Father,
We have set aside this day to think deeply about the resurrection of our Lord. We see around us that you are bringing new life to the creation. The crocus have bloomed, trees are budding, the grass is greening, and the birds have returned. You are the living God and all things that live have their life from you. But when you raised Jesus, you began a more glorious creation. He died, but now lives forever. You have joined us who know you to yourself and to your Son by your Holy Spirit. On that last day, according to your word, you will take us who were born in this mortal world and clothe us with immortality. As part of this creation, we are weak and humble even at our best. But according to your plan and promise, you will raise us in glory and power and give us indestructible spiritual bodies like that of our Lord. May that day be soon.
We cannot imagine what the world would have been without the resurrection. Because you raised Jesus, we know that the blood of his sacrifice was acceptable to you. Because he took up his life again after having laid it down, we know that all he said about himself is true. Because the Holy Spirit raised him up, we know that we who are joined to him who have the Spirit living in us, will have a resurrection like his.
We don’t doubt these things in our hearts and minds, but help us to live the truth of it in our actions. Help us to live in such confident hope of sharing his resurrection that we do not give undue value to the things of this temporary life. Help us to seek the things that are above and store up treasure there. You know the ordinary things we need before we even ask: food and water and warmth and shelter and clothing. Please continue to provide these for each of us. For your honor before others and for our own joy, lead us away from anxiety and into restful trust.
Give us present joy in the hope of our coming resurrection. So much of our emotional life consists in the dread of bad or anticipation of good. You have taken the sting from death, our greatest fear, and made it the crossing place into our greatest good. May our joy be so evident that others ask us about the reason for our hope that they may be drawn to you to receive life.
May you be pleased with our worship this morning. Bless the musicians and the singers, those who read the scriptures and those who expound it, those who are in the service and those who serve us by watching the children, those who record and mix the sound, those who pray and those who lead.