Will You Tarry With The Lord This Night?
Worship
HOLY WEEK CONFESSIONS
12 Worship Resources For Palm Sunday To Easter Sunday
*P: We enter the darkness of this Easter Vigil in the hope
of encountering the light of Christ Jesus our Lord. Will you
tarry with the Lord this night?
(Silence for reflection)
A Night Of Examination
*P: On the night our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he entered
the garden to pray. Turning to his disciples he admonished them,
"Pray that you will not fall into temptation." Then he withdrew
to be with his Father in prayer.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for being tempted to not draw into
your presence.
P: Jesus prayed that the cup of suffering would be taken
from him, but not his will but the Father's be done.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for being tempted to seek our own
will and not yours.
P: Strengthened by an angel, Christ prayed earnestly. His
sweat fell like blood dropped to the ground.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not exerting ourselves in
prayer.
P: Jesus returned to the disciples only to find them
asleep.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not being able to tarry with you
in your hour of prayer.
P: The betrayer came and kissed him.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for the many betrayals in our lives
and our quick embraces with the world instead of you.
P: Soldiers seized our Lord and led him away. He was
denied by his own, mocked and beaten by unbelievers, tried
without justice, not recognized by those he came to save,
sentenced by his governing body, and crucified with criminals.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have mocked and
denied you in our own lives.
P: On that Black Friday, one man died to sin by turning
to you; one man died in sin by thinking only of himself; but one
man died specifically for sin to gain eternal life for all.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for centering on ourselves and not
looking to you as you suffered on that cross for us.
P: The angel of death descended, and Christ gave his
spirit up to him.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for fearing death. Help us to commit
that time to you.
P: Those who watched began to understand the depth of
love he had for others.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not recognizing your love.
All: Help us tarry with you this night, dear Lord.
A Night Of Waiting
(Light one candle.)
P: We light our first candle in the name of the Father.
Hymn: "Go To Dark Gethsemane" (Verses 1, 2, 3)
P: The soldiers around the cross waited for the three to
die. The Jews waited for their deaths to be hurried along to meet
the requirements of the law.
C: Lord, we await freedom from the law of sin and death.
P: Your side, O Lord, was pierced; your bones not broken.
C: Lord, we await the piercing of our hearts and the
breaking of our pride.
P: Joseph of Arimathea was a man waiting for the kingdom
of God.
C: Lord, we await your resurrection.
P: Nicodemus had been told "You must be born again!"
C: Lord, we await new birth through your Spirit.
P: The two took your body, prepared it and laid it in the
empty tomb in the garden.
C: Lord, prepare us to be laid in the tomb. We await our
death to self.
P: Your followers observed the letter of the law and
waited on the Sabbath behind closed doors.
C: Lord, we await the opening of the doors of our hearts.
P: Wrapped in grief, they thought only of the grave.
Their hopes were buried with their friend.
C: Lord, we await you in this night.
All: Help us to tarry with you this night, dear Lord.
A Night Of Learning
(Light second candle.)
P: We light the second candle in the name of the Son.
Hymn: "All Praise To Thee" (Verses 1, 2, 3)
Affirmation Of Baptism
(Opportunity to affirm baptism using water and having
participants come forward.)
The Night Ends
(Light third candle.)
P: We light our third candle in the name of the Spirit.
Hymn: "That Easter Day"
P: We have tarried with our Lord through this Easter
Vigil. We see the first light of dawn that signals the night's
end. We run with Mary and are met with an open tomb. Angels greet
us with the news that he is not here. "He is risen!"
C: Lord, we seek you among the dead. Turn our eyes from
the night to the light of day.
P: Mary wept. She could not find him. The Light stood
before her, and then she knew.
C: Lord, we turn to the Light and recognize you as our
risen Lord.
P: "I have seen the Lord," she reports to the others.
C: Lord, tonight we see you!
All: Lord, we want to tarry with you forever!
A New Day Begins
Hymn: "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!
*P: We come to your table, Lord, to be refreshed from the
darkness of the grave watch. Flood us with the remembrance of
your new covenant as we share the sacred elements.
C: We seek to be renewed through your body and blood.
*Words Of Institution
*The Lord's Prayer
*P: Come and share in Christ's resurrection.
Distribution Of Holy Communion
He Will Not Tarry
*P: Our Lord's body and blood strengthen you as you await
his coming again.
C: Lord Jesus, come soon. We ask you not to tarry long.
P: Hear the Lord's words from the book of Revelation
22:16-17, 20: "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this
testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of
David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride
say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is
thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free
gift of the water of life. He who testifies to these things says,
"Yes, I am coming soon!"
C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Let us see your glory soon!
*Hymn: "Thine Is The Glory"
of encountering the light of Christ Jesus our Lord. Will you
tarry with the Lord this night?
(Silence for reflection)
A Night Of Examination
*P: On the night our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he entered
the garden to pray. Turning to his disciples he admonished them,
"Pray that you will not fall into temptation." Then he withdrew
to be with his Father in prayer.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for being tempted to not draw into
your presence.
P: Jesus prayed that the cup of suffering would be taken
from him, but not his will but the Father's be done.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for being tempted to seek our own
will and not yours.
P: Strengthened by an angel, Christ prayed earnestly. His
sweat fell like blood dropped to the ground.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not exerting ourselves in
prayer.
P: Jesus returned to the disciples only to find them
asleep.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not being able to tarry with you
in your hour of prayer.
P: The betrayer came and kissed him.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for the many betrayals in our lives
and our quick embraces with the world instead of you.
P: Soldiers seized our Lord and led him away. He was
denied by his own, mocked and beaten by unbelievers, tried
without justice, not recognized by those he came to save,
sentenced by his governing body, and crucified with criminals.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have mocked and
denied you in our own lives.
P: On that Black Friday, one man died to sin by turning
to you; one man died in sin by thinking only of himself; but one
man died specifically for sin to gain eternal life for all.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for centering on ourselves and not
looking to you as you suffered on that cross for us.
P: The angel of death descended, and Christ gave his
spirit up to him.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for fearing death. Help us to commit
that time to you.
P: Those who watched began to understand the depth of
love he had for others.
C: Forgive us, Lord, for not recognizing your love.
All: Help us tarry with you this night, dear Lord.
A Night Of Waiting
(Light one candle.)
P: We light our first candle in the name of the Father.
Hymn: "Go To Dark Gethsemane" (Verses 1, 2, 3)
P: The soldiers around the cross waited for the three to
die. The Jews waited for their deaths to be hurried along to meet
the requirements of the law.
C: Lord, we await freedom from the law of sin and death.
P: Your side, O Lord, was pierced; your bones not broken.
C: Lord, we await the piercing of our hearts and the
breaking of our pride.
P: Joseph of Arimathea was a man waiting for the kingdom
of God.
C: Lord, we await your resurrection.
P: Nicodemus had been told "You must be born again!"
C: Lord, we await new birth through your Spirit.
P: The two took your body, prepared it and laid it in the
empty tomb in the garden.
C: Lord, prepare us to be laid in the tomb. We await our
death to self.
P: Your followers observed the letter of the law and
waited on the Sabbath behind closed doors.
C: Lord, we await the opening of the doors of our hearts.
P: Wrapped in grief, they thought only of the grave.
Their hopes were buried with their friend.
C: Lord, we await you in this night.
All: Help us to tarry with you this night, dear Lord.
A Night Of Learning
(Light second candle.)
P: We light the second candle in the name of the Son.
Hymn: "All Praise To Thee" (Verses 1, 2, 3)
Affirmation Of Baptism
(Opportunity to affirm baptism using water and having
participants come forward.)
The Night Ends
(Light third candle.)
P: We light our third candle in the name of the Spirit.
Hymn: "That Easter Day"
P: We have tarried with our Lord through this Easter
Vigil. We see the first light of dawn that signals the night's
end. We run with Mary and are met with an open tomb. Angels greet
us with the news that he is not here. "He is risen!"
C: Lord, we seek you among the dead. Turn our eyes from
the night to the light of day.
P: Mary wept. She could not find him. The Light stood
before her, and then she knew.
C: Lord, we turn to the Light and recognize you as our
risen Lord.
P: "I have seen the Lord," she reports to the others.
C: Lord, tonight we see you!
All: Lord, we want to tarry with you forever!
A New Day Begins
Hymn: "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!
*P: We come to your table, Lord, to be refreshed from the
darkness of the grave watch. Flood us with the remembrance of
your new covenant as we share the sacred elements.
C: We seek to be renewed through your body and blood.
*Words Of Institution
*The Lord's Prayer
*P: Come and share in Christ's resurrection.
Distribution Of Holy Communion
He Will Not Tarry
*P: Our Lord's body and blood strengthen you as you await
his coming again.
C: Lord Jesus, come soon. We ask you not to tarry long.
P: Hear the Lord's words from the book of Revelation
22:16-17, 20: "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this
testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of
David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride
say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is
thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free
gift of the water of life. He who testifies to these things says,
"Yes, I am coming soon!"
C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Let us see your glory soon!
*Hymn: "Thine Is The Glory"
