Palm Sunday fall at the beginning of Holy Week. If we have observed the weeks of Lent by either denying ourselves something that we enjoy, or by taking on a new challenge, arriving at Palm Sunday can feel something of a relief—we are there. Jerusalem has beckoned and we now join, in our worship and liturgy, with the crowds gathered for Passover. We know what the following week will hold, but for the Jews gathered for Passover it was a time of excitement and celebration. They believed their promised King was coming, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’

 

Announcement

1. Welcome
2. Congregational meeting straight after the worship service. Then followed by welcome back lunch at the hall.
3. Soul Survivor camp – please continue praying for the campers.
4. Stations of the Cross – Saturday 3 March, 2pm. Will gather at car park and then leave 1pm.
5. Holy Week services – Maundy Thursday 1 April, 11am and Good Friday 2 April, 9:30am. Resources will be available on our website.
6. Next Sunday: Easter – Resurrection Sunday
7. This morning – Palm Sunday Kids and Family worship service

 

 

Acknowledgement for the First Peoples

 

We acknowledge this land that God has created and blessed. We pay our respects to the Wallumettagal people of the Eora Nation, the first inhabitants of this place. We honour their custodianship of the land on which we gather today and its surrounding waters, and offer our respect to their Elders, past, present, and emerging.

 

 

Palm Sunday Blessing

 

Leader:

God of the watching ones,

the waiting ones,

the slow and suffering ones,

the angels in heaven and around us,

the life on that cross,

the children and young ones who want to see the Messiah,

 

All:    Give us your blessing,

your good word for our souls,

that we might rest and rise

in the kindness of your company.

Amen.

 

 

Palm Sunday Reading 1

Vivienne and Olivia Wong

 

Psalm 118:1-2; 26-28

 

The Lord Is Always Merciful

118 Tell the Lord
    how thankful you are,
    because he is kind
    and always merciful.

² Let Israel shout,
    “God is always merciful!”

²⁶ God bless the one who comes
    in the name of the Lord!
    We praise you from here
    in the house of the Lord.

²⁷ The Lord is our God,
    and he has given us light!
Start the celebration!
    March with palm branches
    all the way to the altar.

²⁸ The Lord is my God!
    I will praise him and tell him
    how thankful I am.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

Palm Sunday Song

 

Forever

 

Verse 1

Give thanks to the Lord

Our God and King

His love endures forever

For He is good He is above all things

His love endures forever

Sing praise sing praise

  

Verse 2

With a mighty hand

And an outstretched arm

His love endures forever

For the life that's been reborn

His love endures forever

Sing praise sing praise

Sing praise sing praise

 

Chorus

Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever forever 

 

Verse 3

From the rising to the setting sun

His love endures forever

And by the grace of God we will carry on

His love endures forever

Sing praise sing praise

 

Chorus

Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever forever

 

Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever forever forever

 

CCLI Song # 260394

Chris Tomlin

 

 

Palm Sunday Reading 2

Grace Song and Heather Yeon

 

John 12:12-16

 

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

¹² The next day a large crowd was in Jerusalem for Passover. When they heard that Jesus was coming for the festival, ¹³ they took palm branches and went out to greet him. They shouted,

 

“Hosanna!
God bless the one who comes
    in the name of the Lord!
God bless the King
    of Israel!”

 

¹⁴ Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the Scriptures say,

 

¹⁵ “People of Jerusalem,
    don’t be afraid!
Your King is now coming,
and he is riding
    on a donkey.”

 

¹⁶ At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory, they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as the Scriptures said it would.

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

Psalm Sunday Message

 

Seungjae’s talk

 

TODAY is Palm Sunday, Sunday before Easter that marks the beginning of Holy Week. This is the day that we remember and celebrate the day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem as Saviour and King. He is the king of all kings and the Lord of all lords. But Jesus, the King chose a different way, beyond our imagination, to enter the city.

Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. Not a horse, not a chariot, but he rode a donkey on his way. As their King, he rode a donkey, entering the city to calm and comfort people. He was not a solider, policeman, or politician to rule over the people. Instead, he entered the city in order for people to bring peace, justice and courage. Jesus, the King entered the city on a donkey, bringing God’s everlasting presence to them.

 

What would you do if you were there when Jesus entered in the city?

You would have been part of a large crowd gathered there and laid palm branches. Another bible story tells that some people spread their clothes across the road. Because they welcomed Jesus as King. Then they shouted, saying,

“Hosanna!

God, bless the one

who comes in the name of the Lord!

God, bless the King of Israel!”

Here, Hosanna, it means “Save Now.” They needed Jesus desperately. What about us? What about us? Do we really need Jesus who is able to save us now? Yes, we need Jesus now, today. Because He alone is the king and the saviour for all God’s creation including you and me. I want us to take away one simple message from today’s bible reading.

 

We need Jesus because he is the peace maker. The peace maker. We now know the story that tells us that Jesus rode on a donkey. He chose a donkey in order to keep the promise of God’s peace. Jesus on a donkey showed how God works among his people with peaceful intentions rather than with violence or power. Jesus reminded us that He is the Prince of Peace who was sent by God. Also today’ bible story tells us that the people cut palm branches and waved them in the air. And they laid them out on the ground before Jesus as He rode into the city. The palm branch represented goodness and everlasting presence. They welcomed Jesus as King peacefully who brought God’s grace to them and those who would trust in Him. The people in the city didn’t bring sword or any form of weapon. They brought palm branches and their clothes as they welcomed Jesus as King.

 

Friends, in and with Jesus Christ, I encourage you to live peacefully with your parents, siblings, friends and teachers, and your church family. Remember Jesus, the peace maker, who rode on a donkey, bringing peace to Jerusalem and to you now today.

 

Today is Palm Sunday. We have learnt today that Jesus Christ, the peace maker is far greater than any man or woman, and any plan that human make. God had the plan – the one and only Son for the world to save. The plan is also now for you. This is the greatness of why we celebrate this week, Holy Week. Because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, we can be set free of all disappointments and even death.

 

Today, let the peace maker, Jesus win in you. Let Jesus Christ direct your thoughts and attention towards all good things. And I pray that may God walk with you along the way towards the new life found in Jesus alone. And I want you to be a peace maker today and days ahead.

 

Matthew 5:9 speaks to us, saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” My friends and fellow peacemakers go in peace to serve and love your Lord Jesus Christ today. Amen.

 

 

Palm Sunday Prayers for Others

 

Michelle says, 

 

We bless you, our God,

mighty sovereign power,

gentle caring mother.

You do not forget your children.

 

We bless you our God,

for your great gift to us:

Creation – fragile and fascinating,

Christ Jesus – revealing your truth and love.

 

And you bless us

with your forgiving love,

with the vision of your kingdom,

shedding light in our darkness.

 

Emily says,

 

We pray for those caught up

in violence around the world; 

soldiers, citizens, refugees

and those who show support near and far.

 

We pray for Myanmar and its innocent citizens

and greedy authorities.

 

Please comfort those who mourn because of loss

of child, friends and parents.

 

Silence

 

Zachary says, 

 

We pray for homeless neighbours –

excluded from what the rest of us are doing,

cold, wet, hot, struggling to keep a hold of who they are.

 

Silence

 

 

Olivia says,

 

We pray for neighbours

who are ill, coping with pain, fearing the worst,

and for those who feel isolated and disconnected

because of COVID and the pandemic.

 

Silence

  

 

Vivienne says,

 

We pray for harmony and having a deeper understanding

of who our neighbours really are –

there are a number of victims of anti-Asian racism

since COVID hit human society.

 

Hatred, injustice, humiliation, and even counter-racism

might be surrounding our human civilisation.

 

Prince of Peace, come and dwell among and between us.

And reign by your will.

 

Silence

  

Heather says,

 

We pray for each other

as seeking a relationship

where we might find hope, mercy, care and love of God

especially at home and family time.

 

We need you God

so please sit with us in your presence.

 

Silence

 

 

Jayden says,

 

Into the mess of this world

your Son who suffered, died and rose again will come –

say loudly God be with us all the time,

giving and forgiving all our weaknesses and brokenness,

and giving eternal hope where we should be.

 

We pin our hopes on you, our God –

pushed out into the world,

through pain and into poverty.

 

Our God is with us

and our hope is raised with Jesus.

 

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

Lord’s Prayer

 

하늘에 계신 우리 아버지,

아버지의 이름을 거룩하게 하시며,

아버지의 나라가 오게 하시며,

아버지의 뜻이 하늘에서와 같이

땅에서도 이루어지게 하소서.

오늘 우리에게 일용할 양식을 주시고,

우리가 우리에게 잘못한 사람을

용서하여 준 것같이

우리 죄를 용서하여 주시고,

우리를 시험에 빠지지 않게 하시고

악에서 구하소서.

나라와 권능과 영광이

영원히 아버지의 것입니다. 아멘.

 

 

Palm Sunday Sung Blessing – Jesus You are Lord

 

Rising from the grave

Died to set us free

Full of grace and love

Shining above all

Jesus You are Lord

 

Full of grace and love

Shining above all

Jesus You are Lord

(Sing twice)

 

Peter Rowe

Tune: Beauty and the Beast

 

 

Palm Sunday Procession

 

Minister says:

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

during Lent,

we have been preparing

by works of love and self-sacrifice

for the celebration of our Lord’s death

and resurrection.

 

Today, we have come together

to begin this solemn celebration

in union with the Church

throughout the world.

 

 

Christ Jesus enters his own city

to complete his work as our Saviour,

to suffer, to die,

and to rise again.

 

Let us go with him in faith and love,

and go with many children

and young people and families

around the world,

in solidarity and unity

so that,

united with him in his suffering,

we, all the children of God

may share his risen life.

 

The young people hold up palms or branches or

whatever they hold in hand,

while this prayer is said by the Minister.

 

 

Blessing Before the Procession

 

Zachary says,

 

God our Saviour,

whose Son Jesus Christ

entered Jerusalem

as Messiah to suffer and to die;

 

let these palms be for us

signs of his everlasting presence

and grant that we who bear them in his name

may every hail him as our King,

and allow him in the way

that leads to eternal life;

 

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

 

 

Palm Sunday Song – Hosanna, hosanna (TiS 724)

 

Verse 1

Hosanna, hosanna,

hosanna in the highest!

Hosanna, hosanna,

hosanna in the highest!

 

Lord, we lift up your name

with hearts full of praise.

Be exalted, O Lord our God!

Hosanna in the highest!

 

 

Verse 2

Glory, glory,

glory to the King of kings!

Glory, glory,

glory to the King of kings!

 

Lord, we lift up your name

with hearts full of praise.

Be exalted, O Lord our God!

Glory to the King of kings!

 

CCLI Song # 260394

Carl Tuttle