Nothing is easier than to denounce the evil doer nothing more difficult than understanding Fyodor Dostoevsky, Russian author

Transcription

1 ( Anti torture Vigil Week 11 used with permission by Justin Norman.) Nothing is easier than to denounce the evil doer nothing more difficult than understanding him. Fyodor Dostoevsky, Russian author March 29, :15 a.m.

2 The Colonial Church in Prairie Village United Church of Christ Greasing Evil s Slippery Slope Palm Sunday Worship Service in the series Message for Fools 1 Please silence your electronic devices in preparation for worship. * Please rise in body or spirit We Gather as God s People Gathering Music Gethsemane Cherwien * Jesus Comes to Jerusalem Mark 11: 1 11 When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, Why are you doing this? say, Its master needs it, and he will send it back right away. They went and found a colt tied to a gate outside on the street, and they untied it. Some people standing around said to them, What are you doing, untying the colt? They told them just what Jesus said, and they left them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it. Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields. Those in front of him and those following were shouting, Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest! Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. * Palm Parade and Hymn #213 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna A Moment to Lay Your Burdens Down

3 * Call to Worship Based on Psalm 139 and Isaiah 45 Leader: LORD, you have examined me. You know me. People: You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. Leader: To you, whom God knows completely, God says this: People: I called you by name. I gave you an honored title, though you didn t know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no God. I strengthen you though you don t know me so all will know, from the rising of the sun to its setting, that there is no one apart from me. * Song of Praise Gloria #759 adapted Glory to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. * Sharing God s Welcome (Greet everyone in the hope of peace and friendship.) Children s Conversation (Children of all ages are welcome to come forward to the chancel steps. Following the Conversation, children are welcome to remain to worship or to attend our Sunday School.) This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. 2 We Hear God s Word A Word in Music Comes the King arr Williamson A Word Proclaimed Pastor Aaron Roberts The Crowd Changes... Mark 15:6 15 During the festival, Pilate released one prisoner to them, whomever [the crowd] requested. A man named Barabbas was locked up with the rebels who had committed murder during an uprising. The crowd pushed forward and asked Pilate to release someone, as he regularly did. Pilate answered them, Do

4 you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? He knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of jealousy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate replied, Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews? They shouted back, Crucify him! Pilate said to them, Why? What wrong has he done? They shouted even louder, Crucify him! Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, so he released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus whipped, then handed him over to be crucified. Express your thoughts via social media at #ColonialUCC. 3 We Respond with Thanksgiving and Prayer * Hymn #492 I Would Be True Call to Offering and Offertory Angus Dei Robert Ray Soprano, Alba Cancel; Tenor, Garrett Torbert * Doxology (#780 adapted; tune Old Hundredth) Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, you heavenly host: Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen. * Prayer of Dedication O Holy One, Bless these gifts So that the world may know your love Even when we are silent. Amen. Time of Prayer Prayers of the People Believing that each joy and/or concern expressed is indeed a prayer, after each expression, the Pastor will say: Lord, in your mercy. And the people may respond: Hear our prayer.

5 Praying in Silence Our Lord s Prayer ( Our Father is the traditional way this prayer begins. You are invited to use whatever name for God you find most meaningful (Father, Mother, Creator, God, etc.). Together our names for God create a beautiful chorus.) 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. 4 We Depart to Serve * Hymn #216 All Glory, Laud, and Honor * Renew Our Covenant (Turn towards the center aisle as we bless one another with the promise of our covenant.) We covenant with the Lord and with one another and do bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in Christian Love. We seek to worship God in spirit and in truth and to love our neighbors as ourselves. With God s help we will honor Colonial Church in our conduct, support its program, and extend the influence of Christ throughout the world. * Congregational Song of Blessing #809 God Be With You God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again. O God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we meet again. * Benediction and Postlude Ellacombe Kern Liturgist: Bekki Walsh Children s Conversation: Pastor Aaron Roberts Greeter: Bill Sanderson Head Usher: Howard Lee Ushers: Joan and Jerry Gilson, Catherine Bowser, Howard Lee Some liturgical elements used with permission from the United Church of Christ Worship Ways.

6 5 Palm Sunday March 29, 2015 A Week Under the Microscope Holy Week begins today. You may want to go back to bed. To avoid some uncomfortable truths this week, make plans now for Thursday night and Friday so you can be conveniently otherwise engaged. Finding yourself under the microscope of Holy Week can be a real buzz kill. Once, a tourist visited a gallery in Florence, guidebook in hand. All around him hung some of the most famous masterpieces by the greatest artists in history. But he wasn t impressed. He asked a docent, Do you think any of these deserve to be called masterpieces? I don t see much in them. The docent replied, Sir, these pictures are not on trial; it s the spectators who are on trial. It s no different with Holy Week. Jesus is the masterpiece and the judges are the ones who end up being judged. He is not on trial. He is not the guilty one. He is not the one under the microscope this week. We are. And yet, as we look up into the microscope of the cross we behold the wideness of God s mercy. In spite of all we ve done and left undone, God never gives up on us, never stops seeking us, never quits loving us. It is a truth we cannot understand, we can only stand under its truth. Rev. Matthew Laney Asylum Hill Congregational Church Hartford, Connecticut

7 6 The readings for this week lead up to our Thursday morning Bible Study discussion at 10:00am in Pastor Aaron s Office. Monday Read Micah Micah predicts doom on Samaria (Israel) and Judah. Social injustice and evil leaders are blamed for the coming judgment. Peace and restoration are promised to those who will follow God, and a new leader is foretold. In the judgment issued against Samaria, Micah reminds his audience that Jerusalem is the high place of Judah. Why does this need to be said? The blame for Judah s fall is placed squarely on the leaders of the people. If the leaders have committed atrocities against the people, why does the coming wrath impact them all equally? Does 5:3 indicate that the ruler who is to come out of Bethlehem will be the one who will give up Judah? To whom will he give them up? Tuesday Read Nahum, Habakkuk Nahum foretells the fall of Assyria and the destruction of Nineveh. Habakkuk debates with God over the future of his people. Having previously read Jonah, and now reading Nahum, what can be said about God s attitude toward Nineveh? Habakkuk is arranged as an argument between the prophet and God, but does the text promote the idea of arguing with God? The fall of Nineveh foretold in Nahum is at the hands of the Chaldeans (among others), who are the subject of Habakkuk. Was the prophecy of Nahum good news for Israel and Judah?

8 7 Wednesday Read Zephaniah, Haggai Zephaniah promises God s wrath for both Judah and the surrounding countries. Haggai calls for the rebuilding of the temple. As the threat of Babylon looms larger than ever, Zephaniah warns everyone in the region of God s impending wrath. Is there a difference in tone between Zephaniah and other prophets? Haggai concedes that the second temple does not measure up to the first, but promises a day when it will be even more glorious. How does Haggai s treatment of the second temple compare to that of Ezra? Zephaniah is the last of the minor prophets whose career preceded the exile. Haggai is the first post exilic minor prophet. Do you notice any differences between the concerns of the pre exilic and post exilic prophets? Thursday Read Zechariah 1 7 Zechariah has a series of eight visions. The fasting practices of the exiles are criticized.. Unlike previous prophets, all of Zechariah s revelations are mediated by a messenger (or angel, the Hebrew word is the same for both). What does this mediation reveal about how the author understands God? In his fourth vision, Zechariah witnesses an encounter between God, Joshua the high priest, and Satan. According to this vision, who is Satan? When God criticizes the way people of Judah s fasting practices, both their periods of abstinence and indulgence are condemned as self centered. How can both fasting and not fasting be acts of worship?

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