When Jesus' parents brought him to the temple,
To do the things required by the law,
The old man took the babe,
And held him as he prayed
To thank and praise God for what he saw.
REFRAIN:
Now Lord, you have kept your promise; may your servant go in peace.
My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all.
A light to lighten Gentiles, And glorify Israel.
Now Lord, you have kept your promise; may your servant go in peace.
Said Simeon to Jesus' mother, Mary,
"So many in this land will rise and fall.
Their thoughts will be revealed,
And true hearts will be healed;
This babe will be the reason for it all."
A prophetess named Anna came upon them.
She knew what made old Simeon serene.
Wherever she would go,
To those who longed to know,
She told of what old Simeon had seen!
REFRAIN:
TOC2. The Magi's Visit Listen...
Quick MIDI
Bumping on their lumpy camels, Magi traveled from a distant land to meet the
King.
They had seen his star in eastern skies, and packed the most expensive gifts
that they could bring.
Gold and frankincense, and some precious myrrh;
Signs of reverence- none more princelier!
Bumping on their lumpy camels, Magi rode into Jerusalem and
asked around.
"We have come to worship one who has been born the King of the Jews.
Where is he found?"
Herod was disturbed; it was citywide!
No one was quite sure what this signified.
Herod asked the priests and teachers for the
birthplace of the Holy Child of prophecy.
They informed King Herod that in Bethlehem, Judea, was the place the child
would be.
"Go and search for him, then come back and tell
Where you worshipped him, so I can as well."
Bumping on their lumpy camels, they continued, guided by
the star of Bethlehem.
When it stopped where Jesus was, the joyful Magi went up to the house and
entered in.
There they worshipped him, bowing to the child.
Jesus welcomed them- these gentiles.
Bumping on their lumpy camels, Magi took a different route
than they had said they would.
In a dream, they had been warned that Herod was a fraud and meant to do the
child no good.
Our salvation has not been ignored;
Gentile nations, welcomed by the Lord!
Like the Magi on their journey, may we always look up to
the Star of Bethlehem.
Jesus is the Light of all the world, and he will safely lead us to our
journey's end.
Amen!
3. Escape! Listen...
Quick MIDI
Joseph woke up in the dead of the night.
He said, "Get up, Mary! We have to take flight!
An angel has warned we are in danger's way!
We're leaving for Egypt and mustn't delay!"
And so, as the prophet foretold, it was done
From out of Egypt, God called his son!
Herod discovered that he had been duped.
He blustered and bellowed and called out his troops.
"Around Bethlehem, kill the boys!" Herod raged.
"And spare no one younger than two years of age."
And so, as the prophet foretold, it was done:
In Ramah, would Rachel cry out for her young.
When all who tried to harm Jesus had died,
An angel told Joseph, "You don't have to hide.
Return to the land where the Lord says to dwell.
Take Mary and Jesus to Israel."
Then guided by heaven again in a dream,
They settled where Jesus was called Nazarene.
And so, as the prophet foretold, it was done,
So we could have Jesus, God's saving Son!
4.
And the Child Grew Listen...
Quick MIDI
And the child grew,
And became strong.
He was filled with wisdom.
And the grace of God was upon him.
5. The Boy at the Temple
Listen... Quick MIDI
Every year at Passover,
Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem.
And, when he was twelve years old,
As was the custom, Jesus went with them.
When the feasters had feasted
And all was completed,
His parents left for home,
Unaware that Jesus
Stayed in the temple alone.
REFRAIN:
Praise the child's diligence;
Praise the child's obedience!
He will bring deliverance
To us all.
They had traveled one whole day,
Thinking Jesus traveled along with them.
But when they began to look,
He wasn't with his relatives or friends.
In a flurry of hurry,
Their heads full of worry,
They scurried back to town.
Sitting in the temple courts,
Jesus was finally found.
REFRAIN:
When his parents saw him there,
Questioning teachers, commenting on their replies.
Mary said, "Son, don't you care?
We have been searching, you must realize!"
But the child was sincere
When he smiled and said, "Here
Is the place that I should be;
Busy at my father's work-
Doing what he gave to me."
REFRAIN:
Then the child went with them
From Jerusalem.
He obeyed them perfectly.
In her heart, his mother
Treasured the memory.
REFRAIN:
6. Jesus Is Baptized Listen...
Quick MIDI
Jesus went down to the Jordan
To be baptized by John.
Went to fulfill God's righteousness,
As would a perfect son.
REFRAIN:
See the Lamb of God, believer!
See the Lamb of God!
He takes away the sins of the world;
See the Lamb of God!
John the Baptizer protested.
"Why have you come to me?
I am the one who has need of you,
And of your ministry!"
REFRAIN:
When it was done, Jesus walked to shore.
Just then, the heavens above
Opened to show God's Spirit,
Descending as a dove.
REFRAIN:
The Spirit rested on Jesus.
Then God spoke clear and loud:
"This is my son, and him I love;
He makes me mighty proud!"
REFRAIN:
This is the One God sent to us-
Jesus, Messiah and King!
He is the Son and Sacrifice;
For us, a wondrous thing!
REFRAIN:
See the Lamb of God!
TOC7. Jesus Is Tempted Listen...
Quick MIDI
Jesus was led by the Spirit,
Into the desert to be tempted by the Devil.
He fasted forty day;
He fasted forty nights,
And he was hungry.
The Tempter came and he said,
"If you're God's Son, then tell these stones to become bread."
Man does not live
On bread alone,
But on the words of God.
Then the devil took him
To the high point of the temple in Jerusalem.
"If you're God's Son,
Throw yourself down;
He'll surely save you."
Jesus replied, "It is written:
'Don't put the Lord your God to the test'"
Then Satan took him
To a high mountain,
Showed him the splenderous world.
"All this I gladly will give you,
If you will bow down and worship me."
"Get away, Satan!
For it is written:
'Worship and serve God alone.'"
Satan departed, defeated.
Then angels came and attended to Jesus, God's son.
Jesus had won!
8. Come Follow Me Listen...
Quick MIDI
You like to fish? Have I got fish for you!
Don't grab your fishing nets, because that kind of gear won't do.
Leave boats behind;
We're fishing for mankind!
Jesus said, "Come follow me!"
REFRAIN:
Come follow me!
Come follow me!
Drop what you're doing,
Whatever that might be.
The Fish are biting,
The fields are ripening,
The banquet's ready;
Come follow me!
Got a green thumb? Have I got plants for you!
They need a lot of work, but I will show you what to do.
So don't hold back;
Why don't you take a crack?
Jesus said, "Come follow me!"
REFRAIN:
You like to eat? Have I got food for you!
Before you tie your napkin on, here's something you could do:
Go and invite
Someone who wants a bite.
Tell them to come follow me!
REFRAIN:
The Lord says, "Come on, and follow me!"
9. The Beatitudes Listen...
Quick MIDI
Jesus went up a mountainside, and his disciples followed him.
Upon that mountainside he taught these words of wisdom:
Blest are the poor, the poor in spirit;
Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
And blest are those, are those who mourn.
For they shall be comforted.
Blest are the meek, the meek are blest;
They shall inherit the earth.
And those who thirst, and those who hunger.
They, too, are blest and will be filled.
The merciful will be shown mercy;
The pure in heart, they will see God!
Blest are the peacemakers, for they will be called God's sons.
Blest are God's persecuted people
Who suffer for his righteousness.
For they shall see his Holy Kingdom.
In heaven they will have their rest.
All these are blest!
10. Prayer Listen...
Quick MIDI
As a father gives good to his children, so God gives good things to us.
As a father gives good to his children, so God gives good things to
us.
Father, we praise your name!
Your Kingdom come and reign!
Your holy will be done,
We pray through your son.
Give us our bread each day;
Forgive our sinful way.
Those who are in our debt,
That debt we'll forget.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from
The Evil One.
Knock, the door opens wide.
God has good things inside.
Ask and you will receive;
Seek and you will find.
Father, we praise your name!
Your Kingdom come and reign!
Your holy will be done,
We pray through your son.
As a father gives good to his children, so God gives good
things to us.
As a father gives good to his children, so God gives good things to us
11. Parables Listen...
Quick MIDI
REFRAIN:
What is a parable?
It is a parallel story Jesus told.
There was a man from Samaria
Who helped his enemy
Because the man was robbed
And left in misery.
Though others passed him by,
The good Samaritan
Showed who is our neighbor.
It's our fellow man.
REFRAIN:
There was a farmer who sowed some seed
On hard and shallow soil.
And what the birds had missed,
The sun dried up and spoiled.
The seed that fell on good ground,
Thrived till harvest day.
Faith that's planted firmly,
None can steal away!
REFRAIN:
If a man has a hundred sheep
And one goes off alone,
Then won't the shepherd search
To bring the sheep back home?
And if he finds the lost one,
Overjoyed is he!
That's how God in heaven
Loves his family.
REFRAIN:
Like the landowner who hired some help
To work in his vineyard,
So God will have each worker
Share the same reward.
And if, for all your help,
You want a greater share,
Notice that the first will be last.
That, to God, is fair!
REFRAIN:
Why would you follow a blind man?
You'll both fall in the pit!
So listen to your teachers
Until you're fully fit.
Don't judge the speck of dust
Your brother's eye has shown.
You will fail to see the beam
Coming from your own.
REFRAIN:
12. Anointment Listen...
Quick MIDI
There came a woman;
She brought perfume,
And as she stood by Jesus, she began to weep.
Her tears a token
Of sins unspoken,
And as they tumbled down they fell on Jesus' feet.
With her own hair, she wiped them dry,
And then she kissed and anointed them.
There came a woman;
She brought perfume.
Because she loved her Savior so.
There came a woman;
She brought perfume,
And in her sorrow, laid her sins at Jesus' feet.
He is the Savior
And he forgave her.
He said, "Your faith has saved you, woman, go in peace."
Her soul unbound,
What joy she found!-
Though others there did not understand.
There came a woman;
She brought perfume,
Because she loved her Savior so.
Because she wanted him to know.
13.
Confession Listen...
Quick MIDI
(Spoken, with accompaniment) Many of Jesus' disciples turned back
and no longer followed him.
"You do not want to leave, too, do you?" Jesus asked the
Twelve. Simon Peter answered him,
"Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We
believe and know that you are
the Holy One of God."
Lord, where would we go?
Lord, where would we go?
You have life eternal, this we know!
We love you solely;
God's son most holy.
This we believe, so Lord,
Where would we go?
Lord, who would we be?
Lord, who would we be
Without your grace and clemency?
Sin once enslaved us;
No other could save us.
This we believe, so, Lord,
Who would we be?
Lord, what would we do?
Lord, what would we do?
Earth has no meaning without you!
Help us each day to
Love and obey you.
This we believe and this
We gladly do!
14. The Transfiguration Listen...
Quick MIDI
Peter, James and John went with Jesus on a mount to pray.
There they saw the glory of God shine from his face that day.
REFRAIN:
Shining like the sun,
Bright as lightning,
Jesus had come
To show himself as God.
Moses and Elijah were with him; awesome sight to see!
And they spoke of his departure, which was soon to be.
REFRAIN:
Then a cloud appeared and enclosed them, and God's voice
was heard:
"This is my son whom I've chosen; listen to his words."
REFRAIN:
Peter, James and John fell down, for they were terrified.
Jesus touched them and assured them everything was fine
When these three looked up, they noticed no one but God's son.
He commanded, "Keep this quiet till I've risen."
REFRAIN: (sing twice)