Five days before he was crucified

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The King, a kind and gentle King,
rides in upon an ass
– a borrowed ass – he nothing owned:
The prophecy had come to pass.

Though usually he walked, not now,
and hear the crowd acclaim him,
acknowledging his goodness, praise
– he who soon would be reigning.

But foolish leaders closed their eyes
to that which showed that he
was true Messiah sent from heaven,
wise, kind, Saviour to be.

And so they wanted to be rid
of him, for their hypocrisy,
and pride, was shown exposed by his
true goodness, quiet authority.

Tune: basically CM, with some hanging syllables

The Giver of Life

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Christ Jesus said, Seek out,
pursue food that sustains
which does not spoil, endures:
so heed his wondrous claims:
  ‘I am the bread of life’, he said,
  for I give life to souls now dead –
  eternal life, your souls refreshed and fed.

The barren heart revived
for by the Spirit drenched:
fruit grows, life’s Source made known,
soul’s hunger, thirst is quenched.
  ‘I am the bread of life’, he said,
  for I give life to souls now dead –
  eternal life, your souls refreshed and fed.

(see John 6:35 etc)

Tune: 6666 8810 eg ‘Gospel grace’ by J McGranahan

Amazing Grace!

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Grace, powerful, undeserved:
the favour, gifts of God –
though all we do he has observed,
our every word has heard,
he’s made a way of grace
and now he can embrace
repentant ones who truly come
asking he will atone
their sins by Christ’s spilt blood,
receiving grace from God:
listen! to all he says, believe
and life and grace receive.

Then may grace always lead us,
adoption undeserved –
by grace his teaching feed us,
be powerfully preserved.
He is the Gardener
who makes us holier,
he prunes away those things
those foolish harmful sins
by which we’ve been deceived,
his holy love have grieved:
listen! to all he says, believe
and life and grace receive.

Jesus said “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Tune: SMx3

Fit to meet the King

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No other way to God
if Jesus is refused;
God has provided him as such,
and so if he’s abused,
there is no other way
that we can be made fit
to come to One so holy, pure
dressed in a clean outfit.

To meet a king you should
be tidy, clean, polite:
to meet the universe’s King
your life must be made right.
But that means all your past
that’s wrong must be wiped clean,
and gain new attitude of heart
where selfishness has been.

But only God, as Christ
could die to clear our guilt,
and give us life that loves his ways –
all through his own blood spilt.
No other route to God –
kind Jesus is the Way!
so turn to him for cleansing, life
repent and humbly pray.
Tune: DSM eg Diademata tune of ‘Crown him with many crowns’ by G Elvey

Why not instantaeous creation?

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So why did God take six days to create
the universe, its flowers and planets great?
Why not produce all instantaneously?
I think he wanted us his plan to see
– his thought, great wisdom and delight, the pleasure
he took in forming beauty, precious treasure.

It gave a pattern for our work, our week,
a seven-day plan so good, with needed break
to rest and praise, refreshing crown of time,
meet with our caring Father, Lord divine.
But now for long there have been those who said
‘There is no God – it made itself instead!’

‘What seems impossible may have occurred
if length of time is vast’ – but it’s absurd
to think that tiny changes brought by chance
could ever viability enhance –
those fossils were by sudden burial formed,
life’s chemistry’s designed by One now scorned.

Tune: 10 10 10 10 10 10 eg Finlandia by Sibelius

Creator of skills

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“Our love of beauty, and some skill
reflects Your greater – how we thrill
to see the rose and daffodil,
deep hue of seas of wild bluebell;

“the flash of darting kingfisher’s flight,
the graceful circling of a kite,
the murmurations – startling sight,
as starling clouds swirl before night;

“the sculpture of a swallow’s brain
so it can travel home again;
the intricacy of each cell
whose complex chemistry works so well;

“the dazzling beauty of night’s sky
that all may see, and wonder, ‘Why
is all so beautiful?’, then sigh,
‘Will this continue when I die?’

“Oh, as You’ve made me with some skill
may I now use it as You will,
– in all I do to beauty sow
and praise Your work where’er I go!”
Tune: LM

Open House

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No room in the inn for the birth of the child,
will you give him room? with your God reconciled,
and hope he has room for you there in his heaven?
acknowledging, asking your sins be forgiven?

There’s room in his heaven for all who perceive
their guilt, now desiring his grace to receive,
redeemed by the price that he paid on the cross
in dying for sinners repentant like us.

So open the door of your heart, let him in
– the Saviour, your Maker, the almighty King.
There’s room in his arms now to shelter and shield
and feed with the nourishing truth he’s revealed.

Tune: 11 11 11 11 eg ‘Away in a manger’, or Houghton

“The Fool says … ‘There is no God’”

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“The fool says in his heart,
‘There is no God’”.*
He cannot know, but must
boldy discard
the thought of something greater
than what we see, all matter.
A God would intervene, he says,
at once to make things better.

So two things he neglects –
how life began,
and what a God would do
with sinful man:
If he make all work perfectly,
with no more germs or tragedy,
would we all live harmoniously
and kindly neighbours, brothers, be?

Or should he (as he says)
some trouble leave and offer help and hope
awhile – his help and hope
we can receive –
while showing how we need to be
all changed so fundamentally,
forgiven, before he come and cleanse
all germs and sin out thorougly. *Psalm 14:1; 53:1

Much more startling…

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The shepherds saw a startling sight,
but the sight they went to see
– the little baby born that night
they realised now was he
who had a glorious past
and a future which would last and last … !
Awesome the angels in the night;
far greater awe when Christ they saw.

Those men with riches travelled far
to worship this new King;
they knew the meaning of the star
and came to worship him.
So humble now was he
but soon his glory all will see.
Awesome their wealth, and journey long;
they worship, bow to Jesus now!

Distracting gifts, and glitzy noise
– you may this mystery miss:
his lifting gift, taste bliss –
not just a pretty story
but tells us of the door to glory!
Awesome to know this God-child will
suffer, redemption to fulfil.

A Kingdom of wisdom and peace

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We long for love and peace where guns
are moulded into ploughs,
and everyone unkindness shuns,
concern, not hatred shows,
then missiles used to make a spade
and water pipes and more
– but now instead from such are made
the weaponry of war.

And so in many lands but few
aren’t poor, for money goes
to stockpile for disputes anew –
misunderstanding grows.
But God can melt malicious wills
or take them from the scene:
one day the world with peace he’ll fill
and reign where fear had been.
Tune: DCM

“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.” Isaiah 2:4