Easter Sunday 2025

 

Easter Sunday

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central

Springdale, Arkansas

Pastor Gregory Jackson

The Hymn #199       Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

As newborn babes: desire the sincere milk of the Word.

Hear, O My people, and I will testify unto thee: 

O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto Me.

Psalm. Sing aloud unto God, our Strength: 

make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who celebrate the solemnities of the Lord’s Pascal Feast kindled with heavenly desires; may ever thirst for the Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

Gradual

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Christ , our Passover: is sacrificed for us.

Let us keep the feast: with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Hallelujah!

The Gospel               

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22     
The Sermon Hymn #200               I Know That My Redeemer Lives

       

Life Everlasting 

Communion Hymn #207     Like the Golden Sun Ascending - Kingo

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #187                  Christ Is Arisen

Christ is arisen, from the grave's dark prison.

We now rejoice with gladness; Christ will end all sadness. Lord have mercy.

All our hopes were ended

Had Jesus not ascended.

From the grave triumphantly.

For this, Lord Christ, we worship Thee. Lord, have mercy.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

We now rejoice with gladness

Christ will end all sadness. Lord, have mercy. Amen.

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical care - Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Doc Lito Cruz and his family, Sarah Buck.
• Lilies and flowers are in memory of Randy Anderson, Walter Boeckler, Carl Roper, Gary Meyer, Christina Jackson, Gladys Meyer, Lori Howell's mother, Bethany Joan Marie, Erin Joy, and many others.
• Pray for our country as major trials continue. Help all those suffering from economic difficulties and emotional distress.
• The Bethany Hymnal Blog finished five years ago, with Norma Boeckler's art, ever since April 2020. 89,391 total views. 
  

Caravaggio

KJV 1 Corinthian 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

KJV Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

Easter Sunday

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that of Thine ineffable grace, for the sake of Thy Son, Thou hast given us the holy gospel, and hast instituted the holy sacraments, that through the same we may have comfort and forgiveness of sin: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily believe Thy word; and through the holy sacraments day by day establish our faith, until we at last obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen. 

Life Everlasting

KJV Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

The rationalists, skeptics, doubters, and modernists love to pursue the facts in front of them, because they love to ignore and resist what is there in the text. They want to stop at Mark 16:8 so they can ignore the rest of that Gospel. Therefore, anything else gives them discontent, arguing, and denying.

This attitude begins with lack of faith, which is quite powerful in these days. Apart from trusting in all that is revealed in the entire Bible, nothing makes sense for the rationalistic mind. The women at the tomb trust, they have faith, but they do not grasp it all at once. Still they listen to the angels there and run back to tell the disciples, who nevertheless have their doubts - very much like Thomas on the first round of doubting.

The women wanted to tend to the body because that was polite and reverend, finishing what they expected to be true, showing their love for Jesus and expressing their loss. The four Gospels as a whole reveal their doubts because the reality is so great to absorb. However we say, "I can't believe it!" or "I am incredulous!" Many things happen which are described as "It's a miracle."

2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

The women were not afraid. They were up very early to pay their respects and to see Him one more time, making Him presentable, unlike the torture of the cross. They brought along the sweet spices but were too shaken to consider moving the enormous stone lid. However, they did not give up but asked, "Who will roll the stone lid aside (or perhaps flatten it on  the ground?" both impossible for the ladies.)

Notice that they did not give up, only asking in faith how this could be done? How many miracles have been rejected because the individuals or congregations could not imagine something being accomplished...beyond all hope, why try? why ask in the Name of Christ? When we moved the boulder away from the Poinsettia house, it took three men and equipment to move it. 

4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

The sun was just starting to rise, so the effect was dramatic. The fear that they could not do anything was being erased by the sun itself. They did not run away, as most people would do - and as the soldiers did - but continued in faith to see what had 

happened. We often worry or fear or deny what is offered to us in faith, ignoring "Heaven and earth may pass away but My Word will never pass away."

5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

So many atheists and doubters miss the clear text, blinded by their own doubts. My first New Testament professors (Harvard ThD, Princeton PhD) denied the second angel and called that the proof that Jesus did not rise from the dead. "On the right side" does not deny the second angel but assumes that fact. The women were afraid because they went from mourning their beloved friend and not knowing what was next. Fear has a powerful effect on us. Even minor, unpleasant surprises can leave us weak, doubting, afraid, and eager to get away. 

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

First the angel tells them to have faith (do not be afraid - a theme throughout the Gospels). Jesus is named, described as crucified, risen! and not in the grave but clearly revealed by the angelic Word.

The staccato phrases are filled with divine energy:

1. Go Tell the disciples - and Peter
2. He goes before you into Galilee
3. There you will see Him.
4. As He said.

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

There was confusion also among the disciples - and fear. The door was bolted shut  where they were - (like my house in Bella Vista, because a previous occupant was justifiably afraid of an in-law).

What is great and glorious comes from the Scriptures, far too much to absorb in a lifetime, but nevertheless far greater than anything generated by man. Either we have trust in the Scriptures or demean and reject the Word of God. Many have gone before us. We all think of them and their impact on us. A large-scale poll would probably offer this result - "I should have valued that person as a child of God and a follower of Jesus the Son of God." That is especially important for older relatives, even parents and grandparents. There is a commandment, not just a suggestion (but now almost erased) in the Ten Commandments:

•  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land             which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Good Friday, 2025

 

 Bethany Lutheran Church

Good Friday Service, 7 PM Central

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Springdale, Arkansas

The hymn tunes are linked to the name of the hymn. 

The words are linked to the the hymn number,

using the TLH hymnal blog.

 

Hymn # 172:1-5         O Sacred Head             
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody                   Psalm 22                    p. 128

Psalm 22  KJV

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.

29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.       

The Lections                         

Sermon Hymn #143:1-5   O Dearest Jesus 

    

The Crucial Issue

The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                           p. 45

Hymn #153         Stricken Smitten 

Prayers and Announcements

• Dr. Lito Cruz, Dr. Kermit Way, Bible John, Sarah Buck, Pastor and Mrs. Jim Shrader.
• Those who are dealing with medical issues, loss, and emotional stress.
• Our country, duly elected leaders, and military.

The Crucial Issue

     So easily we speak about things being crucial, just as they are the best, worst, and how they describe always with favorite four-letter words. Someone referred to Jesus' Name, and I said, "We do not use His Name that way." And that stopped immediately.

     People are not more emphatic when they use the divine name. They are actually more tiresome and pathetic. I can claim that the people who do this can be straightened out with just a few words.

     Words are required for thinking, and thinking is impossible without words. People can communicate without spoken words but we do favor words. We give those words to babies and babies struggle to get them out at first. One of my fondest memories is play-acting our daughters' words because they knew, remembered, and responded but could not form the words. 

     The key word for Good Friday is the Cross. That is so bizarre, because the cross was the worst form ever for torture and death - and it was Roman. Jews did not use the cross, which was hideously painful and lengthy in its work. In contrast, St. Stephen was stoned to death. Just as Jesus belonged to Rome, so He was forced to be punished by Rome with the support of Judaism and their support of the great but fading empire, younger than Israel.

     As we can see so clearly in Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, the Old Testament gives us clear examples of something which could not have been known at that time. Even our modern kids overlook this fact when they skip over these passages - and many more - that paint the cross for us as that pivotal change in the world - the Christian Faith and Jesus as the risen Savior.

          He suffered and died, atoning for our sins. I was vexed as a child thinking about this. How could Good Friday be good? I could not get a good answer from adults. Reading Luther has helped me immensely because he simply explained the Word of God as it is. Everyone had great respect for him in the Reformation (he is the Reformer, parallel with Melanchthon and Chemnitz). Very few esteem them now, which is especially true among the so-called Lutherans.

     The Two Natures of Jesus Christ is essential to know and learn. The Son of God was and is God but also took on our humanity forever. Liz Eaton, Matt Harrison, and Mark Schroeder cannot parse this because they utterly reject Justification by Faith. They will not even say the words "Justified by Faith" because they have swapped Unitarianism for Trinitarian (no matter how much the squeal about it). Most telling - they refuse to debate because they cannot.

     This comes down to one all-encompassing fact - we are in need of forgiveness all our lives or even if it is the last moment of our lives. The pivot is faith in Jesus because He died for us. He takes away our sin and gives us peace, forgiveness, and the fruits of growing on the True Vine (John 15).

     The only way He can forgive our sins is His divine work of paying for those sins by Himself. No one else can do that. Pastors can teach forgiveness but faith is in the grasp of the individual, not as a work but as access to God's grace - Romans 5:1-2. We wait for the dentist - access. We get our groceries out the door of the grocery store - access. We wait for hours to meet or hear a famous person - access. That tiny ordinary Word is so simple in meaning that the Apostle Paul used his Word from 2000 years ago so we can grasp it without a thousand word essay. 

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Maundy Thursday 2025.

 

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Bethany Lutheran Church

Maundy Thursday Holy Communion 7  PM

7 PM Central Savings Time

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.

 Norma A. Boeckler 466

The Hymn #322             And Wilt Thou Pardon Lord?  Over 1200 years ago.

The Confession of Sins

The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

The Gloria Patri

The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis

The Salutation and Collect p. 19

The Epistle and Gradual

The Gospel

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

The Nicene Creed p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #371      Jesus Thy Blood           Zinzendorf
        

Maundy Thursday

Communion Hymn #311 Jesus Christ Our Blessed Savior - Huss was burned 

at the stake for opposing the pope.

The Preface p. 24

The Sanctus p. 26

The Lord's Prayer p. 27

The Words of Institution

The Agnus Dei p. 28

The Nunc Dimittis p. 29

The Benediction p. 31

The Hymn #657             Beautiful Savior

1 Corinthians 11

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

John 13

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 KJV John 13:34f A new commandment (mandatus, maundy) I give to you. That you love one another, as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if you have love, one to another.

Maundy Thursday

The title of the special service is typical of British quirks. Bethlehem was a hospital that was especially

noisy, and the name was distorted into Bedlam. That was a term used in my grade school classes when we got too noisy. Maundy is mysterious because it began with the Latin - mandatus - a commandment.

We are not a loving nation, or a loving culture. The Roman Empire was no better. The real story would not be fitting for a home or for anyone. We are similar now. Just as paganism dominated Rome, so paganism dominates America and the West. Jesus was commissioning His tiny group of disciples to go out among the Jewish and the pagan opponents, seemingly a hopeless task. Yes we can see that unbelievers were converted by the Gospel of Jesus and by His disciples after the Ascension. 

The overwhelming population was Jewish, so there was a great knowledge (and opposition) among the Jews and an intolerance from the Romans. As Luther said, "Rome loved every religion except the One True God." (paraphrase) The temple for all religions was built for all religions except Christianity and that temple is strong and impressive to this day (The Pantheon), 27 BC

Giving the overwhelming number of those outside the Christian Faith, the disciples needed to observe the commandment of Jesus - love one another as I have loved you. Otherwise they would tear that small group of people apart and destructive. That did happen among various groups that took on their own agenda. As revealed in the early New Testament Greek manuscripts, the fakes were overwhelmed by careful copying. The apostates of today jump on the very few early mistakes and make those errors  a shrine for their future destruction of Christianity. 

However, the attacks on the Biblical text prove what Jesus said - "Heaven and earth will pass away,  but My Word will never pass away." Matthew 24:35 The True Vine (John 15) will always be fruitful, by remaining with the Good Shepherd.

What Jesus taught and practiced was the opposite of -

1. The Stinkeye.
2. Shunning.
3. Boycotting (invented by Boycott himself).
4. Rejecting.

We should always remember why the sinners clustered around Jesus and rejoiced to sit with Him for supper when the works-righteous were disgusted and appalled. He began with faith in Him and love for the rejected, dismissed, ignored, and hated. We cannot fix the world but we can follow the Christ-like attitude of Luther - to aim at helping rather than hurting.