THE PALM SUNDAY PROCESSION
The congregation gathers outside the church entrance (weather permitting) and the following order of worship will be used to start the service.
P: Let us bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
C: Praise God for the Son of David!
P: Let us pray. (A brief silence is kept.)
O Lord, Giver of salvation, help us, this week, to concentrate on
the mighty acts by which You have given us life everlasting. We
pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
P: Hear now Matthew’s account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
P: “Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”
C: This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
P: The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting,
C: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
P: Come, everyone, and clap your hands for joy!
C: Praise God for the Son of David!
P: Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter!
C: For the Lord most high is awesome, putting our enemies beneath our feet. We bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
P: Let us go forth with praise on our lips.
All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)
O Seed of Israel’s chosen race, now ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace and crown Him Lord of all.
Sinners whose love can ne’er forget the wormwood and the gall,
Go, spread your trophies at His feet and crown Him Lord of all.
Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe on this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all.
Oh, that with yonder sacred throng we at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all!
P: Let us bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
C: Praise God for the Son of David!
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray.
Almighty God, Your most beloved Son did not go up to joy until first He suffered pain; nor did He enter into glory until first He was crucified; as we, this week, walk in the way of His cross, help us to discover that it is the only way of life and peace; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
Old Testament Lesson (Deuteronomy 32:36-39)
For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
and there is none remaining, bond or free.
37 Then he will say, ‘Where are their gods,
the rock in which they took refuge,
38 who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise up and help you;
let them be your protection!
39 “‘See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
L: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Lesson (Philippians 2:5-11)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
L: This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God.
Hymn: “No Tramp of Soldiers’ Marching Feet”…………..…………………….. # 444
1 No tramp of soldiers’ marching feet With banners and with drums,
No sound of music’s martial beat: “The King of glory comes!”
To greet what pomp of kingly pride No bells in triumph ring,
No city gates swing open wide: “Behold, behold your King!”
2 And yet He comes. The children cheer; With palms His path is strown.
With ev'ry step the cross draws near: The King of glory’s throne.
Astride a colt He passes by As loud hosannas ring,
Or else the very stones would cry “Behold, behold your King!”
3 What fading flow'rs His road adorn; The palms, how soon laid down!
No bloom or leaf but only thorn The King of glory’s crown.
The soldiers mock, the rabble cries, The streets with tumult ring,
As Pilate to the mob replies, “Behold, behold your King!”
4 Now he who bore for mortals’ sake The cross and all its pains
And chose a servant’s form to take, The King of glory reigns.
Hosanna to the Savior’s name Till heaven’s rafters ring,
And all the ransomed host proclaim “Behold, behold your King!”
† St. Luke’s Account of Jesus’ Humiliation and Death †
Jesus is condemned by Israel’s leaders (23:1-25)
Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him.”
18 But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
Hymn: “O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken?”…………….. # 439, vv. 1 & 5
1 O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession,
What dark transgression?
5 The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted;
God is committed.
Jesus is crucified (23:26-43)
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Hymn: “Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow”………………………………. # 428
2 Here the King of all the ages, Throned in light ere worlds could be,
Robed in mortal flesh is dying, Crucified by sin for me.
3 O mysterious condescending! O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing All the sufferings of time!
4 Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow, Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer, Perfect God on thee has bled!
Jesus dies (23:44-56)
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
Hymn: “The Lamb”……………………………………………………………….. # 547, vv. 2-4
2 The Lamb, the Lamb, One perfect final offering.
The Lamb, the Lamb, Let earth join heav'n His praise to sing.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
3 The Lamb, the Lamb, As wayward sheep their shepherd kill
So still, His will On our behalf the Law to fill.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
4 He sighs, he dies, He takes my sin and wretchedness.
He lives, forgives, He gives me His own righteousness.
Worthy is the Lamb Whose death makes me His own!
The Lamb is reigning on His throne!
Homily
Apostles’ Creed
C: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Offering
The Prayer of the Church
The Benediction
Hymn: “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna”……………………………………………………… # 443
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 victor 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.
Oh, may we ever praise Him With heart and life and voice
And in His blissful presence Eternally rejoice!