Welcome toLutheran Church of Our Savior

1920 W. Fair AvenueLancaster, OH 43130

Welcome to all who read this service. During this time of social distancing, we are all united in Jesus Christ by divine love and grace. Look on our website, www.oursaviorlancater.org for devotional resources. We may also be found on Facebook, The Lutheran Church of Our Savior.

By His Wounds We Are HealedPalm Sunday: The Wound of Coveting Power

Passion Sunday: Jesus gave up power and died for our sakes.

Jesus is accused of taking power and glory for himself.April 5, 2020

WELCOME

OPENING RESPONSE

A Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

C Hosanna in the highest!

A Christ was oppressed and he was afflicted,

C yet he did not open his mouth;

A like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

C and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent.

A Christ was wounded for our transgressions,

C crushed for our iniquities;

A upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

C and by his wounds we are healed.

Processional Hymn … “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

Refrain: All glory, laud, and honor to you, Redeemer, King,To whom the lips of children make sweet hosannas ring.

You are the King of Israel and David’s royal Son,Now in the Lord’s name coming, our King and Blessed One.

Refrain

The company of angels is praising you on high; 2

Creation and all mortals in chorus make reply. Refrain

The multitude of pilgrims with palms before you went.Our praise and prayer and anthems before you we present.

Refrain

To you, before your Passion, they sang their hymns of praise. To you, now high exalted, our melody we raise. Refrain

*CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESSP Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

A brief silence may be observed.

C Most merciful God, we confess to you that we have broken your commandments by our own thoughts, words, and deeds. In our inner hearts, we have desired glory only for ourselves and not for you alone. We have not loved our brothers and sisters as we ought, and we have not cared for your creation. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us, and give us the healing power of your love that we may walk again in your ways and live to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

P God is gracious and merciful, and he desires that we be made free of the burden of our sins. Through Jesus Christ, who bore the cross for our sake and for the sake of the whole world, there is healing, hope, and life. Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.C Amen.

*Hymn … “Ride On, Ride On, in Majesty”3

Ride on, ride on in majesty! Hear all the tribes hosanna cry;O Savior meek, your road pursue, with palms and scattered

garments strewed.

Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die. O Christ, your triumph now begin o’er captive death and conquered

sin.Ride on, ride on in majesty! The winged squadrons of the sky.

Look down with sad and wond’ring eyes to see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on, ride on in majesty! Your last and fiercest strife is nigh.

The Father on the sapphire stone awaits his own anointed Son.

Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die,Bow your meek head to mortal pain, then take, O Christ, your

pow’r and reign!

THE WORD

Old Testament Reading … Exodus 20:1717 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 34Praise for Deliverance from TroubleOf David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

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1 I will bless the LORD at all times;    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;    let the humble hear and be glad.3 O magnify the LORD with me,    and let us exalt his name together.4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me,    and delivered me from all my fears.5 Look to him, and be radiant;    so your faces shall never be ashamed.6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,    and was saved from every trouble.7 The angel of the LORD encamps    around those who fear him, and delivers them.8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;    happy are those who take refuge in him.9 O fear the LORD, you his holy ones,    for those who fear him have no want.10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,    but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11 Come, O children, listen to me;    I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12 Which of you desires life,    and covets many days to enjoy good?13 Keep your tongue from evil,    and your lips from speaking deceit.14 Depart from evil, and do good;    seek peace, and pursue it.15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,    and his ears are open to their cry.16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers,    to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,    and rescues them from all their troubles.

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18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,    and saves the crushed in spirit.19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,    but the LORD rescues them from them all.20 He keeps all their bones;    not one of them will be broken.21 Evil brings death to the wicked,    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Epistle Reading … Philippians 2:5-11  (NRSV)5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,6 who, though he was in the form of God,    did not regard equality with God    as something to be exploited,7 but emptied himself,    taking the form of a slave,    being born in human likeness.And being found in human form,8     he humbled himself    and became obedient to the point of death—    even death on a cross.9 Therefore God also highly exalted him    and gave him the name    that is above every name,10 so that at the name of Jesus    every knee should bend,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue should confess    that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

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Thanks be to God.

*LENTEN ACCLAMATION

*Gospel Reading … John 12:12-19

P The Holy Gospel according to John, chapter 12.C Glory to you, O Lord.

John 12:12-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,“Hosanna!Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—    the King of Israel!”14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.Look, your king is coming,    sitting on a donkey’s colt!”16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out

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of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.[a] 18 It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”

P The Gospel of the Lord. C Praise to you, O Christ.

Children’s TimeWhen Jesus came into Jerusalem, the people waived palm branches and cried out, “Hosanna!” What does the word Hosanna mean? Hosanna means “Please save us!” They were looking to Jesus to be their savior, one who would bring them salvation. And that he would do. But the way he would do it, for them and for us, was not the way they may have expected. He didn’t come in to Jerusalem with great power and might, did he? He didn’t come in with an army loaded down with weapons, did he? No. He came in riding humbly on the back of a donkey. And later that same week, he would carry a cross and be crucified on it. Jesus trusted that his whole work in life and in death was a mission of salvation that was always in the hands of God, not as things he desired or wanted for himself or for his own glory. He gave himself away for the sins of the whole world. And the glory of God is to see to it that you and I and everybody else, even all of creation, receive the benefit of salvation.Let us pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for taking the path of humility and death for our sake and for the sake of the whole world. Amen.By Michael Hoy. © 2020 Creative Communications for the Parish, a division of Bayard, Inc.,

Sermon Hymn … “By Your Wounds We All Are Healed” 8

Jesus, Savior of the people, giver of unending grace,Heal our lives that now are feeble; bless us in this holy place.

You came to earth and transformed all under your gentle reign.

By your wounds we all are heal-ed; sing the song we who remain.

Jesus acted and was humble, letting love go all the way.Unlike us who covet power, he would give it all away.

On the cross he bore our sins and took upon himself the pain.His loss that seemed so final would soon become our gain.

When the cries to crucify you were the wounding words you hear,

Even then, you made all things new with forgiveness, love so dear! By our sin you were afflicted, on the cross you bore

death’s pain,By your wounds we all are heal-ed; sing the song we who

remain.

Sermon (posted separately on the website)

THE PASSION: MATTHEW 27:11-54 The Message (MSG)

Pilate11 Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”Jesus said, “If you say so.”12-14 But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word

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from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.15-18 It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.19 While court was still in session, Pilate’s wife sent him a message: “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.”20 Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.21 The governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to pardon?”They said, “Barabbas!”22 “Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?”They all shouted, “Nail him to a cross!”23 He objected, “But for what crime?”But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.”25 The crowd answered, “We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.”26 Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.

The Crucifixion

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27-31 The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.32-34 Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.35-40 After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”41-44 The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.

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45-46 From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”47-49 Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”50 But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.51-53 At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)54 The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

*Apostle’s Creed

C I believe in God, the Father almighty,creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy

Spirit,and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.

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He descended into hell.*On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen*Or, He descended to the dead.

Prayers of the People

A Let us pray for the Church, for all in need, and for the whole of God’s creation. That as we now enter this holiest of weeks, you may give your people hope that it is Jesus, our Lord, who leads the way and takes into his body on the cross the sins of the whole world.C Heal us, O God.

A That we may put away our own false desires, and boast only of the cross of Christ.C Heal us, O God.

A That all who seek righteousness may find the hope of righteousness in our Lord who bore the cross for them and for all.C Heal us, O God.

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A That those who are sick or suffering may be blessed with better health and wholeness. We especially pray for all those affected by COVID-19 and for others who need your healing, especially… .C Heal us, O God.

A For those serving on the front lines during this pandemic: doctors, nurses, aides, first responders, pharmacists, food service providers, grocery store workers and the many people who daily risk themselves on behalf of others.C Heal us, O God.

A That we may honor all people as our brothers and sisters and share Christ’s blessing of peace and salvation.C Heal us, O God.

A For those who have made the procession from life to death, that they may join the endless chorus of praise at the throne of God.C Heal us, O God.

A Into your healing, wounded hands for our sake, we commend all for whom we pray.C By Christ’s wounds, we are healed. Amen.

OFFERING

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OFFERTORY PRAYERA Holy and generous host,C you set a table where we feast as friends.Prepare us to witness to your goodnesswith every gift you have given us to share,that all people may know your peacethrough Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.LORD’S PRAYER

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*BLESSINGP May the healing presence of almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you now and always.C Amen

*Closing Hymn … “Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle”

Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; sing the ending of the fray.

Now above the cross, the trophy, sound the loud triumphant lay;

Tell how Christ, the world’s redeemer, as a victim won the day.

Faithful cross, true sign of triumph, be for all the noblest tree;None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit your equal be;Symbol of the world’s redemption, for your burden make us

free.

Unto God be praise and glory; to the Father and the Son, To the eternal Spirit honor now and evermore be done;

Praise and glory in the highest while the timeless ages run.

*DISMISSALA Go in peace. Share the good news.C Thanks be to God.

By Michael Hoy. © 2020 Creative Communications for the Parish, a division of Bayard, Inc., 1564 Fencorp Dr., Fenton, MO 63026. 800-325-9414. www.creativecommunications.com. All rights reserved. Additional materials from Sundays and Seasons. Adapted by Rev. Diana K. Gugel.

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Welcome Family and Friends: We reach out the gift of our fellowship, acceptance and love to every person who worships with us as we are united in our reading of this service. May God's word nourish your hunger, encourage your faith, heal your suffering, and fill you with love, joy and peace. Please use any of the reasons we are providing via our website and/or on Facebook and in other ways as our time of distancing and new ways of connection are discovered.

Our Mission Statement: To share God=s love and grace.

Weekly EventsWorship Service: Sunday 10:30 a.m. SUSPENDED Sunday School: SUSPENDED

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Thursdays: 7:00 p.m. Knitting Plus—Virtual meetings may take place.

NOTE: our church #, 653-5713 is now working.Contact PeoplePastor Diana K. Gugel (Cell) 808-4120Music Director: Dana Shouldis 653-3776Acolytes: Brenda Henwood 756-4950Altar Guild: 653-5713Care & Witness: 653-5713Christian Education: Wray Bryant 681-1768Diners-On-A-Budget: 653-5713Friends in Need: Marlene Oliver 653-0917Food Pantry: Carlene Ayers 756-4593Friendship Circle 653-5713Lutheran Youth Org: 653-5713Property Committee: 653-5713Worship and Music Committee: Dana Shouldis 653-3776Choir Director: Carlene Ayers 756-4593

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Church Council Brenda Henwood - Secretary, Mike Ayers-Treasurer, Marianne Cox, Mel Jensen, Kara Mendenhall, Paul Riehm, Pastor Diana.

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