"The Stone", by Jars of Clay
“Christians worshipping in liturgical churches do not have to be told that the psalms are fit well for their worship. Quotations from the psalms, even whole psalms, are read by both the worship leader and the congregation, often in antiphony. Yet some psalms are so liturgical that while the meaning of their parts seems clear, they don’t have an obvious unified rational structure.
Psalm 118 is one such psalm. It contains several winners in the memory department. Watch for them as you read the psalm. But after several readings, try to notice not only these memorable lines but also some of the places where the speaker seems to change and where something seems to be going on around those who are speaking the lines.”
--“Praying the Psalms of Jesus”, by James W. Sire
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
---Matthew 21:9-11
Note: Worship is at 10:15 AM
In-person worship and live stream
Dear Grace Family,
It's Palm Sunday, the day known in ancient Israel as "Lamb Selection Day". On this day the lambs for Passover were presented to the temple to be blessed and prepared. During this time, Psalms 113-118 were recited all week commemorating God's work of salvation from Israel--and looking forward to a future redemption.
I wrote a poem seeking to paint a picture of what Psalm 118 is all about, given its importance to the Palm Sunday narrative:
The King enters the city before an expectant throng,
The congregation of people line the streets, tip-toe on tables, populate rooftops,
With hands clapping, feet stomping, hips swiveling,
At the arrival of the Worship Leader King
For He has come to give praise to the God who has given them the victory
The gates of the temple open wide,
Priests adorned in robes lift up holy hands,
Strangers from other shores come with their gifts,
And the Worship Leader King bows before the Victor,
Who has rendered a stunning triumph over the Adversary
The altar overflows with a sanguine stream of gratitude,
The Victor has granted favor to the very least,
With bended knee the Worship Leader King cries,
“Save us, O God! Continue to lead us in victory!”
The faithful cry “Glory!” for the Victor’s eternal love
This Sunday: Psalm 118
"Marvelous In Our Eyes"
Here is the Order of Worship.
Hosanna! Let's worship together this Sunday,
Jason
P.S. We will be having our final denominational discernment discussion right after the service this Sunday in the fellowship hall; food is provided. Also, our final prayer meeting on this matter will be over Zoom this coming Maundy Thursday. If you'd like a link for the online prayer, please consult this week's Order of Worship or email danielle@graceseattle.org. We are grateful to process this important decision with you all!
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