Palm Sunday
2 April 2023
A Service of Praise, Prayer and Proclamation
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Gracious God, we humbly thank you for life and health and safety, for freedom to work, leisure to rest, and for all that is beautiful in creation and human life. But, above all, we praise you for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, for his death and resurrection; for the gift of your Spirit; and for the hope of sharing in your glory. Fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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God of all,
you gave your only-begotten Son
to take the form of a servant,
and to be obedient even to death on a cross:
give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus
that, sharing in his humility,
we may come to be wit h him in his glory,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word
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4 The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. 5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. 6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.
7 The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; 8 he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. 9 It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
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9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: my eye wastes away for grief, my throat also and my inward parts.
10 For my life wears out in sorrow, and my years with sighing: my strength fails me in my affliction, and my bones are consumed.
11 I am become the scorn of all my enemies: and my neighbours wag their heads in derision.
12 I am a thing of horror to my friends: and those that see me in the street shrink from me.
13 I am forgotten like one dead and out of mind: I have become like a broken vessel.
14 For I hear the whispering of many: and fear is on every side;
15 While they plot together against me: and scheme to take away my life.
16 But in you, Lord, have I put my trust: I have said ‘You are my God.’
17 All my days are in your hand: O deliver me from the power of my enemies and from my persecutors.
18 Make your face to shine upon your servant: and save me for your mercy’s sake.
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5 Let the same mind be in you 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 the 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.
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11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas.
17 So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ 18 For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. 19 While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21 The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ 22 Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’
23 Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’ 24 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ 25 Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ 26 So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him.
28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
29 and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’
30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
31 After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
32 As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),
34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots;
36 then they sat down there and kept watch over him.
37 Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’
38 Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
39 Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads
40 and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’
41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying,
42 ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, “I am God’s Son.” ’
44 The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’
48 At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink.
49 But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.’
50 Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split.
52 The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
53 After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.
54 Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’
There is no sermon this week. The Gospel reading is the sermon.
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I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
from there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen. -
Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.16
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
Heavenly Father,
you have loved us with an everlasting love, but we have broken your holy laws and have left undone what we ought to have done.
We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. For the sake of your Son who died for us, forgive us, cleanse us and change us.
By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.God desires that none should perish, but that all should turn to Christ, and live. In response to his call we acknowledge our sins. God pardons those who humbly repent, and truly believe the gospel. Therefore we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Ministry of Prayer
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Link to Pray Daily from ACSQ
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Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sin
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
The Sending out of God’s People
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Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us in our meeting together.
Take us and use us to love and serve you and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, working in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.