PROVIDENCE CHURCH

     ASCENSION SUNDAY   MAY 24, 2020

 

Welcome

Passing of the Peace: Though we are separated by distance our hearts are one in Christ. The peace of Christ be with you!

Doxology:

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

 

Call to worship:   Psalm 47 – A responsive reading

Pastor:  O clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy.
People: For the Lord Most High is to be feared and worshiped with awe-inspired reverence and obedience; He is a great King over all the earth.
Pastor:  He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet.
People: He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory and excellence of Jacob whom He loves.
Pastor:  God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
People: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.

Pastor: Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

People: For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.

ALL:  God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

Song of Praise:  Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber, 1783-1826; tune John Dykes, 1861)

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

 

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,

casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,

who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

 

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,

Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee

perfect in power, in love, and purity.

 

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

 

 

Confession/Assurance:   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Respond in Praise:   What a Beautiful Name (Brooke Ligertwood & Ben Fielding, 2017)

You were the Word at the beginning, one with God the Lord Most High;

Your hidden glory in creation now revealed in you, our Christ—

What a beautiful name it is, what a beautiful name it is,

the name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a beautiful name it is, nothing compares to this,

what a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus.

 

The earth was lost in utter darkness,

so Jesus you brought heaven down.

My sin was great—your love was greater;

what could separate us now?

 

What a wonderful name it is, what a wonderful name it is,

the name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a wonderful name it is, nothing compares to this,

what a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus,

what a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus…

 

…Death could not hold you, the veil tore before you,

you silence the boast of sin and grave.

The heavens are roaring the praise of your glory,

for you are raised to life again.

You have no rival, you have no equal,

now are forever, God, you reign.

Yours is the kingdom, yours is the glory,

yours is the name above all names!

 

What a powerful name it is, what a powerful name it is,

The name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a powerful name it is, nothing can stand against,

what a powerful name it is, the name of Jesus,

what a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus,

what a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus.

 

Scripture Reading:    Acts 1

The first account I made, Theophilus, was a continuous report about all the things that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen.  To these disciples He also showed Himself alive after His suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross, by a series of many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of God.  While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.  For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses to tell people about Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight.  While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them,  who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

This is the Word of the Lord

 SERMON


 

Prayers of the people: Pray for yourself, family and community, nation and the world.

Hymn of Thanksgiving:   Jesus Shall Reign

(Verse words by Isaac Watts, 1719; verse music by John Hatton, 1793; chorus words & music Keith & Kristyn Getty and Ed Cash, 2017)

Jesus shall reign where e’er the sun

does his successive journeys run;

his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

till moons shall wax and wane no more.

 

Blessings abound where e’er he reigns;

the pris’ner leaps to lose his chains;

the weary find eternal rest,

and all the sons of want are blessed.

 

Chorus: To our King be highest praise,

rising through eternal days.

Just and faithful he shall reign:

Jesus shall reign!

 

Where he displays his healing power,

Death and the curse are found no more:

in him the tribes of Adam boast

more blessings than their father lost.

 

People and realms of every tongue

dwell on his love with sweetest song;

and infant voices shall proclaim

their early praises to his name. (Chorus)

 

Let every creature rise and bring

blessing and honor to our king;

angels descend with songs again,

and earth repeat the loud Amen! (Chorus)

 

Benediction