A compassionate Servant
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Call to Worship
Pastor:
Sinners such as you and I make it necessary for God to send his Servant to redeem us.
People:
We are guilty of sin, and suffer the consequence of our sins.
Pastor:
God has sent his Servant, Jesus, to have compassion on us, and deliver us from the power of sin.
People:
Bless the Lord, O my soul, for his compassionate love in Christ Jesus his Son!
Collect
O God of compassion, who has sent your Son to deliver those who are imprisoned by sin: Release us from our bondage to sin; that we may share in your new covenant of grace and mercy provided by your Son, our Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We have eyes to see, Father, but sin distorts our vision of that which is holy. We crave freedom, but sin makes us captives. We need your compassionate love, O God, to deliver us, and reclaim us as your children. Forgive us for our sins which oppress us as we struggle to come alive. Give us the blessing of your Son who came to minister on our behalf, that we may rejoice in your glory. In his name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Depth of Mercy"
"Holy Ghost, Dispel Our Sadness"
"O Love Divine, That Stooped to Share"
"There Is a Balm in Gilead"
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Second Lesson: Hebrews 9:11-15
Theme:
Christ, the perfect sacrifice
Call to Worship
Pastor:
If God had offered only one covenant, there would be no atonement for our sins.
People:
There is no way we can make atonement for our sins against God's laws in his first covenant.
Pastor:
The supreme sacrifice for sin has been made for us by Jesus. It is his sacrifice which saves us under the new covenant.
People:
We depend on God's grace which he shares so freely in this new covenant through his Son.
Collect
Glorious Father, whose grace is sufficient for our salvation because of your Son's sacrificial death on our behalf: Receive us as children of your new covenant; that we may enjoy the blessings you have promised through Jesus your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are so helpless, Father, when we try to defend ourselves against sin. There is no sacrifice we can make that will atone for our sins. But we come confessing that we are sinners, and we ask you to forgive us. Forgive us for Christ's sake, who offered himself as the one perfect sacrifice for our sins. Share your grace with us in a covenant relationship which will bind us to you in love, even into eternity. We pray in our Savior's name. Amen.
Hymns
"Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed"
"Amazing Grace"
"There Is a Fountain"
"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Gospel:
John 12:1-11
Theme:
The example of sincere devotion to Christ
Call to Worship
Pastor:
The mind is important in living the Christian life; but devotion to Christ is often a matter of the heart more than the mind.
People:
Sincere devotion to Christ expresses itself in spontaneous love that does not wait for mental instructions.
Pastor:
The mask of false piety, or love inhibited by logic and reason, prevent the devotion our Lord deserves.
People:
May we be free to give honest devotion which expresses the genuine love we have for Christ.
Collect
Almighty God, who has shown us the depth of your love in the sacrificial ministry of your Son: Inspire our hearts with freedom to demonstrate our love and devotion, that we may be sincere in the faith and worship we express with our lips. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are people with emotions, Father, but we are afraid our emotions will conflict with our intelligence. So our devotion is controlled by what we think rather than by what we feel. Forgive us for love we have felt, but which we suppressed. Forgive us for love we have expressed, but which we did not feel in our hearts. Strengthen us by your Spirit to be honest and sincere in our devotion to your Son, that faith may not become a passive religious ritual. In his name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken"
"Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee"
"Lord Jesus, I Love Thee"
"Truehearted, Wholehearted"
Pastor:
Sinners such as you and I make it necessary for God to send his Servant to redeem us.
People:
We are guilty of sin, and suffer the consequence of our sins.
Pastor:
God has sent his Servant, Jesus, to have compassion on us, and deliver us from the power of sin.
People:
Bless the Lord, O my soul, for his compassionate love in Christ Jesus his Son!
Collect
O God of compassion, who has sent your Son to deliver those who are imprisoned by sin: Release us from our bondage to sin; that we may share in your new covenant of grace and mercy provided by your Son, our Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We have eyes to see, Father, but sin distorts our vision of that which is holy. We crave freedom, but sin makes us captives. We need your compassionate love, O God, to deliver us, and reclaim us as your children. Forgive us for our sins which oppress us as we struggle to come alive. Give us the blessing of your Son who came to minister on our behalf, that we may rejoice in your glory. In his name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Depth of Mercy"
"Holy Ghost, Dispel Our Sadness"
"O Love Divine, That Stooped to Share"
"There Is a Balm in Gilead"
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Second Lesson: Hebrews 9:11-15
Theme:
Christ, the perfect sacrifice
Call to Worship
Pastor:
If God had offered only one covenant, there would be no atonement for our sins.
People:
There is no way we can make atonement for our sins against God's laws in his first covenant.
Pastor:
The supreme sacrifice for sin has been made for us by Jesus. It is his sacrifice which saves us under the new covenant.
People:
We depend on God's grace which he shares so freely in this new covenant through his Son.
Collect
Glorious Father, whose grace is sufficient for our salvation because of your Son's sacrificial death on our behalf: Receive us as children of your new covenant; that we may enjoy the blessings you have promised through Jesus your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are so helpless, Father, when we try to defend ourselves against sin. There is no sacrifice we can make that will atone for our sins. But we come confessing that we are sinners, and we ask you to forgive us. Forgive us for Christ's sake, who offered himself as the one perfect sacrifice for our sins. Share your grace with us in a covenant relationship which will bind us to you in love, even into eternity. We pray in our Savior's name. Amen.
Hymns
"Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed"
"Amazing Grace"
"There Is a Fountain"
"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Gospel:
John 12:1-11
Theme:
The example of sincere devotion to Christ
Call to Worship
Pastor:
The mind is important in living the Christian life; but devotion to Christ is often a matter of the heart more than the mind.
People:
Sincere devotion to Christ expresses itself in spontaneous love that does not wait for mental instructions.
Pastor:
The mask of false piety, or love inhibited by logic and reason, prevent the devotion our Lord deserves.
People:
May we be free to give honest devotion which expresses the genuine love we have for Christ.
Collect
Almighty God, who has shown us the depth of your love in the sacrificial ministry of your Son: Inspire our hearts with freedom to demonstrate our love and devotion, that we may be sincere in the faith and worship we express with our lips. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are people with emotions, Father, but we are afraid our emotions will conflict with our intelligence. So our devotion is controlled by what we think rather than by what we feel. Forgive us for love we have felt, but which we suppressed. Forgive us for love we have expressed, but which we did not feel in our hearts. Strengthen us by your Spirit to be honest and sincere in our devotion to your Son, that faith may not become a passive religious ritual. In his name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken"
"Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee"
"Lord Jesus, I Love Thee"
"Truehearted, Wholehearted"
