Preparing for Worship - April 10, 2022

This coming Sunday is known either as Palm Sunday or The Sunday of the Passion. Churches can use readings focusing on either of these or a combination of them. I will give you just some general ideas about the readings.

The Old Testament reading can be Deuteronomy 32:36-39. God speaks and reminds that He is the only true God. There is no other. He can bring death, but He can also “make alive.” This prepares for both the death and the resurrection of His own Son, Jesus, which we will hear about during Holy Week. Another Old Testament reading could be Zechariah 9:9-12, a prophecy of Jesus, King of kings, coming into Jerusalem, but in a very humble way, riding on a donkey, and ready to shed His blood to give hope and peace to people.

The Psalm can be Psalm 31:9-16. David speaks of his troubles, but this a prophecy of Jesus, also, as our Suffering Servant, who perfectly trusts His Heavenly Father and His love, even as others “plot to take His life.” Psalm 118:19-29 can also be used, with many references to Jesus coming into Jerusalem. “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.” Jesus is the “Cornerstone” for salvation, though many will reject Him.

The Epistle is from Philippians 2:5-11, telling of God the Son, humbling Himself and becoming a real man who would die for the world on a cross, and yet also be “exalted“ to life. Finally, “every knee should bow” to “Jesus Christ as Lord.”

The Gospel reading could be part of a Palm Processional, as we hear the story of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, from John 12:12-19 or possibly from Matthew 21:1-9. There could also be a Gospel reading from John 12:20-43, where Jesus predicted His death on the cross and called people to “believe” in Him as “the Light,” even as many others would not believe in Him. There could, instead, be a much longer reading, telling of the suffering and death of Jesus, from the Gospel of Luke, Chapters 22 and 23. You could read those chapters yourself, too, to hear the whole Holy Week story at one time. As Jesus said, “This Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘He was numbered with the transgressors’” to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins, to bring forgiveness and life to us (Luke 22:37 and Isaiah 53:10-12).