We are sinners by birth and sinners from birth. We have broken Thy Law and we have transgressed Thy Commandments. We have strayed away and played the harlot with other gods. We are guilty of many sins. We have the potential of committing many more sins. It is only by the grace of God that we are not worse than we are. Lord, it is our duty to worship You, to glorify You, to think well of You, to meditate upon Your goodness, and to remember Your grace. It is our duty to love You with all of our hearts, to desire communion with You, to fear You, to believe everything You say, to trust in Your good providence, and to hope in Your promises. It is our duty to delight in You, to rejoice in You, to call upon You in prayer, always giving thanks, yielding all obedience to You, being sorrowful when You are offended, and walking humbly with our God. O Lord, how much we have sinned.

Lord, we remember here today that You forgive our sins. We believe that Jesus Christ paid for the penalty of our sins when He died on the cross. We believe that His blood was sufficient to turn away the wrath of the Father and to wash us as white as snow.

Lord, we believed that last week and last year, and we still believe it today. We were sinners in need of forgiveness last week and last year, and we are sinners in need of forgiveness today. As You are faithful in forgiving our sins, we are likewise constant in committing sin. You are constant, and sadly so are we.

We remember today the resurrection of Christ. He was dead and buried in a tomb. We know He died. It was not just a rumor. The Roman soldiers saw no need to break His legs because they saw He was dead. The spear was thrust into His side and out came blood and water. He was dead.

Yet, the dead came back to life. He appeared to dozens and to hundreds. He ate and He drank. He spoke and He walked. He was touched with the hands of man. He was alive from the dead. His resurrection was the proof that everything He said was true. Every word, every jot and tittle. He was vindicated. He was proved to be the Son of God. Lord, we believe. We are Your people.

Because He lives, we shall live too. We need not see death as the final blow to man. When the last breath is breathed, there is more. When the body has been put into the ground, it is not over. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, He is the first fruits and all those who are in Jesus shall come froth from the grave to live with Christ forever more. That cold, hard ground shall no longer hold our bodies. That disease that conquered us shall be conquered. No longer will mourners leave the graves weeping. No longer will we return home lonely and afraid. No longer shall there be the sadness of the family. No longer shall the young man cry and the old man be filled with grief. Death has been conquered in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Our Father in Heaven, our lives here on earth can be hard. Growing up can be hard. Striving to feed a family can be hard. Growing old and losing so much can be hard. Life is full of the unknown. Sometimes, it throws cure balls at us. We are so easily discouraged. We are so easily overcome with hopelessness. Lord, not only do we need faith in the resurrection of Christ, but also we need faith in the good providence of God. Nothing happens to us but that which is allowed by God. Everything has its purpose. The day of tragedy has its purpose. Even the day of sin has its purpose. The day of joy and the day of sorrow have been ordained by God. There is a time for everything. The thorns in the flesh have their purpose. You have ordained whatsoever comes to pass. We are only players in the plan you have ordained. We can only trust in your Word, that everything works for good in us, because we are your chosen ones. We are the apple of Your eye. We need to be sanctified. We need to be made holy. We need our affections set on things above and not on the things of this world. Lord you teach us these things in many ways, even in hardship. Lord, make us holy we pray. With holiness comes happiness. Make us holy and happy. Take away our pain. Take away our sins of doubt. Take away our pride, our jealousy, our discontentment. Give us the peace of God. Give us the peace that can live through any tragedy, any pain, or any cross that we must bear.