April 5, 2020 – Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday

April 4, 2020 Leave a comment

Make sure to scroll down for the entire service.

Welcome to the CTK "At Home" church service. Feel free to join in anytime that is convenient for you!

Sunday School Materials -- Children ages 0-109 will love!

Introduction & Greeting

Today, we encounter the paradox that defines our faith: Jesus Christ is glorified king and humiliated servant. We too are full of paradox: like Peter, we fervently desire to follow Christ, but find ourselves afraid, denying God. We wave palms in celebration today as Christ comes into our midst, and we follow with trepidation as his path leads to death on the cross. Amid it all we are invited into this paradoxical promise of life through Christ’s broken body and outpoured love in a meal of bread and wine. We begin this week that stands at the center of the church year, anticipating the completion of God’s astounding work.

Call to Worship

We come to prepare for the holiest of weeks.
We will journey through praise, with joy on our lips;
we will travel through betrayal and death,
cradling hope deep in our hearts.

Jesus leads us through this week, and we will follow,
for he is the life we long for,
he is the Word who sustains us.
We wave palm branches in anticipation,
we lay our love before him, to cushion his walk.

Setting aside all power, glory, and might, he comes:
modeling humility and obedience for all of us.
Hosanna! Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who brings us the kingdom of God.

Opening Song

I see the King of Glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes, yeah
I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am…

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who is present, who gives life,
who calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Amen.
If you were to keep watch over sins, O Lord, who could stand?
Yet with you is forgiveness, and so we confess.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Gracious God,
have mercy on us.
We confess that we have turned away from you,
knowingly and unknowingly.
We have wandered from your resurrection life.
We have strayed from your love for all people.
Turn us back to you, O God.
Give us new hearts and right spirits,
that we may find what is pleasing to you
and dwell in your house forever. Amen.
Receive good news: God turns to you in love.
“I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live,” says our God.
All your sin is forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ,
who is the free and abounding gift of God’s grace for you.
Amen.

Kyrie

In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

Help, save, comfort and defend us gracious Lord.
Amen.

Canticle of Praise

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

O God of mercy and might, in the mystery of the passion of your Son you offer your infinite life to the world. Gather us around the cross of Christ, and preserve us until the resurrection, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a

The servant of the Lord expresses absolute confidence in his final vindication, despite the fact that he has been struck and spit upon. This characteristic of the servant played an important role in the early church’s understanding of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
 4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.

7The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9aIt is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?

Psalm: Psalm 31:9-16

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. (Ps. 31:5)
 9Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I | am in trouble;
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat | and my belly.
10For my life is wasted with grief, and my | years with sighing;
my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones | are consumed.
11I am the scorn of all my enemies, a disgrace to my neighbors, a dismay to | my acquaintances;
when they see me in the street | they avoid me.
12Like the dead I am forgotten, | out of mind;
I am as useless as a | broken pot. R
13For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is | all around;
they put their heads together against me; they plot to | take my life.
14But as for me, I have trusted in | you, O Lord.
I have said, “You | are my God.
15My times are | in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who | persecute me.
16Let your face shine up- | on your servant;
save me in your | steadfast love.” R

Second Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

Paul uses an early Christian hymn to help us comprehend Jesus’ obedient selflessness on the cross and how God has made Christ lord over all reality. The perspective of the cross becomes the way we rightly understand God, Christ, our own lives, and fellowship within the community of Christ.
5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

9Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel Song

Gospel Reading

Meditation/Homily

The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
The Final Week

Study Materials -- Week 6

Previous Week's Studies

Images from the 2019 CTK trip to Israel
The Way of the Cross

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Turning our hearts to God who is gracious and merciful, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.

God of mercy, awaken your church to new proclamations of your faithfulness. By your Spirit, give us bold and joyful words to speak, that we sustain the weary with the message of your redemption. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of mercy, quiet the earth where it trembles and shakes. Protect vulnerable ecosystems, threatened habitats, and endangered species. Prosper the work of scientists, engineers, and researchers who find ways to restore creation to health and wholeness. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of mercy, drive away fear and anger that cause us to turn against one another. Give courage to leaders who seek liberation for the oppressed. Bring peace and hope to those who are in prison and those who face execution. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of mercy, send your saving help to all who suffer abuse, insult, discrimination, or contempt. Heal the wounded. Comfort the dying. Bring peace to those suffering chronic or terminal illness. Tend to all who cry out for relief
(especially those whom we name now, either silently or aloud).

Hear us, O God.

Your mercy is great.
God of mercy, we pray for all who will prepare and lead worship in this Holy Week. In all things, show us the ways that you call us to die to self, to live for you, and to give of ourselves for the sake of others. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

God of mercy, when we breathe our last, you raise us to eternal life. With all your witnesses in heaven and on earth (especially), let us boldly confess the name of Jesus Christ, our resurrection and our hope. Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
According to your steadfast love, O God, hear these and all our prayers as we commend them to you; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Passing of the Peace

Please drop in and join us in our virtual Passing of the Peace and Fellowship space on Sundays from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

https://meet.google.com/saw-xxes-khz
or
Dial-in: (US) +1 414-909-6054 PIN: 832 328 690#

Announcements

Continue to collect your "Don't Drop the Top" for Donner Trail Elementary benches.

CHRIST the KING church now has online giving! Please check out our website for more information: https://ctktahoe.net/give

Due to the extension of the "stay at home" order by the Placer County Health Department, we will be unable to gather for the Sunrise Easter Service.

Offering &
Offering Prayer

Although we won’t be able to pass the offering plate, CTK's expenses do not decrease.  In fact, some church expenses have already or will soon increase as we assist in needs across Lake Tahoe and beyond.  We understand the current situation not only impacts CTK's finances, but also yours.

We are hoping that if you are able, you will continue your regular weekly offering. Please visit our online giving page at https://ctktahoe.net/give

Regular and special offerings can also be mailed to: CHRIST the KING Church, PO Box 6449, Tahoe City, CA 96145

**During Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter, we will be raising $6,000 for local hunger needs around the lake. $3,000 will be pledged to the Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe to support over a week of dinners for Incline, North Tahoe, and Truckee families in need. Another $3,000 has been set aside for the North Tahoe Ministerial Association to purchase grocery and gas cards for families in need. As the offerings from Good Friday and Easter Sunday Sunrise service typically support relief programs in our community, please consider assisting with this project!

Offering Prayer:
Holy and generous God,
Prepare us to witness to your goodness
with every gift you have given us to share,
that all people may know your peace
through Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen.

Closing Song

Benediction, Doxology, & Sending

Now is the acceptable time.
Now is the day of salvation.
Holy God,
speaking, spoken, and inspiring,
☩ bless you, unbind you,
and send you in love and in peace.
Amen.
Go in peace. Share the good news.
Thanks be to God.

To Study in this Upcoming Week

The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus

6.  The Final Week: Jerusalem
Study Materials

Upcoming Commemorations

Albrecht Dürer, died 1528; Matthias Grünewald, died 1529; Lucas Cranach, died 1553; artists
Monday, April 6, 2020
These great artists revealed through their work the mystery of salvation and the wonder of creation. Dürer's work reflected the apocalyptic spirit of his time. Though he remained a Roman Catholic, he was sympathetic to Martin Luther's reforming work. Grünewald's paintings are known for their dramatic forms, vivid colors, and depiction of light. Cranach's work includes many fine religious examples and several portraits of Martin Luther. Cranach was also widely known for his woodcuts.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, died 1945
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who wrote profoundly, yet in an accessible manner. In the Second World War, he became a leader of the Confessing Church in Germany that resisted the Nazi movement. Linked to a plot to kill Hitler, he was hanged shortly before the end of the war.
Mikael Agricola, Bishop of Turku, died 1557
Friday, April 10, 2020
Consecrated bishop of Turku, Finland, without the approval of the pope, Agricola began a reform along Lutheran lines. In only three years, he translated the New Testament and worship texts into Finnish, in the process establishing the rules of Finnish writing that are still used today.

Shares, Funnies, and Prayers

Updated weekly with items CTK friends have shared during this time. Will also include photos, etc. Please email office@ctktahoe.net or pastor@ctktahoe.net.

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