← Back to Worship Resources

Palm Sunday

Description

Here are worship resources for Palm Sunday, and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Scripture

Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17
Mark 11:1-11
Luke 19:29-44
John 12:12-19

Prayers

Palm Sunday Prayer

Gathering for worship today,
we are like the crowd that lined the streets,
witnessing your entry into Jerusalem.

Some of us gather here, full of enthusiasm.

Some of us gather wearied by what life has thrown at us.

Some of us have come out of curiosity.

Some of us out of habit.

Some of us gather with great expectation.

Some of us with no particular hopes.

It is here, O God, that you meet us and greet us and, if we will allow,
it is here that you surprise us with your love and your grace.

So open our heavy eyes, and tired minds,
steal into our closed hearts and surprise us today with joy.

Quell those unrealistic expectations,
but open us to the possibility of hope
and allow us to glimpse the goodness of your purpose for us.

Even when we cannot name it ourselves
you know what ails us.
We submit to your knowledge of us
and we open ourselves to the need for your forgiveness,
a forgiveness that comes freely and abundantly.

So with cleansed hearts and open minds,
we join in the cry Hosanna!

Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

~ written by Rev. E. Crumlish of Castlehill Church, Ayr. Posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website.
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/

Prayer of Confession

We sing, we wave our branches, we shout 'Hosanna.'
Then, we turn away, to go back to our old ways,
our old lives, our old sins.
But God is in the business of granting forgiveness
and filling us with new life.
Let us confess to the One who comes to fill us with grace.

With eager hearts and open hands, Holy One,
we welcome Jesus,
until he refuses the power we offer him,
choosing to become our servant.
We pick up the faith we had laid on the ground before him,
and put it back on the shelf where it belongs.
Our pride keeps us from being able to follow him
all the way to Calvary.
Hosanna, Steadfast God, save us!
Help us to let our fears, our doubts, our faithlessness
slip from our lives to fall at your feet,
so we may stand with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
who comes in your name,
in your glory,
in your grace to save us.

(Time of silence)

Tell the daughters of despair,
proclaim it to the sons of sadness:

Christ has come to save us!
Hosanna!
We will give our thanks to God,
who comes to bring us grace, hope, life.
Hosanna in the highest.

Amen!

~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies.
http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/

Calls for Allegiance

Lord Jesus Christ, whose greatest moments of triumph happen
on the back of a donkey's foal
and nailed to a bloody cross,
We gather to prepare the way for You
in our lives and in our world.

There are so many people and things that call for our allegiance
so many kings seeking to rule over us.
But, You ride into our experience as another kind of King
a serving, humble and challenging King
who calls us not to slavery, but friendship.

There are so many things that seek our energy and resources
for their own sakes
so many Kingdoms seeking our souls for their own glory.
But, You ride into our experience heralding another kind of Kingdom
a Kingdom where the least are the greatest,
where the meek inherit the earth
and where children are the best example of citizenship.
a Kingdom which seeks to bring life, not drain it.

There are so many things that draw our attention.
So many realities that seek our faith and assent.
But, You ride into our experience revealing another kind of reality
a reality where death does not have the last word.
a reality where pride, selfishness and evil are defeated
by love and self-giving.
a reality which does not parade itself for all to see,
but fills every moment, every situation and every thing with life,
while waiting for us to discover it.

And so, we cry, from our hearts
Hosanna, Save us.
Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.

Amen.

~ written by John van de Laar. Copyright © 2006 Sacredise. Posted on the Sacredise website.
http://www.sacredise.com/

Spoken Resources

All-Age Call to Worship for Palm Sunday

One: (shouting) Mom! Dad! Everyone! Come with us!
All Come see what’s happening!
Two: People are cheering, and waving palm branches,
and running all over the place.
Three: The kids are shouting and laughing and having fun!
All Come see what’s happening!
Four: What is happening?
All Jesus is coming!
Five: He is getting a hero’s welcome,
and everybody is out to greet him.
Six: Hurry! Hurry! Let’s go greet Jesus.
Seven: I’m coming! Let me grab my cap.
All Jesus is coming!

~ written by Fred Unruh. Posted on the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre website.
http://resources.mennonitechurch.ca/Home

Palm Sunday Call to Worship

Jesus entered into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey,
seeking to transform the people.
People gathered from everywhere to wave palm branches
and praise him as royalty.
Jesus enters into our lives humbly,
seeking to transform our hearts and lives.
Let us worship Jesus Christ together,
and receive him into our presence.

Hosanna in the highest!

~ Chris Heckert

Call to Worship (based on Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:26, 28-29)

Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious,
yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—
even on a donkey’s colt.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
You are our God, and we will praise You!
You are our God, and we will exalt You!
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His faithful love endures forever!

~ Christine Longhurst

Songs

Traditional Hymn: Hosanna, Loud Hosanna

Worship Together #333

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.

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.

“Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing,
for Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heav’n our King;
O may we ever praise Him with heart and life and voice,
and in His blissful presence eternally rejoice!

~ Jenett Threlfall

Contemporary Hymn: Give Thanks to the Lord (based on Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29)

Give thanks to the Lord whose mercy is sure,
whose goodness and love will always endure.
Let everyone join this resounding refrain:
Forever and ever our Savior will reign!

Now fling wide the gates! now open the doors!
We come to give praise and thanks to the Lord.
Our God has worked wonders, the tables have turned;
our strength is the stone that the builders once spurned.

Be joyful and glad! The Lord made this day.
God gives us success and hears when we pray.
And now from the temple the people exclaim:
How blest is the One who has come in God’s name!

The Lord is our God, the source of all light.
We sing and give thanks with all of our might.
Let everyone join this resounding refrain:
Forever and ever our Savior will reign!

Tune suggestion:
“O Worship the King, All Glorious Above” LYONS
Listen to it here: http://www.hymnary.org/tune/lyons

Contemporary Hymn: Blest be the King whose Coming

Worship Together hymnal #330

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
For him let doors be opened, no hearts against him barred!
Not robed in royal splendour, in power and pomp comes he,
but clad as are the poorest - such his humility.

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
By those who truly listen his voice is truly heard.
Pity the proud and haughty, who have not learned to heed
the Christ who is the Promise and has our ransom paid.

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
He only to the humble reveals the face of God.
All power is his, all glory! All things are in his hand,
all ages and all peoples, till time itself shall end!

Blest be the King whose coming is in the name of God!
He offers to the burdened the rest and grace they need.
Gentle is he and humble! And light his yoke shall be,
for he would have us bear it so he can make us free.

Contemporary Song: The Glory of Our King

The rocks are gonna cry out if we don't
Now's the time to raise a song
Hear creation shout loud
We will join our voices to that sound

Sing it out sing an anthem to His name
A generation worshipping unashamed
Giving all for the glory of our King
We will run we will run after Your heart
We believe You are all that You say You are
Giving all for the glory of our King

The church is waking up now
To be Your hands and feet upon this earth
Send us in Your power
As we take heaven to a broken world
Stand up stand up the time has come

We are we are a chosen people
We are we are called to follow
We are we are Your generation oh Lord
You are You are the God who saves us
You are You are the God who sends us
You are You are the God who's with us oh

~ Jess Cates, Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman.Copyright © 2009 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing). CCLI Song # 5557031. If you use this song in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.

Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvSd2z9TONQ

Contemporary Song: There’s a Man Riding In On a Donkey

There’s a man riding in on a donkey,
there’s a man, and they say he’s king!
And the palm leaves are waving a welcome
and the voices of the people sing:
Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna! Sing hosanna to the King!

Why a king riding in on a donkey?
Why a king wearing no fine crown?
Where the drums? Where the high-sounding cymbals
if a king is riding into town?
Sing hosanna . . .

Hear the voice of the King on a donkey!
Hear the joy of the news he brings!
He is Jesus, the Son of the Highest.
He is Jesus and the King of kings!
Sing hosanna . . .

Tune: Sing hosanna (“Give me oil in my lamp”)
Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmUuDQMnVM8

Images

~ from The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos.
http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-lords-triumphal-entry-into-jerusalem?lang=eng#gallery=img-4

Notes

This worship resource was created/compiled by Christine Longhurst. You are welcome to use it free of charge, and where appropriate, please note the source. If you are printing any of the resources for distribution, please print the source as well. The content of the worship resource does not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, which oversees the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. For more worship resources by Christine Longhurst, see http://www.re-worship.blogspot.ca or http://www.faithmatters.ca.

← Back to Worship Resources