Call to Worship
Let us enter the city with God today,
And sing hosannas to our king,
Let us turn our backs on the powers that grasp and control,
And open our hearts to the son of God riding on a donkey.
Let us join his parade,
Surrounded by outcasts and prostitutes, the blind and the leper.
Let us follow the one who brought freedom and peace,
And walk in solidarity with the abandoned and oppressed.
Let us touch and see as God draws near,
Riding in triumph towards the Cross.
Lord let our souls rise to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to The Father and to The Son and to The Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Lift High The Cross
Palm Sunday Prayer of Confession
O Lord, who on this day
entered the rebellious city that later rejected you:
we confess that our wills are as rebellious as Jerusalem’s,
our faith is often more show than substance,
our hearts are in need of cleansing.
Have mercy on us, Son of David, Savior of our lives.
Help us to lay at your feet all that we have and all that we are,
trusting you to forgive what is sinful,
to heal what is broken,
and to receive us as your own.
Assurance of Pardon
We know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
He is the king of the world and there is nothing that can separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
May the peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Scripture Passage: Matthew 21 (NIV)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 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 heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Sermon: The Approach
Palm Sunday Prayer
O Christ, you entered the city as a poor man not in style but simply,
yet still you caused uproar, and questions everywhere;
you drew the expectations of a hungry crowd,
and brought buried conflicts to the light.
May we, who are sometimes swayed by the crowd’s approval,
and who often avoid conflict for fear of its cost to us,
hold fast to the gospel of peace and justice and follow faithfully
in your way of compassion and solidarity with those who are poor and excluded,
wherever it may lead us.
Amen.
Our Shared Faith
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints. the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
If you would like to receive communion, please click on the video.
Benediction
Friends as you go throughout the week, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the living God turn his face towards you and give you his peace.
Resources for Our Liturgy today:
Call to worship was from Christine Sine
Prayer of confession was written by John Paarlberg
Palm Sunday Prayer was written by Kathy Galloway