a song of praise

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And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near— already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:36-40 ESV) We must silence the stones with our praise. We must sing to the Ancient of Days. Stones are ready to shout if we fail to cry out. We must silence the stones with our praise. Mountains quake at the sound of God’s voice. Let His people before Him rejoice. Those He chose to redeem come and join in the theme. We must silence the stones with our praise.

LEADER: Yet he comes. The children cheer; with palms his path is strown. With every step the cross draws near the King of glory’s throne. Astride a colt he passes by as loud hosannas ring, or else the very stones would cry CONGREGATION: BEHOLD! BEHOLD YOUR KING! LEADER: What fading flowers his road adorn; the palms, how soon laid down! No bloom or leaf but only thorn the King of glory’s crown. The soldiers mock, the rabble cries, the streets with tumult ring, as Pilate to the mob replies, CONGREGATION: BEHOLD! BEHOLD YOUR KING! LEADER: Now he who bore for mortals‚ sake the cross and all its pains and chose a servant’s form to take, the King of glory reigns. Hosanna to the Savior’s Name till heaven’s rafters ring, and all the ransomed host proclaim CONGREGATION: BEHOLD! BEHOLD YOUR KING!

PALM SUNDAY ANTHEM OF PRAISE

SILENCE THE STONES • ECBC CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA (Please see text at left side-bar this page)

RESPONSE OF PRAISE

ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam! O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless, And worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, Lift his Name! And praise the Spirit, Three in One! Give Him praise! O praise Him! O praise Him! Ev’ry hand Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! to Him raise! With one voice to Him sing: Mighty God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and King!

Hallelujah! Now sing the Amen! Hallelujah! All glory! Amen! From Him throne our God reigns. Sing out loud the refrain. We will silence the stones with our praise! We must silence the stones! Amen!

PRAISE TRANSFORMS FRANCIS J. ROBERTS

Rejoice in the Lord always, for as you rejoice and give thanks, you release heaven’s treasures and shower upon your head the blessings of a delighted Father. Nothing so thoroughly delights the Father’s heart as the praises of His children. For praise inclines the heart toward gratitude, and gratitude nurtures contentment, and you may know for a certainty that no fruit ever appears on the tree of discontent. So praise, My children, and never cease in your praising, for in the midst of it I will manifest Myself, and you will understand that when I demand of you your praises, it is for your highest good. Out of praises come courage, faith, strength, optimism, clarity, and peace. Out of praises come health and happiness and the soul satisfaction you seek in the world and do not find. Praise will transform the humblest dwelling to a hallowed haven. It will light the countenance and make the plainest face beautiful. It is impossible for the person who has learned unceasing praise to be a failure. God’s blessing attends his path, and God’s Spirit rules his heart. He is eternally at peace with both God and man.

OFFERTORY PRAYER DEACON OF THE DAY

OFFERTORY

PRAISE GOD • ECBC HANDBELLS

DOXOLOGY Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen!

CONGREGATIONAL GREETINGS MORNING SERMON

CONRAD “BUSTER” BROWN • SENIOR PASTOR

361 Egypt Road Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 843.856.3222 Equipping people to pursue Jesus Christ passionately as they impact the culture. eastcooperbaptist.com

WORSHIPGUIDE

SILENCE THE STONES

SONG CYCLE FOR THE EASTER SEASON

A SONG OF PRAISE The Church in Corporate Worship

MARCH 20, 2016

Our third of five themed services in our SONG CYCLE FOR EASTER, today we celebrate PALM SUNDAY with a Song of Praise to our King! Please use the following prayer to prepare your hearts for worship: Almighty King; we stand before you on this Palm Sunday to worship you, to join with the great company of heaven to sing your praises in humble but joyful adoration of all that you are. Though we have all gone our own ways, your outstretched arm has brought us back to the One for whom our souls yearn. May you this and every day receive the glory due your majestic name. May our hearts adore you and our tongues shower you with praise for the triumph of your grace that brings to us unbounded health and peace and life everlasting.

REFLECTION

THOUGHTS FOR WORSHIP PREPARATION Palm Sunday celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and marks the beginning of the final days toward the Crucifixion and death. -- Robert Webber Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. -- Zechariah 9:9 These three things– lack of excitement with the gospel, disappointment with God and with Christianity, and taking on the traits of my treasure rather than the character of Christ– can rip the mask off of the costume kingdom in your life. Could it be that you have shrunk the kingdom of God down to the size of your little kingdom treasures? You are not alone in this battle to unmask and dismantle the little kingdom in your life. Be excited! Your Messiah gives you just what you need for this battle. The little kingdom leaves you poor, so He offers you the good news of the eternal riches of His grace. The little kingdom enslaves you, so He endured the cross to set you free. The little kingdom leaves you blind, so He places hands of grace on you to restore your sight. The little kingdom has left you oppressed, so He purchased your release. In your Lord you find all the resources you need to live with insight and liberty while you breathe the big sky air of His glorious kingdom. -- Paul David Tripp

Oh, let our hearts, lives and voices Far down the ages now Her journey well nigh done, be filled with the praise of Your The pilgrim Church pursues her way And longs to reach her crown. great name! Thus onward still we press Through evil and through good, Amen.

COVER ART The 5 art images on the cover represent the 5 services of our Song Cycle for Easter SONG OF PROMISE March 6 SONG OF PEACE March 13 SONG OF PRAISE March 20

Through pain, or poverty, or want, Through peril or through blood. No wider is the gate, No broader is the way, No smoother is the ancient path That leads to light and day. No feebler is the foe, No slacker grows the fight, Nor less the need of armor tried, Of shield and helmet bright. Still faithful to our God And to our Captain true, We follow where He leads the way, Hosannah! The kingdom still in view. -- Horatius Bonar, 1856

SONG OF PARDON So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, March 25 crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the

Lord, even the King of Israel!”

Song of POWER -- John 12:13 March 27

PALM SUNDAY On Palm Sunday Christians celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. Palm Sunday, often referred to as “Passion Sunday,” marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday. The Bible reveals that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him with waving palm branches, shouting “Hosanna!” (an acclamation of praise meaning ‘save us’) and by covering his path with palm branches. Immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus, he begins his journey to the cross. The Biblical account can be found in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.

HALLELUJAH!

THE MORNING WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS VIDEO

CALL TO PRAISE PSALM 24:7-10

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!

PROCESSIONAL

ALL GLORY, LAUD AND HONOR • ECBC ORCHESTRA

PALM SUNDAY HYMN

ALL GLORY, LAUD AND HONOR [ST THEODULPH]

“Hallelujah,” “Halleluyah” and the Latin form “Alleluia” are transliterations of the Hebrew word - meaning “Praise God!”

HYMN OF PRAISE

WHEN MORNING GILDS THE SKIES [LAUDES DOMINI]

Hallelujah is found primarily in the book of Psalms. The word is used in Judaism as part of the Hallel prayers, and in Christian prayer. It has been accepted into the English language and has a similar pronunciation in many other languages. In the Bible the term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (mainly in the book of Psalms, e.g. 111-117, 145-150, where it starts and concludes a number of Psalms) and four times in Greek transliteration in Revelation. The word hallelujah occurring in Psalms is a Hebrew request for a congregation to join in praise. It can be translated as “Praise Yah, you people”, and is usually worded in English contexts as “Praise ye the Lord” or “Praise the Lord”. Hallel in Hebrew means a joyous praise, to boast in God, or to act madly or foolishly. The second part, Yah, is a shortened form of the name of God YHWH, sometimes rendered in English as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”. For most Christians, “Hallelujah” is considered a joyful word of praise to God, rather than an injunction to praise him. Among many Protestant Christians, the expressions of Hallelujah and Praise the Lord are acceptable, spontaneous expressions of joy, thanksgiving and praise towards God, requiring no specific prompting or call or direction from those leading times of praise and singing.

SONG OF PRAISE

HALLELUJAH TO MY KING! [PAUL BALOCHE] O how strong the power of Jesus’ name It is stronger than any other name How sweet the victory that bore my shame Took the burden of my sin away Hallelujah what a Savior I owe everything to Him Hallelujah what a Savior Hallelujah to my King O how great the kindness Our God has shown We were strangers Now we’re called His own His grace has welcomed The sinner home Tender mercies lead us to the throne Oh what peace the Spirit of Jesus brings Through the trials He will carry me One day in Heaven our eyes will meet Filled with wonder all the saints will sing Hallelujah Hallelujah to my King

PALM SUNDAY LITANY BEHOLD! BEHOLD YOUR KING!

LEADER: No tramp of soldiers‚ marching feet with banners and with drums, no sound of music’s martial beat The King of glory comes! To greet what pomp of kingly pride no bells in triumph ring, no city gates swing open wide: CONGREGATION: BEHOLD! BEHOLD YOUR KING! [continued]