Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday

The next day, the great crowd that had come for the festival

heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.

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 12:12-15

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter that marks the beginning of Holy Week.  Usually this is a big day in the church with palms waving and choirs singing, celebrating the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a King.  Due to the Coronavirus pandemic this year, gathering together with friends and family to celebrate this high day just isn’t possible.  Writer and author Meg Bucher (Crosswalk.com) shares four ideas for celebrating Palm Sunday “home style.”

1.        Read the Biblical story of Palm Sunday from all four Gospels.  How are these four stories alike, and how are they different?  Which writer talks about procuring the donkey?   Do they all talk about the palms?  The cloaks?

Matthew 21:1-11

Mark 11:1-11

Luke 19:28-44

John 12:12-19

2.     Set aside a special prayer time to talk with God and to contemplate why Jesus made this historical ride.  What was His mission?  What did the crowd see?  How can this event impact me? 

3.       Make some “palms.”  If you were in the sanctuary of your church, you would have palms to wave.  Why not make a few simple paper palms to have ready for Step No. 4.

4.      “Go” to church.  Grab your Bible and your palms and have a seat in the television audience for a livestreaming of a Palm Sunday worship service.  If you do not have a church of your own, join me on the Facebook page of Beulah United Methodist Church for our livestream of celebration and worship.

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I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice

To worship You, O my soul rejoice.

Take joy, my King, in what you hear,

May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.

(The Faith We Sing, No. 2068)