Clinging

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Awake, my heart with gladness, / See what today is done; / Now, after gloom and sadness, / Comes forth the glorious sun.” Awake, o ye faithful! Awake and arise from the sleep of death, for the glorious sun of righteousness has dawned upon the never-ending day of the new creation in our resurrected Lord Jesus. See what today is done – how our Lord conquered the powers of sin, death, and the devil, and rose victorious over cross and grave!

Awake, be attentive to the Wisdom that comes down from on high! Be attentive to the Lord who appears to His people to fulfill the blessed visions of the Prophets and the testimony of the Evangelists. Be attentive to the Wisdom of God revealed unto salvation for mankind. Be attentive to the voice of God calling you from weeping to rejoicing at the blessed vision of your Lord and your God.

The Light Is Dawned

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Break forth, O beauteous heav'nly light,

And usher in the morning.

Ye shepherds, shrink not with afright,

The day of grace is dawning.

This Child, though weak in infancy,

Our confidence and joy shall be,

The pow'r of Satan breaking,

Our peace with God now making (LSB 378.1).

Rejoice, O you faithful people! Shout for joy to the Lord! The light has broken forth. The long, dark night of sin and death and sadness has ended. The beauteous heavenly light has broken out, and the glorious dawn of eternity has risen.

The Light of the World is risen upon you, and the day has banished the night forever. The lone star which led the way through the night and gave light to but a few has now become the Morning Star which shines on us and illuminates the whole universe. Night is turned to day. Death is turned to life. Mourning is turned to dancing. Weakness is turned to triumph.

“They Have Taken Away My Lord”

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb where they had laid the body of Jesus, wishing to do for Him as was custom, to wrap the body in spices and myrrh. She came to the tomb and found, much to her dismay, an open tomb and no body! “They have taken away my Lord!” she exclaimed in grief-stricken horror. She stood, weeping, even after seeing the angels and the empty place where her Lord had lain.

It is no wonder that Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. After all, she had, like all the others, pinned great hopes on Jesus to be the savior of the people. She had witnessed the events of the past week, seen the kangaroo-court trial and gruesome execution of Jesus upon the cross. She was there to hear His final cry and to see Him give up the Ghost. Now, she had come to mourn as was proper, and someone had committed sacrilege upon sacrilege – someone had stolen away the body of the Lord.

"The Lamb the Sheep Has Ransomed"

Christ is risen. Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer your thankful praises!” On this morning, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead. We give thanks to God our Father, who has brought His Son, our Savior back from death to life. We offer our praises that the sheep who was led to slaughter has become the life of all the living. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has been slain and now is raised.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary, has died and now is raised, never to die again. Our great High Priest has offered up the sacrifice for sin once for all, and His flesh has been pierced for us. With His striped we have been healed. By His blood we are forgiven. The water and the blood have flowed from His pierced side and have washed us clean.