March 24, 2013 Palm Sunday

This is Palm Sunday

Theme:Wondrous Love--A Crown Worn for Love Rather than for Glory


"The Passion Story of Christ is a love story. It is the story of God sending his one and only son--the Holy Lamb of God--to redeem all of humanity in a sacrificial act of love so that we might be eternally united with the Creator of the universe. It is the story of Jesus who willingly came to give his life for [our} eternal souls."

 --Lloyd Larson, Narration to Wondrous Love: Suffering Servant, Crucified Christ, Risen Redeemer

Liturgist: 

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-10 & Matthew 27:27-31
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
 

⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
        and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷ they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,^[l] and they gathered the whole cohort around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. ³¹ After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Preparing for Worship

Chimes

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude 

Words of Preparation

Hymn of Praise: 

Call to Worship:

Invocation

The Lord's Prayer

Gloria Patri

A Time for Offering

Call to Offering

Offering Meditation

The Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

We Join in Prayer

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

Morning Prayer                                                                                        

We Contemplate & Live God's Word

Children's Sermon           

Choir Anthem: "Blessed is He Who Comes" from Wondrous Love (Larson)

Scripture:

Sermon             

Invitation to Discipleship

Hymn of Invitation: 

Gathering at the Lord's Table

Call to Communion

Hymn of Communion: 

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Words of Institution

Breaking Bread & Pouring the Cup

Musical Meditation

Partaking of the Lord's Supper

We Depart to Serve

Benediction

Parting Hymn: 

Postlude