The True and Glorious Reality

Worship Songs on Apple Music

Worship Songs on Spotify

CALL TO WORSHIP

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27  The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!

28  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
29  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 84:1,2; 118:25-29

PRAYER OF INVOCATION

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we might perfectly love You, and worthily magnify Your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from The Book of Common Prayer, 1946

SONG OF PRAISE

Jesus Everlasting King (audio · lyrics & music charts)

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21:1-11

CHILDREN’S PRAISES

At this time watch the video of Living Hope children waving palm branches as we sing our Hosannas to the King who has come. You can sing along with “Hosanna” on our Apple Music or Spotify playlist, linked above.

CORPORATE CONFESSION OF FAITH

Are there more Gods than one?

There is but one only, the living and true God.

How many persons are there in the Godhead?

There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions 5 & 6

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

Take time as a family to pray for the church, for our leaders, for the world, for the abating of the virus, and other needs you know of. You can always look at the prayer requests in the weekly email.

OFFERING TO THE LORD

One of the ways believers worship when physically gathered is through giving. Currently we can’t do that. Many do however give online. If you would like to, you can do so here. Or you may mail a check to our mailing address. (Note: if you are out of work and find yourself in need - please contact our deacons).

As a song during this time: There is a Fountain Filled with Blood (video & lyrics · chord book)

SCRIPTURE READING

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:1-6

MESSAGE

“The True and Glorious Reality”

SONG OF RESPONSE

The Church’s One Foundation (audio · lyrics & music charts)

A PRAYER OF LONGING

As this would be a Sunday we would partake in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we feel the absence of that. It is ok, in fact it is good to long for that. The following is a prayer written by a fellow pastor that captures well that longing:

Lord Jesus, our hearts brim with longing today. We long for one another, for the day when we might gather again as your body, around your table of grace. We long for your table, spread out for us in this wilderness, where we feast upon the abundance of your house and drink from the river of your delights. We long for you, for your presence that is ours in the Supper. It is your body broken and your blood poured out that alone can strengthen our hearts and satisfy our thirst.

But until the day of our joyous reunion, teach us to lament this absence in our lives. Teach us to long for you, for your church, for your kingdom, and for the day of your coming again. For on that day you have promised to lead us up the mountain of God where we will partake with you a banquet of rich foods prepared for all peoples.

We pray this in the name of him who is the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation. Amen.

THE DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise Him, all creatures here below; 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host: 
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

SCRIPTURAL BENEDICTION

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20,21