Yardley United Methodist Church
March 29 - What Wondrous Love
  • Hosanna Loud Hosannas (Hosanna Loud Hosanna)
  • Hosanna

      • John 3:16–17NRSVUE

      • Isaiah 52:13–53:12NRSVUE

      • Hebrews 10:10–13NRSVUE

      • John 3:16–17NRSVUE

      • Isaiah 52:13–53:12NRSVUE

      • Hebrews 10:10–13NRSVUE

      • John 3:16–17NRSVUE

      • Isaiah 52:13–53:12NRSVUE

      • Hebrews 10:10–13NRSVUE

  • What Wondrous Love: Crucified Love

    From the Palms to the Passion
    Scripture Selections: 1 John 4:8-10; John 3:16; John 15:13; Romans 5:8
    Opening:
    Today, our service embodies the sharp contrasts of Holy Week. We began our worship in the joyous Entrance with the Palms, experiencing the festive demonstration of loyalty as we cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord”.
    However, we must not let the celebration of Palm Sunday crowd out the solemn observance of the Passion of Christ. Journeying directly from the joyful entry into Jerusalem to the supreme joy of Easter, without addressing the passion and the cross of our Lord, misrepresents the Gospel.
    As we prepare our hearts, we remember: There is no triumph without suffering, no crown without a cross.
    Introduction:
    When we reflect on the hymn, “What Wondrous Love Is This,” we hear the depth of language and feel the very real grief wrapped up in the death of Jesus, but we also are drawn to the powerful message conveyed by the cross.
    In the ancient world, people often imagined the divine as capricious, angry, and self-serving. Love was not the first word people associated with the gods.
    But in Jesus, we see something entirely different: God’s heart revealed as steadfast love.
    Today, we witness the paradox of divine kingship.

    The Paradox of Divine Kingship

    While the crowds shouted "Hosanna" and laid down palms of victory, Jesus entered on a donkey to signify a humble, peaceful kingdom.
    The very same week that begins with praise moves quickly to call for his crucifixion.
    This journey from praise to passion shows us that the cross is not about changing God’s heart toward us; it is about changing our hearts toward God.

    1: God’s Love Revealed

    God’s love reveals God’s character—a love so profound that God would lay Godself down for us.
    We instinctively recognize that giving one’s life is the highest form of love. Yet, Jesus’ death is unique because he is God incarnate; it is God giving God’s very self for us.
    Have you ever asked someone to prove they love you?
    In our relationships, intentionally showing love through acts of kindness is a healthy proof of love.
    With Christ, there is no wondering. Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “God proves his love for us…” Christ’s self-giving death embodies God’s love, not wrath.
    We don't view the cross as a cold transaction, but as a deeply personal message: You Are Loved.

    2: God’s Love Received

    How do we receive this love?
    Many people imagine God as angry, condemning, or distant.
    But Jesus shows us a God who eats with sinners, defends the woman caught in adultery, delivers men oppressed by the demonic, feeds the hungry, and welcomes the lost. Each person Jesus encounters receives his wondrous love.
    Even in the Old Testament, there are hundreds of examples pointing to the loving nature of God: Hesed (steadfast love) is mentioned 248 times, and ahav (affectionate love) is mentioned over 200 times.
    Jesus' life, ministry, and death paint a different picture for believers.
    In Isaiah 53, he presents the image of the Suffering Servant who bears human sorrow and sin, transforming the cross from a symbol of torture into the ultimate display of divine mercy.
    The cross is like God’s megaphone, saying to the world: “I Am Loved”.

    3: God’s Love Returned

    When we truly receive this wondrous love, it draws us in, changes our story, and sends us out.
    Jesus commands us in John 15:12, “Love one another as I have loved you”.
    The cross calls us to live cruciform lives that are selfless, sacrificial, and serving.
    Isaac Watts wrote in the hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all”.
    Living a life in God’s love truly is demanding. Reciprocating God’s love is not something we can phone in or outsource.
    It comes from being so moved by what Christ has done that we are compelled by the Spirit to embody that extravagant, self-giving love for others.
    Just as we honor the life of someone who loved us, we too are called to live daily in remembrance of the One who died for us by his wondrous love.
    Have you accepted this wondrous love? And how will you live differently in response?
    Service Transition:
    Having surveyed the wondrous cross, we will soon collect our offering and extend our thanks to God. As we transition from the Proclamation of the Passion into our time of response, let us bring our Concerns and Prayers before God.
    May the Palm branches we carry be for us signs of his victory over sin and death, and may we who bear them follow him in the way that leads to eternal life by his wonderful love. Amen.
  • Oh How He Loves You And Me
  • Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow
  • Jesus Lover Of My Soul
Yardley United Methodist Church
office@yardleyumc.org
(215) 493-3345
https://www.yardleyumc.org
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