Palm Procession / Sunday of the Passion Worship Service
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Palm Procession / SUNDAY OF THE PASSION – Coronavirus
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
03-28-2021 10:00AM Worship
+ “HOSANNA!” +
A GOSPEL ACCOUNT: JOHN 12:12-16 Pastor Gwen
12 The next day, the large crowd that had come to the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Praise God!
God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord!
God bless the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the scripture says,
15 “Do not be afraid, city of Zion!
Here comes your king, riding on a young donkey!”
16 His disciples did not understand this at the time; but when Jesus had been raised in glory,
they remembered that the scripture said this about him, that the people had done this for him.
CALL TO WORSHIP: Carol Lee + Timyk Mathis
L Precious Jesus, humble and riding on a donkey, we greet you this morning!
Faithful servant of God, the One who arrives in the name of the Lord, we cheer you this morning!
Man of promise, the Holy One who bears the hopes and dreams of our ancestor David, we salute you this morning!
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
Blessed is the One who come in the name, the spirit, and the mission of God!
C GLORY TO GOD!
May the Lord take away our failings and our fears,
and give us the faith and the faithfulness to follow Jesus to Calvary and beyond!
Blessed are we when we are willing to bear the name, spirit, and mission of God!
HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
SONG: “Soon and Very Soon” Ronald Johnson
- Soon and very soon
- No more crying there
- No more dying there
- Soon and very soon
+ A Day with two Names +
A BRIEF EXPLANATION (with PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11): Pastor Neil + Pastor John Gottschall
This day is a hybrid. Today we combine the cheerful “Hosanna!” of the triumphal palm procession and the “Crucify him!” of the passion drama into one worship. Palm Sunday joy and hope turns into Passion Sunday sadness, fear, and rejection. There is a deeper meaning to this. We might sing and say that Jesus Christ is the King of our life, then offer only half our heart and an even smaller portion of our time, energy, resources, visions, and gifts to serve him. The truth is that our discipleship is challenged by fear, ambivalence, apathy, and the status quo. The greater truth is that Jesus – resisting every temptation to avoid, to escape, or to self-exalt – fully embraced his humanity, obediently set his mind on God’s mission, humbly suffered, and willingly died for us. For us! IT IS ON THE CROSS, IN THE DEATH OF HIS SON, THAT GOD MEETS US WITH A LOVE THAT IS NOT DESERVED AND NEVER EARNED. St. Paul says that we should have that same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus:
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him a name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
+ “CRUCIFY HIM!” +
A SONG: “All the Way to Calvary” Charlotte Webb
All the way to Calvary, He went for me, Although I had so many, many sins,
He went for me, He went for me. Jesus took them all away
All the way to Calvary, He went for me, and He pardoned me.
He died to set me free. Although I had so many, many sins,
Jesus took them all away,
and He pardoned me.
VOICES FROM THE CROWD… a Holy Week meditation.
Scene 1: 3 Pharisees or Scribes Daren, Jordan, Paul
SONG: Now behold the Lamb, the precious Lamb of God. Trudi
Bore all my sin, that I may live again – the precious Lamb of God.
Scene 2: 4 Townspeople Katrina, Linda, Herb, Lisa Johnson
SONG: Holy is the Lamb, the precious Lamb of God. Trudi
Why you love me so, Lord, I shall never know – the precious Lamb of God.
Scene 3: 2 Disciples Chris + Micah
SONG: Thank you for the Lamb, the precious Lamb of God. Trudi
Because of your grace I can finish the race – the precious Lamb of God.
Scene 4: 4 Roman Soldiers Juanita, Donna Waite, Carol Chatman, Beverly Morris
SONG: Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (2X)
OH… Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Dennis
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Scene 5: 3 Women Valerie, Elaine, Pam
SONG: The blood that Jesus shed for me, way back on Calvary, Paul
the blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.
IT REACHES TO THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN!
IT FLOWS TO THE LOWEST VALLEY!
THE BLOOD THAT GIVES ME STRENGTH FROM DAY TO DAY,
IT WILL NEVER LOSE ITS POWER!
It soothes my doubts and calms my fears, and it dries all my tears;
the blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.
IT REACHES TO…
THE SERMON: Pastor David Maddox II
SONG SELECTION Lisa Blaine
THE PRAYERS – A LITANY OF THE PASSION: Pastor Clesha Staten + Pastor David
L Lord Jesus, by your death and resurrection You brought life to the world! The hour of your cross draws near, when Satan was defeated and death was destroyed. You are our only hope, our only salvation, our only glory! We now pray that You might deliver us from sin, despair, and death…
L O Christ, bearing our sins: C Save us, we pray.
L O Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver: C Remind us of the great price you paid for us.
L O Jesus, washing feet and breaking bread: C Lead us in the way of humility and sacrifice.
L O Jesus, in agony in the garden: C Teach us to watch and to pray.
L O Jesus, betrayed by the kiss of a friend: C Save us from deceit and betrayal of You.
L O Jesus, bound like a lamb for slaughter: C Free us from the chains of sin.
L O Jesus, opposed by swords and anger: C Spare us from the sword of war and hatred.
L O Jesus, forsaken by your disciples: C Keep us from abandoning You.
L O Jesus, humiliated and tortured: C Let us never bring shame and pain to You.
L O Jesus, rejected for Barabbas: C Keep us from ever rejecting You.
L O Jesus, condemned to die: C Pardon us through your saving grace.
L O Jesus, crowned with thorns: C Pierce our hardened hearts.
L O Jesus, carrying your cross: C Thank you for bearing our sins and our shame.
L O Jesus, delivered to be crucified: C Deliver us from the gates of hell.
L O Jesus, nailed to the cross among the condemned: C Take your place among us sinners.
L O Jesus, commended to the Father’s hands: C Gather us in your Kingdom like a hen.
L O Jesus, breathing your last on this earth: C Fill us with the breath of true life.
L O Jesus, lifeless and buried in a tomb: C Put to death the sin and despair within us.
L O Jesus, sealed away to be forgotten: C Remember us when You come into your Kingdom.
L O Lord, it would be easy to try to wash our hands of all guilt and declare our innocence in Your suffering, yet the finger of betrayal, desertion, and denial points at all of us. We cannot cry out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken us?” because it is we who have done the forsaking. We are horrified by the suffering we cause – to You, to ourselves and to others, and to the world You have created. O Jesus, we cannot live with the burden of our sin; we cannot bear the guilt and the shame; we cannot save ourselves from despair and death by our own good deeds. O Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!
C Lord, I do want to live the life of faith! Lord, I do want to be yours forever!
I bow my head and my heart before the cross of Jesus and ask for your mercy. Amen.
OFFERING [Jesus gave himself to death for the life of the world, for my life and your life! With humble hearts so very grateful for his saving love… with willing hearts seeking to pass on the good news we have been taught… let us offer our time, our money, our abilities, our very self in trust and service.]
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “I Know It Was the Blood” Maliek Patterson
- I know it was the blood… I know it was the blood… I know it was the blood for me.
One day when I was lost, he died upon the cross… I know it was the blood for me.
- It was my Savior’s blood…
- They pierced him in the side…
- He’s coming back again…
OFFERING PRAYER (from PSALM 51): Caleb?
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with your bountiful spirit. Then I will teach other sinners your ways; and I will eagerly sing of your goodness. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION Dennis Fortune
THE LORD’S PRAYER
+ WALKING THE WAY OF THE CROSS +
CLOSING SONG: “We Walk His Way” Ben + Marietta
Chorus We walk His way… We walk His way.
We walk His way… We walk His way. (repeat the chorus)
- Unarmed He faces forces of demons and death.
We walk His way. (repeat entire verse)
- He breaks the bonds of hell dying on the cross.
We walk His way. (repeat entire verse)
- The tree of freedom blooms by His empty grave.
We walk His way. (repeat entire verse)
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor… God calls us to “return home” to faithful discipleship!