Lessons for April 8, 2007 – Easter Sunday The first lesson Acts 10:34-43 Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God doesn't show partiality. [35] In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. [36] I'm sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. [37] You know what happened all through Judea, beginning in Galilee after John the Baptist began preaching. [38] And no doubt you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with him. [39] "And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him, [40] but God raised him to life three days later. Then God allowed him to appear, [41] not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen beforehand to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. [42] And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. [43] He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name." (NLT) Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 L. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. C. Let the congregation of Israel repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." L. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. C. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. L. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! C. The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. L. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! C. I will not die, but I will live to tell what the Lord has done. L. The Lord has punished me severely, but he has not handed me over to death. C. Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. L. Those gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. C. I thank you for answering my prayer and saving me! L. The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone. C. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous to see. L. This is the day the Lord has made. C. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (NLT) The second lesson 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 And if we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world. [20] But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. [21] So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. [22] Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life. [23] But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will be raised. [24] After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having put down all enemies of every kind. [25] For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. [26] And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson John 20:1-18 Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. [2] She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!" [3] Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. [4] The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. [5] He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. [6] Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, [7] while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side. [8] Then the other disciple also went in, and he saw and believed— [9] for until then they hadn't realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead. [10] Then they went home.[11] Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. [12] She saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. [13] "Why are you crying?" the angels asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him." [14] She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. [15] "Why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him." [16] "Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward him and exclaimed, "Teacher!" [17] "Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God." [18] Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message. (NLT)