Palm/Passion Sunday

This is part of the worship series, "Via Doloroso—The Way of Sorrows” Series Introduction Lent 1 | Lent 2 | Lent 3 | Lent 4 | Lent 5 Palm Sunday | EasterSixth Sunday: Palm Sunday The Via Dolorosa: If Only You Had Known What Would Bring You PeaceScriptureText: Luke 19:41–44Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 24New Testament Lesson: Ephesians 2:11–18 SermonWhen Jesus wept over Jerusalem on the Sunday before his death, his tears sprang from the deep longing he felt for the welfare of the Holy City. “If you had only known what would bring you peace,” he sobbed.In this message, we explored the various reasons “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” lacking contentment and peace. Chief among those reasons is what Patrick Morley calls “cultural Christianity,” which he defines as “seeking the God we want instead of the God who is.” We showed how that was exactly the problem with the crowd on Palm Sunday. They wanted a miracle-working Messiah.Jesus wept over their misplaced and misguided “Hosannas,” knowing that they would soon say, “We do not want this man to be our king” (Luke 19:14). The way of peace was hidden from these people, because they were not willing to come to the Christ. We talked about the two reasons for such unwillingness—an arrogant certainty about their own ideas of God’s way and a fear that Jesus might cost them their place in the world.We concluded with a call to stop seeking the God we want and seek the God who is—the donkey king, the crucified Savior. Peace settles into our lives when we recognize the time of God’s coming to us—that is, when we recognize that it is God in Christ visiting us in those times when God seems most absent.Congregational PrayerThe theme of this prayer was peace of all sorts. We interceded for our world, for our nation, and for those who have not come to Christ out of fear and pride.Children’s SermonWe compared the palm branches the children were holding with the olive branch, a symbol of peace, as a way of telling the children that Jesus came to bring peace to earth. As his followers, we must help by being peacemakers.Music SuggestionsGathering“All Glory, Laud, and Honor” Theodulph of Orleans“Filled with Excitement”/“Mantos y palmas” Avila“Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” Threlfall“Trotting, Trotting, Through Jerusalem” ReidWord“The King of Glory Comes” JabuschResponse“Ride On, Ride On in Majesty” Milman“Softly and Tenderly” Thompson

This article is part of a series that contains the following article and resources: Genuine Sorrow...Wholehearted Joy—Confession: The Why, When, and How of ConfessionLent 1 | Lent 2 | Lent 3 | Lent 4 | Lent 5 | Palm/Passion Sunday|This service of confession is part of a series for the season of Lent based on the texts of the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, but can be used for non-lectionary services as well. Each prayer begins and concludes with a stanza from "God, Be Merciful to Me" Unknown a setting of Psalm 51. (See text in italics.) For thoughtful fodder on the place of confession in worship see the article by the same author, "Genuine Sorrow...Wholehearted Joy—Confession: The Why, When, and How of Confession". PALM / PASSION SUNDAYScriptureIsaiah 50:4-9aPsalm 31:9-16 or Psalm 118:1-2,19-29Philippians 2:5-11Luke 19:28-40 or Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49Psalm 118:1-2,19-29Call to Confession (see 1 Peter 2:4-7)The very stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Come now to Christ, that living stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious. Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, let us confess our sins before God and one another.Prayer of ConfessionGod, be merciful to me; on thy grace I rest my plea. Plenteous in compassion thou, blot out my transgressions now; my transgressions I confess; grief and guilt my soul oppress; I have sinned against thy grace, and provoked thee to thy face.O Lord, who on this day entered the rebellious city which later rejected you:we confess that our wills are as rebellious as Jerusalem's, that our faith is often more show than substance, that our hearts are in need of cleansing. Have mercy on us, Son of David, Savior of our lives. Help us to lay at your feetall that we have and all that we are, trusting you to forgive what is sinful, to heal what is broken, to welcome our praises, and to receive us as your own.Gracious God, my heart renew, make my spirit right and true; from my sins O hide thy face, blot them out in boundless grace. Cast me not away rom thee; let thy Spirit dwell in me; thy salvations joy impart; steadfast make my willing heart.Assurance of Pardon (see 1 Peter 2:9-10)Once you were not a people,but now you are God's people;once you had not received mercy,but now you have received mercy.You are God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.Receive the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.