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Serving God and Sharing Good News |
Weekly Bible Notes
Sunday before Easter Palm Sunday (Colour = Red)
| Opening Verse |
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| Collect Prayer | |
| First Reading: | |
| Second Reading: | |
| Gospel Reading | |
| Commentary: | |
| Meditation: | |
| Hymns | |
| Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead : | |
| Intercessions from our Sunday worship | |
| Sermon |
Introduction
Very often people turn to God when things go wrong. Even those folks who would never normally bother to darken the door of a church can discover their faith at times of real need. It might be when illness strikes, or terrible disaster. At these times the only thing which we can do is to pray and hope that somehow God will be able to help us sort it out. It was a little like that when Jesus showed up in Jerusalem, people were overjoyed and wanted Jesus to do things for them. They wanted release from the Romans, they wanted a real Messiah who would overturn the Roman occupation. That is why they welcomed Jesus in the same way that Judas Maccabaeus had been welcomed 200 years before. (2 Maccabees 12:7). Everybody would come to think of Jesus as a failure, when he was eventually hung up to die on a cross, but for the time being they thought he was their great hope.
There are many lessons for us today, we have to learn to praise God and continue to trust in him, even when things seem to go differently than we expect. This is true especially in the dark times, then more than ever that we have to believe that God can bring good out of all circumstances if we continue to hold the faith.
Opening Verse of Scripture
Matthew 21
Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord. Hosanna in the highest!
Collect Prayer for the Day — Before we read we pray
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen. Common Worship
True and humble King, hailed by the crowd as Messiah: grant us the faith to know you and love you, that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory. Common Worship Shorter Collect
God of all-redeeming grace, in your great love you gave your only Son to
die for the sins of the whole world. Help us by your Holy Spirit to worship
you with reverence, and to enter with joy into the celebration of those
mighty acts whereby you brings us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. Methodist Worship
First Bible Reading Isaiah 50: 4-9a
The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word
that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to
listen like one being taught. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I
have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. I offered my back to those
who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my
face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will
not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will
not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring
charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him
confront me! It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will
condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them
up. (Reader : This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God)
Second Reading
Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29
Give thanks to the LORD , for he is good; his love endures forever. Let
Israel say: "His love endures forever." Open for me the gates of
righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of
the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for
you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders
rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is
marvellous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice
and be glad in it. O LORD , save us; O LORD , grant us success. Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the LORD .From the house of the LORD we bless
you. The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs
in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are
my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the LORD , for he is good; his love endures forever. (This is
the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God)
Gospel Reading Matthew 21: 1-11
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you,
and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie
them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the
Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to
fulfil what was spoken through the prophet:“ Say to the Daughter of
Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a
colt, the foal of a donkey.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had
instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks
on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on
the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the
road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is
Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Post Communion Sentence
Lord Jesus Christ: you humbled yourself in taking the
form of a servant, and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation;
give us the mind to follow you and to proclaim you as Lord and King to the
Glory of God the Father Amen.
Commentary
The reading from Isaiah is taken from a section called the third servant
song where Israel in exile is rejecting the prophet’s message. The people
are “weary” of Isaiah’s constant preaching and droning on. But he is
undeterred, God has given him the word and he will deliver it, even at the
cost of personal suffering. In the same way, Jesus’ passion was the outcome
of His obedient delivery of the message of the kingdom, despite His people’s
rejection. The passion story in the gospel reading starts with a big parade,
with lots of pomp and circumstance, everybody has turned out for the
occasion. The disciples were very impressed, and even the Pharisees and the
Sadducees realised that they had underestimated this simple Galilean
teacher. Seemingly riding on this crest of public approval Jesus went to the
temple, the very centre of the Jewish faith, and began to teach and preach.
From Sunday to Thursday Jesus was unstoppable. His enemies tried to trick
him several times -- but to no avail; each time He turned the tables on them
and exposed their treachery. But on the Thursday it all changed. He was
betrayed and arrested, and on Friday He was hung him on a cross and killed.
Today the palms - tomorrow the passion.
We all know the taste of Palm Sunday, the sweetness of success and popularity, and we all know too the bitterness of Good Friday, of suffering, failure and rejection. What saves us from an endless round of ups and downs, from events over which we have no control, is our commitment to press forward in obedience to God and trust in God's love which ultimately brings about our Easter mornings. Knowing that the meaning of life is to be found in the knowledge and love of God and obedience to Him, whatever that takes. In our Lent course this year we have been looking at prophecy and how God speaks to His people through the obedience, words and actions of His faithful people. Jesus Himself was the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecy which focused on the coming Messiah. Among the gospel writers Matthew alone quotes the passage from Zechariah where we read, ‘See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…’ When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, many did not recognise Him as the Messiah they longed for. The crowds asked who it was that had such an impact as He rode into the city. What they were witnessing was not some war lord riding into battle to smash the opposition and take it captive but a radically subverted model of power, exercised in gentleness and compassion which would challenge the systems and structures of the political and religious world, and continue to do so throughout history. They were confused. Jesus proclaimed peace, not war; set people free rather than taking them captive; and restored rather than plundered. It’s this subversive, radical power that Christ unleashes on the world through the events of the coming week, and continues through the imperfect, but forgiven and redeemed band of people called the Church.
In Matthew the people call Jesus ‘the prophet from Nazareth’, which He was,
but he was not merely one of the long line of Old Testament prophets.
Neither was He just preaching social reform, as prophets such as Amos had
done to Israel. Jesus was the last emissary from God, bringing with him
God’s final and decisive word to his people. The word with Matthew uses to
describe the turmoil that was happening as Jesus rode into Jerusalem is the
word that is used for an earthquake. It is used again at the time of Jesus’
death and at His resurrection. All three events pivotal moments if history.
The Bishop of St Albans reminded us that prophets today are those people who
speak in the context of their society, speak out the truth and seek after
peace. As we do, so we reveal more of God’s decisive word, His Son Jesus, to
all people and the cosmic impact of Easter week is felt once more.
Sam Cappleman
Meditation
The Roman historian Josephus, tells us that each year over 1 million people went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover at the time of Christ. That's a lot of people - especially when you think that the population of Jerusalem today is only about 650,000 and in Jesus' time it would be more like 65,000. The place would be heaving, and into all this excitement and fervour Jesus rides slowly into Jerusalem on a donkey. He's just one in a million Jews heading into the city. Yet out of this ordinary act for a Jew, extraordinary things were about to happen, because Jesus was no ordinary Jew. The crowds shout Hosanna 'Save (us)', and waved the fronds of palms, the sign of victory, the sign very familiar to the Roman army. And suddenly Jesus is more than just one in a million. As he rides slowly into Jerusalem He's surrounded by large crowds in front and behind Him, and although He is peacefully riding a placid donkey, it’s like an earthquake hits the town. Jerusalem is literally to be shaken to its foundations. There's going to be a spiritual showdown, a confrontation, and all of the physical universe will be shaken to the core. Jesus' Galilean ministry is at an end, and shortly the journey to Jerusalem will be complete. The Messiah, the servant King of Isaiah, rides into town. Jesus, a man of supreme holiness, the perfect Israelite, the one who has come to set all people free has come to fulfil His calling. Sometimes we feel that we're just one person in a million others. We're just an ordinary person living an ordinary life, how can we possibly change the world, or even our small piece of it, or make a difference with our lives? With God, there are no ordinary people, there is no ordinary life, because Jesus was no ordinary Jew and we are no ordinary people. We may feel like we have no influence on the world around us but that’s not the case. As we have compassion on those around us, as we speak our ordinary words, as we challenge the things which are not in line with God's will, just as when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, extraordinary things will happen. Now it may be that what we say and what we do won't be as earth shattering as the events of Holy Week were. But it could well be that in doing the ordinary, like taking a bus into town or a donkey into Jerusalem, we suddenly become one in a million for someone else, speaking out God's word and doing His will and shaking the world in our own way. Sam Cappleman
Hymns
- All glory laud and honour, 9
- Make Way, Make Way, 457
- Man of Sorrows! What a name; 458
- We cry Hosanna Lord 725
- Ride on, ride on in Majesty, 580
- When I survey the wondrous cross 755
Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead
Eternal God
in your tender love towards the human race
you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take our flesh
and to suffer death upon a cross.
Grant that we may follow the example
of his great humility,
and share in the glory of his resurrection;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Heavenly Father. You gave your Son, Jesus Christ to show us the Way of
justice, truth and peace. Help us hold his example before our eyes, in the
way that leads to a better world on earth and eternal life in the Heaven.
Amen
“… life is hard, at times as hard as crucible steel. It has its bleak and
difficult moments. Like the ever-flowing waters of the river, life has its
moments of drought and its moments of flood. Like the ever-changing cycle of
the seasons, life has the soothing warmth of its summers and the piercing
chill of its winters. But if one will hold on, he will discover that God
walks with him, and that God is able to lift you from the fatigue of despair
to the buoyancy of hope and transform dark and desolate valleys into sunlit
paths of inner peace.“ Amen (eulogy for the martyred children - Martin
Luther King Jr).
May Christ crucified draw you to himself, to find in him a sure ground for
faith, a firm support for hope, and the assurance of sins forgiven; and the
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among
you and remain with you always. Amen
Heavenly Father, You gave your Son, Jesus Christ to show us the Way of
justice, truth and peace. Help us hold his example before our eyes, in the
way that leads to a better world on earth and eternal life in the Heaven.
Amen
As we journey this week with Christ and celebrate the paschal mystery of his
death and resurrection, let us earnestly pray to God for those following the
way of the cross and for all peoples everywhere. Blessed are you, Lord our
God, who sent your Son among us to bear the pain and grief of humankind.
Receive the prayers we offer this day for all those in need in every place
and as we near the holy mountain grant us strength on our journey. Glory to
you for ever. Amen
O Lord, whose way is perfect, help us always to trust in your goodness, to
walk in the way of faith, and to follow in the path of simplicity. Teach us
to cast our cares on your providence, that we may possess a quiet mind and a
contented spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Holy Father, you have shown us that the brave bearing of the cross is the
beginning of wearing your crown: help us by your grace to bear patiently our
pains and disappointments, as your beloved Son bore His; and to offer them
to you as the pure gift of our faithfulness to our crucified Lord. Amen
As on this day we keep the special memory of our Redeemer's entry into the
city, so grant O Lord than now and ever, He may triumph in our hearts. Let
the King of Glory enter in, and let us lay ourselves and all we are in full
and joyful homage before Him, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Bishop Moule, 1841-1920
Additional Material
Commentary
The triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem before His passion, was celebrated with particular solemnity since the first centuries of Christianity. In the Byzantine Rite it is considered to this day to be one of the twelve Major Feasts of the liturgical year. It is always celebrated on the Sunday before Easter with the blessing of branches. From ancient times, palm-branches were symbols of victory and triumph. The Romans used to reward their champions of the games with palm-branches and military triumphs, were observed with palms. It seems that the Jews followed the same custom (Lev. 23:40; I Macc. 13:37) of carrying palm-branches on their festive occasions. That is what happened during the solemn entry of Jesus into the Holy City before His last Passover.
From Jerusalem this celebration of palms spread to Egypt, then to Syria and Asia Minor. By the fifth century the feast was celebrated in Constantinople, where the Emperor and his household used to take part in a solemn procession on Passion Sunday. There, besides palms, the faithful were given olive and lilac branches. During the sixth and the seventh centuries the procession took place in the morning. It was at this time that the blessing of palms and other branches was introduced. The feast then spread to the West, where it received its present name- Palm Sunday.
On Palm Sunday Jesus was finally recognised by the Jewish people as their Messiah. When He arrived in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, they greeted Him with a triumphant welcome, a fulfilment of a prophecy (Mt. 21:4-5). When the Apostles saw the enthusiastic crowds, they brought a donkey foal for Jesus to ride on, while other people spread their coats and cloaks and threw "branches from the trees" on the road in front of Him. Others took "branches of palms" in their hands and, cheered, crying out: "Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" As Jesus was entering the city, surrounded by the excited crowds, the Scribes and the Pharisees became alarmed and decided to stop Him at any cost.
Jesus' presence sets Jerusalem in turmoil (eseisthe - the word used for earthquake), just as it was at His birth and would be at His crucifixion several days later. The event was to be 'of earth shattering significance. Jesus was not entering a foreign city, nor entering the city of 'the Jews'. He was a Jew. He was entering the city which symbolised in His faith and His scriptures, God's promise to Israel. To confront one's own faith and its traditions is painful. This is part of the drama of the event, both in Matthew's account and in the earlier forms of the story, not least in the event itself. For some, Jesus' approach to Jerusalem has become a symbol of the confrontation they must make in their own lives, including the confrontation with themselves. The issues at stake are not ultimate control or power, though it is easy to give this impression: Jesus is the rightful king, they are about obedience, fulfilling the work of God, and doing our part in His calling to us.
The true signs of servanthood have much less to do with glory, palms and crowns, which ultimately must be subverted into irony on the cross, and more to do with acts of healing, wholeness, justice and compassion. Without the crucifixion and resurrection, the entry story is ambiguous, a potential disaster, which realises itself in every generation in the name of piety and self righteousness. But a radically subverted model of power, exercised in gentleness and compassion challenges the systems of not only the first century Roman world but also their equivalents in our own world today. Its this subversive, radical power that Christ unleashes on the world through the events of the coming week, and through the imperfect, but forgiven and redeemed band of people called the Church. The Reverend Dr. Sam Cappleman
It's all over bar the shouting... By The Reverend Dr Sam Cappleman
It seemed like good news. There was a big parade with lots of pomp and circumstance, everybody turned out, the disciples were very impressed, and the Pharisees and the Sadducees realised that they had underestimated this simple Galilean teacher. Riding this crest of public approval Jesus went to the temple, the very centre of the Jewish faith, and began to teach and preach. From Sunday to Thursday Jesus was unstoppable. His enemies tried to trick him several times -- but to no avail; each time He turned the tables on them and exposed their treachery. No one even seriously complained when He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and let the sacrificial birds loose. And of course, in this same period Jesus established the greatest new commandment, the one that says: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" and He began a new ceremony with bread and wine which would later on, become the sacrament of Holy Communion.
But on the Thursday it all changed. He was betrayed and arrested, and on Friday He was hung him on a cross and killed. Today the palms - tomorrow the passion.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem it was all over bar the shouting. Events had to take their course. Death would be defeated and our relationship with God would be restored. In choosing to ride into Jerusalem Jesus was setting in motion a train of events that could not be stopped. But first there would be lots of shouting. First the 'Hosannas'. Then the shouts of 'Crucify Him'. When He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey events had turned full circle from when he entered Bethlehem on a donkey in Mary's womb. The adoration and worship the three kings offered Him was validated as He rode into Jerusalem as Judge, Prophet, Priest and King. The significance of the myrrh they had brought would finally be understood.
It was all over bar the shouting. Sin and death would be defeated and the fickleness of the world and its people would be exposed. In Jewish tradition the name Jerusalem means 'foundation of peace'. For several days the peace of the city would be shattered as events took their course. Even if the people were silent, the stones which made up the foundations of peace would cry our in worship and praise to the Son of God.
It was going to be a noisy time, with echo's of the cries of Hosanna and Crucify continuing to sound through the centuries. And yet, through it all, the peace and serenity of Jesus shines through. His obedience to the Father and to the task to which he had been called lead us beyond the shouting - to the cold, lonely silence which followed the crucifixion. Many who shouted Hosanna ('Save us we pray') would be the same people who would yell murderous cries a few days later. And how many would realise they were voicing a self fulfilling prophecy. God was in control, not the crowds or the authorities. The only way to salvation could be through the cross.
Nearly everyone has known the taste of Palm Sunday, the sweetness of success and popularity, and nearly all of us have tasted the bitterness of Good Friday, of failure and rejection. What saves us from an endless round of ups and downs, what frees us from the tyranny of events over which we have no control, is our commitment to press forward in obedience to God and trust in God's love to bring about Easter morning. Knowing that the meaning of life is to be found in the knowledge and love of God and obedience to Him, whatever that takes - and in obedience sharing that knowledge and love with those who accompany us on the way.
Commentary
Wordsworth wrote these lines about a time of particular hope. “Bliss was it
in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!” The words
eloquently sum up the promise of a better world, when anything seemed
possible, when humanity seemed to be giving itself a second chance of being
Garden of Eden perfect. I think that, to those lucky people who were alive
and in Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday that must have been their exact
feeling. That this extraordinary Jesus, so calm and gracious, so gifted as a
healer, so wise a teacher, so miraculous a person, embodied all that was
best about humanity. He must have seemed the herald of a better, brighter
world. The way he spoke about God as being so close to humanity, so
compassionate and forgiving must have changed their minds and hearts
forever. It is easy to dismiss the enthusiasm of the crowd as though they
were just “rent a mob” who would cheer at anyone or anything. Remember that
many of them were there because they knew Jesus, perhaps they had heard him
preach or seen him work miracles. The word must have spread like wildfire,
that Jesus was coming to town. It must have been bliss to be alive in
Jerusalem that day!
Wordsworth was writing about the French Revolution. He was so excited about
what seemed to be a chance of brushing aside all that was old and corrupt
about Europe and he was exuberantly enthusiastic about the new start it
offered for liberty, equality and fraternity. Of course the French
Revolution ended in the Terror, in murder and chaos. But that doesn’t mean
that the dreams that underpinned the Revolution were wrong. In the same way,
we must not allow the sorrow which we know followed Palm Sunday to corrupt
our vision of that day. The women, men and children who stood and shouted
for Jesus that day recognised him for what he was and were overwhelmingly
excited by the vision of a better world which he embodied. It is that vision
which we Christians should always hold before our eyes. Jesus is our ideal,
our road map on how to live in the way of God. When we pray for the coming
of the Kingdom, we are praying for the fulfilment of Jesus’ life’s work. I
believe that that the Kingdom will be full of joy and light and will fulfil
the promise of Palm Sunday Joan Crossley
Meditations
Isaiah 40-55 was written in exile and contains four servant songs, sections that sometimes seem to interrupt the flow of the book but have a unity within themselves. The first (42 v 1-7) begins "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen ..."; in the second (49 v 1-7) the servant, abused and humiliated, is commissioned anew; in the third (our passage today) he is disciplined and strengthened by suffering; and in the fourth (52 v 17-53 v 12) even the Gentiles are in awesome contemplation before the suffering and rejected servant. In late Judaism, the servant was seen as the perfect Israelite, one of supreme holiness, a Messiah. In the gospels, Jesus identifies himself as the servant (or slave), the one who frees all people.
In the euphoria and exuberance of this morning's celebration, the church must not be seduced into losing sight of its central mission and message: obedient service. Adapted from Homelitics
We live in a jaded and cynical society, in which we are resigned to politicians being corrupt, to leaders being self-seeking and people generally being selfish and individualistic. If we expect little, the reasoning goes, then we will not be disappointed. We, as the people of God, who know about Jesus and have the privilege of knowing his Word are in a position to help build a better world, based on love and denial of self. It is our duty to agitate against corruption and cynicism wherever and whenever we find it. Jesus was never complacent. He was willing to make waves and be unpopular. Christians down the centuries have done their finest work (I am thinking of prison reform, education reform, factory legislation, the abolition of slavery) when they were willing to oppose the powers that be. I think that we should encourage our young people to dream about a finer moral future, instead of making them obsessed with buying things. It is our duty to train them to ask the sort of difficult questions that Jesus did, questions about truth and justice. If our young people don’t feel able to dream dreams or be inspired to have visions then we have failed them. Joan Crossley
Hymns
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Rejoice the Lord is King 575 (Tune Gopsal)
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279 The journey of life 67 Glory to God, On Partnership News
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O breath of life 488 (Tune Spiritus Vitae)
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I know not why God’s wondrous grace 279 (Tune I know whom)
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All hail the power of Jesus name 13 (Tune Miles Lane)
Prayers
As we journey this week with Christ and celebrate the paschal mystery of his death and resurrection, let us earnestly pray to God for those following the way of the cross and for all peoples everywhere. Blessed are you, Lord our God, who sent your Son among us to bear the pain and grief of humankind. Receive the prayers we offer this day for all those in need in every place and as we near the holy mountain grant us strength on our journey. Glory to you for ever. Amen
Holy Father, you have shown us that the brave bearing the cross is he beginning of wearing your crown: help us by your grace to bear patiently our pains and disappointments, as your beloved Son bore His; and to offer them to you as the pure gift of our faithfulness to our crucified Lord. Amen
Christ, Saviour of all life, you come to us always. Welcoming you in the peace of our nights, in the silence of our days, in the beauty of creation, in the hours of combat within, welcoming you is knowing that you will be with us in every situation, always. Amen
Christ crucified draw you to himself, to find in him a sure ground for faith, a firm support for hope, and the assurance of sins forgiven; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen
Holy Father, you have shown us that the brave bearing of the cross is the beginning of wearing your crown: help us by your grace to bear patiently our pains and disappointments, as your beloved Son bore His; and to offer them to you as the pure gift of our faithfulness to our crucified Lord. Amen
As on this day we keep the special memory of our Redeemer's entry into the city, so grant O Lord than now and ever, He may triumph in our hearts. Let the King of Glory enter in, and let us lay ourselves and all we are in full and joyful homage before Him, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Bishop Moule, 1841-1920
Father God, During Lent we have been preparing for the celebration of our Lord's Paschal mystery. On this day Jesus Christ entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph. The people welcomed Him with palms and shouts of praise, but the path before Him led to self-giving, suffering and death. Today we greet Him as our king, although we know His crown is thorns and His throne a cross. We follow Him this week from the glory of the palms to the glory of the resurrection by the dark road of suffering and death. Unite us with Him in His suffering on the cross; may we share His resurrection and new life. Amen
Christ crucified draw you to himself, to find in him a sure ground for faith, a firm support for hope, and the assurance of sins forgiven; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
Worship for Palm Sunday
Minister: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth;
All: Serve the Lord with gladness!
Minister: Come before him with joyful songs;
All: Give thanks to him and praise his name! Amen.
Minister::
During Lent we have been preparing for Easter. Our Lord Jesus Christ on this
day entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph. The people welcomed him
with palms and shouts of praise, but the path before him led to self-giving,
suffering and death. Today we greet him as our king, although we know his
crown is thorns and his throne a cross. We follow him this week from the
glory of the palms to the glory of the resurrection by the dark road of
suffering and death. As we are united with him in his suffering on the
cross; may we share his resurrection and new life.
All: Lord Jesus, you rode into your city in triumph on this day, receiving
the shouts and the welcome of many people. Come into this church today.
Receive our welcome and our acclaim. Come to rule in our hearts and minds
and help us to go out to proclaim you as ruler over all.
Confession
On Palm Sunday, the crowds worshipped Jesus; on Good Friday they shouted for
him to die. Let us who also worship him, confess that we sometimes reject
him, and ask his forgiveness:
Distribution of the Palms
(The palms are distributed and are then held as the Minister proclaims the
words of blessing)
Minister: Let us give thanks to God our Creator.
All: It is right to give you our thanks and praise.
It is right to praise you, almighty God, for the way of love by which you
have redeemed us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour. As he entered
Jerusalem as Messiah to suffer and to die, the Hebrews acclaimed Jesus the
Messiah and King with palm branches in their hands, crying 'Hosanna in the
highest'. May your blessing be upon these palms as signs of his love for us
and triumph over evil; and grant that we who bear them in his name may ever
hail him as our King, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.