Worship for the Sunday of the Passion - 2013

Thursday in the week of Lent 5

March 21, 2013

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday has multiple names: Lent 6, Palm Sunday, and Sunday of the Passion. Typically I celebrate it as Palm Sunday. Primarily because the readings for the Sunday of the Passion are soooooo long. They include a Palm Sunday gospel lesson at the beginning of the service, and up to two  chapters, and at least one chapter, from the final week in the life of Jesus later in the service. As I understand it, the Sunday of the Passion gained traction because people were not attending mid-week services (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) like they once were. As Easter is basically robbed of its meaning without these services, they were incorporated into Palm Sunday. I have in the past (and still do) encouraged the members of my church to attend the mid-week services and kept the day focused on Palm Sunday.

However, it is probably good to, every once in a while, go with the full Sunday of the Passion readings. That is what we will be doing this year. The reading from Luke’s gospel is two chapters long, so providing a synopsis is rather difficult. It covers the institution of the Lord’s Supper, his time in the garden, betrayal, trials, crucifixion and burial. What these notes will provide is the synopsis provided by the synod.

The assigned readings are: John 12:12-19 (processional); Deuteronomy 32:36-39; Philippians 2:5-11; and Luke 22-23. This is a communion service. Our hymns are: “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty” (LSB 441); “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” (LSB 442); “Lamb of God, Pure and Holy” (LSB 434); “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” (LSB 443); “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord” (LSB 637); “Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted” (LSB 451); and “My Song Is Love Unknown” (LSB 430).

Below is a congregation singing “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty.” Different hymnal, same hymn.

Lesson Synopsis from the Synod

The Cross and Passion of Our Lord Are the Hour of His Glory

The King of Israel comes into His royal glory by the path of humble obedience “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). He “goes as it has been determined” (Luke 22:22), according to the Scriptures, willingly submitting to His Father’s plan for the salvation of sinners. “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). His suffering and death open the way of repentance for the forgiveness of sins because He goes to the cross bearing the sins of the world. In His resurrection, God the Father vindicates His people and has compassion on His servants (Deut. 32:36). He kills to make alive; He wounds in order to heal. In remembrance of Him, we praise God, confessing “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:11).

Our Holy Week Schedule:

Sunday of the Passion – Regular schedule

Maundy Thursday – 12:15 & 7:00 pm communion services

Good Friday – Noon to 3:00 sanctuary open for prayer; 7:00 pm Tenebrae service

Holy Saturday – Noon Stations of the Cross service; 8:00 Easter Vigil at Good Shepherd, Greenville.

Easter Sunday – Breakfast at 9:00 am and worship at 10:30. (No Bible study)

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John Rickert