Sunday, April 2, 2023 – Sixth Sunday in Lent / Communion / Palm Sunday

Sunday, April 2, 2023
Sixth Sunday in Lent / Communion
Palm Sunday

Approach

The Lenten Candle

We have gathered here, week after week, sharing a common quest for a deeper faith and a deeper experience of the diving. I invite you now to close your eyes and let go of the things that distract and concern you. Listen! The time is drawing near. Jesus is preparing to enter Jerusalem. How will we greet him? Will we follow him all the way to the Cross? The power of Jesus is that he lived what he taught, even when it led to his death. He lived with an abiding awareness of God, radiating the light of God in all he said and did. But that light was too much for the world. There are forces today, as there were in ancient Judea, that conspire to put it out. Where are we in this drama? What are we willing to risk to follow Jesus?

As we extinguish this light, we acknowledge the darkness, the burden, and pain of illness and disease in the world.

Loving God, there are so many choices before us every day. Choices offered by our friends, our families, our culture, our own past. Some of them encourage the well-being of the earth, ourselves and our neighbours; others are destructive. Help us to distinguish between them. May we learn from the choices of Jesus and embody compassion, justice, and inclusion in all we say and do. Amen.

Call to Worship

One:   Children of God, Rejoice! Sing out in celebration, God’s people! Your King is coming to you, humble, riding on a donkey, on a donkey’s foal.
All:      Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the Lord’s name. Glory to God! Hosanna!

Hymn – “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna”

“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.

From Olivet they followed ‘mid an exultant crowd,
The victory palm-branch waving, and singing clear and loud;
The Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state,
Content that little children should on his bidding wait.

“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!

Prayer of Approach

Lord God, you deserve our worship, our love and our devotion, because you have entered our broken world, you have joined us on our journey of pain and pleasure, of sorrow and joy, and have given us access to life eternal and abundant. We lift our voices to praise you, O God. We celebrate your coming to us, not with political power or military might, not with glamour or fame or wealth, but in humility and love, gently and with great compassion.

Words of Assurance

Response

How deep the peace, the confidence of those whose hearts are forgiven.
How deep the peace, the confidence of those whose hearts are healed.

The Word

Scripture Reading:           Matthew 21:1-11

¹ When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷ they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Offering / Response

With palms we come to praise our King,
“Hosanna’ is the song we sing,
All praise the One who rides this day,
And brings us hope in ev’ry way. Amen.

The Response

Communion

One:   May the God of hosannas be with you.
All:      May the God of this holy week be with you.

One:   Lift your broken hearts to our God,
All:      who will fill them with hope in these days.

One:   Remember to sing laments during this holy time,
All:      we do so, that we may know the reason for glad songs of joy.

One:   Morning by morning, creation’s voices join in praising you, God of every goodness. The forests form a holy procession and the heavens reflect your glory’s light. Though we were formed by you, but we looked around at everything sin and death had to offer, and followed them through the world, thinking they could protect us. You gave prophets the tongues of teachers, to comfort our weariness and teach us the way back to you, but we turned our back on them. When judgment did not lead to redemption, you sent Jesus to reach out in love, to bring us home to you.

One:   So with those who spread cloaks before you, and those who are sustained by your love, we join our voices, saying,

One:   Holy, holy, holy, God of enduring love. From every part of creation come glad songs. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the One who comes in humility and hope. Hosanna in the highest!

One:   Holy are you, Sustainer of the weary, and blessed is Jesus Christ, your love become human. He emptied himself of glory, to be filled with our broken hopes and hearts. He chose the path of suffering love, so that we could run through the streets of the kingdom waving branches of joy. He walked the sin cold stones into the tomb which could not hold him, so we could join our voices together, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! He is risen!’ He offered himself for us so that we might come to know you, Loving God. So we come before you offering all that we are, and bringing to you those whom we hope feel your presence with them now…

One:   As we journey through Jerusalem and beyond, as we struggle with death, loss, and grief we would ponder that mystery we call faith.

One:   In trust, Christ died. In joy, Christ was raised to new life. In hope, Christ will come again.

One:   Here at the Table graced with creation’s gifts, we discover the world you intend. Here where you love enlivens the bread and the cup we are given more than enough of everything we need. Sharing deeply in the Spirit, we can give hope its wings, as it carries us to serve the broken all around us. Strengthened by the grace with which you feed us, we can join together to sustain the weary of the world.

One:   And when the gates of joy have been opened to us, we will spend moment by moment, every kneed in creation bending, singing our praises to you, God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.

Anthem – “Bread of Life”

At this table, Lord, we lay our burdens down;
At your feet we humbly kneel to pray.
At the foot of the cross, we contemplate the cast as we share this feast today.

Lord, break your bread of life for me;
Feed my hunger, set my spirit free;
Pour out your grace on me.
Lord, fill my cup from the fountain of your love.
Open my eyes that I might see;
Break your bread of life, Lord, for me.

At this table, Lord, we renew our strength;
From this cup we drink of boundless grace.
Teach us, Lord, how to share that bounty of your care
When we leave this holy place.

Lord, break your bread of life for me;
Feed my hunger, set my spirit free;
Pour out your grace on me.
Lord, fill my cup from the fountain of your love.
Open my eyes that I might see;
Break your bread of life, Lord, for me.

One:   On the night before he gave himself up, Jesus met and ate with his friends. During that meal, he broke bread, gave it to his friends saying. This is the bread of life, every time you eat it, remember me.

One:   After the meal he poured out the wine, giving the cup to his friends saying, this is the cup of communion, every time you drink from it, remember me.

One:   Loving God, pour your Spirit out on us and on these gifts that we have prepared today so that we might come into your presence, be strengthened by your Spirit, and enlivened in your love.

One:   The Bread of Life.

One:   The Cup of Communion.

Prayer after Communion

Spirit of Christ, you have blessed our tables and our lives. May the eating of this Bread give us courage to speak faith and act love, not only in church sanctuaries, but in your precious world and may the drinking of this Cup renew our hope for a world that reflects your kingdom. Wrap your hopeful presence around all those bodies, spirits and hearts need healing, and let us become your compassion and safe refuge. Amen.

Scripture Reading:           Matthew 26:14-25

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

¹⁷ On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

²⁰ When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; ²¹ and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” ²³ He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” ²⁵ Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Hymn – “O Jesus Who Travelled”

O Jesus who traveled from valley to shore,
Who offered us questions too deep to ignore,
Whose stories uncover the truths we’ve denied,
Why did we forsake you, O Jesus, our guide?

O Jesus who treasured the lost and the least,
Who called for the exile to join in the feast,
Who ventured to touch and to ease and to mend,
Why did we forsake you, O Jesus, our friend?

O Jesus who challenged the wealthy and strong,
Who fearlessly called us to right what is wrong,
Who went to Jerusalem, into the strife,
Why did we forsake you, O Jesus, our life?

O Jesus who taught us to serve and to share,
To light for each other a way through despair,
To bless and to break, until all mouths are fed,
Why did we forsake you, O Jesus, our bread?

O Jesus whose courage persisted through pain,
Who offered forgiveness again and again,
Who cried out to God, who still cries out today;’
Why do we forsake you, O Jesus, our way?

Meditation – “Our Sixth Burden”

Anthem – “Lead Me to Calvary”

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.

Benediction

Go out into the world as God’s people as we journey with praise on our lips. Go out into the world as followers of Jesus as we join the parade of the broken, the lost, the hopeless, for that is where Jesus may be found. Go out into the world as the Spirit’s peace as we share the warm breath of reconciliation with all we meet. And as we go, God goes with us, today and every day. Amen.

Response – “Let It Be Said of Us”

Let it be said of us that the Lord was our passion,
That with gladness we bore every cross we were given;
That we fought the good fight, that we finished our course
Knowing within us the power of the risen Lord.

Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song,
By mercy made holy, by the Spirit made strong.
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song
‘Till the likeness of Jesus be through us made known.
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song.

Let it be said of us: we were marked by forgiveness,
We were known by our love, and delighted in meekness.
We were ruled by his peace, heeding unity’s call;
Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all.

Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song,
By mercy made holy, by the Spirit made strong.
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song
‘Till the likeness of Jesus be through us made known.
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song.