Passion Week: Palm Sunday

Read: Mark 11:1-10.
And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
– Mark 11:9-10 (ESV)

Reflection: Your King was willing to take the road to the cross to make you part of His Kingdom.  Join the crowds in praising Him.

Sing:
“Hosanna in the highest!”
That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer
The Lord of Heaven our King.
O may we ever praise Him
With heart and life and voice,
And in His blissful presence,
Eternally rejoice!
(Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, Written by Jennette Threlfall)

Palm Sunday – Praise!

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Palm Sunday: Praise – Rejoice in the Messiah

Read: Mark 11:1-10

Prayer: Father, let me join the crowds and lift up my voice in praise to you.  Thank you for the coming kingdom – the great hope of a new heaven and earth where we will dwell in peace without suffering in the presence of our King.  Thank you for so many salvation blessings of which the crowds were completely unaware.  Awaken my soul to give you the glory and praise that is due you today.  Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: For what salvation blessings can you praise the Lord today?

Praise: Sing some of your favorite songs of praise to the Lord.

Hosannah To Christ

I have a book with a couple hundred hymns by Isaac Watts, and I found this one that goes along with Palm Sunday.  We are planning to sing it this Sunday using the familiar tune to O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (both hymns share the same meter and the music fits well).  Read the words and notice their theological depth in reference to the person of Christ that leads to the call to praise him.

Hosannah To Christ
Isaac Watts

Hosannah to the royal Son
Of David’s ancient line!
His natures two, his person one,
Mysterious and divine.

The root of David here, we find,
And offspring is the same:
Eternity and time are join’d
In our Immanuel’s name

Bless’d he that comes to wretched men
With peaceful news from heav’n!
Hosannahs of the highest strain
To Christ the Lord be giv’n!

Let mortals ne’er refuse to take
The hosannah on their tongues,
Lest rocks and stones should rise and break
Their silence into songs.

Passion Week Reflections

Passion Week is quickly approaching.  A couple years ago I wrote some daily reflections to help me retrace the steps of Jesus from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday.  You can make use of them by clicking on the appropriate links below:

Palm Sunday: Praise – Rejoice in the Messiah

Monday: Preaching – Give All To Him

Tuesday: Predictions – Take Up Your Cross

Wednesday: Prophecy – Be Alert

Thursday: Passover – The New Covenant
Perfect Servant – Follow His Example
Prayer – God’s Will, Not Mine

Good Friday: Plot – The Plans of God and Men
Pardon – In My Place
Passion – Remember the Cross

Saturday: Pain of Loss and Failure – Struggling Without Hope