Sunday Morning Worship Service, Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020
Brothers and Sisters of Seacrest Church,
For the next couple of weeks, Pastor Jay and I are going to preach and teach a short series titled, “Why did Jesus Come?” It will be the subject of our Palm Sunday and Easter Services as well as the daily devotionals of this week. On Good Friday, we are asking you to join us at home in a day of prayer and fasting. I will be posting the information on how to participate on our web-site and through our church e-mail lists.
We hope to also have the morning and evening worship services available to you on Zoom at 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM when we would normally meet. This will provide both audio and video of the service. We will be sending out information to you today on how to connect.
Worship
We are gathered in our homes, and together in the Spirit on this Palm Sunday to worship our God. On the web-site, www.seacrestchurch.com, we have posted a worship service format that you can follow both for the morning and the evening worship services. So whether we are together or apart, we will be worshipping the Lord our God in unity, joining in a chorus of praise to God.
You do not have to use this format, God did not prescribe a fixed format for worship. But we believe the following elements ought to be present in our worship and we hope that this format will prove to be a helpful tool. The goal of our worship is the glory of God.
Call to Worship: On your own, or together with your family, read the call to worship. You may find it beneficial to read it out loud. Let the words of the Scripture draw your heart and mind near to God.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:5-13 ESV)
Invocation: Spend a few minutes in prayer. The word invocation comes from a Latin word invocare which means to call upon or to appeal to. So in the invocation, we call upon our Father (Matthew 6:9), acknowledging that He is God, confessing that we trust Him. Ask Him to lead you by his Spirit in worship through the intercession of Jesus Christ.
Sing: Singing is an important part of worship. God desires it, (Psalm 96:1-2). We will be including the words of several familiar hymns. I urge you to lift up your voice and Sing to the Lord, bless his name, tell of his salvation from day to day.
We Have Heard the Joyful Sound
By Priscilla J. Owens
We have heard the joyful sound
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land
Climb the steeps and cross the waves
Onward tis our Lord s command
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Waft it on the rolling tide
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Tell to sinners far and wide
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing ye islands of the sea
Echo back ye ocean caves
Earth shall keep her jubilee
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing above the battles strife
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By His death and endless life
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing it softly thru the gloom
When the heart for mercy craves
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Give the winds a mighty voice
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free
Highest hills and deepest caves
This our song of victory
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Prayer: Take time for extended prayer. Don’t forget, prayer is talking with God just as you would talk with an earthly parent who loves you, (See Matthew 6:9-15). There is a model that God’s people have used for many years that gives a helpful outline for your prayer. It has been called the ACTS Model: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.
- Adoration: Begin your time of prayer by praising God. Praise Him for who he is and for all that he has done. (See Psalm 150 for an example)
- Confession: Confession is the act of agreeing with God about the things that we have done wrong. It is acknowledging what we have done that is displeasing to God. It includes things done, and things left undone. It includes our words, thoughts and actions. Confess them and ask God to forgive you. Be assured of his promise: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn. 1:9 ESV)
- Thanksgiving: Take time to be thankful to God. Sometimes in times of crisis such as these we forget to thank God for his many blessings. Thank him for your salvation, for his steadfast love, for his protection, his peace and provision, for our Seacrest Church family, to suggest a few things.
- Supplication: This is when you pray regarding your needs and the needs of others. Prayer for your family, your friends, your pastor, elders and deacons, missionaries, those who are ill. Pray for the spread of the gospel, and the building up of followers of Christ. This is also a time when you would pray concerning what is going on in the world, praying for those in authority, the Coronavirus pandemic. This is also a time to pray for God’s guidance, wisdom, protection, and opportunities to serve Him.
Give: God calls upon his people to give at least a tithe of our income and other offerings to the work of the Lord through the Church of Jesus Christ. By doing so we acknowledge that God is the Lord of our life, and that all that we have has come from his hand. We have recently made available Online Giving at Seacrest. You can do so by going to https://seacrest.breezechms.com/give/online, and following the directions.
Scripture Reading: We will be posting the Scripture passage that the sermon will be drawn from. Don’t forget, as I have often reminded you, God speaks most directly to his people when His Word is read. Take your time as you read the Scripture. You may find it helpful to read it out loud, (See Psalm 1).
John 12:44-50
And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment– what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
Click HERE to listen to the sermon.
The Text: John 12:44-50
The Title: Why Did Jesus Come? Jesus Came to Save
Pray: Pray for your understanding of God’s Word and for wisdom and ability to believe what the Word of God says we should believe, and to do what the Word of God says we should do.
Sing: Close your time of worship with prayer.
O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and king,
The triumphs of His grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
The honors of Thy name.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease—
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin,
He sets the pris’ner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, list’ning to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb
Your loosen’d tongues employ;
Ye blind behold your Savior come;
And leap ye lame for joy.
We will post the Sunday Worship Service on the Web-site on Friday for your use on the Lord’s Day.
Please remember that you are deeply loved by God, (see Romans 8:35-39) and by us, (see Philippians 1:3-10). If you have particular needs, prayer requests, ideas, or just want to talk, We can be reached either at the church (561) 276-5533, or cell phone (561) 704-8333. If you would like a pastoral visit, please call and we will be happy to set up a time to get together.
May the Lord bless you during these difficult days!
Leave a Reply