{"id":6394,"date":"2015-04-01T13:53:01","date_gmt":"2015-04-01T17:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6394"},"modified":"2015-04-28T13:24:32","modified_gmt":"2015-04-28T17:24:32","slug":"choirs-to-present-the-seven-last-words-cantata-on-palm-sunday-32915","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6394","title":{"rendered":"Choirs Present &#8220;The Seven Last Words&#8221; in Palm Sunday Cantata (3\/29\/15)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Choir-Palm-Sunday-2015-_DSC_0162.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-6487\" src=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Choir-Palm-Sunday-2015-_DSC_0162-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Choir Palm Sunday 2015  _DSC_0162\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Choir-Palm-Sunday-2015-_DSC_0162-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Choir-Palm-Sunday-2015-_DSC_0162.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Palm Sunday is usually viewed as a joyous time of celebration; the King is arriving into the Holy City.\u00a0 But we quickly discover that the Holy City rejected and crucified this King instead of celebrating and worshiping Him.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">And so it&#8217;s appropriate that Palm Sunday finds us looking at the Seven Last Words of Christ.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">The choir led our Palm Sunday service by continuing Pastor Jim&#8217;s theme of Christ&#8217;s Seven Last Words on the Cross.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Along with narration and scripture readings, the choirs and praise team took us through the wonder of those hours that our Savior spent suffering on the cross.\u00a0 The cantata was presented during both services (9:30 and 11:00).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class='et-box et-shadow'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et-box-content'>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #000000;\">As we pass from the cries of \u201chosanna,\u201d to the cries of \u201ccrucify Him,\u201d let us take time to gaze upon the cross in it s ugliness and beauty, and listen anew to the words of Jesus&#8230;\u201d We need to have our hearts broken again by our sin that put Jesus on the cross. We need to have our confidence grounded by what Jesus accomplished on the cross. We need to have our hope anchored by the grace of God in the promise of the resurrection. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Today, may we hear the words of Jesus with new ears, and look into the face of Jesus with new eyes of faith. Heavenly Father, draw us once again, and keep us near the cross of Jesus.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class='tabs-left et_sliderfx_fade et_sliderauto_false et_sliderauto_speed_5000 et_slidertype_left_tabs clearfix'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et_left_tabs_bg'><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<ul class='et-tabs-control'>\n\t\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 1\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 2\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 3\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 4\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 5\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 6\n\t\t<\/a><\/li> \n\t\t<li><a href='#'>\n\t\t\tWord 7\n\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul> <!-- .et-tabs-control --> \n\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content'>\n\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-main-wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t<div class='et-tabs-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0The Lord\u2019s first saying was also the most surprising: Dying at the hands of wicked men who knew He was innocent, He cries out for their pardon\u2014<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do\u201d.\u00a0 Jesus sets the example once again-he prays for those who have done Him wrong-He prays for us!\u00a0 The New Testament declares that Jesus \u201c<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">ever lives to make intercession for us.<\/span><\/em>\u201d (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=hebrews+7%3A23-25&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Hebrews\u00a07:25<\/a><\/span>)<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song:\u00a0 \u201cAh, Holy Jesus\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cToday you will be with me in paradise&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These words of Jesus were spoken to a penitent thief; a man who had lived his whole life in sin is now redeemed by Jesus.\u00a0 How comforting,\u201d<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.<\/span><\/em>\u201d (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=romans+5%3A18-20&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Romans 5:20<\/a><\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>The sinner cries out for mercy, and Jesus offers mercy with a promise &#8211; to die in faith, and awaken in Christ.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cI Can Only Imagine\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cDear woman, here is your son.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cHere is your mother.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Lord\u2019s third word was made up of two parts.\u00a0 First, to his mother, and then to John, <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em>the disciple whom Jesus loved<\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>His words to Mary was that she would now look to John for support and care.<\/li>\n<li>To John, his words of instruction were to care for her and treat her with love and respect as if he was the first born son.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Even in his time of suffering, Jesus puts the needs of others above himself, a quality not just to be admired, but to be imitated.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cLamb of God\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cMy God, my God, why have You forsaken me&#8230;?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In speaking these words from <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=psalm+22&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm\u00a022<\/a><\/span>, Jesus was now experiencing the pain of separation from God.\u00a0 Because Jesus became sin, the Father turned away.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Habakkuk+1%3A13&amp;version=MSG\" target=\"_blank\">Habakkuk\u00a01:13<\/a><\/span> declared of God, \u201c<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">You are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on the wickedness with favor<\/span><\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 God turned his back when Jesus was on the cross because He could not look at sin.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus died on the cross as a substitute\u00a0 for the sins of the world-for yours and mine.\u00a0 &#8220;<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf.<\/span><\/em>&#8221;\u00a0 (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A11-21&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">2\u00a0Corinthians\u00a05:21<\/a><\/span>).<\/p>\n<p>This separation from God is far too deep for us to fathom.\u00a0 Jesus cried out these words not in anguish of the physical pain, but from the painful separation with His heavenly Father that His becoming sin had bought.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cHow Deep the Father\u2019s Love for Us\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cI Am thirsty&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This word of Jesus fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament.\u00a0 John says, \u201c<em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">after this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled said, \u201cI thirst.<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>John, in writing this down for us, helps us to recognize the significance of these words.\u00a0 Not just for us, but also for the people who were there.\u00a0 By saying these words, Jesus was telling us all that He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.\u00a0 In other words, that He is the Messiah.<\/p>\n<p>Other prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus, so here once again with his dying breath, Jesus fulfills another prophecy (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=ps+69%3A21&amp;version=NKJV\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm\u00a069:21<\/a><\/span> and many others).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cAgnus Dei\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cIt is finished&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This word spoken by Jesus on the cross is a single Greek word- a word that is \u201ccomfortable and comprehensive.\u201d\u00a0 Comfortable because it means that these words produces a great comfort in the believer.\u00a0 Comprehensive means that it covers all.<\/p>\n<p>Comprehensive:\u00a0 \u201cIt is Finished.\u201d\u00a0 Sin is finished, For anyone who wants to be rid of sin and guilt, there is salvation in the cross.\u00a0 It is finished means the believer is now acceptable to God.<\/p>\n<p>It is finished:\u00a0 That is the earthly life and ministry is finished. It is finished &#8211; The ceremonial law is abolished\u00a0\u00a0 How mindful and thankful we ought to be for these words.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cO Sacred Head Now Wounded\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class='et_slidecontent'>\n\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<strong><em><span style=\"color: #800080;\">\u201cFather, into your hands, I commit my spirit&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These last words as well as the first words that were shared with us were directed to His Heavenly Father.\u00a0 The other ones were to his friends, family and enemies.\u00a0 These words were once again from scripture.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 words on the cross show us how to live, and how to die, and how to live in him.\u00a0 May this be our prayer at the foot of the cross.<\/p>\n<p>Father, into whose hands your son Jesus commended his spirit, grant that we too, following His example, in all of life, may we in life and death, O Lord Abide with you.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Song: \u201cJesus Paid It All\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .tabs-left -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>These words are so familiar, and yet they have a huge significance that goes beyond a Good Friday sermon.\u00a0 Jesus was fully divine, but He was also fully human.\u00a0 He felt the physical pain on the cross.\u00a0 He put on our sin and felt the separation from God which sin deserves.\u00a0 These seven &#8220;words&#8221; and these six hours on the cross reach back towards the beginning of time and forward to the ends of eternity as God bridges His holiness and love with our sinfulness and rejection.<\/p>\n<div class='et-box et-info'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='et-box-content'><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To learn more about these Words and about Jesus&#8217; time on the cross, check out Pastor Jim&#8217;s sermon series on the Seven Last Words.\u00a0 During February and March, Pastor\u00a0 Jim preached on the first five &#8220;words&#8221; (we will look Words 6 and 7 later):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Click on the following links to read these sermons and to hear an audio recording of it:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=5885\" target=\"_blank\">Father Forgive Them<\/a><\/span>&#8221; (2\/22\/15)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6021\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus Remembers<\/a><\/span>&#8221; (3\/1\/15)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6172\" target=\"_blank\">Behold Your Son, Behold Your Mother<\/a><\/span>&#8221;\u00a0 (3\/8\/15)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6312\" target=\"_blank\">My God- Where Are You!?!<\/a><\/span>&#8221;\u00a0 (3\/15\/15)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=6397\" target=\"_blank\">How&#8217;s Your Thirst Quenched?<\/a><\/span>&#8221;\u00a0 (3\/22\/15)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #003300;\">\u00a0+\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For more information about&#8230;.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sermons-\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?cat=50\">Click Here<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Music Ministry-\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?page_id=166\">Click Here<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sunday Worship- <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?page_id=28\">Click Here<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Palm Sunday is usually viewed as a joyous time of celebration; the King is arriving into the Holy City.\u00a0 But we quickly discover that the Holy City rejected and crucified this King instead of celebrating and worshiping Him. And so it&#8217;s appropriate that Palm Sunday finds us looking at the Seven Last Words of Christ. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6487,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,10,14],"tags":[94],"class_list":["post-6394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mus","category-evrpt","category-worship","tag-easterweek"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6394"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6494,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6394\/revisions\/6494"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}