Palm Sunday – The Sunday of the Passion

The Sixth Sunday in Lent

March 29, 2026

Jesus’ Palm Sunday Entry Into Jerusalem:

The Story of Incomparable, Unconditional Love for You and Me

The first Palm Sunday must have been an amazing day…..it certainly began a most amazing week for Jesus – and for all of humanity! On the one hand, on Sunday there were the crowds that praised Christ and sang, “Hosanna, blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord” when He entered Jerusalem as a conquering Hero and King. On the other hand, Palm Sunday also saw Jesus weeping over Jerusalem’s willful rejection of Him (the crowds that praised Him on Palm Sunday would jeer Him and call for His crucifixion five days later). Palm Sunday was the occasion for a week’s worth of stern warnings from Jesus about the Jewish nation’s impending destruction (and its temple’s) because the people refused to believe in Him as the Messiah – preferring their failed religion of “works” to the religion of “grace” He brought them that alone could save them, us, and anyone else. That gracious salvation, of course, would be secured by Christ’s self-sacrifice for the world’s sin on Good Friday, and our vicarious victory over sin, death and the Devil’s power by His Easter Sunday resurrection to life for us.

This Day on the Church’s Calendar

On our Lutheran Church’s “church calendar,” this morning is traditionally recognized as Palm Sunday, the

day which marks the beginning of that which is appropriately called “Holy Week.” Holy Week is that special time during the church year when the sufferings, death, and resurrection of our Lord are commemorated with greater emphasis and appreciation than – quite possibly – any other period during the year. Palm Sunday is also known by the liturgical name “The Sunday of the Passion.” This latter designation serves to emphasize that with this Sunday the intensity of Christ’s “passion” (His sufferings for our sins) increases as He enters Jerusalem and proceeds through the events of Holy Week until they culminate with His death on Good Friday and His bodily resurrection three days later. In order for us to observe these days with a proper spirit of solemness and gratitude, we need to do much more than just hear a report of what once happened to Jesus in Jerusalem, before Pilate, and on Golgotha. You and I will also want to recognize that our spiritual lives are clearly connected to the events that constitute the Passion History of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; indeed, we are also (like the Good Friday crowd) personally responsible for them due to our sins.

And so, through the eyes of faith let’s follow Jesus as He begins that first Holy Week by entering Jerusalem to the waving of palm branches and the shouts of “Hosanna” acclaiming Him as the King of Kings. And let’s continue to stay with our Savior throughout this Holy Week – on Maundy Thursday as He institutes the Lord’s Supper and later agonizes in prayer for Himself and us in Gethsemane before He suffers abuse at the hands of His enemies. We’ll also strive to be present with Him on Good Friday during His trials before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod, all the way to the nails and cross and brutal death which He endured on Calvary. But especially, let’s not fail to gather together again next Sunday, when with the eyes of our faith we will stand at His open grave celebrating the proof that Jesus accomplished all that He came to do for our forgiveness and salvation.

As far as you and I are concerned, with the help of God let’s not allow this year’s Holy Week commemoration to degenerate into just a traditional observance of Biblical events that happened long ago. Rather, let us all commemorate Holy Week 2026 with the sincerity and devotion it deserves. Let’s also maintain throughout this week the awareness that everything Jesus permitted to happen to Himself in Jerusalem during 20 centuries ago is an integral part of that which forms the foundation of our forgiveness, of our redemption, and of the eternal life that is ours through faith in Christ Jesus.

The waving palms and shouts of “Hosanna in the highest!” raised to Christ on that first Palm Sunday warmly welcomed into the city Him who was and remains King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Likewise today we will acclaim Christ as our King and Lord through the words of our sermon hymn “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna.” Also, we will acknowledge Christ’s Kingship over our lives and everything there is when we close today’s service by singing “Crown Him with many Crowns.”

This morning’s Opening responsive reading is one familiar to nearly all our worshipers today: Isaiah’s inspired depiction of Jesus as the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God Who bore the sins of the world on His shoulders. Reading Isaiah 53 together is a very fitting way for us begin our Holy Week observance. Additionally, in today’s Old Testament Lesson we have Zechariah’s prophecy – 500 years before Christ’s entry into Jerusalem – that when the Savior came to Zion for the purpose of completing His work of redemption, He could come riding on a donkey. For our New Testament Lesson this morning, we’ll consider Luke’s record of a sermon Paul preached at Pisidian Antoich during his first missionary journey. To a Jewish audience Paul proclaimed that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of prophecy, the Son of David, and the world’s promised and received Savior from sin. In particular, for our purposes today, Paul speaks about how neither the chief teachers nor the Jewish people in Jerusalem recognized Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, even though the Lord validated His work by raising Christ from the dead. Today’s Gospel Lesson is taken from John’s Gospel, and initially gives us some additional background information regarding why Jesus’ enemies were so hostile toward Him and so intent on eliminating Him: Jesus had raised Lazarus from the grave, and many were putting their faith in Him. Those “many” were certainly part of the two crowds that celebrated Jesus’ Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem…..just as we also celebrate it this morning. The second half of our reading is John’s version of that account which by tradition has been read in Christian Churches on Palm Sunday for nearly 19 centuries. Through it the inspired apostle recounts for us Jesus’ triumphant entry in Jerusalem. Some praise and acclaim Him as a King. Others, uncertain about His identity (as our Sermon Text will show) wonder just “Who is He?” Still others (His “enemies,” including Satan) see Him only as a threat to their power. Ironically, the masses who adore Him with calls of “Hosanna” will, later in the week, turn hostile and call for His crucifixion. This morning’s Children’s Lesson is based on II Corinthians 8:9, and will focus our attention on all that Christ gave up for us in order that we might one day be able……through faith in Jesus…… to live with Him forever in heaven. Finally, in our Sermon, based on Luke’s Palm Sunday account (our opening lesson) we will look in more detail – and more personally – at Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. The “triumph” the crowds saw and celebrated brought tears of impending tragedy to Jesus’ eyes as He recognized their superficial commitment to Him and it’s tragic consequences. Jesus also understood, in ways the crowd didn’t, the blessed consequences of His commitment to them and the tragedy He would endure on Good Friday to give them (and us) triumph over sin.

A Brief Overview of Holy Week

The final Sunday in Lent is customarily known as Palm Sunday, and in some circles as “The Sunday of the Passion of our Lord.” This day marks the beginning of that seven day period fittingly referred to as “Holy Week.” During this special week of the church we focus on the sufferings, death, and resurrection of our Lord with greater attention, reverence and devotion than perhaps at any other time during the year. As it has been done throughout the reading of the Passion History during our six midweek Lenten vespers (evening) worship services, we will recall once more what happened to Jesus in Jerusalem, before Pilate, and on Golgotha. The waving palms and shouts of “Hosanna in the highest!” raised to Christ on that first Palm Sunday warmly welcomed into the city Him who was and remains King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Likewise as we observe Palm Sunday this morning, we acclaim Christ as our King and Lord and express our devotion to Him by also declaring: “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Holy Week, itself, has a number of interesting facets to its significance. Although in our Lutheran church it is not customary to worship on the Wednesday of Holy Week, it is worth noting that this day has been given the name “Spy Wednesday,” owing to the Gospels recording it as the day when the treacherous covenant to betray Jesus was consummated by Judas and the chief priests (Luke 22:1-6)..

The Thursday of Holy Week has always been a day of great significance in the Church, chiefly because it commemorates Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper. The name by which it is most commonly known, Maundy Thursday (from the Latin Dies Mandati, “Day of the Commandment”), has particular reference to the Savior’s injunctions regarding they way humility and love should exemplify the brotherhood of believers (John 13:34). An ancient custom connected to this day was the practice of carrying gifts to the poor in hand baskets which were called “maunds.”

Of course, the pinnacle of the Holy Week observances is Good Friday, the day on which Christ was crucified. Its earliest name was “Parasceve,” which means “preparation.” Other names were “Day of the Lord’s Passion” and “Day of the Cross.” The designation Good Friday is a peculiarly English expression. It reflects the joy of completed redemption and protests against the superstitious notions that all Fridays are “unlucky” as well as against the idea that this particular Friday should be observed in funeral gloom and despair. Nevertheless, it is a day of solemn mourning for the Christian, given the reality that Christ died that day for all the sins that each of us has committed. Worship services on this day obviously emphasize the death of Christ as our sin-substitute. Some Christian congregations commemorate the three hours Christ spent on the cross with a “Tre Ora” (Three Hours) service which lasts from noon to three in the afternoon. This was a service practiced primarily by churches in the Western Church (Europe). Another traditional approach to commemorating Good Friday is known as “Tennebrae,” the Latin name for “darkness,” This “Tennebrae” service is usually observed after sunset, and is developed around the reading of and commentary on the seven statements (words) of Christ while on the cross. As the service progresses, at the conclusion of each of the seven commentary/readings the lights of the worship area are progressively dimmed until everything is completely darkened once Christ’s death is announced. After a few moments’ reflection upon the “darkness” of sin, a “Resurrection Candle” is lit and brought to the altar while a brief statement is read reminding the congregation that Christ has promised He will not remain in the grave, but will rise after three days. The congregation then pauses for silent prayer and exits the worship area and church building in silence, meditating upon all that God accomplished for us on that first Good Friday. The service of Tennebrae was generally practiced in the early Eastern Churches (from Greece eastward). For some, the custom of fasting is observed in the time between the close of the Maundy Thursday evening worship service and the end of the Good Friday service. Through fasting the Christian is able to share (be it ever so lightly) in a portion of our

Savior’s physical sufferings for us, and thus better appreciate His tremendous sacrifice for our benefit.

The final day of Holy Week is known as Holy Saturday. It focuses both on the time when our Lord’s body lay in death in the tomb and on His descent into hell, the two stages mentioned in the Apostles’ Creed as”dead and buried; He descended into hell.” The descent into hell is typically misunderstood by most Christians. It does not indicate that Christ continued to suffer for a time for our sins while in the captivity of hell. Some of His final words on Good Friday, “it is finished,” tell us that with His death, Christ’s suffering for sin was complete. Rather than to suffer in hell, Christ descended to proclaim and demonstrate His total victory over sin, death, and Satan by going unhindered into the “headquarters” of the Devil. Scripture supports the understanding of Christ’s victorious descent into hell in I Peter 3:18-20 and Colossians 2:15. As with Good Friday, Holy Saturday is observed with a solemn spirit, yet it also contains an element of anticipation in preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection on the next morn.

Grace Lutheran Church Welcomes You To Worship – If you are a first-time guest today, we are honored that you’ve chosen to worship with us this morning. If you have been with us before, we’re glad to have you back with us to worship our Savior, Jesus Christ! The order for our worship service is printed in this service bulletin. You will find that our worship is made up of three essential ingredients: praise, instruction from God’s Word, and prayer. We sing our praise to God for all of His gracious blessings. We receive instruction from His Word in our various Scripture Lessons and through the Sermon. Our prayers consist of expressions of repentance for our sins, plus requests for God’s forgiveness, guidance, and continued blessings. We trust that God will bless you through His Word as we worship today.

The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831

Pre-Service Prayer Heavenly Father, please guide me in wisdom and truth through Your Holy Spirit, as I spend this hour meditating on Your Word and rejoicing in Your limitless love for me. Assist me in being attentive in heart and mind to Your Word, as well as to the hymns of praise, the various petitions, and the prayers of thanksgiving my voice directs toward You. Use this worship service, O Lord, to deepen my love for You, to strengthen my trust in You, and to renew my commitment to You. All this I ask for the sake of and in the name of Your One and only Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.

Prayer upon entering the sanctuary Pre-service Music

We Praise Our God

The Introduction and Invitation To Worship

The Opening Choral Selection and Hymn “No Tramp of Soldiers’ Marching Feet”

verses 1-2; choir; verses 3-4; congregation & choir

1 No tramp of soldiers’ marching feet with banners and with drums,

no sound of music’s martial beat: “The King of glory comes!”

To greet what pomp of kingly pride no bells in triumph ring,

no city gates swing open wide: “Behold, behold your King!”

2 And yet He comes. The children cheer; with palms His path is strown.

With ev’ry step the cross draws near: The King of glory’s throne.

Astride a colt He passes by as loud hosannas ring,

or else the very stones would cry “Behold, behold your King!”

3 What fading flow’rs His road adorn; the palms, how soon laid down!

No bloom or leaf but only thorn the King of glory’s crown.

The soldiers mock, the rabble cries, the streets with tumult ring,

as Pilate to the mob replies, “Behold, behold your King!”

4 Now He Who bore for mortals’ sake the cross and all its pains

and chose a servant’s form to take, the King of glory reigns.

Hosanna to the Savior’s name till heaven’s rafters ring,

and all the ransomed host proclaim “Behold, behold your King!”

after which the Congregation will rise for

The Greeting and Invitation to Worship

Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Palm Sunday Traditional Gospel Lesson Luke 19:28-42

28 After Jesus had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As He came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples ahead, 30 saying, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found things just as He had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 They said, “The Lord needs it.”

35 Then they brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their robes on the colt and set Jesus on it. 36 As He went along, people spread their robes on the road. 37 As He was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!”

40 He replied, “I tell you, if these people would be silent, the stones would cry out.”

41 AsHe came near, He saw the city and wept over it. 42 He said, “If you, yes you, had only known on this day the things that would bring peace to you. But now, it is hidden from your eyes. 43 In fact, the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 Within your walls, they will dash you and your children to the ground. And within your walls, they will not leave one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time when God came to help you.

The Responsive Scripture Reading

for the Beginning of Holy Week Isaiah 53

P: Who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

C: He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root from dry ground.

P: He had no attractiveness or majesty. When we saw Him, nothing about His appearance made us desire Him.

Men & Boys: He was despised and rejected by men, a Man Who knew grief Who was well acquainted with suffering.

Women & Girls: Like someone whom people cannot bear to look at, He was despised, and we thought nothing of Him.

P: Surely He was taking up our weaknesses, And He was carrying our sufferings. We thought it was because of God that He was smitten, stricken and afflicted.

C: But it was because of our rebellion that He was pierced.

Lectern Side He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved.

Pulpit Side: The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

P: We all have gone astray, like sheep.

C: Each of us has turned to His own way; but the LORD has charged all our guilt to Him.

P: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb He was led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent in front of its shearers, He did not open His mouth.

C: He was taken away without a fair trial and without justice. And of His generation, who even cared?”

Women & Girls: So He was cut off from the land of the living.

Men & Boys: He was struck because of the rebellion of my people.

P: They would have assigned Him a grave with the wicked, but He was given a grave with the rich in His death, because He had done no violence, and no deceit was in His mouth.

C: Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and allow Him to suffer. Because You made His life a guilt offering,

Pulpit Side: He will see His offspring. He will prolong His days,

Lectern Side: and the LORD’s gracious plan will succeed in His hand.

P: After His soul experiences anguish, He will see the light of life. He will provide satisfaction. Through their knowledge of Him, my Just Servant will justify the many, for He Himself carried their guilt.

C: Therefore I will give Him an allotment among the great, and with the strong He will share plunder, because He poured out His life to death, and He let Himself be counted with rebellious sinners.

P: He Himself bore carried the sin of many, and He intercedes for the rebels.

We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God

Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.

Congregation Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; I have done what is evil in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins, and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.

Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, carrying out my office as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.

And now, in the confidence and peace of Christ’s forgiveness, let us join together in song, to praise our Majestic Redeemer and King……

“Majesty” by Jack W. Hayford

copied, with permission, under CCLI 1366699

Majesty, worship His majesty.

Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise.

Majesty….Kingdom authority, flow from His throne,

unto His own, His anthem raise.

So exalt – lift up on high, the name of Jesus.

Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.

Majesty, worship His majesty. Jesus Who died.

Now glorified. King of all Kings.

The Prayer For This Morning

Almighty and everlasting God, + in Your tender love for mankind + You sent Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, + to take upon Himself our human nature, + and to suffer death on the cross, + that we might be redeemed from the eternal consequences of our sins; + Mercifully grant that we may follow + His example of humility, obedience, and patience, + and also that we be made partakers of His resurrection. + We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the One, true God, + forever and ever. + Amen.

After which the Congregation will be seated as

We Hear God’s Word

The Old Testament Lesson Zechariah 9:9-12

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion!

Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!

Look! Your King is coming to you.

He is righteous and brings salvation.

He is humble and is riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

and the horse from Jerusalem.

The battle bow will be taken away,

and He will proclaim peace to the nations.

His kingdom will extend from sea to sea,

from the River to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you,

because of the blood of My covenant with you,

I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have hope.

This very day I declare that I will restore double to you.

The New Testament Lesson Acts 13:23-39

23 “From this man’s descendants God brought the Savior Jesus to Israel, in keeping with His promise. 24 Before He appeared publicly, John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 As John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But look! That One is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on His feet.’

26 “Gentlemen, brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, this message of salvation has been sent to you. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Him, and by condemning Him they fulfilled the statements of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. 29 When they carried out everything that was written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead, 31 and for many days He was seen by those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These same individuals are now His witnesses to the people.

32 “We are preaching to you the good news about the promise that was made to our fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this promise for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

‘You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.’

34 “That God would raise Him from the dead never again to be subject to decay, God said in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

35 “Therefore He also says in another place: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’

36 “For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was laid to rest with his fathers, and saw decay. 37 But the One God raised did not see decay.

38 “So, gentlemen, brothers, let it be known to you that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, also forgiveness from everything from which you could not be justified through the law of Moses. 39 In this Jesus, everyone who believes is justified.

After which the Congregation will rise out of respect for the words of our Savior

The Gospel Lesson John 11:45 to 12:19

45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. They asked, “What are we going to do, because this Man is doing many miraculous signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 You do not even consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but, as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for that nation, but also in order to gather into one the scattered children of God.

53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked about openly among the Jews. Instead He withdrew into a region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim. And He stayed there with His disciples.

55 The Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple area, “What do you think? He certainly won’t come to the Festival, will He?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should report it so that they could arrest Jesus.

12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, who had died, the one Jesus raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

3 Then Mary took about twelve ounces of very expensive perfume (pure nard) and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He held the money box and used to steal what was put into it.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She intended to keep this for the day of My burial. 8 Indeed, the poor you always have with you, but you are not always going to have Me.”

9 A large crowd of the Jews learned that He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11 because it was on account of him that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

12 The next day, the large crowd that had come for the Festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. 13 Taking palm branches, they went out to meet Him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: ‘15 Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look! Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’

16 At first, His disciples did not understand these things. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and that they did these things for Him.

17 The crowd that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised Him from the dead kept telling what they had seen. 18 This is another reason a crowd met Him: They heard He had done this miraculous sign.

19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You are accomplishing nothing. Look! The world has gone after Him.”

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; Born of the virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.

after which the Congregation may be seated for

The Children’s Lesson II Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.

He Gave Everything Up to Give Us Everything

The Sermon Hymn Hymn 130 “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna”

1 Hosanna, loud hosanna, The little children sang;

Through pillared court and temple The lovely anthem rang.

To Jesus, who had blessed them, Close folded to his breast,

The children sang their praises, The simplest and the best.

2 From Olivet they followed Mid an exultant crowd,

The victor palm branch waving And chanting clear and loud.

The Lord of saints and angels Rode on in lowly state

Nor scorned that little children Should on his bidding wait.

3 “Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing,

For Christ is our Redeemer, The Lord of heav’n, our King.

Oh, may we ever praise him With heart and life and voice

And in his royal presence Eternally rejoice.

The Pastor’s Greeting

Grace and peace be yours in abundance, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! Amen.

The Sermon Text based on Luke 19:28-42

today’s Opening Reading

Jesus’ Palm Sunday Entry Into Jerusalem:

The Story of Incomparable, Unconditional Love for You and Me

Afterward, the Congregation will remain seated for

Pastor To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority now and forever. Amen.

We Bring our Offerings to the Lord

Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.

However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:

1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address

(415 N. 6^th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)

2) You can also donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com

as the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation will rise for

Give Online

The Prayers for this Day

Today’s Special Prayers

P: King of glory, Lord of hosts, prepare our hearts through Your Holy Spirit, so that we might receive Your Son today. Forgive us our sins and renew our souls, that we might glorify Him Who lived, died and rose to save us.

C: Lord, in Your mercy, please ear our prayer.

P: Merciful Lord, across the years You have provided godly leaders and servants for Your Church. We humbly ask that You would continue to provide our church body, and Your church at large, with faithful pastors, teachers and church workers. Bless the work of all those who bring the light of faith in Christ to those living in Spiritual darkness. Empower all those whose acts of mercy provide Your love and support to the disabled, injured, ill and forgotten not only here, but throughout the world.