Currently watching: MSU/ TENN in the NCAA TournamentCurrently listening to the rain.
Here's our set from this morning:
"Hosanna (Praise is Rising)" [Paul Baloche, Brenton Brown] Scripture reading from Mt. 21:1-11 "Hosanna" [Brooke Fraser] "Let Me Sing" [Todd Fields] Scripture reading from Mt. 24:29-30 "Glory to God Forever" [Steve Fee] "Lord of All" [Kristian Stanfill] Message by Rob Schenck INV - "Center" [Charlie Hall] OFF/CLOSING - "The Wonderful Cross" [Isaac Watts, Chris Tomlin, J.D. Walt, Jesse Reeves, and Lowell Mason]
This morning was a good morning. I was really sick, and my throat was on fire, but we made it through. I felt a little off the entire morning because my head wasn't very clear, due to sinus pressure. God We were celebrating Palm Sunday and the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The two "Hosanna's" were perfect for today. I usually try to keep them out of the same set, just because I feel strange doing two songs with the same title. Today is the day when the word Hosanna is one of the main ideas. It's interesting that we sing and use the word "Hosanna," but many people do not know what it means. It is a name that means "Save us!" The people who were proclaiming it thought that Jesus was coming to restore Israel and free them from Roman rule, so they called out, "Save us!" It is really a variation of Jesus' name, which means "The Lord Saves." Jesus entered like King Solomon, son of David in 1 Kings 1:32ff, riding on a mule as the anointed king of Israel, heading to his coronation. He was doing just that, but not in the way that we would expect. He came to defeat death with His own death. He saved the lost by dying in their place, rather than bringing a change of government. (As I typed those words, I was challenged; our world doesn't merely need a change of government - it needs salvation. We sometimes get our priorities out of line. The gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be our priority, despite how we feel about government, politics, and issues. I digress...) His victory is the greatest victory that has ever been won.
After we read the passage in Matthew 21, it seemed like people sang that word with a little more understanding, and it was a beautiful thing. The second set took a turn more toward Jesus Christ's power and glory, with a glance toward both His sacrificial death and His returning. The passage in Mt. 24 deals with His return, and I thought it fit well in the context of Palm Sunday. It was something different for me, so I was interested to see how it flowed.
The songs surrounding that passage were "Let Me Sing," which is a great song that says, "Let me sing/ Louder than creation to You/ For the pain You bore in Your body/ To bring my soul to you." I love that lyric. "Glory to God Forever" is a solid exaltation and surrender song, and "Lord of All" is always a win for us in worship. Kristian Stanfill nailed it with this song. Taken somewhat from Psalm 19, it focuses on the majesty, mystery, glory, power, exaltation, and holiness of God, and our proper response to Him. Here is the lyric: "Lord of All" by Kristian Stanfill
Verse 1 Wonder and awe surround You Lord Glory and fire light Your way Day after day, the heaven's proclaim The beauty of the Holy One
Pre-Chorus We will respond With joy in our song Your enemies rise, Your enemies fall Your fire consumes them all
Chorus There is none so high and holy King of kings the one and only You are adored, You are the Lord of all
Verse 2 Mysteries are known alone to You All wisdom is Yours to reveal You hold in Your hand the days of all men All life and breath is Yours to give
Bridge We adore You, we adore You Lord of all the earth Lord, we love You, Lord, we love You Let our hearts be pure, O Lord
Jesus alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. May our lives, our words, and our love declare His greatness, His grace, and His mercy. He deserves our best because He gave us His best.
In the Son,
Bill
Be sure to check out www.theworshipcommunity.com's Sunday Set Lists to see what other churches and leaders did to celebrate this day.