Our third "simple service" while our churches are closed . . .
You may wish to light a candle at the start of this time of worship.
Hosanna to the Son of David, the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Theme Prayer
Assist us by your mercy, Lord, God of our salvation, as we begin our keeping of this Holy Week. Help us to contemplate the mighty acts which secured our freedom with understanding, humility and joy. By them you have given us life and immortality, and so blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Confession
Let us call on God’s loving mercy:
Turn us again, Lord, and let your anger cease from us. Lord, have mercy.
(Lord, have mercy.)
Show us your mercy, Lord, and grant us your salvation. Christ, have mercy.
(Christ, have mercy.)
For your salvation is near for those who honour you. Lord, have mercy.
(Lord, have mercy.)
May the Lord our God set us free from the bondage of sin and fear, that in his service we may find our freedom, and in his will our peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God’s Word - Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 21, verse 1 to 11 :-
Jesus and his disciples were approaching Jerusalem, and when they reached Bethphage at the mount of Olives Jesus sent off two disciples, and told them: ‘Go into the village opposite, where you will at once find a donkey tethered with her foal beside her. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, answer, “The Master needs them”; and he will let you have them at once.’
This was to fulfil the prophecy which says, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, “Here is your king, who comes to you in gentleness, riding on a donkey, on the foal of a beast of burden.”’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed, and brought the donkey and her foal; they laid their cloaks on them and Jesus mounted. Crowds of people carpeted the road with their cloaks, and some cut branches from the trees to spread in his path. Then the crowds in front and behind raised the shout: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the heavens!’
When he entered Jerusalem the whole city went wild with excitement. ‘Who is this?’ people asked, and the crowds replied, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.
A Reflection on the Reading
Normally on Palm Sunday I wouldn’t preach, and instead we’d hear a reading of the Passion Gospel, this year in Matthew’s telling of the events. This year I’ll be using that Gospel as a reflection throughout Holy Week, so I’ll say just a few words about the Gospel of the Palms.
It was a set-up. Jesus had planned this carefully. Arrangements had been made, but the disciples knew nothing about it. When they went, though, to collect the donkey Jesus was to rise, the people there knew about it. Jesus wanted to fulfil one of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah in the way he entered the Holy City. And the people responded, with palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!”
We may well think of “Hosanna!” as equivalent to “Hooray!” - but in fact it’s more than that. My dictionary describes it as “an expression of adoration, praise or joy”, but in fact its Biblical use always has to do with being saved, delivered, set free. “Lord, save us!” the people were shouting - specifically identifying Jesus as the one through whom God would deliver his people from their slavery. The people thought - as did the disciples - in terms of being delivered from slavery to the Romans. But Jesus had a greater work to perform.
The city went wild with excitement, we’re told. Frankly, I don’t really buy that one. City folk are more cynical than that, I think. And some in the city would certainly have been thinking in terms of a threat to be controlled or removed, rather than a saviour who would deliver them. And Jesus wanted to provoke that response. Having entered the city to shouts of hosanna, he went straight to the Temple and caused a rumpus there, throwing out the money-changers, overturning the tables of those who sold doves - fulfilling another prophecy, this time from Malachi, and in the process stirring up a hornet’s nest.
And there I’ll pause, with just this thought. As we read through them, the events of Holy Week may look like a man out of his depth, easily snuffed out by the powers that be - more easily in fact than they expected. But look a little deeper, and you see that all along in reality it’s Jesus who controls events, setting himself quite deliberately to walk the way of the cross.
Statement of Faith
God is our strength and our salvation, our rescuer and mighty deliverer;
in love he has walked among us, taking the way of the cross;
he has lifted from our shoulders the burden we could not bear,
and by his Holy Spirit he calls and equips us to show and share his love.
Anthem
1 Christ Jesus was in the form of God, ♦
yet he did not cling to equality with God.
2 He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, ♦
and was born in our human likeness.
3 Being found in human form he humbled himself, ♦
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
4 Therefore God has highly exalted him, ♦
and bestowed on him the name above all names.
5 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; ♦
in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
6 And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, ♦
to the glory of God the Father.
Prayers
Pray for the needs of the world: where there is conflict and division, may people heed the call for peace made last week by the United Nations and Pope Francis. May we work together in response to the challenges of today, and have a special regard for the poor and those who are refugees.
Pray for the Church of God and for our keeping of this Holy Week. May our faith sustain us and also encourage us in care for those around us. May we bring Christ’s message of love into every place of darkness and pain.
Pray for those in need today: for all who grieve, for the worried and anxious, and for those who are alone. Pray for all who are ill, and especially for those infected by Covid-19. Give thanks for health workers and carers, and pray they may be kept safe from harm and infection.
Pray for our own communities and for families and friends. May we act with care and responsibility, and look out for each other. Give thanks for all who have offered themselves as volunteers, locally and nationally. Continue to pray for all whose incomes, homes and settled lives are put at risk by the Coronavirus outbreak and the shutdown of so much of our community life.
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, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for today and Blessing
Hosanna to the Son of David! Lord Christ, Servant King, challenge us by your humility to turn aside from the way of the world and walk instead your path of compassionate love. Amen.
May Christ crucified draw us to himself, to find in him
a sure ground for faith, a firm support for love,
and the assurance of sins forgiven.
And may almighty God bless us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
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