THE FIRST LESSON Acts 10:34-43
THE SECOND LESSON Mark 16:1-11
SERMON "Faith and Empty Tombs"
Worship Notes
In our worship this morning, we celebrate the foundational event of the Christian faith, the triumph of life over death. We, like the women who came to the tomb, encounter a mystery difficult to understand much less explain. All we can do is shout "Alleluia! The Lord is risen!" The central text for this morning is taken from Mark, who simply and starkly describes the encounter with the empty tomb. Most scholars argue that the gospel of Mark originally ended at verse eight and the last verses were added later by someone uncomfortable with their ambiguity. Yet the central truth of this Easter morning is that God works in surprising ways to overcome the forces of death so common in our world today. This is something to truly celebrate.
Throughout the season of Lent, we have worshipped through the music of Mozart (1756-1791). This culminated in our collaborative Good Friday Service of Tenebrae in which Mozart's Requiem was a central element. Today, Caitlin concludes our Mozart series by offering his "Alleluja" from "Exsultate Jubilate." A three-movement motet for solo voice, this work was composed in 1773 during Mozart's visit to Milan. The final movement well captures the energetic and joyful spirit of Easter morning.
