Notes on the Notes – April 9, 2017

Palm Sunday

Coming Home to God

This week’s scripture:

Matthew 21:1-11 – Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 – the stone the builders rejected/open the gates of the temple

What is Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified.

Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.  Palm branches are widely recognized symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.

The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of someone in peace, as opposed to arriving on a steed in war.   A week later, Christ would rise from the dead on the first Easter.

During Palm Sunday service, palms are distributed.   Many people will fashion them into small crosses or other items of personal devotion.    After Palm Sunday, some of the palms are kept and incinerated to create the ashes that will be used in the follow year’s Ash Wednesday observance.

This week’s music:

“He Has Made Me Glad”

“I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter His courts with praise.
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made,
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

He has made me glad,
He has made me glad,
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.
 
He has made me glad,
He has made me glad,
I will rejoice for He has made me glad.”

This praise chorus by Leona Von Brethost is based on Psalm 100:1-4.

Hear the song at:  https://youtu.be/LqkW19B0d3g

“Hosanna”

“Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Let’s lift a shout in one accord for all that He has done
Let’s lift a shout in praise to God for all the vict’ry’s won
If we don’t praise the rocks will cry out “Hosanna’s to the King.”
So lift your voice in praise to God and let your voices sing.

Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

This joyous tune is by Mark Cole, from his album Move in This City (2000).

 “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” (VU #123)

“Hosanna, loud hosanna the happy children sang;
Through pillared court and temple the joyful anthem rang;
To Jesus, who had blessed them close folded to his breast;
The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

“Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer; earth, let your anthems ring.
O may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice,
And in his humble presence eternally rejoice!”

The text for this hymn is based on Christ’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday and the children’s role in that event. The text was written by Jeannette Threlfall (b. Blackburn, Lancashire, England, 1821; d. Westminster, London, 1880) in an “idle moment” (as she says she wrote all of her hymns, all others of which have been forgotten). Undoubtedly, Threlfall had Mark 11 in mind when she wrote this text, but she also alludes to Jesus’ welcoming of the children in Mark 10:13-16. Stanzas 1 tells how the children shared in the songs during Christ’s procession into Jerusalem. Stanza 2 is our cue to participate in praising our Redeemer.

Threlfall’s life was extremely difficult: she was orphaned at an early age, and two serious accidents caused her to be an invalid for life. But she bore her misfortune with grace and fortitude and maintained a ministry to many people who came in contact with her.

The melody, ELLACOMBE, is a Roman Catholic tune from late 18th-century Germany, which was first published in 1874.

Hear the hymn with organ and trumpeter Timothy Moke at: https://youtu.be/yOAsWh316kY

“He Came Riding”  

“He came riding – alleluia
On a donkey – alleluia
Into Jerusalem – alleluia
Praise to you, our God!

Take the branches – alleluia
Wave them gently – alleluia
Lay them down now – alleluia
Praise to you, our God!”

This happy Palm Sunday song will be shared by the children in Bible Adventures!

“Messiah”

“Someone’s shouting from the desert.
Someone’s shouting from the sea.
Someone’s shouting from the mountain.
Someone’s shouting from the valley.

Messiah, come and be our King.

Someone’s shouting from the city,
“I am young, I am cold.”
Someone’s shouting from the country,
“I am lonely, I am old.”

Messiah, come and be our King.

Someone’s shouting “I am broken.”
Someone’s shouting “Make me whole.”
Someone’s shouting “Come and change me.”
Someone’s shouting “Save my soul.”

Messiah, come and be our King.”

This song was written by Larry Olson in 1989.   Just as the ancient Israelites longed for a Messiah, this longing continues today.

“Hosanna”

“Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You, we turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You
‘Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You
In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new
‘Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Hosanna, Hosanna…”

Paul Baloche says the song “Hosanna” was birthed while he and fellow songwriter Brenton Brown were thinking about Palm Sunday. They visualized Jesus seated upon a donkey, entering Jerusalem as the crowds cast down their cloaks and branches before him, shouting “Hosanna.”
Paul said they meditated on this tableau compared with our own sense of excitement and expectancy as we enter into worship. Like the crowd that day in Jerusalem, we come before the Lord, crying “Hosanna” as we celebrate our Savior, the One who is “worthy of all our praises.”  (Source:  http://www.newreleasetoday.com/article.php?article_id=874)

Hear Paul Baloche singing this song at:  https://youtu.be/oAaQ5EEXidc

“Come Home”

“I, your God, am waiting,
Awaiting your return.
Like a mother or father waiting,
Longing for a child’s return.

Come home, come home, for love is waiting there.
In the stillness we will hear God’s voice: Come home, be reconciled.

And if you, O God, should mark our guilt,
Then who could survive?
But with you is found forgiveness and to your loving arms we return.

Come home…

And with you, there is mercy and redemption to the full.
We will wait upon your love, O God, we will trust your Word.

Come home…”

This beautiful song of reconciliation is by Carey Landry (1987).

“Grace Alone”

“Every promise we can make,
Every prayer and step of faith,
Every difference we will make
Is only by His grace.

Every mountain we will climb,
Every ray of hope we shine,
Every blessing left behind
Is only by His grace.

Grace alone which God supplies,
Strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.

Every soul we long to reach,
Every heart we hope to teach,
Everywhere we share His peace
Is only by His grace.

Every loving word we say,
Every tear we wipe away,
Every sorrow turned to praise
Is only by His grace.

Grace alone which God supplies,
Strength unknown He will provide.
Christ in us, our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.”

This song was written by Scott Wesley Brown and Jeff Nelson.

Hear the song at:  https://youtu.be/b6lhilgWXIE

“Lead Me to Calvary”

The closing song for this Sunday leads us into reflection in preparation for Good Friday.   The words are by Jennie Evelyn Hussie with music by Don Chapman.  Jennie Hussey was a life-long Quaker.  Much of her life was a time of hardship and suffering, especially in her care of an invalid sister. Yet Jennie was known for her cheerful and courageous attitude.   In all, she wrote approximately 150 hymn texts.   “Lead Me to Calvary” first appeared in New Songs of Praise and Power in 1921.  Don Chapman composed this arrangement in 2002.

“King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorny crown, lead me to Calvary.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid, tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

May I be willing, Lord, to bear daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share, Thou hast borne all for me.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Lest I forget,
Lest I forget,
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary,
Lead me to Calvary,
Lead me to Calvary.”