Christ the King Sunday
The Last Sunday After Pentecost
November 23, 2014
Pre-Service Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing Your Word to me as my Prophet. Thank You for sacrificing Yourself on the cross and continuing to intercede for me with the Father as my Priest. Thank you for defeating my enemies, providing for me, protecting me, and ruling in my heart and life as my King. Today I celebrate You and the joy of being a citizen in Your Kingdom. Enable me to be a faithful citizen serving You, always reflecting that Heaven is my true home and that You are my King. Amen.
Call to Worship: Revelation 5:8-14
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever
Hymn: The Lamb [LSB 547]
The Lamb, the Lamb,
O Father, where’s the sacrifice?
Faith sees, believes
God will provide the Lamb of price!
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
The Lamb, the Lamb,
One perfect final offering.
The Lamb, the Lamb,
Let earth join heav’n His praise to sing.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
The Lamb, the Lamb,
As wayward sheep their shepherd kill
So still, His will
On our behalf the Law to fill.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
He sighs, he dies,
He takes my sin and wretchedness.
He lives, forgives,
He gives me His own righteousness.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
He rose, He rose,
My heart with thanks now overflows.
His song prolong
Till ev’ry heart to Him belong.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
Hymn: Beautiful Savior [TLH 657]
Beautiful Savior, King of Creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love Thee, Truly I’d serve Thee,
Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flowers of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer;
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be Thine!
Invocation: We worship in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Confession of Sins
Lord God, we come before You to confess our sins which have separated us from You. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have sinned against You in thought, in words, and in actions. We have sinned by what we have done and by what we have not done. We pray, asking You to forgive us because Jesus Christ has paid for our sins on the cross, and we have redemption in His name. Restore us, lead us, and help us to amend our lives to Your glory. Amen.
Absolution
Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Your Savior and King, has lived a perfect life in your place. His holiness fulfills God’s Law for you. He has also died for every one of your sins. God has declared the whole world of sinners righteous in His sight through Christ Jesus. Jesus has given the power to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of those who put their faith in Him. By virtue of the work of your Savior, Jesus, and by the authority He grants to each believer, I forgive you all of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introduction
A king protects his people. A king provides for his people. A king leads his people. A king rules his people with justice for their blessing. Someone can’t just decide to be king, he has to be placed in power and given the authority.
Jesus is our King. He has gone to battle for us by coming to the earth to live and die as our Savior. He came to do battle against every spiritual enemy and has conquered the Devil, sin, and the world. Jesus, our King makes His victory ours so with Him we defeat sin, death, and the Devil. Jesus, our King, also protects us in the everyday kinds of things in this life as He leads us to our heavenly home.
Jesus, our King, provides for us and for our needs in this life. Jesus leads us with His Word, showing us what is good and pleasing to our heavenly Father, equipping us to serve our heavenly Father, providing guidance to our daily lives, and showing us the way of salvation.
Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. He is sitting at the right hand of God ruling over all things. He rules in our hearts and lives through His Word, and He has as His goal bringing us to our eternal home in Heaven.
Today’s worship service is a collection of Scripture readings and songs through which we will celebrate Jesus as our King.
The first part of the worship service reviews highlights of Jesus’ life and ministry as our King—all of which He did to accomplish our salvation and make us citizens in His Kingdom. We will remember His birth, how He revealed Himself as the Son of God through His preaching and miracles, His suffering and death, His resurrection, and His glorious return to Heaven.
As you once again hear the plan of salvation unfold, rejoice that Jesus your Savior-King has redeemed you and made you part of His spiritual kingdom.
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:30-33
Then the angel said to [Mary], “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Hymn: This is He [WS 2000 762:1]
In a lowly manger born, humble life begun in scorn,
Under Joseph’s watchful eye, Jesus grew as you and I;
Knew the suff’rings of the weak,
knew the patience of the meek,
Hungered as but poor folk can.
This is He; behold the man!
Scripture Reading: John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hymn: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise [TLH 134:2-3]
Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,
And at Cana, Wedding-guest,
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine, Changing water into wine.
Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.
Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill.
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
Scripture Reading: John 12:12-13
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”
Hymn: No Tramp of Soliders’ Marching Feet [WS 2000 725:1-2]
No tramp of soldiers’ marching feet
with banners and with drums,
No sound of music’s martial beat—
The King of glory comes!”
To greet what pomp of kingly pride
no bells in triumph ring,
No city gates swing open wide:
“Behold, behold your King!”
And yet He comes. The children cheer;
with palms His path is strown.
With ev’ry step the cross draws near—
the King of glory’s throne.
Astride a colt He passes by as loud hosannas ring,
Or else the very stones would cry,
“Behold, behold your King!”
Scripture Reading: Romans 4:25
[Jesus our Lord] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Hymn: What is This Bread? [WS 2000 755:3]
So who am I, that I should live
and He should die under the rod.
My God, my God, Why have you not forsaken me?
Oh, taste and see—the Lord is free.
Hymn: When I Survey the Wond’rous Cross [TLH 175]
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Hymn: He’s Risen, He’s Risen… [TLH 198:2-3]
The Foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.
In Satan’s domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.
But short was their triumph, the Savior arose,
And Death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes.
The conquering Lord lifts His banner on high.
He lives, yea, He lives, and will nevermore die.
Hymn: A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing [TLH 212:1,4]
A hymn of glory let us sing:
New songs throughout the world shall ring:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ, by a road before untrod,
Ascendeth to the throne of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
“Again shall ye behold Him so
As ye today have seen Him go,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
In glorious pomp ascending high,
Up to the portals of the sky.”
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Scripture Reading: John 20:30-31; 21:25
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name…And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Hymn: Who is He in Yonder Stall
Who is He in yonder stall,
at whose feet the shepherds fall?
Who is He in deep distress,
fasting in the wilderness?
Chorus:
‘Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord! The King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! Crown Him Lord of all!
Who is He the people bless
For His words of gentleness?
Who is He to whom they bring
all the sick and sorrowing?
Chorus
Who is He that stands and weeps
at the grave where Laz’rus sleeps?
Who is He the gath’ring throng
Greet with loud triumphant song?
Chorus
Lo, at midnight, who is He
Prays in dark Gethsemane?
Who is He on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?
Chorus
Who is He that from the grave
comes to heal and help and save?
Who is He that from the throne
Rules through all the world alone?
Chorus
Offering of Thankful Hearts
Introduction
Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom—one that He exercises in our hearts and lives through His Word. You are His citizens by faith in Him. He lived His life, He laid it down, and He took it again for you, and that makes all the difference in your lives now.
Your life with the King is defined by confidence—a supreme confidence that Jesus loves you because He said so and proved it by dying for you. Your confidence is that of being a baptized child of God so that you can stand against every enemy of your soul.
Your life with the King is one that has the opportunity to take anything and everything to Him in prayer.
Your life with the King includes His promise that He is with you always in every part of your life, in every year, in every high point and every low point—He is the constant.
Your life with the King involves your opportunity to serve Him with what you do and how you live your life, and what you say, with stewardship with all that he gives you.
Your life with the King doesn’t end when this life ends, in fact, it just begins then in all of its glory. When your life with the King comes to an end on this earth, it continues on forever in the glories and perfection of Heaven.
In the second part of the worship service we will celebrate and rejoice and praise our King as we recall what our life with the King is.
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:31-32,35,37-40
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hymn: God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It [WS 2000 751:2-4]
Sins disturb my soul no longer;
I am baptized into Christ.
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since My Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood?
Satan hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I’ve traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God my Lord unites with me!
Death, you cannot end my gladness;
I am baptized into Christ.
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit Paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith’s assurance brightly flashes
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:7-8
“Keep on asking, and it will be given to you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Hymn: What A Friend we Have In Jesus [TLH 451:1]
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:20b
Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Hymn: Borning Cry (John Yvilsaker)
I was there to hear your borning cry,
I’ll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.
I was there when you were but a child,
with a faith to suit you well;
In a blaze of light you wandered off
to find where demons dwell.
When you heard the wonder of the Word
I was there to cheer you on;
You were raised to praise the living Lord,
to whom you now belong.
If you find someone to share your time
and you join your hearts as one,
I’ll be there to make your verses rhyme
from dusk ’till rising sun.
In the middle ages of your life,
not too old, no longer young,
I’ll be there to guide you through the night,
complete what I’ve begun.
When the evening gently closes in,
and you shut your weary eyes,
I’ll be there as I have always been
with just one more surprise.
I was there to hear your borning cry,
I’ll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God…Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Hymn: Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us [LSB 851:2,4]
Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give You
Gladly, freely, of Your own;
With the sunshine of Your goodness
Melt our thankless hearts of stone
Till our cold and selfish natures,
Warmed by You, at length believe
That more happy and more blessed
‘Tis to give than to receive.
Lord of Glory, You have bought us
With Your life-blood as the price,
Never grudging for the lost ones
That tremendous sacrifice,
Give us faith to trust You boldly,
Hope, to stay our souls on You;
But, oh! best of all You graces,
With Your love our love renew.
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:8,17a, 18
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing…But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me…And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
Hymn: For All the Saints [TLH 463:3,5-8]
Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest.
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
Benediction:
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Hymn: Crown Him with Many Crowns [TLH 341:1,4,5]
Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of Life
Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of Heaven,
Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to whom is given
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns
As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns
For He is King of all.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.