Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all!

2 Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, ye ransomed from the fall,

hail him who saves you by his grace,

 and crown him Lord of all!

Hail him who saves you by his grace,

 and crown him Lord of all!

3 Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball

to him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all!

To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all!

4 O that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall!

We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all!

We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all!

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

LENT READING   “The Robe and Crown” John 19:1-7         

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Phil. 3:14

ONE: Keep pressing on toward the goal:

MANY: the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ   

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

Almighty God, our redeemer, 

in our weakness we have failed to be your messengers of forgiveness and hope. Renew us by your Holy Spirit, that we may follow your commands and proclaim your reign of love; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue#310][GTG#629] Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee 

1 Jesus, the very thought of thee with sweetness fills my breast.

But sweeter far thy face to see, and in thy presence rest.

2 Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,

nor can the mind recall

a sweeter sound than thy blest name, O Savior of us all.

3 O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek,

to those who fall, how kind thou art!

How good to those who seek!

4 But what to those who find? Ah, this nor tongue nor pen can show. The love of Jesus, what it is

none but his loved ones know.

5 Jesus, our only joy be thou, as thou our prize wilt be.

Jesus, be thou our glory now, and through eternity.

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of compassion, 

You call us to work for a world where all will be fed and have dignity, but we find ourselves distracted by our own desires. You call us to seek justice and peace, but we are satisfied with injustice and discord. You call us to bring liberty to the oppressed, but we do not insist on freedom for all. Forgive us, Redeemer. Turn us to your will by the power of your Spirit, so that all may know your justice and peace.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]     

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

1st SCRIPTURE Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.

Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

2nd  SCRIPTURE             John 12:1-8 

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON  “Won’t Forget, Can’t Regret, What I Did for Love”  CP Ford Dieth

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s 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.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY       The Old Rugged Cross – George Bennard

DOXOLOGY [GTG#609]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN  [Blue#394][GTG#792] There Is a Balm in Gilead

Refrain:

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;

there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

1 Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain,

but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. [Refrain]

2 Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,

and if you lack for knowledge, he’ll not refuse to lend. [Refrain]

3 If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

you can tell the love of Jesus and say, “He died for all.” [Refrain]

PARTING PRAYER  

Lord  Jesus Christ,

You stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace. So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do no know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your holy name. Amen.  

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#538][GTG#546] Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing Verse 3

3 Savior, when your love shall call us,

from our struggling pilgrim way,

let no fear of death appall us,

glad your summons to obey.

May we ever, may we ever

reign with you in endless day.

 POSTLUDE      Lift High the Cross by George W. Kitchin & Sydney H. Nicholson

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.