(Please note that the actual prelude begins about 13 minutes into the video)
The Celebration of the Gospel
Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of God.
—Matthew 21.9
______________We are Received as God’s Beloved _______________
PRELUDE
GREETING
CALL TO WORSHIP
A noise rises in the city, a tumult,
as the emperor enters on his war horse.
But on the other side of the city
the Beloved rides on a humble donkey,
and enters the hurting city.
He is rejected and scorned.
He has no might, no weapons, no army.
But he is the one who rules our life.
O Christ, we give you our hearts!
We put our trust in you.
Save us, we beg you!
With the highest power, save us!
Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.
SONG – Hosanna, Loud Hosanna – Blue Hymnal # 278
CHILDREN’S TIME
THE WORD IN SONG –
______________We are Transformed by the Grace of Christ _______________
PRAYER
God of grace, in the face of imperial power Jesus showed radical humility. Pour out in us that same spirit, that we might hear your Word, and allow it to lead us to do your will. Enter the gates of our heart and speak, O God. We welcome your grace, and we are listening. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT – Philippians 2.5-11
Have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though divine,
did not cling to equality with God
but became utterly empty,
born a human, choosing the place of a slave,
and in complete humility became obedient to death
— even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted Christ
with a name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
to the glory of God, the Giver of Life,
that Jesus Christ reigns supreme!
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PSALTER – Psalm 118. 1-2, 19-29
O give thanks to God, who is good;
God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Holy One; the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech you, O God! O God, we beseech you, give us success!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Holy One.
We bless you from the house of God.
The Holy One is God, and God has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
O give thanks to the Holy One, for God is good,
for God’s steadfast love endures forever.
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GOSPEL – Matthew 21.1-11
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead 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, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.”
This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
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SERMON – He rides on
SONG – Christ, In Your Pain – Steve G-H
Christ, in your pain for the world we are healed. May our hearts be yours.
Christ, in our pain for the world we are one. Grant your Spirit, Love.
Christ, in your pain for the world, we are saved. May your heart be ours.
______________We are Sent in the Power of the Holy Spirit _______________
THE PRAYERS
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
SONG – Lamb of God - Twila Paris (James and Jenny)
BLESSINGS AND SENDING FORTH
BLESSING SONG
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you, my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE