Sharing Love, Seeking Justice: Easter Sunday

April 20, 2025

Welcome to our 2025 series of Holy Week devotionals, a gift from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, eight days of devotions leading to the Feast of the Resurrection.

Easter Sunday

Alleluia! Amen!

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.For since death came through a human, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human, for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in its own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. _{1 Corinthians 15:19-26, NRSVue}

Fill the air with shouts of joy!
           Christ, who died, is living!
         No more mourning, guilt, or pain—
           all is now thanksgiving!
         With one stone now rolled away,
           every tomb is open
         and we live the certain hope:
           Sin’s death-grip is broken!

         Sing the songs of jubilee,
           hymns of restoration:
         from the depths of Adam’s curse
           Jesus brings salvation.
         Even as one selfish act
           doomed us all to misery
         so one selfless gift of life
           raises us to glory.

         Dance and leap with all your might!
           Set the church bells ringing!
         Celebrate the wondrous news
           timeless grace is bringing!
         One bright morning saw the light
           of creation’s new birth,
         now each dawn affirms the plan:
           God restoring our worth.

        “Alleluia” is our cry:
           “Praise our mighty Maker!
         Praise the Breath who gives us life!
           Praise our raised Redeemer!”
         One the shout of joy we raise;
           one song sounding again;
         one grand dance of faith empowered.
           Alleluia!  Amen!

Prayer:
In your rising, you have restored our life.
Where, before, we had only a fate, now we have possibilities.
Lead us to foster life wherever we are,
through our actions
through our relationships,
through our economics.
In your living among us, you have transformed our life.
No longer does our survival need to be our chief focus, our chief end.
Challenge us to live for others,
and, in living for others, to live for you,
and to have you live eternally in us.