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I will praise thee for thou has answered me and has become my deliverer. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. Father, we thank you for the gift of this day. We thank you for the hope that is ours and for the joy that is ours in the celebration of the resurrection.

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Bless us as we rejoice together and proclaim the glad tidings of the spiritual awakening which is brought about through your power. We ask in Jesus' name, amen. The early Christians greeted one another by saying, "Christ is risen," and the answer,

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"He is risen indeed." So as we greet one another, let us say, "Christ is risen." He is risen indeed. All right.

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Good to see you this morning. Now let's turn to hymn number 8 as we remain standing. hymn number 98. [ Music ]

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- Just a moment, I want us all to start together this happy Easter day. Let's everybody get this hymn and let's sing it together. Do you have it, everyone?

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How many of you need hymn notes? (piano music) [ Music ] [MUSIC]

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♪ And in the glory days ♪ ♪ He is our God of war ♪ ♪ God of the day ♪ ♪ He abhors not the fire which fire burns ♪

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♪ God of the day ♪ ♪ He abhors no victor from the dark of day ♪ ♪ But it is our God who is worth the day ♪ ♪ God of the day ♪

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♪ He abhors not the fire ♪ ♪ Alleluia, Christ our Lord ♪ ♪ Thank you, dear Washington ♪ ♪ Dear New York, my home ♪

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♪ Thank you, dear Silver Spring ♪ ♪ Peace of my heart ♪ ♪ Thank you, all who live and work in our great college ♪ (Music)

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♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ The Lord will give his grace ♪ ♪ To those who seek him ♪

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♪ He will give you beauty above the Lord ♪ ♪ And from the grave he'll pour out ♪ ♪ We'll go marching on through the snow ♪ ♪ We'll go marching on through the snow ♪

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♪ We'll go marching on through the snow ♪ ♪ We'll go, we'll go, we'll go, we'll go ♪ ♪ Marching on through the snow ♪ [END PLAYBACK]

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The scripture lesson, 1 Corinthians 15 chapter, beginning with the twelfth verse. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you

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that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ be not risen,

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then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

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For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain. Ye are yet in your sin. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ

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are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead

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and become the first fruit of them that slept. - What a wonderful privilege we have to unite our hearts in the blessed fellowship of prayer. We invite you now to assemble here at the altar

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as together we go to the throne of grace in the pilgrimage of prayer. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (eerie music) [ Music ] maybe bar heads and close our eyes

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almighty god our gracious heavenly father well who did bring back from the dead our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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We thank you that we can rejoice in you this Easter season, that we may have the resurrection experience every day of our lives. While we slept last night and you raised us up this morning, there's a new experience of your resurrection power. We thank you that you have risen in our lives and we bless your

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name today for your presence with us along the journey of life. Oh, we pray that your spirit might lead us as we approach another week. We know not what may await us, what new experiences may be ours, but we do know that if you will be with us that everything will be well.

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So we ask, O Lord, for your presence and for your power. We ask for your forgiveness. Lord, we know that we are not what we ought to be and we have not done the things that we ought to have done and we pray that you would forgive us and that you will

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accept us as your children that we may be in harmony with your spirit and your will. Lord have mercy upon us and bless us we pray. Bless each family that is represented here. Bless us as we seek to relate to one another not only within the family circle, but bless us in the work that we do from day to day. We pray

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that you would be with those who suffer from physical infirmities, help them and bless them with your healing power. And we pray for those who are bereaved today. Oh Lord, not only for those within our circle do we pray as a church family, but we would remember those in the world wherever they may be all who belong to

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the family of humankind. We bless your name for the privilege that is ours to proclaim your love. Help us to be that light shining in darkness and to continue to engage in hopeful striving until that day when you shall call us us all from labor to reward to be with you in a world without end. We ask this

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in the strong and perfect name of Jesus Christ who is our Savior and our Lord. Amen. (ominous music) (ominous music)

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(ominous music) (ominous music) ♪♪ ♪♪

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(eerie music) (eerie music) (eerie music) (footsteps)

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(eerie music) (eerie music) (eerie music) (eerie music)

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (eerie music) (soft music) (soft music)

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(eerie music) (door slams) (eerie music) (baby crying)

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(eerie music) (ominous music) (eerie music) (eerie music)

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(eerie music) (ominous music) (ominous music) [Music]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (baby crying) [Music] [ Music ]

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[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ Jesus, baby, Lord ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

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♪ Let's shout beneath the raising sky ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Let every heart and being rejoice ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

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♪ And all the angels in the sky ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ - Come now to the dedication of Jason Smith,

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the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith, Will you come forward at this time? You all may be seated brethren right now. This is a dedication.

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Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith, are they here? All right. Is sister C Walker here? All right. We come now to the worship of God and the dedication of our gifts. You have received

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earlier a Lenten offering envelope in which you were asked to make your Lenten offering. so before we Receive the offering there may be those of you who? Do not have your Lenten offering

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Envelopes so we want you to Put Lenten offering on one of the regular envelopes So that we will know that this is the special offering that you are Giving if you have not brought your Lenten envelope with you. This is the time for the Lenten

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offering envelope and we're asking that all of you will report it in keeping with the request that you received, please. Let us bow our heads. Lord we thank you for the gift of yourself through Jesus Christ, the greatest gift the world has ever received. Help us to recognize you as the giver of life and

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to offer ourselves to you as our creator and our God. Bless us now as we share in in the spirit of love and sacrifice. Amen. (gentle music)

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[Music] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ (soft music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (soft music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) [MUSIC PLAYING] [music]

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(somber music) (phone ringing) (hitting 26 lobster) There's an eered.

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(phone ringing) (hog snorting) [organ music] Last Sunday we had a marvelous presentation of

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Easter, special Easter music, Stabat Mater by the Sanctuary Choir. And tonight, or this evening at 6 p.m., The Sunday school will present the annual Christmas program featuring the various age groups of our church family.

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That is at six o'clock. We invite you to be here at that time today. The community college is having an election on the 28th. That's next Saturday. It is extremely important, if I might use that phrase, that all of us will vote in that election. The Black Caucus of the college is recommending that we would support the incumbents, Della Mae Moore, M.K. Haig,

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and there are many matters that face the college, and one of them has to do with minority concerns. And it's very important that we return those persons to office in order that we might get the kind

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of consideration, the fair consideration and just consideration, which is salt. So now is the time to vote absentee. You can vote absentee now To be sure we're asking that everyone will remember to vote

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On Saturday, if you have not voted as I have already absentee Be sure to cast your ballot We're planning now for our Woman's Day announced last year that we would we would be rotating the teams and we'll be doing that both for the Women's Day and the

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Men's Day and we earnestly hope that you will support this because this judging from the reaction that we've been receiving over the years is something that you want and

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We want that you will support it each year as the teams that you receive Now I'm going to read the names of those persons who are our guests today. We'd like for you to stand as your name is called and remain standing until words of welcome are extended you.

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Mrs. Lillian Gregory, who is visiting here with Dr. Dorita Brown, she is from Cleveland, Ohio, the Antioch Baptist Church. That's my church when I was in Ohio. Ohio it's the church I belong to my family and

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Michelle R. Ransom of Grand Prairie is from the Mount Olive Baptist Church visiting here with Roman Gilbert Gilchrist, I believe it is I see

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Dr. Doritha Brown of the St. James Episcopal Church who is of this city Rebecca Mitchell of the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama Rhonda Jones visiting here with General Marshall and family Dr

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Is visiting here with Dr. Bueller Agnes Curry Dr. Atkins, all right, where's Dr. Atkins? Oh, he is. All right, I missed the Dr. Atkins who was here at Houston Tillerson with the music department there and those of you who were here there last night saw that Southern University

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course that he directs. Now, Mrs. Hazel Kaufman of the Upper Marlboro, I believe He's a member of Kettering Church there and is visiting here with Reverend

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Kaufman and Sons. All right. Are there others who are worshipping with us who did not sign visitors cards? If so, would you stand now that we may recognize your presence please. Delighted indeed are we to have you as our guests and we earnestly hope that this service will be a source of inspiration and strength to

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each one of you. Now we would like for some persons of our church situated near those persons standing to give them a warm handshake as an expression of Ebenezer's welcome. Thank you, God bless you for being here. [ Background noise ]

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[ Music ] ♪ God's will is done ♪ ♪ And all that He's done ♪ ♪ He'll pay to the Lord ♪

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♪ He'll not forgive ♪ ♪ He'll hear them cry ♪ ♪ To Barbara, Barbara ♪ ♪ And if we fail to prove our Savior is ♪

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♪ He does it ♪ ♪ By the grace of God ♪ ♪ He does it ♪ ♪ How beautiful ♪

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♪ In God's works so ♪ ♪ We hold the future ♪ ♪ And life is worth living just ♪ ♪ Because we live ♪

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♪ A street to walk ♪ ♪ A newborn baby ♪ ♪ And filled the crowd ♪ ♪ With joy he filled ♪

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♪ The prayers he ♪ ♪ The powers he ♪ ♪ With strife and pain ♪ ♪ Concern and death ♪

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♪ He fought with him ♪ ♪ Because he lives ♪ ♪ Like a trace to our heart ♪ ♪ Because he lives ♪

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♪ How clear his heart ♪ ♪ Because I know ♪ ♪ He holds no future ♪ ♪ And life is worth living justly, oh, we live ♪

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♪ A freeborn state ♪ ♪ Of those who live for them ♪ ♪ And life lies to find ♪ ♪ No more in vain ♪

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♪ And here again ♪ ♪ His praise will reach me ♪ ♪ I see the light of glory ♪ ♪ And the glory here ♪

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♪ Because He lives ♪ ♪ And it pays to love more ♪ ♪ Because He lives ♪ ♪ So dear is home ♪

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♪ Because my love ♪ ♪ It holds the future ♪ ♪ And life is worth the living ♪ ♪ Just because it is ♪

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♪ Because it brings ♪ ♪ A new place to my home ♪ ♪ Because He lives ♪ ♪ And in His love ♪

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♪ He calls our love ♪ ♪ He also heals the man ♪ ♪ And life is worth living just ♪ ♪ Because He lives ♪

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Amen Hear this word recorded in 1st Corinthians the 15th chapter the first four verses reading the Living Bible paraphrased

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Now let me remind you brothers of what the gospel really is For it has not changed It is the same good news. I preached to you before you welcomed it then and

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and still do now, for your faith is squarely built upon this wonderful message. And it is this good news that saves you if you still firmly believe it, unless you never really believed it in the first place. I passed on to you right from the first what God had told to me that Christ died for our

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sins just as the scriptures said he would and that he was buried and that three days afterwards he arose from the grave just as the prophets foretold. subject resurrection fact or fiction. Is Easter true? Is there really going to be the resurrection of the body. Is the resurrection fact or fancy? This

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particular question is of vast importance in the celebration of the resurrection. Luke tells us that when the women returned from the tomb on the first Easter morn that they went about spreading the good news and when the apostles first heard it, it seemed to them pure nonsense. They did not believe

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them. They said among themselves, "This is too good to be true. Jesus who died last Friday is alive again. How incredible, how fantastic. This is the most wonderful thing that can happen. Easter, festival of spring, celebration of new life, new hope, new beginning. Easter, life beyond the grave. Easter, triumph over disaster.

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Easter, celebrating victory over death. Is Easter true? Easter, the vindication of the divine over the demonic? Is Easter true? Or is Easter only a fashion show, a pagan festival announcing the arrival of spring and signs of new life in the world of nature. Is Easter a holiday or a holy day? Is Easter true? I remember an

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Easter Sunday when I was a teenager a dear friend of mine stayed at home from attending church services that day because he did not have a new Easter suit to wear. There are many like that, possibly even today. But the words "Christ is risen," these words constitute the testimony of the first witnesses.

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angelic messenger makes the ringing declaration, "He is not here. He is risen as he said. Come see for yourself the place where he was. The tomb is empty. He is not here." This was difficult for the Apostles to believe. It seemed like a fairy tale

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It is difficult for the Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders to accept They circulate the report that the disciples came and stole the body of Jesus The story of the resurrection appears

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unbelievable and Might well by many be relegated to the realm of fiction We say, or they may say, that it is a human invention, a made-up story, a figment of the imagination. It is divorced from reality. Is the resurrection fact or fancy? Is it really true?

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Little children are accustomed hearing stories to say from time to time when they hear something that's really fantastic to them, is it really true? Is the resurrection for real? The Apostle Paul deals with this question. He was there in the first century when the word was being circulated he came in contact

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with doubt, with skepticism, and with the ridicule surrounding the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So he addresses the question is the resurrection fact fiction in his letter to the Corinthians. First of all he says Christ died for our sins according to scriptures. Christ died. This is a fact.

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There were those who questioned whether or not Jesus Christ really lived. Even the best documented historical facts are often doubted by some. I remember a man some time ago when we witnessed by way of television the landing on the moon and the first man set foot on the moon and after that a friend of mine said to

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me, "Rev. do you really believe that happened?" He didn't believe it. So there were those even in the first century who did not believe but history attests to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth lived and died, that he was born of the Virgin Mary and that he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. This Jesus claimed to be

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the embodiment of God, the full embodiment of God the Father Almighty. The rule of God was magnificently expressed through his life. This Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, died. And this is not merely symbolic language. The fact of the matter is he was nailed to the cross, wounded in the side. Sure there

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were those who could not accept his death. God? God among us? Well that's enough to say that God is among us and that God wears a human face, but to say that God is crucified, the crucifixion of God? My what a shocking thought. Then there were those who could not accept it and so they devised cunning theories

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such as the swoon story, saying that Jesus Christ did not really die, that he sort of went into a swoon, that he appeared to die, and that there were those who thought he was dead, but it was as if he fainted. Later he was revived and went about doing the things he wanted to do. But Paul emphasizes the

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fact that Jesus Christ died. He died our death. He came to the end of life's journey just as every one of us must come to the end of life's journey. The street on which he was traveling ran out and time runs out for every one of us every member of the human family we are in a race with time when my feeble life

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is all time for me won't be no more that's true of us all death signals the end and at the end of the way there is a no exit sign nothing is to be added nothing is to be taken away what is written is written it's all over now what is done is done no more teaching no more praying no more preaching no more

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healing, no more suffering, no more sorrow. Death is the end of the way. Death is going as far as one can go. So Jesus died for our sins. He went as far as anyone can go for us. He went all the way. He fulfills all the requirements. He carries out his assignment, at last we hear him cry out, "It is finished,

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Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Jesus died for our sins, by his life he unites the hand of God and the hand of man, by his spirit the human is harmonized with the divine by his love, friend finds fellowship with friend. Yes, Jesus died for our sins, he died for us. He made the supreme sacrifice, the gift

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of his life so that we may enter the garden of God and be free to live our life. So Easter is a message about liberation. This is not fiction. Jesus really died. Orders were given to examine him that they might possibly hasten his death by breaking his bones, but his executioners were surprised to discover

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that he was already dead. So he died for our sins and there is not a friend who is dearer, there is no one who comes nearer. Jesus died for our sins, he died for the ungodly. The scripture says, "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die." but God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died

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for us. So he leads us on the journey taking on all of our enemies even the last enemy death. He dies our death. Jesus died for us this is the fact he was crucified, he died, and this is not fiction, it's not a fairy tale, it really happened. Jesus was buried. So not only Paul says "did he die?" but he comes to

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the next point saying that he was buried. He was placed in a tomb. He was placed in a tomb that was brand new, it belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, the tomb was sealed, Roman soldiers were stationed to guard the dead body. He was buried. He was laid in the grave as we sang earlier in the service, "Law in the grave he lay." He was

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buried and to be buried is to descend to the depths of despair. It is to become a victim of the grim reaper. It is to be without hope, to be buried there is no chance of coming back. Well sure he was buried, he stayed in the grave three days all night Friday, all night Saturday he was locked in the tomb. You see the grave

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is a kind of tomb. Strange though it is, Easter is the celebration of life in the midst of graveyard experiences. All of us have some graveyard experiences. All of us find ourselves locked in by some circumstances where it seems that there is really no hope. And we find ourselves burdened down with despair and grief

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would overcome us, but yet as we celebrate it, you know, really to get the meanings, if we somehow have this service as some do out in the cemetery where with all that testifies of death in the midst of it, we celebrate life, that life which is eternal. And you see the tomb is to be victimized by sins, sins that so

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easily beset us. We inhabit the tomb when we dress in the grave clothes of sin, of malice, of envy, of jealousy, of all of those things that would so easily beset us we find ourselves inhabiting the grave and dressed in grave clothes when we are victims of those besetting sins. Well in dying our death he was also

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buried. Next Paul tells us that Jesus rose. The grave could not keep him prisoner, he got up. And this was really hard for the Greeks to accept, but Paul proclaims it. The resurrection of the body, here the Greeks who were so concerned about reality, who engaged in all kinds of speculative

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philosophy, saying "Look, this doesn't make any sense at all for the body to be alive again. Why? The body decays. But Paul says that he got up, not the same body but the resurrection body is a new body. He was raised up, not a phantom of delight, not a ghost parading in the cemetery, but God raised him up and gave

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him a new body. Life has its dark places where it seems that there is nothing to hold on to, but God will see us through. That's the good news. That's not just good news once a year when we celebrate Easter Sunday and put on new attire and welcome the coming of spring. That's good news every day of our lives, that God

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will see us through no matter what happens. Just be sure that we are right. Just be sure that we are identified with that which is true and somehow God will see us through. That's the underlying belief that God will see us through, that somewhere along the way God's gonna set things right. But it may not all happen

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right here where we can see it but we'll get signs of it right here that God is going to set everything in order. Last night many of us witnessed that magnificent performance and we listened to Barbara Conrad as she sang in it and And mines could not help but go back to the time where she couldn't sing over there

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Where she was denied that privilege Because of her color But we've seen that change we've seen consciences change. We've seen Awakening a spiritual awakening and somehow God is still at work

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bringing about awakenings and a journey that has to be taken, not so much a journey in a physical or geographical sense but in a spiritual sense, a journey inward. That's what God is saying to us in the resurrection experience that God raised up Jesus and the same God who raised up Jesus who was crushed and just

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as truth often is crushed, God raises up truth. There is a resurrection experience and that's true. That's not fiction, that's not fiction, that's not fantasy, that's a fact that God is at work and that there is nothing that can happen, no threat that can come to us in this life that God does not have the power to

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overcome. You know that's good news because so often when you find yourself in a crisis people begin to make threats. You may not have this job, you may not have this, you won't get this, or you won't get that. Always a threat, always a a threat. But the good news is that when you are linked up with the eternal, even

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though we are finite creatures, that when we are linked up with the eternal that there is no threat, no human threat, no spiritual threat that will ultimately destroy us. That is not fiction, that's a fact. And it brings me to the last point here. The main thing is, is our faith. Some will discard it, as many of the Greeks

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did, said oh that's just a fairy tale, it's only fiction. There are others who will recognize that well yes Jesus did live and these things according to history happened but I'll not take my stand with them I'll not take my stand with Jesus Christ Paul says well this is our faith small though we may be poor

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though we may be oppressed, though we are persecuted and forsaken, but this is our faith. This is our faith. This is our faith. And there are many witnesses that this really happened. He said, "Sure there was Cephas to whom he appeared. He appeared to James his brother. He appeared to 500 brethren at once." And then Paul says, "At

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last he appeared unto me. Last! And possibly I'd like to look upon myself as being the least because I was out there persecuting the church but he appeared unto me and so this resurrection experience has happened to me, Paul says, and that's the most glorious thing of all, to say that this new life, this new age, this

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this new happening, this experience that is described as the most wonderful thing that has happened to be able to say it has happened to me. That Jesus Christ is my Lord, that it's true for me, I'm a witness. I know that he lives because he lives in my life. That wherever I am and no matter how dark the night may be, that I

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have the faith that God will see me through because he lives, he lives, he lives in my life. That's good news. Thanks be to God. That he walks with me and he talks with me and tells me that I am his own and he enables me to overcome even the most difficult circumstances. That's Paul's testimony and you have the

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privilege of making that yours each day of your life. I invite you to come now. The door is open. The invitation is extended to accept this living Lord as the ruler of your life. I invite you to come.

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[ Music ] ♪ The sun of Israel's unshaken ♪ ♪ Reaches the world today ♪ ♪ And all the fields and the rivers ♪

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♪ Are ever more blessed today ♪ ♪ God's peace and the mercy ♪ ♪ Of His courts has been ♪ ♪ And just as God can be led ♪

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♪ With all great deeds ♪ ♪ He lives, he lives ♪ ♪ As he is a faithful man ♪ ♪ He walks with me and does with me ♪

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♪ While all else now and then ♪ ♪ He lives, he lives ♪ ♪ From flesh unto the blood ♪ ♪ You ask me how does it go, it is ♪

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♪ It is ♪ ♪ It is ♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Without a word of love to you ♪

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♪ I see it's coming through ♪ ♪ And all of our love for you ♪ ♪ I can't help but feel it's true ♪ ♪ And all the living things ♪

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♪ Will all be star-made flesh ♪ ♪ The good and the good and the good ♪ ♪ Will come from the flesh ♪ ♪ He lives, he lives, he lives ♪

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♪ As Jesus Christ, he lives ♪ ♪ He walks with me and walks with me ♪ ♪ Along the spiritual way ♪ ♪ He lives, he lives ♪

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♪ A place of truth and love ♪ ♪ He has been all I know, he lives ♪ ♪ He lives ♪ ♪ With me ♪

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♪ My love ♪ ♪ Rejoice, rejoice, O Israel ♪ ♪ We love your hearts and feet ♪ ♪ Return, O God, with joy to Jesus Christ our King ♪

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♪ Now all for one will sing to the Lamb of God with pride ♪ ♪ Now all for one will sing to the Lamb of God with pride ♪ ♪ We hear, we hear, our Jesus list'ning ♪ ♪ With us we'll be at last ♪

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♪ With me, for love has never failed ♪ ♪ Rest in peace ♪ ♪ Your life, our truth and our pride ♪ ♪ Your astley of our glory ♪

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♪ Live, live ♪ ♪ Live, live, my heart ♪ Let us pray. Almighty God, our Father, we thank you that Easter is not fiction to us, it is a fact and more than that it is our faith that no matter how we may be

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cast down and held fast by the clutches of despair that you will deliver us and and set us free to live our life in thee. Grace, mercy, peace be with you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Music]

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