Palm Sunday
Welcome
Call to Worship
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Psalm 118:24–26 (ESV)
Hymn (insert) Hosanna, Loud Hosanna(Insert, pg 333 from Trinity Psalter Hymnal)
1 Hosanna, loud hosanna the little children sang; through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang. To Jesus, who had blessed them, close folded to his breast, the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.
2 From Olivet they followed mid an exultant crowd, the vict’ry palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud. The Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state, nor scorned that little children should on his bidding wait.
3 "Hosanna in the highest!" That ancient song we sing, for Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heav’n, our King. O may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice, and in his blissful presence eternally rejoice.
Call To Confession
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“Whoever would love life and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8–12 citing Psalm 34:12-16 (NIV):
Confession of Sins
Let us pray to the Lord confessing our sin, saying together:
Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
Psalm 40:11–13 (NIV)
Word of Comfort
As we are weary and burdened by our sin and our troubles, our Lord Jesus says to us:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV)
Song of Renewal
Jesus! I do now receive him, more than all in him I find; he hath granted me forgiveness, I am his, and he is mine.
Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.
Trinity Hymnal # 498, stanza 5
Scripture Lessons: John 12:12-33
12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
Sermon
Hymn # 235 All Glory, Laud, and Honor
1 All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring! Thou art the King of Israel, thou David's royal Son, who in the Lord's name comest, the King and blessed One! 2 The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went; our praise and prayer and anthems before thee we present: to thee, before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise; to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise. 3 Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King! All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!
Prayer of the Church and the Lord’s Prayer
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Hymn (insert) Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery
1 Come behold the wondrous myst’ry in the dawning of the king;
He the theme of heaven's praises Robed in frail humanity.
In our longing, in our darkness now the Light of Life has come;
Look to Christ who condescended Took on flesh to ransom us.
2 Come behold the wondrous myst’ry He the perfect son of man;
In His living, in His suffering Never trace nor stain of sin.
See the true and better Adam come to save the hellbound man;
Christ the great and sure fulfillment Of the law; in Him we stand.
3 Come behold the wondrous myst’ry, Christ the Lord upon the tree;
In the stead of ruined sinners Hangs the Lamb in victory.
See the price of our redemption, see the Father's plan unfold;
Bringing many sons to glory, Grace unmeasured, love untold.
4 Come behold the wondrous myst’ry Slain by death the God of life;
but no grave could e'er restrain him, Praise the Lord, He is alive!
What a foretaste of Deliv’rance, How unwavering our hope;
Christ in power resurrected, As we will be when he comes.
Benediction