Easter Vigil sermon ideas
An Easter Vigil worship service, which occurs either late on Holy Saturday evening or very early Easter Sunday morning, begins the Easter celebration and remembers the story of redemption history as told throughout the BIble. This service provides an entrance into Easter.
How do I plan an Easter Vigil worship service?
Easter vigil is the practice of Christians gathering overnight from Holy Saturday into Easter Sunday, waiting for the dawn to break with Christ's resurrection. Staying in the middle of waiting for Christ's coming reflects our waiting after Easter for Christ to come again.
The Easter Vigil service can becomprised of four parts:
- Service of light
- Service of readings
- Service of baptism or renewal of baptismal vows
- Service of the Eucharist or Lord's Supper
When is Easter Vigil?
Holy Saturday evening or early Easter Sunday morning.
What colors could be used for Easter Vigil?
The colors for Easter Vigil are the same as Easter Sunday, white and gold.
What objects or symbols could be used for Easter Vigil?
What themes could be used for Easter Vigil?
Bible verse ideas for Easter Vigil
History of salvation
God keeps God's promises. Scripture's narrative of salvation history illustrates this time and again. An Easter vigil is a time to remember God's faithfulness in the past and to look with great anticipation toward Easter morning and the glorious fulfillment of God's promise in the resurrection of Christ. But first, in the stillness of the vigil, we wait, and we watch for dawn to break, knowing that as faithfully as the sun rises every morning, so too will God's promise be fulfilled. Christ will die. Christ will rise. Christ will come again.
- Genesis 1:1–2:2, in the beginning
- Genesis 7:1–5, God tells Noah about the flood
- Genesis 8:6–18, the flood ends
- Genesis 9:8–13, God's covenant with Noah
- Genesis 22:1–18, Abraham tested
- Exodus 14:10–15, Israelites want to return to Egypt
- Psalm 114, God's deliverance of his people remembered
- Isaiah 54:5–14, Isaiah recalls God's deliverance of his people
- Isaiah 55:1–11, invitation to the thirsty
- Ezekiel 36:24–28, "I will sprinkle clean water on you"
- Ezekiel 37:1–14, the valley of dry bones
- Zephaniah 3:14–20, God will restore his people
- Matthew 28:1-10,Jesus has risen
- Mark 16:1–8, Jesus has risen
- Luke 24:1–12, Jesus has risen
- Romans 6:3–11, we were buried and raised with Christ
God's creating and saving work
These pairs of psalms and biblical canticles or songs are associated with histocial Easter Vigil services which trace the narrative of God's creative and saving work in the Bible. Together, these Bible texts present the vision of Easter glory through the interplay of images, themes, and metaphors that point to the meaning of Jesus' resurrection.
- Genesis 1:1–2:4a; Psalm 136, God creates the world and rests
- Genesis 7:1–18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13; Psalm 46, God's covenant with the earth
- Genesis 22:1–8; Psalm 16, Abraham's obedience
- Exodus 14:10–31; 15:20–21; Exodus 15:1–18, God's deliverance of Israel
- Isaiah 54:1–10; Psalm 30, the eternal covenant of peace
- Isaiah 55:1–11; Isaiah 12, salvation freely offered
- Proverbs 8:1–8, 19–21; 9:4b–6; Psalm 19, a vision of divine wisdom
- Ezekiel 36:24–26; Psalm 42–43, a new heart and spirit
- Ezekiel 37:1–14; Psalm 143, new life for God's people
- Zephaniah 3:14–20; Psalm 98, the gathering of God's people
Bible texts used in the Byzantine tradition
The Easter vigil is an ancient tradition whose rituals have been preserved for thousands of years. The following texts are used in the Byzantine rite that developed in the Eastern Christian church in Constantinople.
- Exodus 12:1–11, the Passover and the festival of the unleavened bread
- Joshua 5:10–15, the fall of Jericho
- Isaiah 60:1–16, the glory of Zion
- Isaiah 61:10–62:5, Zion's new name
- Isaiah 63:11–64:5, recalling the days of old
- Jeremiah 31:31–34, a new covenant is coming
- Daniel 3:1–68, the image of gold and the blazing furnace
- Jonah 1:1–4:11, Jonah flees from the Lord
- Zephaniah 3:8–15, restoration of Israel's remnant
Worship service ideas for Easter Vigil
"Some churches traditionally hold an Easter vigil service, either late on Saturday evening or early on Sunday morning. The vigil carries a sense of longing and yearning as worshipers wait for the celebration of Christ's resurrection." Service Outline by Becky Getz from Faithward
"The idea that "liturgically" Christ isn't risen until the Easter proclamation would also make so much of what we do before that point in the vigil's liturgy wrong, or at least odd." Article about Worship and the Sacraments by Matthew S. C. Olver from The Living Church
"Fire, candles, bells, water, bread and cup offer lots of sensory input for children. Though sunrise is still probably the best time for children to experience the Easter story, this vigil on Saturday just after dark has advantages." Children's Sermon or Lesson by Carolyn C. Brown from Worshiping With Children
"Sisters and brothers in Christ: on this holy night, when our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, we gather in vigil and prayer with members of the Christian community dispersed throughout the world." Call to Worship by Norma de Waal Malefyt from Reformed Worship
Find more worship service ideas for Easter Vigil from Zeteosearch.org.