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The Ascension of Our Lord
Matthew 28:18
Sermon Notes
Music Notes
Liturgy Notes
Theme of the Service
The theme of this service is the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven.
Though often eclipsed by other events, the ascension of Christ is an integral part of his ministry. After completing his suffering and death, and after his resurrection from the tomb, before the Holy Spirit was poured out, Christ was exalted by the Father who received him back into heaven and seated him at the Father's right hand.
In this service we will step into the event of Christ's ascension from the Mount of Olives, and reflect on what it means for the church today.
WE GATHER IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Prelude: "Partita on 'Crown Him with Many Crowns,'" Callahan [organ]
or, "Crown Him Lord of All," Sherman [handbells]
or, "Crown Him with Many Crowns," Boertje [piano]
Introit: "Psalm 47: Clap Your Hands All You Nations," Bell
*Opening Litany:
In a world where power is so important, Jesus did not regard equality with God something to
be used for his own advantage.
Instead he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.
Being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to
death-even death on a cross.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above
every name.
Lift up your hearts!
Jesus Christ is Lord! Hallellujah! (Paraphrased from Philippians 2)
And now grace, mercy, and peace be given to you in the name of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit.
Amen!
*Songs: "Crown Him With Many Crowns" (st. 1, 3) PH 151, PsH 181, RL 600, RN 56, SFL 181, TH 295, TWC 92
"We Will Glorify" (st. 1-4) RN 33, SFL 18, SNC 21, TWC 118
Our Confession of Sinfulness and Renewal in His Grace
The Call to Confession:
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith
in his power to deal with the world.
Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice.
Let us pray:
The Prayer of Confession:
We come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust.
While we sing of your lordship over all creation,
we have too often acted as though you are powerless
in the face of today's events.
Help us to live with confidence in your presence today
and in hope for life with you forever. Amen.
The Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 2:1-2
A Litany of Grateful Adoration:
I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by
the four living creatures and the elder. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him
who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four
elders fell down before the Lamb. And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seal, because you were slain, and
with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and
people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our
God and they will reign on the earth.
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousand and thousands, and
ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the
elders. In a loud voice they sang:
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and
strength and honor and glory and praise!
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea,
and all that is in them, singing:
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and
power forever and ever!
The four living creatures said:
Amen!
And the elders fell down and worshiped. (from Revelation 4)
Anthem: "The Never Ending Song of Praise," Harris [SATB choir]
or, "Thou Art Worthy," Schrader [handbells]
*Song: "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" PsH 471
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD
The Reading of Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:44-53
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
Sermon: All Authority-in a World Like This!
Text: Matthew 28:18
OUR RESPONSE OF ADORATION
The Prayers of the People
Anthem: "Jesus My All to Heaven Is Gone," Helvey
*Our Profession of a Ruling Lord:
How does Luke describe the conclusion of Jesus' earthly stay?
By saying: "He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their
sight." (Acts 1:9)
How does the Heidelberg Catechism explain the words "he ascended into heaven?"
That Christ, while the disciples watched, was lifted up from earth to heaven and will
be there for our good until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.
But isn't Christ with us until the end of the world as he promised?
In his human nature Christ is not now on earth; but in his divinity, majesty, grace, and
Spirit he is not absent from us for a moment.
How does his ascension to heaven benefit us?
First, he pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of the Father.
Second, we have our own flesh in heaven-a guarantee that Christ our head will take
us, his members, to himself in heaven.
Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee. By the Spirit's power
we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ
is, sitting at God's right hand.
And why do we say>, "He is sitting at the right hand of God"?
Christ ascended to heaven, there to show that he is head of his church, and that the
Father rules all things through him."
(from The Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 18-19)
*Song: "Meekness and Majesty" SNC 109
The Offertory
Our Gifts
The Offering of Music: "Rejoice, the Lord Is King," Callahan [organ] or Kinyon [handbells]
The Offertory Prayer
*Songs: "Clap Your Hands" (st. 1) SFL 179
"Rejoice the Lord is King" (st. 1, 3) SFL 180
"Clap Your Hands" (st. 2)
*Words of Sending: Matthew 28:18-20
*The Benediction with Congregational Amen!
* Closing Response: "He Is Lord" SFL 178
Postlude: "Rejoice, the Lord Is King," Wold [organ]
or, "Jesus Shall Reign," David [piano]
* you are invited to stand
- We are all too familiar with people who tend to make exaggerated claims, and this text may sound like that to some hearers. Let them face that possibility. Capture their interest and attention by wondering if Jesus promised too much. It could easily sound that way in the ancient world where power was represented by a Roman soldier and Jesus was an insignificant Galilean. Such a claim could also sound that way in our contemporary world where the secular mind expects power and authority anywhere other than from a religious source.
- Yet this profound passage is revelation-God's description of what is and therefore must be taken as authoritative. The correct understanding of the passage means taking the entire ministry of Jesus into consideration, and knowing this is now the time of his exaltation. He has been "given" such authority (see the text) as the result of his successfully completed redemptive work. And he clearly explains that his authority is in heaven and on earth. Here are the seeds of a Reformed world-and-life-view.
- Hearers must catch a glimpse of the far-reaching implications of accepting such a claim from Jesus. It gives us a message to preach (see v. 19), a sense of confidence even in a fallen world, a call to be obedient, and an awareness of our accountability to him.
- Perhaps an illustrative parallel will help to communicate this message. Review the message of the prophet Habakkuk. The prophet is met by God, in a very tough time politically and spiritually. He learns that God is doing a big work right now though Habakkuk cannot see it; and even if he were told about it, Habakkuk would not even be able to comprehend it . . . but just wait! It will all become clear some day soon!
Music Notes:
Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations:
PH The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press)
PsH The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
RL Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
RN Renew! (Hope Publishing Company)
SFL Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SNC Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church, Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
TH Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America; Great Commission Publications)
TWC The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company)
WOV With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)
Music Level Key: E = Easy, M = Medium, D = Difficult
- The prelude music on "Diademata" can be found in the following:
- "Partita on 'Diademata'" arranged for organ by Charles Callahan, published by Morningstar MSM-10-409 [1991] (E-M)
- "Crown Him with Many Crowns" arranged for piano by Barbara Boertje in Piano Improvisations for the Church Year, Unity 70/1194U [1998] (E-M)
- "Crown Him Lord of All" arranged by Arnold Sherman for 3-5 octave handbells, published by Agape 1891 [1997] (Level 3) - The introit is taken directly from SNC 156. The choir or ensemble can sing this a capella. You may wish to consider adding congas as accompaniment. The congregation could also join the choir on the repeated "Amen. Hallelujah!"
- Alternative harmonizations for "Crown Him with Many Crowns" can be found in John Ferguson's Hymn Harmonizations for Organ, book 1 published by Ludwig O-05, and in Dale Wood's New Settings of Twenty Well-Known Hymn Tunes published by Augsburg 11-9292.
- The SATB anthem "The Never Ending Song of Praise" by Ed Harris is published by Hinshaw HMC-913 [1987] (E-M). The alternative suggestion "Thou Art Worthy" is a 3-5 octave handbell setting by Jack Schrader published by Bock 1484 [1992] (M).
- An alternative harmonization for "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" (coronation) can be found in John Eggert's Creative Hymn Accompaniments for Organ, vol. 2, published by CPH 97-6851.
- The SATB anthem "Jesus My All to Heaven Is Gone," written by Howard Helvey, is reflective in character. It is published by Beckenhorst BP 1562 [1999] (E-M).
- The offertory suggestions based on "Darwall's 148 th " can be found in
- "Paritita on "Darwall's 148 th " arranged for organ by Charles Callahan, published by Morningstar MSM-10-848 [1992] (E-M). This partita is easily divided; decide how many variations you'll play by the length of time you need.
- "Rejoice, the Lord is King" arranged for 3 octaves handbells by Barbara B. Kinyon, published by Agape 1931 [1998] (E-M). - A descant for "Rejoice, the Lord Is King" can be found in PsH 408. This could be sung by sopranos or congregation or played by brass.
- The postlude suggestions can be found in
- "Prelude, Meditation, and Finale on Darwall's 148 th," arranged for organ by Wayne Wold and published by Augsburg Fortress 11-10809 [2003] (M).
- "Jesus Shall Reign," arranged for piano by Anne Marie David in Here I Am, Lord, published by Augsburg ISBN 0-8006-7566-5 [2002] (E-M).
- The spirit of this service is grateful celebration for the coronation of Jesus Christ. Therefore the songs are strong acclamations of praise, and the congregation is involved verbally in much of the service. It is important that the entire worshiping body give voice to their acclamations of praise.
- The service of confession and assurance of pardon may seem out of place among the acclamations of praise here, but it should not be overlooked. The prayer of confession, with its introduction, is crafted to be a healthy transition from one element of worship to the other.
- The prayer of the people deserves special attention in this service. While the service focuses on the exaltation of Christ, the reality is that this is a violent world that betrays its fallen nature everywhere. The tension between those two thoughts ought to be present in the prayer. The suffering of parishioners needs to be recognized, as does the suffering of people worldwide. Injustice, persecution, violence, warfare, poverty, and epidemics all require fervent intercession in the context of Christ's lordship.
- The "Profession of a Ruling Lord" is our response to the Word of God and its truth. The words selected here give us opportunity to use the words of a historic Reformed catechism (the Heidelberg Catechism) to make our profession with fellow believers from many generations and many circumstances.
This weekly worship service has been provided for your use and encouragement by Howard Vanderwell and Norma de Waal Malefyt, Resource Development Specialists at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. You can reach them with your suggestions and comments at howard.vanderwell@calvin.edu or norma.malefyt@calvin.edu. Any materials included here from The Worship Sourcebook are used by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, © 2004, CRC Publications. This permission is granted for one time worship use in an order of service for a congregation, or in a special program or lesson resource, provided that no part of such reproduction is sold, directly or indirectly. For all other uses, please contact the copyright holder. |