Act One: Setting the Stage for Jesus Madison Street Church Act One: Setting the Stage for Jesus

In the Wilderness In the wilderness we wander In the wilderness we weep In the wasteland of our wanting Where the darkness seems so deep

We search for beginning For an exodus to hold We find that those who follow Him Often walk alone

In the wilderness He calls His son and daughters To the wilderness

He gives grace To survive any test That’s the painful purpose Of the wilderness

In the wilderness we’re wondering For a way to understand In the wilderness there’s not a way For the ways become a man

And the man’s become the exodus The way to holy ground Wandering the wilderness Is the best way to be found

In the wilderness He calls His son and daughters To the wilderness He gives grace To survive any test That’s the painful purpose Of the wilderness

Groaning, growing Amidst the desert days The windy wilderness Can blow the self away

In the wilderness He calls His sons and daughters To the wilderness

Welcome and Call to Worship Psalm 126

Lead Me to the Rock Hear my cry, Oh God, give heed to my prayer From the end of the earth I call to thee when my heart is faint

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I To the rock that is higher than I For Thou hast been a refuge for me

Let me dwell in Thy tent forever Let me take refuge in the shelter of Thy wings From the end of the earth I call to thee when my heart is faint

So I will sing praise to Thy name forever That I may pay my vows day by day From the end of the earth I call to thee when my heart is faint

Offering Our First Fruits

10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) The sun comes up It’s a new day dawning It’s time to sing Your song again Whatever may pass And whatever lies before me Let me be singing When the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship His Holy name Sing like never before I’ll worship Your Holy name

You’re rich in love And You’re slow to anger Your name is great And Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons For my heart to find

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship His Holy name Sing like never before I’ll worship Your Holy name

And on that day When my strength is failing The end draws near And my time has come Still my soul will Sing your praise unending Ten thousand years And then forevermore

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship His Holy name Sing like never before I’ll worship Your Holy name

Poem Nikki Grimes

Act Two: Teaching About Jesus

Scripture Reading John 12: 1-8 Isaiah 43: 16-21

Alabaster I am broken at Your feet, like an alabaster jar Every piece of who I am Laid before Your majesty

I will bow my life at Your feet At Your feet My lips, so lost for words, will kiss Your feet Kiss your feet

Oh the gravity of You Draws my soul unto its knees I will never be the same I am lost and found in You

I will bow my life at Your feet At Your feet My lips, so lost for words, will kiss Your feet Kiss your feet

Oceans (Where feet may fail) You call me out upon the waters The great unknown where my feet may fail And there I find You in the mystery In oceans deep my faith will stand

I will call upon Your Name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters Your sovereign hand will be my guide Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

I will call upon Your Name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever you would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my savior

I will call upon Your Name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine

Children are invited to the children’s ministry led by Andrew and Jen

The Season of Lent 5th Sunday John 12:1-8, Philippians 3:3-14, Isaiah 43:16-21, Psalm 126 The Pain of Priorities

John 12:1-8// The Pain of Priorities Tangents and Whirlwinds frame an amazing and beautiful interaction Everything about the anointing is awkward It’s the unusualness that gives rise to beauty Jesus addresses the poor and social justice with reference to generosity We are called to examine and reorient our Priorities Beauty and Justice in the midst of pain

Isaiah 43:16-21// The Pain of Priorities Something new being born in the wilderness Egypt is all around us, and Lent leads to Easter Transformation and Reorientation of our priorities The Wesleys Got it. Then knew. We are all witnesses to life in a world of death Prioritize rejoicing in anticipation of new desert streams.

One More Thing “The aim of the universe is toward the production of beauty.” ~Alfred North Whitehead Lent is about discovering | the pain of priorities, the pain and beauty that lead us to the crucifixion AND the Resurrection

Act Three: Responding To Jesus Talk Back

Talkback What was Mary thinking and how can we embrace it in the here and now? How can we allow ourselves to see “rivers in the desert”? What are the implications of Mary’s actions combined with Jesus’ footwashing a chapter later? How does the path of discipleship reflect the actions of Mary and the statements of Jesus? Are our priorities spiritually grounded in the deserts and storms of Lent and life? How do we embrace a spontaneous spirit of extravagant love in a world of caution and isolation?

Reminders

Sending

Blessed Be Your Name Blessed Be Your name in the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say… Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name When the sun's shining down on me When the world's all as it should be

On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say… Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away My heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your glorious name