Manuscript for Palm Sunday

 P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

441 Ride On, Ride On in Majesty

Collect of the Day

P Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 

Psalm 118

¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
²¹I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
²²The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
²³This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!

²⁶Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
²⁷The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!

²⁸You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
²⁹Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

Epistle Philippians 2:5–11

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

Holy Gospel

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the twelfth chapter.

¹²The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ¹⁴And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

¹⁵“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

¹⁶His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. ¹⁷The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. ¹⁸The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. ¹⁹So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

 

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

Sermon

To the Cross

John 12:12 - His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 

There’s a sad irony in that Palm Sunday scene in old Jerusalem. People were so excited, so overjoyed that Jesus was coming into town. They gave up their coats and cloaks to spread on the ground, to roll out the carpet for him. They shouted and sang the joyous refrain of Hosanna. To them it seemed like this was a great day. This is what we have been waiting for. Jesus, the heir to the throne of King David was coming on in heroically, triumphantly, to take his place as the rightful king of Israel.

But it’s pretty clear, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem was not bringing about some “happily ever-after” story. We can see where this going. And Jesus, knows how this is going to go down. He still rides into Jerusalem willingly, knowing it will be the death of him. The folks in Jerusalem weren’t wrong to be happy and excited. They weren’t wrong to shout Hosannas, and sing praises to the coming King. It’s just that we see a bigger picture here. We see the cross, the suffering and death of Jesus.

The bigger picture we see, that the crowd in Jerusalem couldn’t yet see, includes things like this: Jesus is King, yes. But it’s a different than expected sort of kingdom. Kings should wear robes. Within that week, King Jesus would be flogged and beaten and the corrupt guards would mock him by ripping off his clothes and putting a fake robe about him. Kings should wear crowns; they would crown his head with thorns. Kings were anointed with precious oils. He was anointed with costly  oil and perfumes for his embalming and burial. Yes, they were right to call Jesus, king. But we see a bigger picture when we confess him in the 2^nd Article of the creed. It is  by means of his holy blood and his innocent suffering death, that he has redeemed me,  purchased and won me to be his own, that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom.

They were right that day when they said, “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” It’s just that we see a bigger picture here. Those words are taken right from Psalm 118 which I spoke a few minutes ago. The faithful people of Jerusalem knew the words because it was a regular part of their liturgy. They sang it every year at the Passover holiday. As the lamb was slaughtered in sacrifice for the Passover feast, people would sing Psalm 118 with verse 26 saying: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.” It’s a Psalm of praise to God for saving the way he does. By providing a lamb to be sacrificed in our place, Jesus the Lamb of God, slain to redeem us, and save us from our sins. How the tone of that Palm Sunday might have been different if those who said these words had understood them!

The Apostle John writes years after this day, “They did not understand these things at first.” The large crowd properly welcomed Jesus the King, the one who comes in the name of the Lord. John’s description makes it clear that they lacked understanding. They didn’t understand the kind of hero it was they were welcoming. They don’t seem to understand the goal Jesus has in mind for coming into Jerusalem. Nor admittedly do the disciples understand such things, “at first (John says) but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him” (vs. 16). You and I are drawn to join the praises of the crowd, but we are enjoined to do so with understanding. The gospel continually guides us to Christ and his suffering and death for sinners. So much else becomes understandable and pertinent to us only after we have heard and put our faith in his passion and death for our salvation. The image of Jesus processing into Jerusalem is that of our suffering Savior.

The end of the road that Jesus was taking was the cross. We are called to follow Jesus. Better said, we are to have the “mind” which is ours in Him (Philippians 2). The crowds followed Jesus, they hailed him with the right words, “Hosanna” etc. But their motivation appears to come more from a Jewish nationalism and anti-Roman politics. And they’re not wrong for wanting a better kingdom, a better government, a government that would promote what is decent and honorable and would put down what is evil and oppressive. But there’s a bigger picture here, with this King on a donkey.

For us who have seen this thing all the way through, who have followed Him all the way to suffering and death. We know what this movement was about, and what it is about. It was about Jesus purpose in making himself nothing, taking upon the form of a servant, obedient to His Father even to death, death on a cross” (Philippians 2). It is about us in him, crucifying ourselves and our desires and cravings, because we count those to be things not to be grasped.

We are rooting and cheering for him who comes in the name of the Lord not because he’s going to give us some privilege or ease or success that we would foolishly seek after. We follow him because he has led us to hate our sins and their unhealthy desires and their false pleasure. He has taught us to hate our lives of sin, but love our life with Him.

At our church this morning we will confirm 5 young people. It’s a big day. But if anyone thinks that confirmation itself is the high point, well there’s a bigger picture to see here. Confirmation is not the beginning of some “happily-ever after” story. Don’t stop praying for them, just because they are confirmed now. Actually, now they need our prayers as much as ever. When they confess their faith so boldly and openly, the enemies of their faith will awaken and take notice. The enemies of the devil, the world and the sinful nature will be operating at a higher level. The temptations of the sinful nature will be greater, surprisingly, disturbingly so. The assaults of the devil and his demons will increase. The pressure and ridicule of the world will be magnified. Commitment must remain strong and steadfast to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His means of grace, the word and Sacraments that give the forgiveness of sins and life and salvation.

Just think what it must have been like for the people in that first Palm Sunday parade. If they thought that this Palm Sunday was the high point, well then, Friday came and they were certainly disappointed, confused, and discouraged.

So it is with our congregation this day. We’re not wrong to be happy and proud of these dear people. But there is a bigger picture here. We gotta keep praying for them, that they remain faithful, that, if the Lord so wills, they would be led to good and faithful wives and husband, that if their future leads them away from this area, the Holy Spirit would guide them to good and faithful churches and pastors. That they would daily sing praises to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, even in suffering and in the hour of death.

Confirmation is a high point, undeniably. But life – this short life we have here on earth – is the sum of all these high points and low points. The Lord uses all sorts of points – high and low alike – to teach us to follow Him, to take up our cross, repent of our sins and seek His forgiveness. And every time you do and every time you believe His word, his forgiveness and His promise of eternal life – That’s the high point. Amen.

 

P Let us pray.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we ask your rich and continued blessings on those who are confirmed today, McKenna Demaray, Antonio Gitch, Kruise Hammond, Connor Kramer, and Hayden Skoda. We thank and praise You for Your great goodness in bringing these Your sons and daughter to the knowledge of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and enabling them both with the heart to believe and with the mouth to confess His saving name. Grant that, bringing forth the fruits of faith, they may continue steadfast and victorious to the day when all who have fought the good fight of faith shall receive the crown of righteousness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

C Amen.

P Almighty and most merciful Father, in the waters of Holy Baptism You have united Your children in the suffering and death of Your Son Jesus Christ, cleansing them by His blood. Renew in them the gift of Your Holy Spirit, that they may live in daily contrition and repentance with a faith that ever clings to their Savior. Deliver them from the power of Satan and preserve them from false and dangerous doctrines, that they may remain faithful in hearing Christ’s Word and receiving His body and blood. By the Lord’s Supper strengthen them to believe that no one can make satisfaction for sin but Christ alone. Enable them to find joy and comfort only in Him, learning from this Sacrament to love You and their neighbor and to bear the cross with patience and joy until the day of the resurrection of their bodies to life immortal; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

C Amen.

P Almighty and everlasting God, we are your people and you are our God. Put the message, the song of salvation into our souls, fill our hearts with joy and praise for the great treasure we have as the children and heirs of your salvation, that we may constantly proclaim, “Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” Throughout these Holy Days in the week ahead accept our thanks and praise for sending your Son into our world, into the flesh to be our Savior. For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross and despised the shame. Help us, that as we too may follow him, in humility and confidence doing what is right and good for others and hallows your name. And as we share in his suffering, grant us grace and faith to share also in his resurrection.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we here remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Praising His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

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 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 and ever. Amen.

 

Benediction