The Lord’s Day
Palm Sunday
April 17, 2011
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of His mouth all their host.
(Psalm 33:6)
Prelude
Musical Offering Draw Nigh to Thy Jerusalem (text follows)
Draw nigh to Thy Jerusalem, O Lord,
Thy faithful people cry with one accord;
Ride on in triumph; Lord, behold, we lay
Our passions, lusts, and proud wills in Thy way!
Thy road is ready; and Thy paths made straight,
With longing expectation seem to wait
The consecration of Thy beauteous feet,
And silently Thy promised advent greet!
Hosanna! welcome to our hearts! for here
Thou hast a temple, too, as Zion dear;
O enter in, dear Lord, unbar the door;
And in that temple dwell forevermore.
Apostolic Greeting
*Call to Worship Psalm 93:1, 2
The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
*Gloria Patri No. 734
*Prayer of Invocation
*Hymn All Glory, Laud, and Honor No. 235
Public Confession
O God, forgive us for straying from the path of righteousness. Forgive us for using our words to tear down, rather than build up. Forgive us for our lack of compassion, kindness, and long-suffering. And forgive us for thinking of You wrongly as we have considered our circumstances.
Words of Assurance Titus 2:1113
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.
Response Behold the Throne of Grace! (inside front)
Prayer for the Tithe and Offerings
Collection of the Tithe and Offerings
*Doxology No. 731
*Declaring Our Faith2 Heidelberg Catechism
How are you righteous before God?
Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ.
Why do you say that you are righteous by faith only?
Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God; and that I cannot receive and apply the same to myself any other way than by faith only.
Pastoral Prayer
*Responsive Reading Psalm 2
Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”
He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’”
“’Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.’”
“‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!
*Hymn I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art No. 168
*Public Reading of the Word Acts 18:5–28
*Prayer for the Ministry of the Word
Sermon The Beginning of Passion Week John 12
Hymn O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High! No. 155
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
*Hymn Fountain of Never-Ceasing Grace No. 519
*Benediction
*Threefold Amen No. 740
* Congregation will please stand
+ Visitors: please see the note on the back of this bulletin
2 These questions and responses are based on the Heidelberg Catechism.