Welcome
Invite various persons to bring a designated item and use this liturgy to begin your time of learning together.
One: Come, let us gather around and see how the Spirit will nurture our faith today
All: Who is with us?
One: Christ, the light of the world.
(Place a candle on a table in your gathering place and light it.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Love of God, who came to meet us in the world.
(Place a cross on a table in your gathering place)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Wisdom of God, who speaks through the scriptures
(Place an open bible on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Who is with us?
One: The Grace of God, who proclaims we are children of God
(Place a symbol of baptism – a bowl of water, a seashell – on a table in your gathering space.)
All: Who is with us?
One: Our risen Lord, who meets us at the table. (A symbol of Communion)
(Place a symbol of communion – a plate and cup, a loaf of bread and grapes – on a table in your gathering space.)
One: We are here, Holy Spirit, ready for your leading
God sightings and prayer offerings
Invite each person to share where they saw or experience God this week. Invite each person to share something – a person, community, experience, event, etc. – for which they want to offer prayer.
Good and gracious God, we thank you for all the ways you were and are present in our lives and in the world … [invite each person to say aloud the sighting they named earlier]. We bring our prayers to you, prayers for … [invite each person to say aloud the prayer need they named earlier]. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Connecting with Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 (NRSV, CEB)
Read the Scripture aloud the first time using the New Revised Standard Version or the Common English Bible.
For the second reading, listen to this spoken word rendition:
Connecting through story
Listen to this spoken word poem about Palm Sunday.
- How did each speaker interpret the meaning of Palm Sunday?
- Why does each person think Jesus should be praised (hosanna)?
Connecting with our Lives
Engage in dialogue
- Why do you think people lined up to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem?
- How do you think they knew about Jesus and that he was coming into town?
- Why were they shouting hosanna?
- What do you think made them think Jesus was deserving of their praise and adoration?
- Why did they believe that Jesus could save them?
- Why did the Pharisees want Jesus to stop them from shouting hosanna?
- What do you think it means that even the stones would shout out?
- If Jesus came to your town, where would you be?
- How would you know to show up to welcome Jesus?
- What would you be shouting and why?
- Who would want to stop the outward praise of Jesus today?
- What do you think is the meaning of Palm Sunday?
Teaching points that can be incorporated into your discussion
- “Hosanna!” is an expression of joy, praise and adoration that Jesus has come to save us.
- Sometimes we miss the very important part at the end of Luke’s telling of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The Pharisees want Jesus to stop the people from praising their God. Jesus knows that all of creation is fashioned to praise God – from the creation of humanity to the universe and all that is in it – the praise of the One, the only One, who can and does save us will not be silenced or stopped.
- Palm Sunday marks the start of a very important week of celebrations.
- The week starts at a high point with large crowds excited about Jesus arriving.
- By Thursday, Jesus and his friends are celebrating the Passover Meal that we now know as the Last Supper. Later that night, he was arrested. (An additional session will be available for Maundy Thursday)
- Then on Friday he was tried, found guilty and crucified. Next Sunday is the celebration of his resurrection. (An additional session will be available for Good Friday.)
- It is important not to rush too quickly from the high of this Sunday to the high of next Sunday.
- There are important moments to remember throughout the week as we rehearse the story of God’s self-giving love for us in Jesus.
As a family of faith, write a spoken word poem together about Palm Sunday and share your praise through that poetry.
Prayer
Close your time together by prayer for one another, your neighbor, community and the world.
