With You Always - John 12

An order of worship planned around John 12:12-26, originally held at the Calvin Symposium on Worship. This service included a wordless drama performed by the Christian Learning Center.

Tags:: drama, symposium 2005
Worship Service: posted on June 1, 2005

Worship Service

Theme of the Service

Gathering

Gathering Songs

Including "Surely, Surely" "Yesu azali awa / Jesus Christ Is with Us"

Prayer of Preparation: "Out of Need and Out of Custom"

*Greeting and Call to Praise from Zechariah 9:9

The Lord be with you
And also with you.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

*Song of Praise: "Mantos y palmas" / "Filled with Excitement"

*Call to worship

As we are called into worship today,
it is sobering to remember
that when God appeared on earth in the person of Jesus,
most of the world did not recognize him
and therefore did not worship him.
Today we ask for faith that will open our eyes
to see Jesus for who he is,
that we might worship him in truth.
People of God, behold and see your God!

We open our eyes to see his glory.
We open our ears to hear his wisdom.
We open our hands to offer him gifts.
We open our mouths to sing his praise.
We open our hearts to offer him our love.
He is Lord!

*Psalm of Praise: Psalm 118 (Genevan): st. 1, 5

Proclamation

Sung Prayer for Illumination: "God of the Word"

Scripture: John 12:12-26

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon: "Mock Service or Real Living?" Listen

Response

*Hymn: "He Leadeth Me"

Testimony: Circle of Friends Drama Team

Song of Dedication: "Will You Come and Follow Me"

St. 1-4, Ken Medema
St. 5, all

During the singing, the drama team will represent us all in planting stalks of grain at the foot of the cross. In a smaller setting, we would all come forward.

Prayers of the People

*Statement of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own, but belong-
body and soul,
in life and in death-
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven.
In fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

*Song: "In Christ Alone My Hope Is Found"

Sending

*Prayer and Blessing from John 14:27:

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 not know you to the knowledge and love of you,
for the honor of your name. Amen.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.

*Closing Song

Credits and permissions

"Mantos y palmas" / "Filled with Excitement"
Text: Rubén Ruiz Avila (20th c.); Eng. tr. Gertrude C. Suppe (b. 1911)
Tune: Hosanna; Rubén Ruiz Avila; arr. Alvin Schutmaat (1921-1988)
© 1972, 1979, 1989, The United Methodist Publishing House, admin. The Copyright Company. All rights reserved.

"Psalm 118: Give Thanks to God for All His Goodness"
Text: Psalm 118; vers. Stanley Wiersma, 1982
Tune: Genevan 98/118; Genevan Psalter, 1551; harm. Claude Goudimel (c.1505-1572), 1564
Text © 1987, CRC Publications. All rights reserved.
In 2005 the Japanese Reformed Churches released a new edition of the Genevan Psalter, with all 150 psalms set to the original tunes from the Genevan Psalter, completed in 1562 under the direction of John Calvin. A recording is available of several of these psalms sung by members of the Bach Collegium Japan, available at the Faith Alive table.

"He Leadeth Me"
Text: Joseph H. Gilmore (1834-1918), 1862
Tune: Aughton; William B. Bradbury (1816-1868), 1864

"In Christ Alone My Hope Is Found"
Text: Stuart Townend
Music: Keith Getty
© 2001 Thankyou Music, admin. EMI Christian Music Publishing