(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Baildon Methodist Church and led by Moira Hunt one of our Circuit Local Preachers.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
Theme: The Servant King
Let us come before the Lord today
Lifting our hearts in praise.
May we be ready to follow him
With ‘hosanna’ on our lips and love for Him in our hearts
Song – StF 317 – At the name of Jesus
Our prayers
Lord God, we approach with shouts of praise: Hosanna in the highest!
We draw close to you,
On this day that caused disturbance and disruption.
We approach the throne of the one who came as a humble servant,
Who came to set us free, to change things for ever.
Hosanna to the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Lord of Palm Sunday
You enable us to see and hear you anew as we listen again to the story of your passion.
Breathe your love into our lives and enable us to love others, even as you have loved us.
Amen
Reading
Ken Taylor comments on the reading:
Jesus came riding to make Jerusalem choose.
It was deliberately planned and staged
recalling Maccabaean liberation
and Zechariah’s prophecy;
And ‘cleansing the Temple’ on the following day
Underlined the parallel.
The people went wild and sang the song their fathers sang to welcome Maccabaeus –
But they didn’t see the donkey!
The Romans saw the donkey
And were glad it was a peaceful demonstration –
The city was packed and highly charged,
Like a tinder-box awaiting a spark
The Zealots saw the donkey and were bitterly disappointed –
they hoped he would ride a war-like horse
not a docile donkey
But the people saw only a victory parade,
riding as Zechariah promised,
and welcomed him like a king.
Song – StF 264 – Make Way
Reading
Sermon
Palm Sunday comes at a hopeful time of year for us, associated with longer and warmer days, nature waking from sleep and the anticipation of better things to come. I particularly enjoy this time of year. It holds associations with the first outing after the winter, casting off heavy winter clothes and beginning to feel the warmth of the sun streaming in through the bedroom window. It is also always around my birthday – so as a child it was a time that was eagerly anticipated.
Later, it is associated for me with powerful, dramatic music as the story and message of Palm Sunday set the scene for the events of Holy Week.
Another memory I have is of reading The famous poem by G K Chesterton in junior school. It had a very powerful effect both as a literary form, expressing the thoughts in the mind of the donkey (anthropomorphism) and also in developing my understanding of the importance of this event in the life of Jesus and in the understanding of his mission. The poem claims this as the donkey’s moment of triumph – in contrast to his strange appearance.
The Donkey By G. K. Chesterton
1.When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
2.With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
3.The tattered outlaw of the earth
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge ,deride me, I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
4.“Fools! For I also had my hour,
One far fierce hour and sweet;
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.”
The events of Palm Sunday are both exhilarating and awesome. The story of Palm Sunday is full of noise and action. It is the time when Jesus publicly proclaimed himself to be King and was acknowledged by the crowd. However, this was a dangerous claim that brought about a warning from some of the Pharisees. They urged him to silence his disciples, but Jesus declared that if they did not Praise God the very stones would cry out.
Across the path ridden by Jesus lay the shadow of the cross. This public demonstration of defiance was to lead into the events of Holy Week. Jesus was to be seen not only as the Servant King but as the Lamb of God – whose death would take away the sins of the world. As we read in Philippians ‘He made himself nothing… he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!’
Jesus relinquished his power and allowed the events that we will follow in Holy Week to happen to Him. He submitted himself and became the passive victim of human jealousy, fear, aggression, and guilt. The cry of ‘Hosanna’ turned to ‘crucify’.
We read in Philippians the statements, expressed as a hymn in the early church, He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! We see here the picture of the Servant King – in willing submission, humility and obedience.
Jesus, as always, set the pattern for His followers. He did not avoid the conflict to come, he did not seek an easy path, and he did not seek to glorify himself.
His reward was also an example and inspiration to those who are prepared to follow. God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name above all others so that ultimately, at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess Him to be Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Song – StF 272 – The servant king
Our prayers of intercession
Lord Jesus,
We pray for all who give of themselves sacrificially,
For those whose lives are dedicated to serving others:
Parents, carers, foster carers, doctors, nurses………..
We pray for those serving in war-torn countries around the world:
Medics, those in missions, the media, NGOs and charities ………..
Who bring help to others, sometimes putting their own lives in danger.
We pray for those in our communities who need our unconditional love.
Those hurting from broken relationships, abuse bullying, domestic violence……
Whose lives hold no love or hope.
We pray that we will follow the example of Jesus in serving others.
Bringing hope to hopeless situations – the hope of the cross and resurrection!
Amen
Song – StF 277 – My Song is Love Unknown
Blessing
As we journey to the cross and beyond help us to share our joy with others.
Keep us faithful to Jesus, our Saviour and friend. Amen
