Christ Church

The Divine Service

of the Lord Jesus Christ
Resurrection Sunday
April 24, 2011

Salutation
Christ is Risen!
He is risen indeed!
Welcome & Announcements
Preparation for Worship (silently pray the following collect to prepare for worship)
Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome
death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the
day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit;
through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and forever. Amen.
<STAND when the pianist stops playing>

I. The Lord Gathers Us for Worship

<STAND>
Invocation & Entrance
We are gathered in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Amen! Matthew 18.20; 28.19

Christ is risen from the dead. Alleluia!

Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ!
I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!”
Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Psalm 122.1-2

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth! Psalm 124.8

Hymn of Procession (on following page)

Note: The congregation says all bold words and sings all printed songs.
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 II. The Lord Cleanses Us from Sin
Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Scriptures teach us that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.9

Kyrie Eleison ~ Lord Have Mercy Psalm 51.1; 123.3; Matthew 17.15; 20.30-31

Confession of Sin
Come, let us worship and bow down. Psalm 95.6
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker! <Kneel>
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean, and that we have
sinned against you in thought, word, and deed; not only in outward transgressions, but also in
secret thoughts and desires that we are not able to understand, but which are all known to you. For
this reason, we flee for refuge to your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring your grace, through
our Lord Jesus Christ. <Remain kneeling>

Absolution ~ Gospel proclamation of forgiveness in Christ <Stand>

By virtue of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are fully and freely forgiven of all
your sins. Believe this and know that you are at peace with God!
Thanks be to God!
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 III. The Lord Raises Us Up to Heaven and Seats Us With Christ
Sursum Corda ~ Lift Up Your Hearts Ephesians 2.6; Colossians 3.1

Lift up your hearts!

We lift them up to the Lord!
Prayer of Ascent to Heaven Traditionally called the Preface (to the Sanctus)
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
It is good and right to do so!
It is very good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, O Holy Lord,
Father Almighty. By Your great power you raised up Jesus from death to life. Through his glorious
victory over the grave, he became the firstborn from the dead and the firstfruits of the new creation.
In him, we also are raised to new life, freed from the bonds of sin and death, and filled with the
confident hope of eternal life when he returns in great glory and power to make all things new.
Therefore, with the angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we magnify your
glorious name, evermore praising you and singing:
Sanctus ~ Holy

O Lord, open our lips,

and our mouths will declare your praise! Psalm 51.15

Hymn of Ascent (on following page)

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Prayer of Illumination
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find
freedom, and in your will discover peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. <Be seated>
Scripture Lesson 1 Corinthians 5.6-8; 15.51-57 (text printed on back page)
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! <Stand>
Psalm Psalm 16
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Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
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I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
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As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
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The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
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The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
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The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
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I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
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I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
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Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
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For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
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You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Alleluia ~ Praise the Lord Psalms 146-150

Second Gospel Lesson Matthew 28.1-10 (text printed on back page)

This is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Praise be to you, O Christ!
Profession of Faith Nicene Creed
Christian, in whom do you trust?
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things
visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father
before all worlds:
God of God,
Light of Light,
very God of very God;
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by Whom all things were made;
Who, for us men and for our salvation,
came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered and was buried;
and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures,
and ascended into heaven,
and sits on the right hand of the Father;
and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;
Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
Who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen!
Gloria Patri ~ Glory to the Father

Pre-sermon Prayer
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, Lord Jesus
Christ, our Rock, and our Kinsman Redeemer. Psalm 19.14
Amen. <Be seated>
Sermon Pastor Jeremy Sexton

Post-sermon Blessing
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen. Philippians 4.7

Offertory Hymn (on following page)

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 Offertory Response & Prayer
What gifts have you brought for your Lord?
We give only what the Lord has first given to us. We offer ourselves in Christ through
confession, praise, and thanksgiving; we give our prayers and alms for the sake of the world;
and we participate in the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen!
Father, receive now these gifts offered to you in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, as we return to you a
portion of that which you have freely given us. Use these tithes and offerings to support the work of the
church, to care for the poor and needy, to promote the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth, and
to build up your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen! <Stand>
Kingdom Prayer
O eternal God, we, your children, give you thanks for our ancestors in the household of faith: for
Abraham, the father of the faithful; for patriarchs and matriarchs who followed him in faith; for
Moses, who with your guidance led your people to freedom and gave them your law.
We bring thanks to you, O God,
for the prophets who declared your Word and will; for David, the king who sang your praises; for
those who gave their lives to preserve your law; for those disciples of Christ who left all to follow
him; for Paul, who richly experienced the grace of the risen Lord and brought his gospel to the
nations.
We bring thanks to you, O Lord,
for the fathers and mothers of your church, who guided her even in her oppressed beginning; for the
noble army of martyrs who faced death for their love of you.
We bring thanks to you, O Lord,
for mothers, fathers, and grandparents who ushered us into the knowledge of you, and who now
have been ushered into your kingdom to praise you in heavenly glory; for elder members of our
community who mentored us; for dear friends old and young who brought joy into our lives.
We bring thanks to you, O Lord. Glory be to God, our Fortress and our Rock.
Father, grant us unity with one another in the family of faith, that all your saints together might bring
glory to your name in all the earth.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.
Father, be with your saints who are sick or suffering from the pains of life in this fallen world <silently
pray for suffering loved ones> Grant them the comfort of your Spirit and the joyful hope of eternal life.
Lord, have mercy.
Father, build up your church in true faith until she reaches full maturity in Christ, and enable her to
serve you faithfully as a kingdom of priests, united by the bonds of peace and love in the gospel.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, cause the nations to be drawn to Christ, that he might claim his inheritance and fulfill your
covenant with Abraham.
Lord, have mercy.
Father, deliver the oppressed and persecuted among your saints, and give us all the grace of
perseverance unto the end in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, enable your saints to serve you in the world, in word and deed, for your glory.
Lord, have mercy.
Father, join our prayers and praises to those of your saints who have gone on ahead of us and
entered into their promised rest. Keep us all faithful to you as we await the final revelation of Christ
and the resurrection of the body.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.
Now, O God, hear the very words Jesus taught us to pray:
<Raise hands> Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed 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 debts as we
forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6.9-13

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 IV. The LORD Feeds Us Holy Food at His Royal Table
Trinitarian Blessing 2 Corinthians 13.14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with
you all.
Holy things for holy people!
The gifts of God for the people of God!
Pax Domini ~ The Peace of the Lord John 20.19

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And with your spirit.
Eucharistic Prayer ~ Prayer of Thanksgiving
We thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for making us fearfully and wonderfully in your image.
When we followed the way of the evil one in the Garden of Eden, you did not leave us to perish in our
sins, but instead you rescued us from sin and death. In the fullness of time you provided a new and
living way through the flesh and blood of Jesus, our great high priest over the house of God. And now
we can draw near in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled by Jesus’ blood and our bodies
washed with pure water. We thank you, Father, that when we celebrate this memorial meal, you
remember the holy life of your Son lived for us, his death offered for us, his resurrection that gives life to
us, and his ascension in glory at your right hand, where, as our Great High Priest, he intercedes for us.
United in Christ's priesthood, we celebrate this meal of the covenant, offering ourselves to you as living
sacrifices, holy and acceptable to you in Christ. In your mercy, remember your covenant by pouring out
your Holy Spirit upon us, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be for us a communion in
the body and blood of Christ, that we may become one in him.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory are
yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34.8

Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us.

Therefore, let us keep the feast! 1 Corinthians 5.8

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Agnus Dei ~ Lamb of God John 1.29

<Be seated>

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,

we at Christ Church welcome to the Lord’s Table
all who are spiritually weak and seek rest;
all who mourn and long for comfort;
all who struggle and desire victory;
all who sin and need the Savior;
all who are strangers and want fellowship;
all who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
all who are poor in spirit and desire the riches of the gospel;
all who come to Jesus Christ in living faith and repentance,
looking to him as both Liberator and Lord.
And we welcome all baptized children,
no matter how young, to the Lord’s Table.

Communion: Bread <Sing stanzas 1-3 on the following page as the bread is passed>
Communion: Wine <Sing stanzas 4-5 on the following page as the wine is passed>

Note: Our custom is to partake of the elements together (after all have been served) when the pastor enjoins us to eat or drink.
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May the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you steadfast in true faith
unto life everlasting. Amen!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, 1 Chronicles 16.34; Psalm 106.1; 107.1; 118.1; 118.29; 136.1
for his love endures forever! <Stand>

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 V. The LORD Sends Us Back Into the World
Post-Communion Prayer
Let us continue to join our voices together in prayer:
Heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son Jesus Christ, and
you have fed us with his body and blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us
strength and courage to love and serve you * with gladness and singleness of heart, until the
whole earth is full of your glory. Amen.
Great Commission Matthew 28.18-20
Jesus declares, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and disciple all the nations
by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, by teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Amen!
Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered!
Let those who hate Him flee before Him! Psalm 68.1

Nunc Dimittis ~ Now Dismiss [Your Servant] Luke 2.29-32

“Song of Simeon”

Benediction ~ Blessing Numbers 6.24-26

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace;
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

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1 Corinthians 5.6-8
6
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse
out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our
Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore keep the feast, not with the old leaven, the
leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 15.51-57
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Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable,
and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable,
and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is
swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 56 The
sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28.1-10
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Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the
other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the
Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance
was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and
became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you
seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold,
he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." 8 So they departed
quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met
them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
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Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there
they will see me."

If you are a visitor of Christ Church, we are grateful that you have joined us in our highest privilege, worshipping the Triune God. We hope
you stay and eat with us after the service so that we can get to know you better. If you would like to talk with Pastor Sexton throughout the
week, feel free to call him at 770.696.7521 or email him at sexton555@gmail.com. You can visit our website at ChristChurch-Atl.com.