Worship Notes for Sunday, May 20, 2012
Today we celebrate the Ascension of Christ to His place of glory and power and the right hand of the Father. In many ways, the Ascension and Pentecost (next Sunday) are the completion of the work of the cross and redemption and the Season of Easter. The death of death and the conquering of sin is sealed in the resurrection and finished in the position of authority that Christ has. We begin worship with Psalm 57 and the exaltation of God above the heavens. “Let His glory be over all the earth.” We continue by singing Crown Him with Many Crowns, “the Lamb upon His throne.”The following Psalm is from Psalm 22: All Earth to Him in which we sing of homage to the Lord of lords, and the King of kings. The New Testament Reading from Ephesians 1 speaks of the “immeasurable greatness” of the power of Christ as displayed in the raising of Christ from the dead and seating him at the right hand in heavenly places and placing all things under his feet.
The Prayer of Confession confronts our hearts desire to supplant the rule of Christ by looking to our own interests and acting as if we were equal with God. O Christ, Our Hope sings of the work of Christ in the death and resurrection as well as the ascension.
The Hymns of Communion include There is No Greater Portrait and Sing to Jesus. Both talk of the ascension as an example of the exaltation of Christ. We finish by singing Alleluia! Sing to Jesus that rejoices in the kingly rule of Christ in His triumph and victory.
