Adapted from Isaiah 9:2; 6-7a (NIV)

Leader: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

People: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.”

Leader: “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

People: “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.”

Submitted by Stuart Strachan Jr. (NIV, adapted for liturgical use)

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Adapted from Zechariah 9:9-10

Pastor: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

All: 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.

Pastor: I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations;

All: his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Submitted by Dustin Ray

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Adapted from Luke 24:44-47a

Pastor: Jesus said, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

All: Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Pastor: And Jesus said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

All: You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.”

Submitted by Dustin Ray (ESV, adapted for liturgical use)

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Responsive Prayer Adapted from John 11

Leader: Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.“

People: Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Leader:   Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.“

People: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.  Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?“

Leader: Martha replied, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.” Now what about us? Do we believe this?

All: We believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, our Lord and our Savior?

Leader: Then let us proclaim this with our singing…

(John 11:21-27, WEB, adapted for liturgical use)

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Adapted from the Magnificat, Luke 1:46b-55 (NRSV)

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

 and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

 and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

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