. >> Not mine. >> You did?

What did you get at your Was there anything at your house? >> Um, I got a >> Okay. >> Were you happy with what you got?

Were you surprised with what you got? >> Yep. Would you have been disappointed if there was nothing special for you on this day?

>> And I thought I eat the carrot. >> Okay, good. When you you know, you've said a very important thing.

you got an Easter basket and the and when I said to you was there anything in it I'm happy that there was because you know sometimes there are lots of there are lots of kids everywhere around this world who won't have anything and so that was a very special gift that we something made your day special it was something there and there was something in it um you've been looking at the egg yeah last Last Sunday there was the Easter egg hunt here. And sometimes there's something in this thing, isn't it? What might be in this thing every now and then?

>> Exactly. Exactly. And sometimes in and a big Easter egg hunt, it could be the prize, you know, so you never know.

Good. There. Is there anything in this one?

>> No. >> No, it's empty. It's empty.

But on Easter, I'm happy that you got something special and I'm happy that there was something in it. [clears throat] But what makes Easter special is that it's nothing in it. In the story, you know, you will hear the Easter story again and you've heard it over and over.

And you know what made this day so unusual was everybody who came to this day thought there would be something in that tomb. And nobody expected there to be nothing in that tomb. Why was there nothing in that tomb?

You're absolutely right. And I'm going to tell you a story, a very true story in just a minute. And I want you to think about that.

For Easter, the gifts we get make us happy. But the greatest gift is something that isn't there. And the fact that we're in this place today says that's the reason we're here because it was empty.

Let's pray. Dear God, >> dear God, >> thank you. >> Thank you for this holy day.

>> Thank you for this holy day. >> Thank you for this day you made holy by raising Jesus. For Jesus is our blessing.

>> For Jesus >> beyond imagination. >> Beyond imagination. >> In Jesus name.

>> In Jesus name. >> Amen. >> Amen.

>> Thank you so much for coming. First lessons of the Apostles. began to speak to the people.

I truly understand that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know, the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ.

He is Lord of all. That message spread through Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced. How God appointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.

How he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. For God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.

They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. But God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear not to all the people but to us who are chosen by God as witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.

All the prophets testified about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. The word of the Lord. >> Thanks be to God.

[music] >> [singing] >> Let us be glad [music] us forever. >> [music and singing] >> The [music and singing] Lord is my strength and my souljous [singing] [music and singing] the right of the Lord. The right [music] hand of the Lord is exed.

[singing] [music] Glorjadous [music] [singing] [music] and thanks to the Lord. This is the [music] gate of the [singing] right. I give [music] thanks to you for you have answered me and you [singing] have my Saljone [music] [singing] [music] reject [singing] [singing] marvelous.

in our eyes. This is the day that [music and singing] the Lord has made. Let us [music] be glad [singing] in it.

[music] Let us be glad. Second lesson is a reading from the letter to the Colossians. If you've been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelu [music and singing] [music] Halleluah. Halleluah.

Hallelu. Halleluah. Halleluah.

Hallelu. >> The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 28th chapter.

>> Glory to you, O Lord. After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guard shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the woman, "Do not be afraid.

I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised as he said. Come see the place where he lay.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples, he has been raised from the dead. And indeed, he's going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.

This is my message for you. So they left the tomb quickly with fear and with great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings." And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me." The Gospel of the Lord.

>> Praise to you, O Christ. Halleluah. Halleluah.

Hallelu. You have the [music] words of eternal life. [singing] Hallelu.

Hallelu. [music] Please be seated. Gospel truth today, folks.

Our Lord's resurrection comes first. Understanding God's mighty act follows later. It was true for Peter.

It's true for me. It's true for you and it was true for Jeremy. That wasn't his real name, but the story is true.

IDA Kimple, from whom the story comes, changed the names to protect the family's privacy. Jeremy Kimple wrote, was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12, he was still in the second grade, seemingly unable to learn.

His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat. He would drool.

He would make grunting noises. At other times, Jeremy spoke clearly and distinctly as if a spot of light had somehow penetrated the darkness of his mind. Most of the time, however, Jeremy simply irritated his teacher.

He would squirm. One day, she called Jeremy's parents and asked them to come to St. Teresa's for a consultation.

As the foresters sat quietly in that empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have his disabilities. whe there's even a fiveyear gap between his age and that of the other students in the room.

Mrs. Forester cried softly into her tissue while her husband spoke. Miss Miller, he said, there is no school of that kind nearby.

It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we took him out of the school because we know he really likes it here. Doris sat for a long time after the foresters left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her very soul.

She wanted to sympathize with the foresters. After all, Jeremy was their only child, and he had a terminal illness. But it just wasn't fair to keep him in her class.

She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, Jeremy would never learn to read or write, so why even waste time trying? Even as she pondered her dilemma, guilt wash all over her.

"Oh God," she cried aloud, "here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared to those of that poor family. Please help me be more patient with Jeremy." From that day on, Doris tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stairs. Then one day, he limped up to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him.

"I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed clearly and distinctly enough for everyone in the class to hear. The other students giggled and snickered. Doris's face turned red.

She stammered. "What? That's very nice, Jeremy.

Now, please take your seat." Spring came and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus. And then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg.

Now she told them, "I want each of you to take your egg home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life." "Do you understand?" Yes, Miss Miller. The children responded enthusiastically. All except Jeremy.

He just listened intently, his eyes never leaving her face. He did not make his usual noises. Had he understood what she said about Jesus death and resurrection?

Did he understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the assignment to them. That evening, Doris's sink stopped up.

She called the landlord and it took an hour for someone to come by and help unstock her sink. After that, she had groceries to buy. She had an ir a blouse to iron.

And she had to prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She forgot all about calling Jeremy's parents. The next morning, 19 children came to school laughing and talking as they placed their plastic eggs in the wicker basket on Doris's desk.

After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. The first egg Doris found a flower. Oh, yes.

She said, "A flower is certainly a sign of new life. When plants peek up through the ground, we know that spring is coming." "That's my egg, Miss Miller." The child on the front row waved her arm. The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real.

Doris held it up. We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yep.

That's a sign of new life, too. Little Judy smiled proudly. Miss Miller, she said, "That one's mine." Next, Doris found a rock with moth on it.

She explained that moth showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. My daddy helped me figure that out.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. That egg was empty. Surely it must be Jeremy's egg, she thought.

And of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had remembered to call his parents. And because she really did not want to embarrass the child, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another.

Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up clearly and distinctly. Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg? Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty." He looked directly into her eyes.

Kimp replied and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus tomb was empty, too." Time stood still in that classroom. When Doris could finally speak again, she asked Jeremy, "Do you know why the tomb was empty?" "Oh, yes," said Jeremy. Jesus was killed and put in there.

Then his father raised him up. The recess bell rang. While the children ran excitedly out to the schoolyard, Doris sat at her desk and sobbed violently.

The cold inside her melted away completely. Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who came to the funeral home to pay their respects were surprised to see 19 plastic eggs on top of Jeremy's coffin, and all of them were empty.

Good news today, folks. Our Lord's resurrection comes first. Understanding God's mighty act follows later.

That's the testimony of today's first lesson from Acts 10. Remember Peter? He's the disciple Easter day who can't quite figure out what has really gone on.

The message that Mary brought the disciples in hiding that Easter day was confusing. But by today's first reading, a significant amount of time has passed for Peter and the others since that first Easter day. The context of Peter's words today includes a god-fearing gentile Roman centurion and named Cornelius who had a vision that turned his actions and directed him to send for a Jewish Christian Peter.

Peter in another city entirely had also a vision that turned his ways of understanding God's ways of and will of acting in this world completely around. His most recent experience suddenly and dramatically increased his understanding of Jesus resurrection. So Luke told us Peter began to speak to those people.

I now know, he literally said, I truly understand as our English translation that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ.

He is Lord of all. We are witnesses. Peter continued to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.

They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. But God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as his witnesses. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to judge the living and the dead.

I now know. I truly understand. Our Lord's resurrection comes first, folks.

Understanding God's mighty act follows later. It was true for Peter. It was true for Jeremy.

It was true for me. And it's true for you. Amen.

Hallelujah. [music] Jesus is glorus [music] [singing] [music] and we shall arise the glor Glorus [music] our blessing. [music] Jesus is risen and we shall arise.

Give God [music] the glory. Hallelujah. Jesus.

[music and singing] We are the fruit of the tree to Christ. Jesus is shall the glory. Hallelujah.

Silent [music] is brighter and single [music and singing] [music] city. of God and forever of life. Jesus is praisal.

With the whole church, let us confess our faith using the words of the nyine cre. We believe in one God, the father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. >> For our sake, he was crucified under Pontious Pilot.

He suffered death and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in accordance with the scriptures. >> He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. >> We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

>> Trusting in the power of Christ resurrection to heal and redeem our broken world, let us pray for the needs of all creation. Risen Savior, you have conquered death and opened the gates of everlasting life. Dispel your doubts, our doubts and fears and renew the faith and hope in you.

Merciful God, [snorts] >> receive our prayer. >> Lifegiving God, the created world rejoices in Christ's victory over death. May all the earth be renewed by the light of Jesus resurrection and may we be faithful stewards of all you have made.

Merciful God, >> receive our pray. [snorts] >> Sovereign God, let the nations acknowledge your reign of justice and truth. Where violence, oppression, and corruption hold sway, pour out your holy and lifegiving spirit to transform and redeem.

Merciful God, receive our pray. Gentle [snorts] shepherd, like the woman at the empty tomb, many grieve or feel lost and afraid. Draw near to those who are ill or in pain, especially those whom we lift before you now, whether silently or aloud.

reveal yourself to them as the risen one. Merciful God, >> receive our pray. >> Faithful God, we thank you for the living hope you give us through Christ's resurrection.

Bless this community that we may boldly proclaim Christ's victory over death in word and deed. Merciful God, >> receive our pray. >> Eternal one, we give thanks for all you all who have died and now share in the joy of your resurrection.

Bring us with them to the unending feast of your victory. Merciful God, >> receive our pray. God of resurrection power, use us and these prayers to proclaim the good news of new life to all the world through Jesus Christ our risen savior.

Amen. >> As you're comfortable, s share a sign of God's peace with someone. Peace be with you.

Peace be with you. Peace be with you. Hallelujah.

Hallelu. [music] Hallelu. Hallelu.

[singing] [music] Hallelu. >> [music] >> Hallelujah. Praise him in his [music] mighty [singing] heaven.

Hallelujah. Hallelu. Praise him.

Hallelujah. Hallelu. Praise him for his exes.

[music] Hallelujah. [singing] Hallelujah. Let them praise [singing and music] the name of the Lord.

Hallelu [music] and praise the name of the Lord. [music] Hallelu. Hallelujah.

[singing and music] Hallelu. [music] [singing] Hallelu. [music] Hallelujah.

Hallelu [music] [singing] Hallelujah. Praise him. Hallelujah.

[music] Praise him with [music] the [singing] heart. Hallelujah. Praise [music] him with the sun.

[music] Praise [singing] him. that [music] [singing] God has praise the Lord. [music] Let them praise [singing] the [music] name of the Lord.

Hallelu. Let them [music] praise the name of the [singing] Lord. Hallelu.

[music] Hallelu. [singing] [music] Hallelu. [singing] >> [music] >> of blessing harvest seeds that We may [music] pray we [music] offer our table with your presence and give >> [music] >> Let us pray together.

of glory set a table before us a glimpse of a great day when we will hunger and thirst no more. Nourish us with the body and blood of Jesus that goodness and mercy may follow us and bless the world you love in the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Lord be with you. >> And also with you. >> Lift up your hearts.

>> We lift them to the L. >> Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. >> It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, Almighty and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ, the true pascal lamb who gave himself to take away our sin, who in dying has destroyed death and in rising has brought us to eternal life. And so with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and saraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. [music] [singing] Lord God of glor [music] and earth are full of your gloryana in the highest.

Blessed is the one who in the name of the Lordana [music] in the highestana [music] [singing] in the highest. Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father, endless is your mercy and eternal your reign. You have filled all creation with light and life.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. We praise you for the grace shown to your people in every age, the promise to Israel, the rescue from Egypt, the gift of the promised land, the words of the prophets, and at this end of all the ages, the gift of your son, who proclaimed the good news in word and deed, and was obedient to your will, even to giving his life. In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat.

This is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me." Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people, for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Therefore, oh God, as often as we eat this bread and drink from the cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. >> Christ will come again. >> Therefore, oh God, with his bread and cup, we remember the life our Lord offered for us.

And believing the witness of his resurrection, we await his coming and power to share with us the great and promised feast. >> Amenus. >> Send now, we pray, your holy spirit that we who share in Christ's body and blood may live to the praise of your glory and receive our inheritance with all your saints in life.

Amen. Holy Spirit. >> Join our prayers with those of your servants of every time and every place and unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our great high priest until he comes as victorious Lord of all.

Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. >> Amen. >> Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray.

Our Father, who art in heaven, be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we tres against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thy forever and ever.

Amen. >> Come to the table of new life. Receive the risen Lord.

Thank God take [music] the s of the world on us. God take the s of the world on us. God, you take away the s of world >> [music] >> Christ [music] glory.

Hallelujah. Halleluah. [music] Halleluah.

Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. Halleluah.

[music] >> [music] >> Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. Bless our Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. [music] Halleluah. The rain [music] is again.

[music] We are rising [music] again. Greatest unis Living is rising free and love is [music and singing] all I bring the rising. Christ.

the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.

>> Christ the first of the dead and the [snorts] andace bless you now and forever. Amen. is the glorious conquering son and is [music] the victory in my holy Great.

When I glor Hallelujah. Holy sh [music] forever. Glory.

Glorious. Hallelujah. Sing.

Glory. [music] >> [music] >> Go in praise the Lord. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.