Live stream of our Sunday Service from St John the Baptist, Ipswich.
https://mie.org.uk/
I problem in stre Jesus be the center be my source be my light Jesus Jesus be the center be my heart be my song Jesus be the fire in my heart be the wind in theel be the reason that I live Jesus Jesus Jesus be my vision be my path be my guide
Jesus be far in my heart be the wind in the Cs be the reason that I live Jesus Jesus Jesus be the center be my source be my light Jesus Well good morning to you all and uh welcome to Mia St John’s for this uh service of morning worship this service on Palm Sunday now I imagine that Sunday that we celebrate the Sunday that we’re celebrating is Palm Sunday and that uh triumphant entry of Jesus
Into Jerusalem riding on a donkey was uh not a a quiet occasion so I want to encourage you as we uh have our service of worship this morning that uh you know don’t hold back you know make it a joyous occasion give it a bit of
Well but more of that in a in a moment uh welcom especially if you’re a visitor here here this morning or it’s your first time my name is Roger Coley and I shall be leading us through our service today I do have uh one notice contrary to our normal practice of not having
Notices but it relates to uh the funeral of John Norman which is going to take place on Friday the 5th of April here at St John’s um if as a church remember you’re planning to come to this please could you walk cycle share a lift but park the car
Somewhere else um parking will be available in the uh the Baptist Church um or in one of the local streets if you can find a space to park uh a lot of people are expected to come from some distance and uh uh therefore car parking will be at a premium here so please
Could you take note of that so as we come to Worship in a moment we we shall start with one of the the Psalms that was perhaps sung at uh the procession into Jerusalem of the pilgrims um as they went up to Jerusalem travel ing as you know as far away as
Galilee they would have sung some of the Psalms of ascent um to actually remind them of uh various festivals and particularly the Passover and perhaps also they would um sing one Psalm 118 and we’re going to start with the a call to worship using some words from Psalm 188
Um perhaps you would respond with those words that are highlighted in yellow this is the day that the Lord has made thanks to the the Lord is our strength and song he has become our Victory thanks his faithful love endures forever and as a setting for our service
Today Aon is going to come up and read for us so he’s is’s already here from Zechariah Chapter n reading is taken from Zachariah 9 ver 9- 17 the church Bibles it can be found on page 955 Rejoice greatly Daughter of Zion shout daughter Jerusalem see your king
Comes to you righteous and Victorious lowly and riding on a donkey on a c the fo of a donkey I will take away the Chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem and the battle bow will be broken he will Proclaim peace to the Nations his rule will extend from sea to
Sea and from the great RI and from the river to the ends of the Earth as for you because of the blood of my Covenant with you I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit return to your Fortress you prisoners of Hope even now I announce
That I will restore twice as much to you I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with of Ephraim I will ra I will Rouse your sons Zion against your sons Greece and make you like A Warrior’s sword then the Lord will appear over
Them his Arrow will flash like lightning The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet he will March in the storms of the South and the Lord Almighty will shield them they will destroy and overcome with sling Stones they will drink and Roar as with wine they will be
Full like a ball used for sprinkling the corners of the altar the Lord their God will save his people on that day as a Shepherd saves his flock they will Sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown how attractive and beautiful they will be grain will make the young men
Thrive and new wine the young women this is the word of the Lord be to God so we’re going to stand to sing our first hymn this morning let’s imagine that we’re part of that crowd going with Jesus into Jerusalem let’s stand to sing ride on ride on in Majesty ride on ride on in Majesty of call the tribes oh savior make to your own with Pals and Scattered Gars ride on ride on in Majesty in LLY bom ride on to die oh Christ your trium now or captive death and conquered sin ride on ride on in
Majesty the Angel armies of the sky look down with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacri ride on ride on in Majesty your lost and FES Strife is not the father on his by Throne awaits his own anointed Son ride on ride on in Majesty in holy B right on to die bow your big hand to moral pain and take oh God your power and Rain please be seated let’s have a moment of silence as we come before the Lord realizing that in the past week we probably have not been you know 100% faithful to our Lord we’ve said things that have upset him and upset other people we’ve done things that have upset
Other people done things that we know are against God’s laws and maybe there’s those things that uh we know we should have done but we haven’t so let’s join together in the words on the screen as we confess our sins sins to God Lord God we have sinned against you
We have done evil in your sight we are sorry and repent have mercy on us according to your love wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin renew a right Spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation through Jesus Christ Our Lord
Amen and may the father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins and restore Us in His image to the praise and glory of his name through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we’re going to go back to Psalm 118 and join together in these words of litany again if you would join
In with a pits highlighted in yellow give thanks to the Lord for he is good his steadfast love endures forever ho hosana to God hosana in the highest let Israel say his love endures forever and all who fear God say his love endures forever hosana to God hosana in the
Highest with the Lord on our side what can we fear what what can mankind do hosana to God hosana in the highest we shall triumph over those who surround us and stand in confidence in the Lord Our God hosana to God hosana in the high the Lord is our strength and
Might the Lord has become our Salvation hosana to God hosana in the highest hosana to God hosana in the highest and now let’s pray a psalm for collect for Palm Sunday Almighty and everlasting God who in your tender love towards the human race sent your son Our Savior Jesus
Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility and also be made partakers of his resurrection through Jesus Christ your son our Lord who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit
One God now and forever amen as we move towards the time of looking at God’s word the children will be going out to their appropriate uh groups and for their specific teaching this morning and we shall sing two songs we we’ll have the New Testament reading and then the
Creed but before the children go out and before we sing these songs Let’s uh just pray for ourselves and the children as they hear God’s word father we thank you that we will all come before you and read your word and hear it explained to
Us I pray that as the children go into the Hall to their groups and we remain in church we may all have that encounter with you where we hear you speaking to us I pray this in Jesus name so during these next two songs and the children will go out to
Their groups so let’s stand to sing Jesus is Lord the voice that Echoes through creation and Jesus is the name we honor Jesus is Lord the quiet goes through Creation Eternal World our Ro the Son of God the king whose Glory fills the heavens yet us come to taste this living bread Jesus is Lord is good to Str the stars and Planets yet in his wisdom made aide his ground Jesus the man who wased offing to bore us suffering came a curse to bring Salvation Jesus is L the tomb is glor Earthly empty not even death could crush this king of love the price is paid the chains are Loos and we’re forgi and we can run into to the arms of God Jesus is Lord a shout of Joy a cry of
Anguish as he turns and every knee bows low then every eye and every heart will see his glory the judge of all will take his children Home Jesus is the name we honor Jesus is the name we praise Majestic name above all other names the highest Heaven and Earth Proclaim that Jesus Is Our God we will glorify we will lift him high we will give him honor and praise we will glorify we will lift him high we will
Give him honor and Praise Jesus is the name we worship Jesus is the name We Trust he is the king above all other kings all creation stand and sing and Jesus Is Our God we will glorify we will lift him high we will give him honor and praise we will
Glorify we will lift him high we will give him honor and Praise Jesus is the Father’s Splender Jesus is the Father’s Joy he will return to rain in majesty and every o at L shall see that Jesus Is Our God we will glorify we will lift him high we will give him honor and praise he will glorify we will lift him high we will give him honor and praise Is taken from John 12: 12- 16 in the church Bibles it can be found on page 1,79 the next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem they took palm branches and went out to meet him shouting who manner blessed is he
Who comes in the name of the Lord blessed is the king of Israel Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it as it is written do not be afraid daughter Zion see your king is coming Seated on a donkey’s coat at first his disciples did not understand
All this only after Jesus was glorified did they realized that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him this is the word of the Lord we’re going to stand to sing uh our next song which is effectively words of a Creed so let’s stand to Sing We believe in one God the Father the maker of the World we believe in one Lord the Savior Jesus Christ the son God from God and light from light through to whom all things were made he came down from heaven to save us and died upon the cross risen on the third day ascended to the throne
Of he will come again to judge the living and the dead this is our God this is our hope our faith our created unshakeable this is the truth that we Believe we believe the spirit who gives life is worshiped as the Lord we believe in one Church United sent into the world we await our resur and the world to come this is our God this is our hope our faith our Creed son shake this is the truth that we Believe this is our God unshakeable This Is Our God unshakeable This Is Our God Unshakeable please be seated Lord as we spend a few moments thinking about your words the scriptures that come in your word may your spirit come Among Us and apply these scriptures to our lives to challenge us to encourage us to strengthen our faith in you I ask this in Jesus name
Amen one of the things that uh fascinates me is memories of the past memories of childhood memories evoked by barar black sheep have you any wool yes sir yes sir three bags full one for the master one for the dime and one for the little boy who lives down the
Lane the this memory comes from a time when I lived in a street it was called Nest Lane and I was a little boy and the memory is where’s my bag of wool so if anyone knows a black sheep who’s got a spare bag of wool perhaps she can put them in my
Direction what’s that got to do with this morning absolutely nothing but the next memory has it was a memory always triggered by hearing the scripture readings for Palm Sunday it takes me back to a noisy occasion one which was charged with excitement and it was the annual Carnival now I gather there were
Carnivals here in Ipswich as well not that there’s ever been any that while I’ve been here but this Carnival took place in my grandmother’s town and it was quite a strategic house that she lived in well it was actually a a shop and with rooms above and we would
Go up into the sitting room above the shop and watch the carnival parade as it uh went went by and we’d sort of throw pennies into the bucket of the the collectors but it was a an occasion where there were with bands and floats clowns and of course the place of honor
Was taken by the float carrying the carnival queen and I just remember it as a a joyous and happy occasion um probably also because afterwards we had a family party and as a young boy I was always interested in food but then there were the other things that went with it the homemade
Entertainment that went with it as well and my mom and dad doing a a recital of there’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza I wonder whether those folk who were at that procession into Jerusalem with Jesus actually registered this in their long-term memory as a joyful occasion or perhaps they
Didn’t but the important thing about the gospels as they tell us about the life of Jesus is that this particular occasion is mentioned in all four Gospels so let’s take note that this is something important up to this point as far as we know that Jesus and his disciples had walked
Everywhere but then in Matthew’s account of this entry into Jerusalem he tells us something unusual happened that Jesus sent two of of his disciples to get a donkey and he changes his mode of Transport from walking and he rides into Jerusalem and those who were in the crowd preparing for the annual Passover
Festival gave Jesus the red carpet treatment as it were well perhaps more strictly it ought to be the Green carpet treatment as they spread their cloaks and the green palm branches on the street to form a pathway and I imagine that scene on that triumphal entry into Jerusalem was very much
Like the carnival procession that I have as a childhood memory with lots of noise shouting singing praises to God hosana blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord blessed is the king of Israel Jesus is given that place of honor not on a lorry but on a
Donkey and he is proclaimed the king of Israel where did this idea of the king of Israel come come from I supect it wasn’t a on the moment spur of the moment thought by the crowd it wasn’t just a whim they would have known their Old Testament
Scriptures as we heard in our reading from John’s gospel that John tells us this particular event is a fulfillment of what was spoken of some 500 years earlier by the prophet Zechariah Rejoice greatly oh daughter of Sion shout daughter of Jerusalem see your king comes to you righteous and having
Salvation gentle and riding on a donkey on a cult the F of a donkey a donkey or a mule was the preferred way of kings of in the times of the Old Testament of riding uh about and the donkey is an animal of humility unlike the the horse which conquering Kings would have
Risen on in great pageantry Jesus is entering Jerusalem on an animal of humility the king comes being humble bringing righteousness and salvation Zechariah was not the only Prophet who SP spoke about Christ’s coming as Messiah Isaiah some 700 years before Christ’s birth declare that the Messiah will be a
King a descendant of the king of David who will rule in righteousness forever Isaiah writes of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end he will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing it with Justice and righteousness from that time on forever so Jesus in contrast
To uh concrete Kings would ride into Jerusalem as a king of Peace on a donkey and again Isaiah’s words of justice and righteousness were reiterated a 100 years later by Jeremiah who wrote the days are coming declares the Lord when I will raise up today David A righteous Branch a king
Who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land the Everlasting nature of the Messiah is confirmed by Daniel his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed so the prophets of old for told of a king who is coming he was coming to Jerusalem as their
King and I think part of the excitement for the crowd who were traveling with Jesus into Jerusalem was partly due to seeing the Fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies here was their King not a warmongering foreign King riding on a horse but a bringer of Peace riding on a y young donkey the shepherd
King the Messiah himself so the people were excited by seeing the Fulfillment of these prophecies in the Old Testament of the king who was to come as we move into the New Testament particularly into the gospels we hear about the king who came you recall recall after the birth of
Jesus the Magi came to Jerusalem and they went to Herod perhaps unwisely and they asked where is the one who has been born King of the Jews we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him they OB hadn’t done their homework about Herod because he was somewhat of a
Tyrant dictator the one who got his own way the one who stopped at Nothing by uh killing all those who wanted to oppress him even young children but God’s son had come to Earth he’d left his father’s presence and come to Earth as a baby a royal baby and God
Announced that the king had come part to the world via this bright star the star that led the Magi to Jerusalem John in chapter 18 tells us that Jesus confirmed his Royal birth during his trial before Pilate we jumping ahead to the end of Holy Week really but in response to Pilot’s
Questioning of Jesus’s kingship he replied you are right in saying that I am am a king in fact for this reason I was born Jesus was a king from his birth and his ministry and teaching often involved talking about the Kingdom of Heaven he used the phrase the Kingdom
Of Heaven is like and then used parables was to explain to his disciples and the crowd really what the kingdom of heaven was like he sent out the 12 with the instruction as you go preach this message the Kingdom of Heaven is near so Jesus the king talks about his kingdom to his
Followers and maybe even the crowd that were with Jesus on uh that first Palm Sunday they’ eventually come to grasp the kingly nature of Jesus and so that’s the reason they wanted to Proclaim him as king but Proclaim him as an Earthly King their redeemer from Roman occupation and Rule with Jesus the
King voluntarily went to Jerusalem knowing what lay ahead of him he knew that crucifixion lay ahead so Jesus the King was crucified and his kingship is at the heart of his trial before Pontius Pilate pilate asks him the question are you the king of the Jews and this was the
Charge which the Jewish authorities had used against Jesus when which they thought would carry more political clout than the blasphemy charge that the Jews had arrested Jesus on yeah that religious charge of blasphemy would have been laughed out of court by pilate and pilot didn’t even believe
That Jesus was the king of the Jews either because he knew it was through envy that Jesus had been brought to trial but during his trial it’s worth noting the mockery that the Romans inflicted Upon Jesus as they crowned him with a crown of thorns but the title St
Stuck because over his head on the cross notice of Jesus’s crime was posted Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews and we should remember that again later this week so Jesus is the king the one foretold by the prophets and his life is recorded in much more detail
Than some historical figures that we simply take for granted but Jesus the king is also the one who now Reigns in heaven the king who will reign and then come again Paul writes to the Church of Philippi therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above
Every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the father Jesus the King who was crucified is now the king of
Heaven Jesus who was lifted up by men on the cross on Good Friday was also lifted up by his father into heaven on Ascension Day Jesus is now reunited with his father and rules from his throne at the father’s right hand and he is the Lamb of
God which is spoken of in the book of re Revelation the one whom all Heaven worshiped he is the king of kings he is the Lord of lords he is the one who will return the disciples were told this as they witnessed him Ascend written about in the book of Acts
Where the angel speaks to the men of Galilee why do you stand looking into the sky this same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven I Think Jesus today wants to see people stirred by the
Question who is this Jesus wants to make a triumphal entry into our lives and takes me back to another childhood memory I don’t precisely know where or when this was but I know it was a memory after I had said I want to follow you Jesus I want to be one of your
Disciples and it came to this time I think in holy week maybe it was even a good Friday Friday where I remember saying to myself this is true for me that Jesus died upon the cross for me and that’s a challenge I put to all of us whether we would call ourselves
Christians or whether we’re just in that place of seeking to learn more about Jesus we ask the question who is this who is this Jesus and maybe as we go through Holy Week this year we can ponder that question we can make Holy Week 2024 a time that sticks in our
Memory we have various events this week which can help us in that we celebrate the Last Supper on m0 Thursday at St Andrews we have the Good Friday services at the URC church and then an hour at the cross at St Andrews there’s a video on Saturday evening at St Andrews the next
Sunday we come to celebrate the fact that Jesus is not dead that Jesus has risen and my prayer that as we all go through this week God will make Holy Week 2024 a memory and one that sticks in our minds amen and I think this next song is all about a
Memory my eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord we stand to sing and following this Neil will come and lead us in prayer my eyes seen the glory of the caring of the Lord he is trembling out the Vintage where The Grapes of
He Loos the faithful lightning of his terrible sft sword his truth is Maring on Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory Hallelujah his truth is marching on I in the watch over 100 they have bued him an altar in the evening and damps I can read the
Rightous by the demon flaring lamps his day is Maring Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory hallelu his truth is Maring on he has sounded for the trumpet that shall never call Retreat he isting up the hearts of all before his judgment SE be swift my soul to answer him be true my feet our God is Maring Glory Glory Hallelujah glor Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory
Hallelujah his truth is Maring on in the beauty of the L Christ was born across the sea with the glory in his bom you and me as he died to make us holy let us and all be free for God is Maring on Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory Hallelujah Glory Glory
Hallelujah his strength is Maring there is a refrain in between the prayers I will say Lord through your grace your response in yellow is forgive us all the prayers directed by the events of the week ahead so with repentance in our hearts the confession of the name of Christ the acknowledgement of your
Word and through the presence of the Holy Spirit we come invited as your children to the place of Holiness Palm Sunday this is the day they welcomed you as king b Thursday we betrayed you this is the day they celebrated your entrance but on Friday we pierced you like a lamb
This is the day they weigh Palms as flags of Joy but on Friday we waved our hands in violence this is the day they sang songs of Victory but on Friday we shouted words of mockery Lord through your grace forgive us the teachers they taught the scriptures we nullify them with our own
Opinion they heard the one who is the word we choose times to shut out the one who is the word they saw the one who is pH in action we choose to be blinded by the actions of the world in which we live Lord through your grace forgive us the
Called you called them out slavery we Guided by our own slavery you called them to be Nation we’ve chosen to live through our own identity you called them to live with guidance we’ve chosen to live with no guidance you call them to meet together we choose to meet however we
Want Lord through your grace forgive us the church you gave them a place to seek you we’ve chosen to make it a place about us you’ve gave them a place of Holiness we’ve turned into a place of unholiness you gave them a place of Prayer but we’ve turned into a social
Club you gave them a place of hope Grace and love but we’ve turned it into a place of pain hurt and abuse at times Lord through your grace forgive us the night of the Betrayal in the bread and the wine you revealed your Covenant we choose to break it where our
Sinfulness in the truth of the night to come you reveal your pain we choose to fall asleep in the moments of tears of preparation we choose to run and hide in the moment of the Betrayal the arrest and the trial to come we choose to deny and speak another word of
You Lord through your grace forgive us we the called you called us to call you father but we’re now preparing to change that title you call us to trust our lives with you but we choose to look to other things to trust you call us to know the written
Word but we choose to believe whatever the world tells us to believe you call us to be your Disciples of of the word incarnate but we choose at times to be Disciples of our own sinful nature Lord through your grace forgive us finally we acknowledge the Betrayal of
The silence the blindness that we adopt to your word the Defence we choose when you speak the easy way we choose when you called us to follow you the willingness to place ourselves in the steps of our own sinful nature when we should be stepping in the way of your Holiness
Father we give you thanks that You’ made us the place of your presence to partake in the Holy Spirit and the conversation and the love that beckons us out of our sinfulness Amen in a moment we’ll be singing our final hymn all glory Lord and honor
But uh if you’re new uh we always offer the opportunity of Prayer in the chapel here after the service if there’s anything you would like to be prayed for about or just to share and ask people questions about uh you know what you’ve heard this morning and there will be tea
And coffee and if you’re quick enough biscuits at the end and the way out so let’s stand to sing our final hymn all glory Lord and Honor oh glory Lord and H to thee Redeemer King to whom the lips of children me sweet hosan ring th the king of Israel th David’s royal son who in the lord’s name cometh the king and bless one the company of angels are praising thee on high and moral men and all things
Created make reply the people of the Hebrews with psms before they went our praise and pray and anthems before thee we present to thee before thy passion they sang the Hy of praise to thee Now High exalted all Melo we raise out his next accept the Praises accept the praise we
Bring who in all good Delight us the good and gracious King oh glory Lord and H to the redeem a king to whom the lips of children children make sweet hosana Ring to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our savior be glory Majesty power and Authority through Jesus Christ Our Lord before all ages now and forever more
Amen go in peace to love and serve the Lord in the Name of Christ Amen Majesty worship His mesty unto Jesus be glory honor and Praise