Sunday Worship Service, Mar 24, 2024 | Sunday Worship Service, Mar 24, 2024 Join us today, Palm Sunday, as our children lead us into Holy Week with a parade and we worship and hear a message... | By Beaver Ridge United Methodist Church | You. Thank you. Good morning Whoo. Good to see you here on this beautiful Palm Sunday. This is the day that begins Holy Week and we're so thankful to see each and everyone of you here in your bulletin is an insert that gives you all the information for the events that will be occurring during this week. Please join us for any or all of them. Um so, and a few other announcements today. So, next Sunday is Easter. Important that you that we will not have Sunday school but we will have a non, a 7 AM sunrise service out here on the front lawn. Bring your lawn chairs or whatever and hot chocolate and coffee and all of that and and come and join us and we'll gather, watch the sunrise, and sing a few songs and recall the story. Of when the women went to the tomb. Now, after that at seven, then at 9 o'clock is the first that will be here and the Chancellor Choir. You you guys are going to be doing your Easter Cantata, right? So, that'll be, yeah and then, at 11 will be our other service. So, we've got three services that day. Some things I'd like for you to do between now and then, pray. Pray for god to lead people to come, to worship, to come here, to be a part of this. Next Sunday, if you don't mind, take the time to park away from the good parking places There's parking places around the F on the backside of FLC and around back here, the education on office building. So, take the time to to park a little bit away so that our guests and visitors will have the closest ones. They won't get frustrated in finding a place. Um say hi to people you do not know. I know that's hard. So, even if you don't know them, just say hi to em when you come here on Sunday morning. Welcome them and and I need you to sit as close to the front as you possibly can and towards the middle. I know it's going to feel awkward but when we welcome guests, we want them to be able to have the back row And the outsides. Or if you still sit there, which is okay. Just be prepared to scooch over. How about that? And then the final thing is Pray for people as you leave. Pray for people as you leave. That God has blessed them with the service and what they've experienced and may they renew their relationship with God in a way that is much more deeper and meaningful. So, thank you for being with us here today. Please read all of the good news. Um oh, I would do have on Monday, Thursday, it is potluck. We will have fried chicken and rolls and drinks here but if you don't mind bring anything else that's a potluck thing and we'll be over there and like six o'clock and then Good Friday service is here in at 7 PM in here and then Travis I think is going to tell you yeah Travis will tell you more about what happens to us on Saturday and that is all I have except David has an announcement I was asked by Teresa to talk to a very small group of people. So, if this doesn't include you, I I understand. Uh I'm just talking to people over the age of fifty. So, I know it's a small group but as you've been noticing in the bulletin, the last few weeks, we're starting up again with Senior Beavers. Uh we're going to have our first meeting on the twenty-eighth on that's this coming Thursday, believe it or not, at 10 AM over in the education building in the movie room and at that meeting, we're going to talk about the schedule for the rest of the year. So, we would like all of you and many of you have signed up already but if you want to come to that meeting, please let Julie Vaughn or me know and we'll put you down for that. Uh but bring your ideas and afterwards, we'll go to lunch hopefully at Aubrey's if people are interested And then on April 11th, going to have the head of the Knox County Senior Services group come and give a presentation on scans that are prevalent not only for those few people who are over 50 but for all who via the phone, via the internet, and she has a about a hour and a half presentation on that. So, please come to that. Also, let Julie and I know if you plan to attend at. So, we want to make this a big year with trips and excursions. So, bring your ideas. Again, for this Thursday and we'll see you then. Both meeting times, both the April 11th and the 28th, they start at 10 AM. So, thank you very much. Let the palm parade begin. With the there's a movie first Well, hello children of Beaver Ridge. First of all, you all did an excellent job. A big round of applause for our parade. You know, I'm hope you're as excited as we are for this Holy Week and all these activities we have planned. Just a reminder this Saturday is our pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt, breakfast at nine. You can have some pancakes, sausage, and bacon. We'll have a few games. Peach pictures with the Easter Bunny and then at ten o'clock, we've got the egg hunt and as so famously, 1002, the egg hunt will be over. So, make sure you get early. There might even be an appearance from your favorite nature bunny, Travis Cottontail to make sure everybody has enough candy because you can't have enough and as always, I hope you remember to say your prayers. Take your vitamins, wash your hands, and let your action show god's love. Speaking of letting your actions show god's love, I have to say thank you to everyone who the past two Wednesday nights have helped Stuff Easter Eggs to make this event possible and I'm sure they got tired of me but we had some great conversations. We stuffed eggs, buckets after buckets and they're like, are we done, Travis? And got a few more, few more and they did it Also, I have another big shout out because I don't know if you notice how well our donkey was moving today. You know, oh Donnie the donkey's been around a while and he was needing some new shoes or wheels, whatever you want to call em and I had two people that absolutely helped me get that done and one of them, it's his birthday. So, we gotta thank Mark Graham, the birthday boy. But Mark wasn't alone. He had an assistant, Teddy Burnett, was there to help him begin to make sure all those wheels got on. So, and that donkey was so smooth. We got front wheels that turn. Beth and I have been wanting that for years. They turn. It's great. Alright. So, really, we're having this experience today. We're having Palm Sunday and I want us to try to make this story personal. So, I'm going to go over the story and maybe if you want to close your eyes, picture yourself there. Really put yourself in this story, okay? So, we're going to step back and take a moment to that first palm Sunday. So, imagine you've that the Messiah has come. You've heard of all these great miracles that he's been performing. Centuries of prophecies and stories that have been told for your families for years are now coming true right in front of your eyes. This is the king who is going to deliver your people from domination and redeem Israel has finally arrived. The time has come And now this Messiah is riding into your town on a donkey. So maybe you to your backyard, to your palm tree, and quickly tear off some branches because then, these are the signs of victory and triumph. You give one to each member of your family as you begin to run out to the road and meet him. When you're there, you find a huge crowd of people. Also, having palm branches waving them in the air, cheering this messiah. You even take your cloak or your jacket and you spread it on the road ahead of him. Suddenly, a song rises from the crowd. Hosanna, blessed is who comes in the name of the lord and you sing along with great joy as you help guide this messiah all the way into town waving your branches, proclaiming him as your king. That's Palm Sunday. That's an adventure. That's an event in history. Now, what's interesting is the people were sure that Jesus was there to finish the prophecy to finish his story against the Romans of course but now, looking back, we know that his kingdom wasn't of this world but of the next. So, need to remember as we cheer for Jesus every day that his most important triumph is to come in a week span these people that cheered him will boo him and offer him up but we need to know his greatest triumph is his victory over death itself on Easter so I want us to try as hard as we can everyday to remember that excitement of Palm Sunday each and every time we serve Jesus let us pray Dear god, help us to worship with excitement. When things are going well and also in the tough times. In Jesus name, amen. Alright, kids. You come down front. Um, this song, I don't think we've done before. So, if y'all want, you can just stay seated. That's okay but I still would like everyone to sing with me because I'm used to Ashley doing it with me. So, don't leave me hanging. So, this is a beautiful song called In the Name of Jesus. Resurrected to us washed our feet Is that time for that? Not yet, not yet. Oh, that wasn't the offer. Not yet. The sad thing is she looked at me and asked her to do that and I thought she meant operatory. Sorry about that. We'll do that in a minute Well, I thought that was fun. Yeah, it's all good. This is where we offer our prayers and our praises. Um things that we want to have people to pray for throughout the week and if you will notice in your bulletin, there's this little tear off sheet and if you have a prayer request that you want on the back of our bulletin or if you want just for the pastor to to pray about that, fill that out and drop it in the offering plate. On the other side, if you are a visitor or new to us, you can fill that information out if you would like to know more and be a part of our Emails or whatever all the ways to connect with us. So, that's a couple of things for you. Now, I'm going to go ahead and share what I have because we've had a lot to happen to us here as a family. Want to share with you that Bonnie Carroll's son, Jim Young, had a triple heart bypass. Um he's in the hospital but he's doing a very well. So, Bonnie asks us to continue to pray for Jim and his healing. Zena Marie, Phil a couple of weeks ago and had several broken bones kind of things, right? And so, she's going to have surgery to repair this on Wednesday. So be in prayer for her. Ellen Houser has been dealing with some extreme back pain and they finally diagnosed herniated discs. and so, she is beginning, she will begin a therapy soon and she is asking for prayer because she is she for healing for that. We lift up Mike and Vicky Davenport's family, the back row over there. Um Mike's uncle, Dave, passed away. So, please be in prayer for that. And also many of you heard the news and we've been praying for what? A year, 2 years, something like that for a new kidney, for Connie Dagley, our our church council chair and on Monday, she went over to UT for some blood work and got the phone call. Come on to Vanderbilt. We've got your kidney. Just a reminder, keep on praying your prayers. Um Connie went and got that kidney and did so well. She got to come home. Now, she's joining us on online right now and she sent in a a message to us to continue to be in prayer for her. Thanks Yes, so continue to pray for her for no rejection and for a good first follow up on Wednesday. So, and you all have been so kind and sweet for all of these prayer requests. Now, I open it up to the rest of us as family, Carol Yes, we will continue to pray for her grandson. He is 1616 years old and also in need of a kidney and will begin infusions this week. Gage. I just have a quick praise and a prayer. Um one of Ashley's coworkers passed away over the weekend. Uh I can't remember his name now but he's got a three kids that he's leaving behind and a wife but I do have a praise. I'd like to thank Richard Trendle. Um I don't know if anyone knows but the risers have carpets. So, thank you Richard. Thank you very much. Uh you you will continue to see tweaks continuing on here. Yes. I don't know about gauges I just I want Ashley and I competed last week in a competition in Pigeon Forge for the North American Country Music and Gospel Association. It's a mouthful so it's called Nakima for short and I won vocalist of the year. I was very shocked. So, I thank you all for the prayers and noone probably knew about it because we didn't know how we do. So, last year, she won and this year, I won. So, We we are so blessed here. So blessed. Tom For those who are joining online and didn't hear that. Um because of the catastrophic flooding we had with three of our four buildings with the frozen pipe situation that happened a little over a year ago. The insurance company made the determination to discontinue our insurance coverage. And I am eternally grateful for Tom and David and so many others who were giving names and helping us to figure out who because this is a very complicated thing. Lots of prayer, labor, sweat, tears, and yes. Insurers were set to expire last Monday and the insurance company came through on Monday. You you can't make this stuff up. And you know, what you go through makes you stronger and god and god shows up and shows out. So, any other prayer requests? Heather. Praise I know. That's praise. Heather and her whole big crew have a new van and they're they're back in church with us. They were so super excited. They've they've had troubles and troubles and troubles without a vehicle. Okay. So, prayer for their family as they continue to grieve the lost of a loved one during the Easter season. Marissa Okay. Happy birthday, Joey on Tuesday when you'll turn eleven. Yes, Joey. Oh yeah, that's right. Yes. Yes. Right. Brian granny down in Chattanooga has been very sick for a little over a week now. So, prayers, prayers for her and the family as they are down there dealing with that. Yes. Uh I can't see through this the Yes. Prayer for Eliana and that whole class that went up to Washington DC because of safety camp, school. Yeah. And they're returning today. Very good. Tonight. One more. Yeah, prayers for our militaries, especially those deployed, anybody else. Let's go to the lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father god, we thank you for the gift of this day and this time together in your place. God, may you find our hearts overflowing with Thanksgiving and celebration. We praise you lord for all the ways that you love us and you provide for us and you take care of us and god, sometimes, we just, we want it in our will and in our way and and we try to control it and and and we just, there's, it's just hard to let go sometimes, god. It's just hard to let go. We know we have our part and we want to do our part but lord, help us have the discernment to know when, to step in and when to hold, when to let go but above all, to know that at all times, in all ways, in all situations, and circumstances, to place it in your hands. God, strengthen our faith and trust in you, and in this journey called life with you. allow these experiences and the things that we go through to mold and shape us, and create us into the people that you're calling us to be into the image of you God, help us to sweep away any unforgiveness as we head into this Holy Week. Help us to sweep away unforgiveness. We have a forgiving heart. Forgive us Lord, you are the great physician and so many times our prayers seem to be a revolving door of healing this person and that person and comforting and god, we're so thankful that you are a great physician and you are in the middle of of healing and that you use modern technology and such amazing and creative ways and and that you call such talented and gifted people to step into the call of healing through through what they to bring that gift and god as we prepare our hearts to this Holy Week May we take time to thank you to receive the gift that you have given to us through this, your son, Jesus Christ. May you not just find us faithful in raising our palms and celebrating only on the days when it works out well for us. But may you find us on our knees, still giving you praise, and celebrating and glory. Even when it looks like the edge is near. Lord, just thank you. We thank you for the precious gift of your son. He went to that cross and to the grave and beyond. Thank you for his precious gift and it is in his holy name. We pray this prayer. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, and give us This day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. There ain't no grave going to hold to grave a robber and he's come to take my name lifted me up going to hold my there ain't no going to when I hear I'm going to wrestle there ain't no going to is a liar with the ever done he's always telling me to run direction and love is my weapon I'm going to take down there ain't no going to hold my when I hear that I'm going to wrestle there ain't no there was a battle a war between death and life on a tree the love of god was father and he went on down to hell and he took back every key and he rose up like a lion my captives free there ain't no going to hold his body whatever he rose if he walked out of I'm walking to I'm walking to out of the grave walked out of the thread of I'm following Jesus I'm hoping to there ain't no going to hold my Jesus down Our scripture from today comes from Mark eleven verses one through eleven. When they were approaching Jerusalem at Bethage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, go into the village ahead of you and immediately as you enter it, you will find tithe there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Just say this, that lord needs it I'll send it back here immediately. They went away and found a colt tied near a door. Outside in the street. And as they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, what are you doing untying the goat? And they told them what Jesus had said and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went head and those who followed were shouting, Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David. Hosanna in the highest heaven and then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. This is god's word for all people. Thanks be to god. Okay. So, Last time we were talking about Jesus's, Jesus' disciples were eating and not fasting and so, some of the Pharisees and then there were some of John the Baptist's disciples, they were fasting and so the came and they said, why are you not fasting? And Jesus said, you don't, you don't fast at a wedding. You eat and you celebrate. There will come a time when my disciples and everyone will grieve and they will fast but today is not the day and then Jesus goes on to say, you know, you don't take old wineskin and put new wine in it and as I explained last week, it's because when you take old wineskin and you put new wine in it, with the new wine continues to ferment and it continues to expand that wineskin. Well, if the old wineskin has already expanded to its maximum capacity. What happens when you put the new wine in? It's going to burst. It's going to rupture. It's not going to hold the precious liquid that you've put in there. Jesus was telling them, I've not come here to continue to do the same old thing. You've prayed for hundreds and hundreds of years for someone to come and rescue you but it's going to come at a cost and it's going to come in a different way because it's going to come god's way. What I love about this story and you have to kind of pick it apart to sort of know what what what are the real good pieces of it. And one of the good pieces about it is that colt. That colt said an awful lot about what Jesus was doing on that day. You see, people for hundreds and hundreds of years have been praying for a messiah, for a king to come like King David, a warrior king. They wanted their enemy, Rome, to be defeated. They wanted to be their own nation again like under King David. They wanted Israel to be strong and fortified and to defeat their enemies. So, that's what they were looking for. They were looking for someone to come in with a sword on on a on a war horse and go to battle. Jesus came to do something new He was very intentional on that day. When he came, he came to the certain door. There was multiple gates, right? There's multiple doorways, gates into Jerusalem. He came to the one that fulfilled prophecy that the Messiah would be coming would enter into this particular gate. He chose where he was going to come and he chose what he was going to ride on. That colt. A donkey means peace He didn't just ride any donkey. He rode the offspring of a donkey. In other words, a colt that had never been ridden before. So, we know that a donkey means peace. He came to bring peace, not war and we also know that he rode a colt that had never been ridden before. It was a continuation of his message I have come to do something new. Few days earlier he had been over in Bethany and he had raised Lazarus from the dead Now, just think about that. You know, they didn't have text and Twitter and or X or whatever that is and social media like we have today to spread that news that that man over in that other town had been dead 4 days and Jesus came. They rolled back the stone. He called him out and he came forward and he had life. Well, I'm telling you that news spread like wildfire. So that the people heard about it in Jerusalem and they just knew that when Jesus came, that he was ready to assume the throne and make their lives better. Now, who doesn't want to have their life better? Who doesn't want to say, I want to serve a king who will raise the dead to the living. That can bring healing to me and they knew his other miracles too. The feeding of the 5thousand The healing of the leopard, the woman with the bleeding issue. They knew who he was. So, there were people in that crowd that day. They were ready to receive him as their messiah and they thought, he's just going to come in and just change it all. There were others, They were zealots. There was a group of people who were ready to go to war and they were waiting for a messiah that would lead them into war. They were there that day shouting hosanna in the crowd because they believed that he was going to lead them into war and then you had the religious leaders And you had the Roman soldiers and the the Roman citizens that were there as well. And they had their own caution and suspicion as you can imagine about What is he going to do? Has he come to claim a a throne? And they weren't too happy about it. They saw the crowds I mean, this was big news. People saw him coming and they saw him on this colt and and they knew that a donkey meant the prince of peace and the king of kings and and they laid down their palms and they laid down their cloaks and they were singing Hosanna which does mean save us. As they were looking for someone. Jesus had come to do something new. Few days later, who shouted Hosanna would stand in the crowd and shout, crucify him. I think sometimes it's just so easy for us to get to this part of the Holy Week that we're ready for the Easter egg hunt and the pancakes and don't get me wrong, I'll be there Saturday. But there's a journey to get there because there was a real cost, a real sacrifice a real gift. There was real betrayal. There were enemies and god loved them all For god so loved the whole that he gave his only begotten son. I don't think we can ever fully imagine what that event of that week and going to the cross was like. But I do know this. I thank god for that gift because the gift of what Christ offered on that cross, willing to love us all the way to the grave and beyond. Did something new in our relationship with god. It it changed the relationship with god and I don't understand all of it. Uh I take it on faith but what I hope I don't do and what I hope we don't do is to take it for granted. Until we need it. Uh I can tell you that as I do my hospital chaplaincy, people don't play in the hospital on their death beds. They're thankful that god sent his son to do something new So today, while we have celebrated and today, while we have lifted up our palms and our praises, I want us to take a moment to remember that this gift changed the whole world and it is meant to change you and to change me and it's meant to help us to come alive and to be vibrant. So, why did Christ do what he did? It was for love. You know, what he did on that cross, he did just as much for Judas. Judas didn't wait for the rest of the story. That's the difference between the betrayal between Judas and Peter. They both betray, they both did their share of betraying, right? But one held on for the rest of the story and the other one did not came so that you and I will have life and have it to the fullest. You're alive. Is your creator loves you deeply and dearly and says, I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. And he sent his son to show us how much he loves us but also he sent his son to show us. Here's how you love. Here's how you love your enemies. Here's how you take forgiveness and receive it and then give it to others. Here's how you serve. You know, Jesus washed Judas' feet that night on that Thursday, that last supper. He washed his enemies feet and he already knew that that man was going to betray him because then he said, go do what you gotta do. And then later in the garden, he received the kiss of friendship What does it look like when we say, lord Jesus, I surrender all. Come use me as you will. Do with me as you want. I am fully yours. Would we be obedient? Would we follow? Not just in the good times and we get to raise our palms but in the hard times, when they're suffering and their sacrifice, when when we go and stand at the grave and our faith is truly tested in that moment, Is the resurrection real? Our loved ones, will we see them again one day? I say yes to all of that because I see so much evidence where god has said yes to us. What do we do with this message How can this message be in such a way that god can do something new in each of us that we become more alive and more vibrant and more caring and more loving. There are so many people out there out there and maybe in here that are hurting, that are broken, that are lonely, that that don't think that god could love them or don't even think that god is real or alive and if he is, surely he care about them and the stronger we can grow in our faith, in our trust, and letting god do what god does best which is to love us so that we can pour it out and love others. Well, that message can just overflow. And other people know, you are loved too. I thank god for cults that have been unridden. I thank god for a savior who said, I will do it differently and I thank god for his mercy and his forgiveness and his caring and his kindness to love me even when I don't always get it or understand it but yet I am not leaving it. I am grounded in this As you are grounded in it And Christ is what we are grounded in and who we are grounded. So today and every day, even on Good Friday, we can raise our hands and praise the lord and shout hallelujah. Because we know that there is victory in Christ. And victory has already come. Amen? Amen. Will everyone please stand with us and sing what he's done Calvary my savior bled for me, for the freedom even death is on the throne my sins are forgive Children of god go forth from this place with praises overflowing in our hearts. Shout hallelujah to the lord. Share the story of the good news and invite all to come and see in the glory of the goodness of the one who says, I love you and I will be with you now until the very end. Go forth in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit and all of god's children shouted. Men. What he's