My God, my God! Why have you
forsaken me? Why do you remain so distant?
Why do you ignore my cries for help?
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.
Yet you are holy. The praises of
Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them.
You heard their cries for help and
saved them.
They put their trust in you and were
never disappointed.
But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by
all!
Everyone who sees me mocks me. They
sneer and shake their heads, saying,
"Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him!
If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD
rescue him!"
Yet you brought me safely from my
mother's womb
and
led me to trust you when I was a nursing infant.
I was thrust upon you at my birth.
You have been my God from the moment I was born.
Do not stay so far from me, for
trouble is near, and no one else can help me.
My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of
hemmed me in! Like roaring lions attacking their prey, they
come at me
with open mouths.
My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax, melting within
me.
My strength has dried up like sunbaked
clay. My tongue sticks to the
roof of my mouth. You have laid me in
the dust and left me for dead.
My enemies surround me like a pack
of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
I can count every bone in my body. My enemies stare at me
and gloat.
They divide my clothes among
themselves and throw dice for my garments.
O LORD, do not stay away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
SONGS OF WORSHIP (see insert)
WORSHIP IN GIVING Tithes and Offerings
Let us contemplate Jesus the Lord: instead of the joy meant for him,
he endured the cross, disregarding its disgrace.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
O Jesus Christ, born in humility to confound the proud and to raise the humble,
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
You lived among us, healing the sick, proclaiming Good News to the poor
and freedom to prisoners.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
You came to unbind the chains of every slavery,
friend of the humble, bread of hungry hearts,
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
Jesus, full of patience and goodness,
you showed forgiveness and kindness to the very end.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, you call to yourself all who are weary and burdened.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
Jesus, you came into the world to serve and to give your life;
you were betrayed for money, dragged before judges and nailed to the cross.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
Jesus, Lord of the universe, by your resurrection from the dead
you are alive at the Father’s side and there you prepare a place for us.
We worship you, Lord,
upon the cross.
Life in this present age is a kind of perpetual ‘Saturday’ – we look back at the Sacrifice of Christ, and yet we look ahead to that time when God’s Kingdom will fully come. Our hope is in the Cross – in our faith that this once and for all sacrifice is enough to cover all our sins, and that through the Cross, the power of death has been broken. Someday we will completely understand this.
Until that Day comes, we are constantly invited to the Cross. There we may leave our hurts, our pain, our sins, our doubts. There we may find comfort and peace that the world can never give us.
We invite you tonight to join in a Taizé tradition. Come before the Cross, and in some symbolic way that is meaningful to you, ‘cast your cares’ upon the Lord. You can sit, kneel, stand, put your hand on the Cross – it is up to you. No one should feel forced or self-conscious.
We will sing some Taizé choruses as you come (see insert).
BENEDICTION
ATTENDANCE LAST WEEK: Worship: 726 Sunday School: 217
PRAYER CONCERNS: Steve
Greer, Faye Sienkiewicz, Mary Louise Shingleton, Jean
Janssen (sister of Sue Adams), Christine Crane, Michael Zayas
(friend of The Nachsin’s), Pat & Gary Rutledge (niece &
nephew of Hugh & Marion Hamilton),
Eric Spruel, Robin Weitz
(friend of Ann Woodworth), Alice McCoy, Bill Madara (brother of Sam
Madara), Christopher Nicklen (brother of Fiona Nicklen), Maryellen Martin (sister-in-law of Debra
& Ed Vernier), Drew Spinelli,
Carolyn Szalkowski, Barrie Witty, Samantha Adams
(3 yrs. old - friend of Linda Wanagas). PRAYERS AND SYMPATHY TO: The Buford Family on the death of Janice Buford. SERVING IN IRAQ: Mark Dougherty, Jr.,
grandson of Marilyn McClendon, David Wichmann,
friend of Rick & Linda Young, Scott Berner,
grandson of Ray & Jean Berner, Michael Gala (cousin of Sue Lewis, nephew of
Chris Fisher), Phillip Daniels (grandson of Harris Fister),
Lt. Col. David Ottignon,
Light of the World, You
stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes, let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore You, hope of a life spent with You.
So, here I am to worship,
here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You’re my
God. And You’re
altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me.
King of all
days, oh so highly exalted, glorious in heaven above. Humbly You came to the Earth You created, all for love’s sake
became poor.
So, here I am to worship,
here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You’re my
God. And You’re
altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me.
And I’ll never know how much
it cost to see my sin upon that cross. (Repeat)
So, here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You’re my God. And You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me. (2000 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music)
Let the weak say I am strong. Let the poor say I am rich. Let the blind say I can see. It’s what the Lord has done in me. (Repeat)
Hosanna, hosanna to the Lamb
that was slain. Hosanna, hosanna, Jesus
died and rose again. (Repeat)
Into the river I will wade. There my sins are washed away, from the
heaven’s mercy stream of the Savior’s love for me. I will rise from waters deep
into the saving arms of God. I will sing
salvation songs: Jesus Christ has set me free!
Hosanna, hosanna to the Lamb
that was slain. Hosanna, hosanna, Jesus
died and rose again. (Repeat)
Let the weak say I am
strong. Let the poor say I am rich. Let the blind say I can see.
It’s what the Lord has done
in me. (1998 Hillsong
Music)
I will sing the wondrous
story of the Christ who died for me. How he left his home in Glory for the
cross of
Chorus: Yes I'll sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me. Sing it
with the saints in glory gathered by the crystal sea.
I was lost but Jesus found me found the sheep that went astray.
Threw his
loving arms around me Drew me back into the way. (repeat chorus)
I was bruised when Jesus
healed me faint was I from many a fall.
Sight was gone and fears
possessed me But he freed me from them all. (repeat chorus)
Soon he'll come, the Lord of glory come the Church his bride to claim And complete the wondrous story. Come Lord Jesus, come again.
There is a Redeemer Jesus,
God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah Holy One. Jesus my Redeemer Name
above all names, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, oh for Sinners slain.
Thank you, oh my Father, for
giving us your Son, and leaving Your Spirit 'til the work on Earth is done.
When I stand in Glory I will
see His face. There I'll serve my King
forever in that Holy place.
Thank you, oh my Father, for
giving us your Son, and leaving Your Spirit 'til the work on earth is done.
There is a Redeemer: Jesus, God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah, Holy, Holy One.
Thank you, oh my Father, for
giving us your Son, and leaving Your Spirit 'til the work on earth is
done; and leaving Your Spirit 'til the
work on earth is done. (1982 Birdwing Music)
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. O the
wonderful cross! O the wonderful cross
bids me come and die and find that I may truly live. O the wonderful cross! O the wonderful
cross! All who gather here by grace draw
near and bless Your name.
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? O the wonderful cross! O the wonderful cross bids me come and die
and find that I may truly live. O the
wonderful cross! O the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your
name.
Were the
whole realm of nature mine, that
were an off’ring far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul,
my life, my all! O the wonderful
cross! O the wonderful cross bids me
come and die and find that I may truly live.
O the wonderful cross! O the wonderful cross! All who gather here by grace draw near and
bless Your name. Copyright 2000 Worshiptogether.com