Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday
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Liturgy of the Palms
Unifying Theme: |
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| Scripture | Theme | Hymns |
|---|---|---|
| Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 | Righteousness enters through the Lord's gate | 75: All People That on Earth Do
Dwell 702: Sing with All the Saints in Glory |
| Mark 11:1-11
--or-- John 12:12-16 |
Christ's entry into Jerusalem | 160: Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart 278: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna 280: All Glory, Laud, and Honor |
Liturgy of the Passion
Unifying Theme: |
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| Scripture | Theme | Hymns |
| Isaiah 50:4-9a | Vindication through the Lord | 282: 'Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies |
| Psalm 31:9-16 | Salvation in the love of the Lord | 139: Praise to the Lord, the
Almighty 414: Thou Hidden Love of God |
| Philippians 2:5-11 | Christians exhorted to submit as the Lord did | 369: Blessed Assurance 417: O For a Heart to Praise My God |
| Mark
14:1-15:47 --or-- Mark 15:1-39, (40-47) |
The plot, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial of our Lord | 294: Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed 359: Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed |
I led a project dealing with Ministry Gifts. I don't pretend to be an "expert" in the area, but have been studying it for several years and have used my study and survey in adult Sunday School classes on many occasions. You are invited to participate, too.
The survey is online at http://www.HymnSite.com/giftsurvey, along with the outline for the class. The second week will deal with Gifts of Expression and Dedication. Here are some of the introductory materials for that session:
Last week we covered gifts of perception. They involved "seeing" things with spiritual senses. We can know salvation because the Spirit gives us the gift of faith. We can recognize God in the world around us because the Spirit gives us the gift of discernment. We also learned that each person receives different gifts and in different measures. Those differences are a good thing. They help us fill our roles in the body of Christ so that the church is made complete.This week we are studying gifts of expression and dedication. In a way, gifts of expression are the gifts of the Psalmist. The Psalms are a collection of hymns and poems dedicated to God. They express the full range of human emotion. They show the writer's dedication to the Lord, remorse for sin, and submission to God's will. They are appropriate to every time and circumstance. In fact, Christ was quoting Psalms while He was on the cross.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22:1."Into your hands I commit my spirit." Psalm 31:5a.
In Christ we see an amazing depth of expression. He expressed the will of God through his life and his teaching. He expressed sorrow at the death of Lazarus. He expressed joy when Peter confessed that Jesus was Christ.
Like the Psalmist, God's people are to be expressive. Psalm 48 says, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised." Psalm 100 tells us, "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth." How do we praise God? How do we express our joy? We do it in the only way we can--through the gifts and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Christ also taught dedication through His words and His actions. When He was asked to name the greatest commandment, Christ responded without hesitation, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." A wealthy young man sought vindication of his right to enter God's kingdom. Christ told him to sell all he had, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. The young man could not bring himself to do that. The call for dedication was too great. He left in sorrow.
Christ demonstrated His dedication through His miraculous works of healing, through his patience with the disciples, and to His mother when, as He hung on the cross, He designated one of the disciples to care for her. Of course, the ultimate example of dedication is found in Christ's submission to the will of God in accepting death on a cross for the salvation of a sinful world. Before His arrest, Christ prayed earnestly in the Garden of Gethsemane. Three times He asked God to take away the cup of death, but each time He emphasized His acceptance of God's perfect will. Christ's dedication never wavered throughout the trial and crucifixion.
As Christians, we are also called to lives of dedication. Dedication to our Lord, to our families, and to our neighbors. We have been given gifts and talents that enable us to do so. The gifts of expression and dedication that we will study this week are Artistry, Celibacy, Craftsmanship, Giving, Instrumental Music, Marrying, Speaking, Vocal Music, and Writing.
I hope you will join us at http://www.HymnSite.com/giftsurvey. May we all be good stewards of the gifts and talents we have received from God.
God bless you--
HymnSite.com
God bless you!
| Passages suggested are from The Revised Common Lectionary: Consultation on Common Texts (Abingdon Press, 1992) copyright © by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Reprinted with permission of CCT. |
| Materials on Ministry Gifts Copyright © 2000 by CARadke. All rights reserved. Individual, personal use online is authorized and encouraged. For information about other uses or signing up a group for the course write to GiftSurvey@HymnSite.com. |