Then Came the Morning

Preservice Playlist

0:00 – 0:05 | Welcome & Opening Scripture

At the Cross- 2 verses

Lead Me to Calvary- 2 verses Scripture: Introduce Christ as the Light

Gospel of John 1:4–5“In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”➤ A powerful theological anchor—light conquering darkness.

Gospel of John 8:12“I am the light of the world…”

There’s something sacred about this moment—standing between darkness and light.

Before the sun rises, the world feels still… quiet… almost suspended. It reminds us of that early morning recorded in Gospel of John, when the world itself seemed caught between despair and hope. The cross was behind them. The tomb was sealed. And for a moment, it felt like darkness had won.

But Scripture tells us something powerful. In John 8:12, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Not a light. Not one of many. The Light.

Light that doesn’t flicker when the night gets long. Light that isn’t overcome by failure, fear, or even death itself.

And that’s why we’re here at sunrise.

Because the story of Jesus doesn’t end in darkness—it breaks through it.

On that first resurrection morning, as told in Gospel of Mark, the women came to the tomb “very early… at the rising of the sun.” They came expecting death—but instead, they encountered life. They came in sorrow—but were met with glory. The Light of the World had risen, and the darkness could not hold Him.

This morning, the same truth meets us here.

Whatever darkness you carried into this place—grief, doubt, regret, weariness—it does not have the final word. The same light that shattered the tomb is able to reach into every corner of your life.

As the sun rises beside us this morning, let it remind you: This is not just a new day… This is a declaration.

The Light still shines. The tomb is still empty. And Jesus is still the Light of the world.

Special- 10,000 Angels- track- Pastor

0:05 – 0:12 | The Darkness of Man

beauty of creation

design of man

sin & disobedience enter the world

Just as I Am w/ I Come Broken- full

0:12 – 0:18 | Why Jesus Came

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Matthew 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

to call sinners to repentance

0:18 – 0:28 | The Cross and His Sufferings

You can divide among 2–3 readers:

The Old Rugged Cross- 3 verses

Blessed Redeemer- 2 verses

Luke 24:1–7 “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

Matthew 27:27–56 “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

0:28 – 0:40 | Despair of the Disciples

though they knew who He was, they weren’t there for Jesus when it mattered the most. They left Him hanging. All but John remained-- Judas was dead and Peter had denied the Lord. 

Does Jesus Care?- 2 verses

0:40 – 0:47 | The Resurrection

“He Lives”- 2 verses

Go Down, Death (Resurrection Morning) (After the style of James Weldon Johnson)

Weep not, weep not, He is not dead; He is risen, just as He said. Broken-hearted disciple—weeping no more; Fear-filled follower—weeping no more; Grief-stricken Mary—weeping no more; He has not gone—He has overcome.

Before the breaking of the morning, God looked down from His great high heaven, Looked upon a world wrapped in darkness, Saw His Son laid in a borrowed tomb, Cold stone sealed, Hope buried deep.

And God’s great heart burned with glory— Not pity now, but power, Not sorrow, but sovereign purpose.

And God leaned forward on His throne, And He spoke—not to Death this time, But over Death:

Loose Him! And the word rolled like thunder: Loose Him!—Loose Him! And it echoed through the caverns of the grave, Through the shadows where silence reigned, Through the place where Death thought he had won.

And Death heard the command, And trembled where he stood. The pale horse staggered, The grave began to shake, And the stone—oh, the stone— Could not hold.

For down in that darkened tomb, Light began to stir. Not the light of sun nor star, But the Light of the world.

And Jesus— Jesus stood.

No chariot carried Him, No angel bore Him— He rose by His own power. He rose with the keys of death and hell in His hand. He rose with scars that spoke of love, And a voice that shattered fear.

And the earth felt it— Felt resurrection roll through its bones. And heaven broke into song.

And early that morning, While the world still wept, Mary came to the tomb, Eyes filled with tears.

She saw the stone rolled away, She saw what she could not understand, She feared what she could not see.

But then— A voice.

“Woman, why weepest thou?”

And she turned— And saw not Death, But Life.

And He spoke her name— “Mary.”

And hope breathed again.

And Jesus reached out His hands— Hands once pierced, now powerful— And He wiped away her tears. And the sorrow of Friday Became the song of Sunday.

And the angels cried: He is not here! He is risen!

Weep not, weep not, He is not dead; He is risen, just as He said. Death is defeated, The grave is undone, And the victory— The victory is won.

0:47 – 0:52 | Because He Lives

Because He Lives- 2 verses

0:52 – 1:00 | Closing Hymn