《The Suffering King》
Date: Friday, March 30, 2018
Time: 10:00 am
Chairman: Pastor Edith Li / Rebecca Hu
Hymn performance: Choir
Sermon: Pastor ET Wong
Holy Communion: Pastoral Team
Benediction: Pastor Mark Wen
Pianist: Mance Chan, Violet Yu
◇Quiet meditation◇
Prelude
Proclamation
Psalm 145:1, Revelation 15:4
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Who will not fear you, LORD, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.
Choir
《The Only King》
Who is this King, who would not wear a golden diadem or a robe of royalty? Who is this King, who would not take an earthly kingdom throne as a sovereign majesty?
Who is this King, who sits among the common man to eat? Who is this King, who humbly bows to wash his servant’s feet?
He’s the only King who had to die for His Kingdom to begin, the only King who surrendered to win.
He’s the only King every king will bow before and sing: Jesus Christ is Lord of lords; He is the only King.
Who is this King, who paid so high a price to ransom me with the riches of His grace? Who is this King, who sacrificed His life so I could live in an everlasting race?
Who is this King, who lets me be an heir of royalty? Who is this King, who’s everywhere yet lives inside of me?
He’s the only King who had to die for His Kingdom to begin, the only King who surrendered to win.
He’s the only King every king will bow before and sing: Jesus Christ is Lord of lords; He’s the only King.
He is the only King! The only King!
Scripture Reading
Matthew 27:27-31
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:33-37
They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Hymn
《And Can It Be That I Should Gain》(Hymns of Life 178 )
And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died he for me, who caused his pain, for me, who him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? (Chorus)
'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies! Who can explore his strange design? In vain the firstborn seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine! 'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore; Let angel minds inquire no more. (Chorus)
He left his Father's throne above, so free, so infinite His grace; emptied himself of all but love, and bled for Adam's helpless race. 'Tis mercy all, immense and free! For, O my God, it found out me. (Chorus)
Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin and nature's night; thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray. I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; my chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. (Chorus)
(Chorus) Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Scripture Reading
Matthew 27:44-46, 50-51, 53-54
In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Meditation
The King who was in heaven willingly became flesh and made your dwelling among us. You did not sin, but yet you took my guilt on the cross. I cannot stand up to you for what you have done for me. My sin, rebellion, pride, and lust, have been affecting my relationship with you. I deeply regret it and Lord have mercy on me! Create in me a pure heart, O Lord, so that once again I can enter into your presence, receive your promises, be forgiven, and be free.
◆ The Victorious King ◆
Hymn
《Jesus, Jesus》(Stream of Praise)
Jesus, O Jesus. Holy Lamb of God. Jesus, Jesus, Gracious Giver.
Jesus, O Jesus. Exalted Holy King. Jesus, Jesus, Mighty Healer.
Everything that has breath proclaims: Holy, Holy is the Lord.
You’re forever and ever the Living God. You never change.
Everything that has breath proclaims: Holy, Holy is the Lord.
Only You are worthy of all our praise, glory, and honour.
Response Reading
Isaiah 53:1-12
Chairperson: Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Congregation: He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Chairman: Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Congregation: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Chairman: By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Congregation: Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
Together: After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
◆ The King who willingly suffer ◆
Choir
《My Lord is Weeping》
My Lord is weeping. My Lord is weeping in Gethsemane.
He prays alone. He prays alone through the night for me.
My Lord will drink from the bitter cup of sin and strife.
By His death He will break the bread of life.
My Lord is weeping alone in Gethsemane.
My Lord is dying. My Lord is dying at Calvary.
He wears the thorns. He wears the thorns on the cross for me.
My Saviour’s blood is poured upon the tree that He may reign in victory!
My Lord is dying at Calvary.
Meditation
Can you see that Jesus bore our sins and took up the immense agony of the cross? Is your heart deeply touched by His love?
◆ Lord, I want to be touched by Your love! ◆
Sermon
Topic: The Suffering King
Scripture: John 12:20-33
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Holy Communion Hymn
《Here I am to Worship》
Light of the World, You stepped down into darkness, Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You, Hope of a life spent with You
Chorus: Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say that You're my God. You're altogether lovely, Altogether worthy, Altogether wonderful to me.
King of all days, oh so highly exalted, Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly You came to the Earth You created, All for love's sake became poor.
Bridge: And I'll never know how much it cost, To see my sin upon that cross. I'll never know how much it cost, To see my sin upon that cross. I'll never know how much it cost, To see my sin upon that cross.
Meditation
Why would God set His affection on us? It was only because He loved us. (Deut. 7:7-8)
The purpose of His love: God is glorified in accordance to His will. No one can boast. We were once sinners, but now all are justified. It is because of Christ’s sacrificial love. He sacrifices himself for us and gives us a brand new life. All this is due to God's grace. Therefore, we must act in response to the Lord's great love. He wants to see us living a life full of God’s glory so that others can give glory to God. (Ephesians 1:5-6)
I am willing to give up one of my bad habits to respond to the Lord's sacrificial love!
Holy Communion
Choir
《Because of Love》
Why would God come to earth? Why would He choose a manger birth? Why would He want to give me worth? Why would God come to earth?
Because of love, because of love, He left the peace of heav’n above. He left His throne, His majesty; And came to earth to ransom me. Because of love. Because of love. Because of love.
Why would God choose Calvary? Why would He suffer on a tree? Why would He die for you and me? Why would God choose Calvary?
Because of love, (For God so loved the world) He left the peace of heav’n above. (He gave His only be gotten Son) He left His throne, His majesty; (that who so ever believeth) And came to earth to ransom me. (believeth in Him) Because of love. (should not perish) Because of love. Because of love. (but have everlasting life)
He came to love in flesh and do His Father’s will, The sinless Son of God was slain on Calvary’s hill. But he arose from death to life triumphantly! All this and more Christ did for me.
Because of love, because of love, He left the peace of heav’n above. He left His throne, His majesty; And came to earth to ransom me. Because of love. Because of love. Because God so loved.
Scripture Reading
2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
Benediction
◇ Silent prayer/Dismissal ◇