Palm Sunday Devotion – April 5th, 2020
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I am the Lord that Healeth Thee
I am the God that
Healeth thee
I am the Lord
Your healer
I sent My word
And I healed your disease
I am the Lord
Your healer
I am the God that
Healeth thee
I am the Lord
Your healer
I sent My word
And I healed your disease
I am the Lord
Your healer
...talking...
You are the God that
Healeth me
You are the Lord
My healer
You sent Your word
And You healed my disease
You are…
Hosanna, Hosanna, The King cometh.
Welcome friends to the service of praise and thanksgiving. Today is Palm Sunday.
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!" John 12:13
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Pause now and think of your family, friends, neighbors that you should be praying for. Invite the spirit of God into your midst.
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Jesus rode into Jerusalem not as a conquering king but in humility, the Servant King, ready to complete the task for which he had walked this world. We now ask God to forgive us those times when we think too highly of ourselves and remind us always that He wants people dedicated to service, to God and to our neighbors.
Let us pray
Dear God,
Thank you for sending your Son and paving the way for our lives to be set free through Jesus' death on the cross. Thank you for what this day stands for - the beginning of Holy Week, the start of the journey towards the power of the cross, the victory of the Resurrection, and the rich truth that Jesus truly is our King of Kings.
"Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord..."
We give you praise and honor for your ways are righteous and true. We give you worship for you are holy and just. We will declare that your love stands firm forever. For your lovingkindness endures forever.
Thank you that your ways are far greater than our ways, your thoughts far deeper than our thoughts. Thank you that you had a plan to redeem. Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you that your face is towards the righteous, and you hear our prayers, and know our hearts. Help us to stay strong and true to you. Help us not to follow after the voice of the crowds, but to press in close to you, to hear your whispers, and seek after you alone.
We praise you, we bless you Lord! Thank you that you reign supreme and we are more than conquerors through the gift of Christ!
In the Mighty Name of Jesus,
Amen.
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The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in 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, and the power,
and the glory, forever.
Amen." (Matt. 6:6-13)
Let us sing the hymn:
All Glory Laud and Honor
All Glory, Laud, and Honor
Triumphantly
1.All glory, laud, and honor
To thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David's royal Son,
Who in the Lord's name comest,
The King and Blessed One.
2.The company of angels
Are praising thee on high,
And mortal men and all things
Created make reply.
The people of the Hebrews
With palms before thee went;
Our praise and love and anthems
Before thee we present.
3.To thee, before thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.
Thou didst accept their praises;
Accept the love we bring,
Who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King.
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We have two readings for today
Matthew 21:1-11
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (UMH 839)
I shall read from Matthew 21: 1-11
Matthew 21:1-11 - The Triumphal Entry
21:1 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethpage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
21:2 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.
21:3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately."
21:4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
21:5 "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."
21:6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;
21:7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.
21:8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
21:9 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!"
21:10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?"
21:11 The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."
Sermon Audio (Included in the full service video/audio above)
Matthew 21:1-11 Sermon Title : The Unidentified King
Let us sing another hymn.
Ride on in Majesty
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry;
O Savior meek, pursue thy road
with palms and scattered garments strowed.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
o'er captive death and conquered sin.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
The angel-squadrons of the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes
to see the approaching sacrifice.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;
the Father on his sapphire throne
expects his own anointed Son.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
bow thy meek head to mortal pain,
then take, O God, thy power, and reign.
Let us pray
From the book of Zechariah we read : Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. Zech. 9:9-12
Dear Lord Jesus, we’ll exhaust the wonder of this passage only when we can drink Niagara Falls dry; only when we can see memorize the names of every star you’ve launched into the heavens; You are the King of Zechariah’s vision, and on this Palm Sunday, we worship, honor, and bless you.
No other king could show up to conquer warhorses and warriors, humbly riding on the foal of a donkey. No other king could break the battle bow and the backbone of all warfare, by the brokenness of the cross. No other king could supplant the politics of evil and tyranny of power, with an eternal reign of peace.
No other king could offer his life and death, for the redemption and restoration, of rebels and idolaters like us. No other king could possibly make prisoners of sin and death, into prisoners of hope.
No other King has control over evil things that plague us like coronavirus.
Lord Jesus, you are that King—the King of glory, the King of kings and Lord of lords—the Monarch of mercy, the Governor of grace, the Prince of Peace. Great is our rejoicing, for you have come to us, righteous and victorious, loving and sovereign.
By the riches of your grace, continue to free us from waterless pits, broken cisterns and worthless idols. By the power of the gospel, enable us to live as prisoners of hope and agents of redemption until the Day you return to finish making all things new. So we say Amen and pray, in your holy and matchless name.
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Doxology
Benediction
And so it begins, we walk through this week
From palms now to passion, it’s Jesus we seek
Each moment we walk through these days now with Jesus,
Is time to see people, the way Jesus…sees us.
To watch for the ones, who need hope, who need kindness.
Seeking the light, not the darkness that blinds us.
As you walk through these days, may the love you now know
Be spread to each person you meet on the go.
And may God who now blesses and keeps you in love
Whose face shines upon you with grace from above
Who looks on you with such joy and such favor,
This God, three in One (+) gives you peace - life to savor. Amen!
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Some Announcements
We will have communion next Sunday Easter Sunday so I encourage you to have some elements with which you can have communion. Some juice and bread or crackers will work.
Our thanks and appreciation go to members who have been able to continue tithing and sending offering to the church. If you find it easier you can call you bank and ask them to send an amount to the church account which I can now give you. They will work you through the steps.
Alternatively, you can mail a check to the church.
May God bless you richly for your support.
UMC Cucamonga Account
United Federal Credit Union
9040 Benson Ave
Montclair, CA 91763 - Routing #- 322280906 Account#-11300006018661
Or by mail: 7690 Archibald Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730
or by drop off at the church office.
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SCRIP Purchase
Please continue to send Scrip request to Terry and Marilyn. The next order will be sent on April 4th but you can put in your requests now.
Marilyn can be reached on (951 314 4527) 184gal@gmail.com
Terry can be reached on (909 768 3006) terry.glen65@gmail.com
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Keep checking the website
There will also be some prayers and songs for Maundy Thursday
There will be Readings and prayers for Good Friday and of course we will have Easter Sunday worship.
Stay blessed and may the God of peace be with you.
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Let me leave you with this song. Let it stay in your heart this week. May God bless you all.
I Love You Lord
I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul rejoice
Take joy, my king
In what you hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
In your ear
I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul rejoice
Take joy, my king
In what you hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
In your ear
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Please read the passage again and find answers to the following questions.
Bible Study: Matthew 21:1-11
1. Discuss some memories you have of Palm Sunday. Did you have any family traditions?
2. Read Matthew 21:1-11. The laying down of a cloak was a sign of submission. The palm branch was a symbol of nationalism. Discuss some of the dangers of putting a political twist on your religious beliefs.
3. The crowd shouted “Hosanna” which is a Hebrew word meaning “save”. Basically they are saying “Save us son of a king.” How do you respond when Jesus doesn’t meet your expectations, even if your expectations were completely wrong?
4. Holy Week is also known as Passion Week. The word Passion comes from the Latin term “Passio” which means suffer. Jesus came as a suffering servant and a triumphant king. In different seasons of your life how do you relate to these two contrasting images of Jesus?
5. What are some activities you can do this next week to stay focused on the true meaning of Easter?
6. The crowd recognized Jesus as a prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. They didn’t fully acknowledge Him as the Messiah. A prophet would still be honored during that time. What is the difference between honoring Jesus and recognizing Him as the Messiah? How do people today honor Jesus, but not recognize Him as the Messiah? See Him as a King, but only on Sunday or Easter?
