Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
Noah’s Flood (Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18;
9:8-13)
Israel’s Deliverance at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-15:1)
Jesus’ Resurrection & Appearance to Mary
Magdalene (John 20:1-18)
In
the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Alleluia:
Praise the Lord! This is the night that we sing again the ancient hymn of
praise, a single word of praise, which we don’t even bother to translate. We
claim the Hebrew heritage of the Old Testament as our own. Because the Lord,
whom they praised, is the same Lord we praise also. Our simplest and greatest
confession is, "Jesus is Lord." Our simplest and greatest praise is, "Alleluia."
But
Alleluias don’t stand alone, nor did we cease to praise God for the 40-plus
days of Lent when we set that cherished word aside. To praise God is more than to
butter Him up or to say nice things without substance. Empty praise has no
place in Christianity. The defining characteristic of a hymn, a praise song, is
that it proclaims what God has done. It confesses His work for us, the reason
that we praise Him.
What
has the Lord done? I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made. He created the world, us and all creatures, and He still takes
care of us. By His Word He made light shine where there was only darkness. By
the breath of His voice He called man to life. And there was evening, and
there was morning, and behold, it was very good.
He
also showed His wrath against the sinful and unbelieving world that ruined His "very
good" Creation. But in mercy He has spared His creation from its own
destruction. He saved believing Noah and His family, eight souls in all,
together with all creatures. Through death they were brought into new life,
saved in the ark, like a casket floating on those deadly waters—but brought
forth alive, and sealed with a promise and the sign of the rainbow, that water
would never again destroy this world.
Most
especially the children of Israel remembered and praised God for His
deliverance, culminating in their escape at the Red Sea. The Lord brought them
out of Egypt, out from slavery under Pharaoh. This passage through the water
spared Jacob's sons and daughters from their enemies and brought them out as a
people set apart for God. This was the defining moment and event of God's
people. The Lord made a way out, an exodus for them. And He will be their
God, and they will be His people.
But
most especially are we bound to praise You, O Father, for the glorious
resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the very paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed
for us and bore the sins of the world. By His dying He has destroyed death, and
by His rising, He has restored to us everlasting life. What we commemorate tonight is our defining moment. We
praise God by proclaiming what He has done for us. And most especially, He has
died and He has risen.
O
sing a new song unto the Lord, for He has done marvelous things. The new
song, which never gets old, is the song of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The retelling of the Lord's rescue, the epic story of His love for His people,
comes to its culmination in Holy Week. It comes to its fulfillment when He
cries, “It is finished.” But on
Easter, the Lord’s rescue comes most especially into our praise. Now light
shines on the cross and we see it as the beautiful image it is. Now the Crucified
lives, never to die again. And now light shines also on each and every
story of the Old Testament, all the accounts we heard this night, and we see
that they foreshadow, they prophesy Christ and His work. Now light
shines on the baptismal font, and we see that everything the Lord has done has
been done for us and given to us in Baptism.
Amber
and Rose, this is the night that that the Spirit of God hovered over the face
of the Baptism waters, calling you out of the darkness and making you a new
creation. This is the night that the consuming Flood of Baptism drowned your
sinful nature, but you have been raised up and carried aloft in the holy ark of
the Christian Church. The Lord’s promise and the sign of the water has sealed
you, marking you as protected by God, never to be destroyed. This is the night
that the Lord has made an Exodus for you, bringing you out of slavery to sin. You
have safely passed through the waters of your very own Red Sea, while your
enemies, sin, death, and the devil have been drowned. Now that you are baptized
into Christ, He is your God and you are His holy people.
And
Allison, you are also rejoicing in all this by your confession of faith. This
is the night that you remember what the Lord has done for you in your Baptism
and what He does for you again, bringing and keeping you in the Holy Church. Your
words of “Yes, I believe” are just as joyous and praise-filled as all the
Alleluias.
The
same is true for all of us, baptized children of God. This is the night we
remember our Baptism and rejoice in being united to Christ in His death and
resurrection. We rejoice in our adoption as sons and daughters of God, hearing
our risen Lord address us as His brothers and sisters, for He tells Mary
Magdalene, “Go to My brothers and say to
them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
O
Father, most especially are we bound to praise You for the glorious
resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the Crucified. The marvelous works
you did of old have been topped forever. Our Lord became a man, died for our
sins, and was raised for our justification. So Rejoice now, O Church of
Christ, clothed in the brightness of this light; let all this house of God ring
out with rejoicing, with the praises of all God's faithful people. Proclaim the
triumph of our King. Tell what God has done in Christ, and how it was all
for us.
Alleluia,
Christ is risen!
He
is risen indeed, Alleluia!
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Adapted from Rev. Sean Daenzer (2016)
