Worship Devotional XX
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 4/11/2020.
Worship Devotional for 4/12/20
~Easter Sunday~
Last week we sang about the meaning of Palm Sunday and Good Friday. Jesus entered Jerusalem and was hailed as the long-expected King of the Jews, only to be crucified later that week as a criminal though He had done nothing wrong. It happened just as the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53:3-6:
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn't value Him.
Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all."
See Jesus dying there on the cross, the horror of our sin on display. Understand the weight of our guilt. This terrible suffering that He endured is what we deserved. It should have been us being torn and beaten and nailed to a cross, for we are the ones who have sinned against the holy Creator God. Yet in His faithful, eternal love, God's own Son was sacrificed in our place to pay the price for our redemption.
Jesus' disciples did not understand, even though He told them multiple times what would happen. They felt great sorrow as their Lord and King, for whom they had given up everything and on whom they had set their hope, lay buried in the tomb. Where was the victory they had hoped for? But it was coming...
He finished the work of God for our redemption, perfectly carrying out the will of God; He sacrificed Himself for His brothers, displaying God's perfect and greatest love; He did what no other man could do, living a perfectly blameless and sinless life before God. Jesus Christ, the Holy and Righteous Son of the living God, having obeyed God to the point of death, emerged victorious once and for all by the mighty power of God — He rose again to life!
Here are the songs:
1) Intro: Man Of Sorrows by Hillsong
We ended last week's set with this song. However, you may have noticed that we left something out. We didn't sing the last verse. For this week's set, we are starting with the end of this song as an intro because it is about the resurrection! The Man of sorrows who suffered in our place did not stay in the grave. The stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and He is risen!
2) Christ Is Risen by Phil Wickham
All our hope is based on the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:12-19). Without faith that Christ has been raised from the dead, we have nothing, and the gospel is without foundation. But Jesus has been raised. So we can sing confidently, "Hallelujah! Christ is risen from the grave!"
3) Christ Is Risen He Is Risen Indeed by Keith & Kristyn Getty
This week we are singing three modern day hymns that were written at least in part by the same people. These hymns beautifully and thoroughly express the truths of the gospel which we celebrate during the Easter season. This one is for rejoicing in truths of Jesus' resurrection which we read about in the gospels.
4) Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery by Matt Boswell
This hymn tells the story of the gospel and invites us to behold the wonderful mystery of what God has done though His Son Jesus. From the beginning of time to the coming of Jesus and to the end when He comes again, we rejoice in His wondrous mysteries.
5) In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend
To conclude, we sing this classic yet modern hymn as a proclamation that there is no hope apart from Jesus Christ. In Him alone we stand by faith. Hallelujah!
Scriptures:
Psalm 16
Isaiah 53
Matthew 26-28
Mark 14-16
Luke 22-24
John 11, 18-20
Acts 2
1 Corinthians 15
1 Peter 1:3-12
In these uncertain times, we as believers can be certain of the hope that we have in Jesus. He died and rose again, and we also will be raised with Him to eternal life! Let's rejoice this week together however we can, for the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is now at work in us for His glory. Happy Resurrection Day!