John's Testimony

John 21:

24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

  25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written….

John 20:                     

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

  31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Amen.

Hymn 6 (Redeemer of Israel) or Hymn 189 (O, Thou Before the World Began)

Jesus Appears to the Nephites after His Resurrection

 3 Nephi 10:               

  18 And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—

  19 Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings.

3 Nephi 11:

  1 And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.

  2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death.

  3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

  4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.

  5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

  6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

  7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

  8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

  9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

  10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

  11 And behold, I am the ^alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

  12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

  13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

  14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

  15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

  16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

  17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

(Further account of His ministry in 3 Nephi 11- 28)         

Children’s Songbook 66 (Hosannah)

Hymn 134 (I Believe in Christ) or Hymn 136 (I Know that My Redeemer Lives)

Old Testament prophecies of the events of the Passion Week

 Here are the Old Testament scriptures that form the background for the events of the Passion Week:

Zechariah 9:              

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Isaiah 53: 

  1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

  2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

  3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

  4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

  5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

  6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

  7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

  8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

  9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

  10 ¶ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

  11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

  12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 6:  

  9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

  10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed

Isaiah 56:       

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.           

Psalm 78:                               

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Deuteronomy 6:

  5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Leviticus 19:

8 ¶ Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

Zechariah 11:

  12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 

 Psalm 41:

 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Psalm 69:                               

  20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

Isaiah 50:

   6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.                           

Psalm 22:

  16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Psalm. 22:

  18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Psalm 22:

   7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

  8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

Psalm 22:                               

  1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Ex. 12:

  46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.

Num. 9:

  12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

Zech. 12:

   10… they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.

  

Isaiah 25:                               

 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

  9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation

Easter Music

 Music is an essential part of any sacred celebration. Here is some of the music that would add to the spirit of a family Easter Celebration. If these particular recordings are not available to you, other recordings of the same music would also be good.

Recordings

• Robert Cundick’s “The Redeemer, a Sacred Service of Music” recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or by the BYU Singers, Concert Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. Link
• Mack Wilberg’s “Requiem” by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square (Church Distribution Center) Link
• Brahms’ “A German Requiem” by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony  (Church Distribution Center) Link
• “O Divine Redeemer,” Easter hymns performed by the Tabernacle Choir Link
• Handle’s The Messiah; Link
• Make a Joyful Noise, recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Link
• John Rutter’s Requiem Link
• John Rutter’s "Te Deum” Link
• Haydn’s Symphony No. 26: “Lamentation,” and Symphony No. 49: “La Passione;” 
• Mozart’s Requiem;
• Rachminoff’s Vespers (Robert Shaw director, Telarc audio CD 80172) 
• Charpentier’s Te Deum; 
• Bach’s Easter Oratorio, B Minor Mass, St. John’s Passion, and St. Matthew’s Passion
• Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 – Resurrection Link

Hymns Used in the Scripture Readings in Posts ? - ?

(from Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

• Hymn 59 (Come, O Thou King of Kings) Link
• Hymn 66 (Rejoice, the Lord is King) Link 
• Hymn 304 (Teach Me to Walk in the Light) Link
• Hymn 247 (We Love Thy House, O God)

·         Hymn 308 (Love One Another)

·         Hymn 184 (Upon the Cross of Calvary)

·         Hymn 197 (O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown)

·         Hymn 191 (Behold the Great Redeemer Die)

·         Hymn 193 (I Stand All Amazed)

·         Hymn 194 (There is a Green Hill Far Away)

·         Hymn 198 (That Easter Morn)

·         Hymn 200 (Christ the Lord is Risen Today)

·         Hymn 199 (He is Risen)

·         Hymn 7 (Israel, Israel, God is Calling)

·         Hymn 62 (All Creatures of Our God and King)

·         Hymn 6 (Redeemer of Israel)

·         Hymn 189 (O, Thou Before the World Began)

·         Hymn 134 (I Believe in Christ)

·         Hymn 136 (I Know that My Redeemer Lives)

·         Hymn 187 (God Loved Us So He Sent His Son)

·         Hymn 195 (How Great the Wisdom and the Love)

·         Hymn 196 (Jesus, Once of Humble Birth)

·         Hymn 135 (My Redeemer Lives)

·         Hymn 108 (The Lord is My Shepherd)

·         Hymn 308 (As I Have Loved You)

Children’s Songbook

·         Children’s Songbook 34 (He Sent His Son)

·         Children’s Songbook 74 (I Feel My Savior’s Love)

·         Children’s Songbook 62 (Beautiful Savior)

·         Children’s Songbook 66 (Hosannah)

·         Children’s Songbook 64 (Did Jesus Really Live Again?)

·         Children’s Songbook 70 (Jesus Has Risen)

Traditional Hebrew Songs

·         Hatikva

·         Hine Ma Tov

·         Adon Olam

Other Appropriate Music

·         Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Roof