April 13, 2025
Prelude - You Are the King We Want
Call to Worship
Gathering for worship today, it is here, O God, that you meet us and greet us and, if we will allow, it is here that you surprise us with your love and your grace. So open our heavy eyes, and tired minds, open our closed hearts and surprise us today with joy. Give us hearts that shout, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." Amen.
Hymn - Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
Invocation and Lord's Prayer
You are our God, and we will praise You! You are our God, and we will exalt You! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is He who taught us to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Scripture Reading - John 12:12-17
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.
Joys and Concerns
There are so many things that draw our attention. So many realities that seek our faith and assent. But, You ride into our experience revealing another kind of reality a reality where death does not have the last word, a reality where pride, selfishness and evil are defeated by love and self-giving, a reality which does not parade itself for all to see, but fills every moment, every situation and every thing with life, while waiting for us to discover it. And so, we cry, from our hearts Hosanna, Save us. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord. Amen.
Hymn - Ride On, Ride On, In Majesty
Sermon - Journey to the Resurrection - Our King
For Video version, click below.
Hymn - O Worship the King
Benediction
Let us go now secure in Jesus' peace, salvation, and grace that gives us a triumphal entry to the kingdom of God.
Postlude - Hosanna