Christ The King
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle B
Call To Worship
From Psalm 145.
Leader: I lift you high in praise, my God, my King!
People: I will bless your name for all eternity.
Leader: You are magnificent!
People: You can never be praised enough!
Leader: There are no boundaries to your greatness.
People: All generations stand in awe of you.
Leader: Your beauty and splendor have them all talking.
People: We compose songs on your wonders.
Leader: Books could be written filled with the details of your greatness.
People: You are all mercy and grace,
Leader: Never quick to anger,
People: Rich in love.
Leader: You reach out to those in trouble.
People: You grant fresh starts to those who have fallen.
Leader: Everything you do is love,
People: And grace,
Leader: And righteousness,
People: And truth.
Leader: Our mouths are filled with praise,
People: For you are God, indeed!
Option two.
Leader: Praise God who reigns in all creation,
People: And who lives within each of us.
Leader: Praise God who designed us in our mother's wombs,
People: And who breathed the breath of life into us.
Leader: Praise God who prepared Paradise for us,
People: And who seeks to restore us to his garden.
Leader: Praise God who is righteous and just,
People: But whose love conquers all.
Leader: Praise God!
People: Praise God!
Option three.
Leader: Father,
People: Who loves us with a perfect love;
Leader: We come to you this morning
People: To receive that love,
Leader: The warm embrace of the father who seeks to protect us,
People: The sweet smile of the mother who sees our beauty,
Leader: The firmness that helps us to stay on the right road,
People: The forgiveness that helps us start anew.
Leader: Father God,
People: We come for these this morning.
Prayer Of Confession
Who do we really follow?
Leader: We have no king but Caesar,
People: Shouted the people
Leader: As they called for the execution of Jesus.
People: And he was crucified.
Leader: And still we shout:
People: We have no king but money,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified;
People: We have no king but political power,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified;
People: We have no king but our stomachs,
Leader: We have no king but sex,
People: We have no king but our anger,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified.
People: Lord, forgive us,
Leader: For putting all manner of things before you.
People: For we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ,
Leader: Who was crucified,
People: And died,
Leader: To pay the penalty for such sin,
People: And set us free.
A narrative story focusing on the gracious and forgiving nature of Christ our King; and the expectation of that same nature to be extended toward others indebted to us. This can be followed by a simple prayer confessing our failure to forgive as we have been forgiven.
The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his debtors. As he began, a man who owed him a large amount was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and children be sold into slavery to repay the debt.
The servant fell on his knees. "Be patient with me," he begged, "and I will pay back everything." The master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go.
But when that man went out, he found someone who owed him a small debt. He grabbed him. "Pay what you owe me!" he demanded. This man fell to his knees and begged, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you back." But he refused. Instead, he had the man thrown in prison. When others saw what had happened, they were distressed and told their master, the king.
The king called the man. "You wicked fool," he said, "I canceled all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your debtor as well?" In anger, his master sent him to jail to be tortured, until he should pay.
This is our King; gracious and forgiving. He expects us to do the same.
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: Who is in a position to condemn us?
People: Only Jesus Christ.
Leader: But Christ died and rose for us,
People: And now reigns in power for us, and prays for us.
Leader: Nothing can separate us from God's love.
People: In Jesus Christ. Amen!
A narrative Assurance Of Pardon.
The old man said, "Ah, it's too late for me. I can't change anymore. I'm too old, too set in my ways."
But the Lord said, "I changed the world through eighty-year-old Moses and 100-year-old Abraham and ninety-year-old Sarah."
The young girl said, "I'm too young for the Lord to do much with me."
But the Lord said, "I have done mighty works through young people like David and Daniel and Jeremiah and Mary."
This one said, "I have little to give, my limitations are too much to overcome."
But the Lord said, "I spoke to Balaam through his mule, and taught Paul that when he was weak then he was strongest in me."
It is never too late with the Lord.
You are never too young for the Lord.
There are no obstacles he cannot overcome.
You are forgiven, you are loved, now serve him with all your heart. Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Jesus our Lord, you told Pilate that your kingdom was not of this world, but you are a King; our King. May our giving reflect our desire to be one of your subjects, and may our gifts be used to make your kingdom more real and more alive in the midst of the kingdoms of this world. Amen.
Prayer For Illumination
Leader: Let us pray. Lord Jesus,
People: Sharpen our focus on you;
Leader: You are the Way.
People: Attune our ears to your truth;
Leader: You are the Truth.
People: Challenge and change us;
Leader: You are the Life.
People: Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord God, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. You are the one who was, and is, and is to come. What comfort those words are to us. What peace is ours through them.
But this peace is ours only when we do the work of staying close to you; only when we give ourselves to the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and service. So help us to engage in these disciplines that enable us to maintain our relationship with you, and know the peace that results. Then help us to live out of that peace in such a way that those around us, at work, at school, at home, will be drawn into it, and brought closer to you. Amen.
Benediction
Revelation passage.
Jesus Christ loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. He has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father. Faithfully live in his name. To Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, who was, and is, and is to come, the Almighty, to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
Hymns
All For Jesus
All Glory, Laud, And Honor
All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name
Alleluia, Alleluia
Come And Praise The Lord Our King
Fairest Lord Jesus
Glorious Is Thy Name
He Is Lord
His Name Is Wonderful
How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds
I Love Thee
Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know
Jesus, Name Above All Names
Join All The Glorious Names
King Of Heaven, Lord Most High
King Of Kings
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Majesty
May Jesus Christ Be Praised
Our Great Savior
Praise Him, Praise Him
Thou Art Worthy
We Will Glorify
Contemporary Choruses
He Is Exalted, Twila Paris
King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High, Rick Founds
Lord, Most High, Don Harris and Gary Sadler
Praise The Name Of Jesus
Shout To The North, Martin Smith
There's Something About That Name
Thou Art Worthy
You Are My King, Billy Foote
Other Music
Sing Your Praise To The Lord, Amy Grant
Excellent and upbeat praise song.
You Are My King, Passion
From Psalm 145.
Leader: I lift you high in praise, my God, my King!
People: I will bless your name for all eternity.
Leader: You are magnificent!
People: You can never be praised enough!
Leader: There are no boundaries to your greatness.
People: All generations stand in awe of you.
Leader: Your beauty and splendor have them all talking.
People: We compose songs on your wonders.
Leader: Books could be written filled with the details of your greatness.
People: You are all mercy and grace,
Leader: Never quick to anger,
People: Rich in love.
Leader: You reach out to those in trouble.
People: You grant fresh starts to those who have fallen.
Leader: Everything you do is love,
People: And grace,
Leader: And righteousness,
People: And truth.
Leader: Our mouths are filled with praise,
People: For you are God, indeed!
Option two.
Leader: Praise God who reigns in all creation,
People: And who lives within each of us.
Leader: Praise God who designed us in our mother's wombs,
People: And who breathed the breath of life into us.
Leader: Praise God who prepared Paradise for us,
People: And who seeks to restore us to his garden.
Leader: Praise God who is righteous and just,
People: But whose love conquers all.
Leader: Praise God!
People: Praise God!
Option three.
Leader: Father,
People: Who loves us with a perfect love;
Leader: We come to you this morning
People: To receive that love,
Leader: The warm embrace of the father who seeks to protect us,
People: The sweet smile of the mother who sees our beauty,
Leader: The firmness that helps us to stay on the right road,
People: The forgiveness that helps us start anew.
Leader: Father God,
People: We come for these this morning.
Prayer Of Confession
Who do we really follow?
Leader: We have no king but Caesar,
People: Shouted the people
Leader: As they called for the execution of Jesus.
People: And he was crucified.
Leader: And still we shout:
People: We have no king but money,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified;
People: We have no king but political power,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified;
People: We have no king but our stomachs,
Leader: We have no king but sex,
People: We have no king but our anger,
Leader: And Jesus is crucified.
People: Lord, forgive us,
Leader: For putting all manner of things before you.
People: For we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ,
Leader: Who was crucified,
People: And died,
Leader: To pay the penalty for such sin,
People: And set us free.
A narrative story focusing on the gracious and forgiving nature of Christ our King; and the expectation of that same nature to be extended toward others indebted to us. This can be followed by a simple prayer confessing our failure to forgive as we have been forgiven.
The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his debtors. As he began, a man who owed him a large amount was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and children be sold into slavery to repay the debt.
The servant fell on his knees. "Be patient with me," he begged, "and I will pay back everything." The master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go.
But when that man went out, he found someone who owed him a small debt. He grabbed him. "Pay what you owe me!" he demanded. This man fell to his knees and begged, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you back." But he refused. Instead, he had the man thrown in prison. When others saw what had happened, they were distressed and told their master, the king.
The king called the man. "You wicked fool," he said, "I canceled all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your debtor as well?" In anger, his master sent him to jail to be tortured, until he should pay.
This is our King; gracious and forgiving. He expects us to do the same.
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: Who is in a position to condemn us?
People: Only Jesus Christ.
Leader: But Christ died and rose for us,
People: And now reigns in power for us, and prays for us.
Leader: Nothing can separate us from God's love.
People: In Jesus Christ. Amen!
A narrative Assurance Of Pardon.
The old man said, "Ah, it's too late for me. I can't change anymore. I'm too old, too set in my ways."
But the Lord said, "I changed the world through eighty-year-old Moses and 100-year-old Abraham and ninety-year-old Sarah."
The young girl said, "I'm too young for the Lord to do much with me."
But the Lord said, "I have done mighty works through young people like David and Daniel and Jeremiah and Mary."
This one said, "I have little to give, my limitations are too much to overcome."
But the Lord said, "I spoke to Balaam through his mule, and taught Paul that when he was weak then he was strongest in me."
It is never too late with the Lord.
You are never too young for the Lord.
There are no obstacles he cannot overcome.
You are forgiven, you are loved, now serve him with all your heart. Amen.
Prayer Of Dedication
Jesus our Lord, you told Pilate that your kingdom was not of this world, but you are a King; our King. May our giving reflect our desire to be one of your subjects, and may our gifts be used to make your kingdom more real and more alive in the midst of the kingdoms of this world. Amen.
Prayer For Illumination
Leader: Let us pray. Lord Jesus,
People: Sharpen our focus on you;
Leader: You are the Way.
People: Attune our ears to your truth;
Leader: You are the Truth.
People: Challenge and change us;
Leader: You are the Life.
People: Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord God, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. You are the one who was, and is, and is to come. What comfort those words are to us. What peace is ours through them.
But this peace is ours only when we do the work of staying close to you; only when we give ourselves to the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and service. So help us to engage in these disciplines that enable us to maintain our relationship with you, and know the peace that results. Then help us to live out of that peace in such a way that those around us, at work, at school, at home, will be drawn into it, and brought closer to you. Amen.
Benediction
Revelation passage.
Jesus Christ loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. He has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father. Faithfully live in his name. To Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, who was, and is, and is to come, the Almighty, to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
Hymns
All For Jesus
All Glory, Laud, And Honor
All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name
Alleluia, Alleluia
Come And Praise The Lord Our King
Fairest Lord Jesus
Glorious Is Thy Name
He Is Lord
His Name Is Wonderful
How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds
I Love Thee
Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know
Jesus, Name Above All Names
Join All The Glorious Names
King Of Heaven, Lord Most High
King Of Kings
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Majesty
May Jesus Christ Be Praised
Our Great Savior
Praise Him, Praise Him
Thou Art Worthy
We Will Glorify
Contemporary Choruses
He Is Exalted, Twila Paris
King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High, Rick Founds
Lord, Most High, Don Harris and Gary Sadler
Praise The Name Of Jesus
Shout To The North, Martin Smith
There's Something About That Name
Thou Art Worthy
You Are My King, Billy Foote
Other Music
Sing Your Praise To The Lord, Amy Grant
Excellent and upbeat praise song.
You Are My King, Passion
