Worship Leader: Barb DeJeet, LLWL Music Director: Tim Hallman, B.Mus., B.Ed.
PALM SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2026
“How do we treat Jesus and the natural world?”
celebration and respect or disrespect and destruction!
PROCESSION WITH PALMS – singing
WELCOME / ANNOUNCEMENTS / BIRTHDAYS
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
For the keepers of this land who came before us, we give thanks. May we learn from them and be reconciled with them. We are all children of God.
LENTEN MEDITATION:
Let us pray:
Loving God, there are so many choices before us everyday. 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 neighbors; 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:
This day brings with it joy and celebration, uncertainty and anticipation.
This day brings us to a new place of discernment and preparation.
This day leads us into the realities of Holy Week, into the truth and challenges of living the promise of faith and hope.
This day leads us beyond the past and into a future that is yet to be revealed.
This day we are led into worship with palms and hosannas. Let us worship.
Bill Steadman Goulais, River, U.C. Goulas, River, Ontario.
OPENING HYMN: VU 108 “Through These Lenten Days and Nights” (Vs. 4,5,6)
PASSING OF THE PEACE:
Let us greet each other with the sign of peace. Shalom
OPENING PRAYER:
Holy God, you call us to gather,
for we are your people.
We come to praise and adore you.
We are making ready the way of the Lord.
For you are our God and Saviour AMEN
Dora White, Minnedosa U.C., Minnedos, Man.
ANTHEM: “Palm Branches”
INVITATION TO SCRIPTURE:
Let your Word, O God, break open our hearts this day through the power of the Holy Spirit, that we may enter into the coming Holy Week ready to meet Jesus as he is and not what we expect him to be. AMEN
SCRIPTURES:
Matthew 21:1-11 “Jesus enters Jerusalem”
Psalm 118: 1-4, 19-29 (VU 837) “The stone the builders rejected”
REFLECTION: “Humility”
Now we normally like to see our heroes enter with a blaze of glory. We like it when the good guy makes a grand entrance.
Parades have long been used as celebrations of great achievements, where we wave our flags and shout praises, with marching bands and songs and ticker-tape.
But the greatest parade of all time was quite different. It happened in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. It was a simple one-man donkey ride. Instead of ticker-tape, the parade route was lined with garments and palm branches.
Perhaps the most remarkable element of Jesus’ ride into the Holy city was its prophetic significance. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem had been recorded long before it even happened.
In Zechariah 9:9 The prophet described the scene that would unfold more than 500 years later. He wrote, “Rejoice greatly, O my people! Shout with joy! For look – your King is coming! He is the righteous one. The Victor! Yet he is lowly, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
And when we think of the King of Kings and Lord of lords, making an entry we would think that there would be all the pomp and pageantry that would be befitting for such a king.
And Jesus rode into town I am sure that there were many people there, who had those types of thoughts in their heads. Here is the one who will free us from Rome. Here is the one who will run these filthy Romans right out of town and set up the kingdom of David, with all its glory.
But the King of kings chooses the road of humility. He does not come riding into town on white stallion, but on the back of the colt of a donkey. And it wasn’t even his donkey by a borrowed one at that.
Please pray with me; We cry to you for help, O Lord, for you alone have the power to restore our lives. Help us to understand the message you have for us today. AMEN
This reflected the life of Christ which was a life of humility. Jesus did not come into this world with wealth, but he came in poverty. He did it not in grandeur but with meekness. He was not the one who had material fortune and fame, but in humility.
When Jesus spoke of his kingdom, he spoke in terms of one of service and servanthood, and one of humility.
After all the time the disciples spent with Jesus and his teachings, they simply did not understand that the road Jesus had travelled on was a road of humility, and it is a road that He requires His disciples to travel on.
I believe sometimes we lose sight of that ourselves. We love and desire the blessings of God. But do we really want to follow Jesus on this road of humility. To follow Jesus means going down that road, the road of the cross. Its means giving up our selfish desires, it means denying ourselves, it means putting not only God first in our lives, but putting others first as well. Our family, our friends, even our enemies.
The road of humility is the road that says I will live like Christ lived. I will strive to be conformed to His image. The Jerusalem Road, is a road of humility, a road that we are called to follow Jesus on.
This road was also a road of fulfillment of the prophesy: “BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU. LOWLY AND SITTING ON A DONKEY. A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.” This entrance into Jerusalem, was not by chance or luck. That fact that the colt was right where Jesus said it would be was not a lucky guess on His part, but was a fulfilling of the divine plan of the Almighty God.
This entrance by Jesus acclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah! Not everyone understood this proclamation. Some wondered who he was – certainly not the king they expected to save them from Rome. This meek-looking outward appearance stirred the people into a commotion. Some shouted “hosanna” meaning “save us now”, because they wanted political salvation from Rome. But that isn’t what Jesus meant!
Jesus wanted to offer them spiritual salvation. Jesus came on a donkey as if to say, “HERE I AM, THE LAMB OF GOD, ON MY WAY TO THE THRONE BY WAY OF THE CROSS. WILL YOU CHOOSE ME AS YOUR LAMB, AS YOUR SACRIFICE AND THROUGH THAT SACRIFICE, AS YOUR KING?”
Unfortunately, the people didn’t quite get that message. In a frenzy they began waving palm branches, laying them on the road and shouting HOSANNA, because they wanted Jesus to be their political leader instead of a spiritual savior. Some still didn’t quite know who Jesus was and wanted answers. They knew about his teachings and miracles, but WHO WAS HE? What is so special about him?
If Jesus was here today in our service and he asked you that same question. “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT
I AM?” What would your answer be??
Where are we in this crowd celebrating the arrival of Jesus? Do we have expectations of God?
I believe that we are like some of those in the crowd, wanting Jesus to give us hope for tomorrow. Help us to deal what ever life is throwing at us right now; answer our prayers now and give us what we want; protection from the political stuff.
The crowd doesn’t fully understand that Jesus didn’t come for that reason- to over throw the Romans. Jesus came for Spiritual salvation. This was the message he was preaching. The Pharisees began to understand, and didn’t want the people to follow what Jesus was preaching because it was against them. They didn’t want to give up what they had – high positions, fame and fortune.
Do we truly understand the message of Jesus and why he had to go to the cross? Why this parade into Jerusalem was important – a humble entrance.
We too must humble ourselves before God to have spiritual salvation.
Holy Week is a somber week. Many feelings are felt, emotions shown and prayers prayed. Our main focus for Holy week should be, coming to Jesus, and accepting what he is about to do for us with thankful hearts. We wouldn’t have the peace in our lives if it wasn’t for humble walk of Jesus, the Cross, and his resurrection.
RESPONDING HYMN: MV 79 “Spirit, Open My Heart”
INVITATION FOR OFFERING:
Let our hosannas to the one who brings liberation take form in our tithes and offering.
OFFERING HYMN: VU 544 “In Gratitude and Humble Trust” (music VU 530)
OFFERING PRAYER:
God of Wonder, the drama of this day fills us with awe. We marvel at its intensity. We share these offerings as actors in this lifelong spectacle. May they convey the message of hope to our troubled world. May they tell the timeless story of faithfulness. We give because of the humble Christ. AMEN
Laura Turnbull, Penticton, B.C.
PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR PRAYER: VU 400 “Lord Listen to Your Children Praying” x2
PRAYERS/LORD’S PRAYER: sung VU 960 “Our Father”
Our Saviour come to us humbly, on a donkey and proclaiming a message of peace. Let us pray for the church, for the earth, and all its creatures and for all people in need, saying;
God of mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, on a day like today, a crowd gathered to greet Jesus. The energy was palpable. Their joy was infectious. Yet we remember that so quickly it all turned wrong.
Holy God, we are a fickle people, one moment faithful, the next fallen. One moment we hail Jesus as a sovereign, the next we cry “Crucify!” One moment we trust, the next we fear. And yet in great love, Jesus showed us your glory, asking for forgiveness for us, pleading that we did not know what we were doing.
It is true. We often do not know what we are really doing, or why. We need to worship. We need to be in your holy presence. We need you to constantly turn us back to you.
And so, we cry, “Hosanna! God save us.” Return us to a healthy journey with you. Keep spirits open this long Holy Week, so we may grow in our understanding and faith, for we are a fickle people. Help our hearts cry, “Bless Him” more often than “Crucify.”
In the name of our one and only Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to sing “Our Father.”
CLOSING HYMN: MV 8 “And on This Path” x2
BENEDICTION:
Go in peace assured of God’s presence with you, with the mind of Christ Jesus as your path and guide, and the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit.
HYMN: VU 958 “Halle, Halle. Halle”
"A Village Church With A Heart For The World"
Christ United Church
12 Perth St., Lyn, ON, K0E 1M0
(613)498-0281 (Phone) (613)498-2589 (Fax)
lynunitedchurch@cogeco.net www.lynunitedchurch.com Follow on Twitter: @Ch1United