SUNDAY, MARCH 29 2025 | SEVENTH SUNDAY OF LENT | PALM SUNDAY
LENTEN CANDLE EXTENGUISHING
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
INVOCATION
L: The Lord be with you
All: And with your spirit.
L: Lift up your hearts
All: We lift them up to the Lord
L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
All: It is right to give thanks and Praise!
L: Let us Worship God
SONGS OF WORSHIP
THE CALL TO CONFESSION
Today we have cried, “Hosanna—save us! ”
We have welcomed our King with praise. But the story turns. The same voices that shout “Hosanna” will soon cry, “Crucify him.” And if we are honest, we hear our own voices there.
We praise Christ with our lips, yet resist him in our lives. We want the Savior, but not always the King. So as we enter this Holy Week and stand in the shadow of the cross, let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader: O God, you know us better than we know ourselves.
All: We are quick to speak of faith, but slow to live it fully. We shout "hosanna" as Jesus approaches, as did the people of Jerusalem many years ago; but we do not want him to come too close -- not close enough to really see our frailty and failures. In your mercy expose our fears. And forgive us of our lack of faith.
Leader: O God, you know us well.
All: We are quick to want the blessings of faithfulness; but, like the Twelve who spent the last week with him, we are slow to accept the pain and suffering of authentic Christ-like living, and fail to love you fully or our neighbors as ourselves. Soften our hearts and align them with yours, that we may live in your love, and share your joy, to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. AMEN.
Take a moment for silent confession
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
As we come before God in humility, we trust in His promise of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Hear now this assurance from the Scriptures, reminding us of the grace that is ours through faith.
From Colossians 1:13 and 14 (NIV)
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
PASSING OF THE PEACE
SONG OF WORSHIP
THE SERMON
Powder Kegs, Perspective, and Peace
Pastor Jack McClelland
Matthew 21:1-11
New International Version
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
21As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage onthe Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11Thecrowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
CATECHISMQUESTIONS
Leader: What is the Lord’s Supper?
All: The Lord’s supper is a sacrament wherewe receive bread and wine as a reminder of the death of Jesus Christ for our sins.
Leader: How does the Lord’s Supper help us?
All: The Lord’s Supper helps us to experience the real presence of Christ while we examine our own lives and repent of our sins.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Apostles’ Creed
We believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
--
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only
Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy christian church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE 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 debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
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.
BENEDICTION