Tag: Palm Sunday

WHEN WORSHIP WELCOMES THE KING: A Palm Sunday Sermon Outline

Read Matthew 21:1-11

  • Palm Sunday is when we remember Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
  • “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey-riding on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9)
  • The Triumphal Entry of Jesus wasn’t simply a parade; it was a Masterclass in worship. 
  • To worship Jesus as He deserves, we must cease being spectators in the crowd and become true worshippers of Him. 

Truly Worshiping Jesus Requires: PREPARING FOR HIS PRESENCE

  • “Jesus sent two of them (disciples) on ahead. ‘Go into the village over there,’ He said. ‘As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (Matthew 21:1-3)
  • Preparing for God’s presence involves finding both corporate and personal places to worship.
  • “When He came to the village of Nazareth, His boyhood home, He went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath…” (Luke 4:16)
  • Jesus’ example of regularly participating in corporate worship should encourage us to do the same. 
  • “Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” (Luke 5:16)
  • Jesus’ example of preparing for worship should encourage us to create environments where we can experience God’s presence. 
  • Preparing for God’s presence involves confessing our sins and aligning our hearts with His.
  • David – “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You.” (Psalm 51:10-12)

Truly Worshiping Jesus Requires: PRAISING HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY 

  • Worshiping Jesus requires a genuine expression of devotion that is both physical and verbal.
  • “Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” (Matthew 21:8)
  • The actions of those who welcomed Jesus was an outward demonstration of the condition of their hearts – overflowing with excitement and reverence. 
  • Praising God physically includes different postures – kneeling; bowing our heads; lifting and clapping our hands; etc… 
  • “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” (Psalm 95:6)
  • Paul – “I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God…” (1 Timothy 2:8)
  • “Come everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!” (Psalm 47:1)
  • Worshiping Jesus also includes praising Him verbally.
  • “Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9)
  • The praises of those who welcomed Jesus were alive with faith and expectation, and they used their voices to exalt Him. 
  • “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!” (Psalm 100:1-3)
  • Worshiping Jesus wholeheartedly includes verbal actions like singing, shouting, reading Scripture, acknowledging Him, thanking Him, sharing testimonies about Him, and declaring His worth.
  • “But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, ‘Teacher, rebuke Your followers for saying things like that!’ He replied, ‘If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!’” (Luke 19:39-40)
  • Jesus is God and He will be praised, one way or another. 
  • “Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Truly Worshiping Jesus Requires: PROCLAIMING HIM AS LORD

  • “The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as He entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’” (Matthew 21:10-11)
  • Proclaiming Jesus as Lord includes acknowledging Him before others.
  • “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)
  • When we acknowledge Jesus, we publicly declare who He is and the good news He offers.
  • “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)
  • Proclaiming Jesus as Lord includes identifying with and following Him. 
  • “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
  • Identifying with Jesus means being willing to stand with Him even when it is unpopular or leads to rejection. 
  • Jesus – “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory…” (Luke 9:26)
  • Proclaiming Jesus as Lord includes surrendering our lives to Him daily. 
  • Jesus – “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
  • Surrender is an act of worship – a daily decision to put aside our own desires in order to follow His lead in all we do. 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.” (Romans 12:1)

*This sermon was originally written for the campuses of Celebration Church in the New Orleans region. Special thanks for consultation with Pastors Dennis Watson and David Ford.

**Image Courtesy of Brooke Lark

by Categories: Church and Christian Life, Devotion, Holy Week and Easter, Uncategorized, WorshipTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Welcome the King – A Palm Sunday Devotion

Scripture – As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” He said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey-riding on a donkey’s colt.’” The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to Him and threw their garments over the colt, and He sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!” (Mark 11:1-10)

Devotion – As we reflect on Matthew’s description of Palm Sunday, we are drawn into the vibrant scene of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This moment is filled with anticipation and joy as the crowds gather, waving palm branches and shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David!” Their excitement and hope are palpable, celebrating Jesus as their long awaited Messiah and King.

This passage invites us to consider how we welcome Jesus into our lives. The people of Jerusalem received Him with open arms and hearts, acknowledging His presence with enthusiasm and worship. In the same way, we should open our hearts to Jesus, embracing Him with the same anticipation and joy.

To truly welcome Jesus, it’s essential to cultivate an attitude of openness and readiness. This means setting aside distractions and making room for His influence in our daily lives. It involves recognizing Him as our guiding force and drawing upon His teachings to shape our decisions and actions. We must also welcome Him with our worship and gratitude, acknowledging His love and grace in our lives, and expressing our reverence and appreciation for all that Jesus has done and continues to do for us. Today, let’s strive to be like those in Jerusalem who, with joyful hearts, laid palm branches at His feet, expressing not only their adoration but also their willingness to have Him rule over their lives. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. In what ways can I welcome the Lord more into my life today?
  2. How can I express my joy and gratitude for Jesus every day through my personal worship and spiritual disciplines?
  3. What distractions might I need to set aside to make room for Christ’s influence in my life? 

Prayer – Lord, help me make room for Your presence every day of my life, setting aside distractions and embracing You, Your Word, and Your will for my life. Today, let me honor You with my words and actions, expressing my complete gratitude for Your everlasting love and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Followup Worship Activity – Today, as you begin your time of private worship, take a moment to enthusiastically welcome the presence of the Lord.

* Image Courtesy of Brady Leavell

** This devotion is part of the Holy Week Devotional titled “The Week That Changed Everything” by Celebration Church in New Orleans.

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Palm Sunday – The Triumphal Entry (a devotion)

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” He said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them… 

The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to Him and threw their garments over the colt, and He sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!”

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as He entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-3, 6-11)

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people spread their cloaks before Him, acknowledging His royalty. On that donkey’s colt, He made public His claim as Messiah, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey- riding on a donkey’s colt.” Many of the people, however, thought of Jesus as an earthly king who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. When Jesus did not meet their expectations, many of them turned on Him, trading their praise for condemnation – their worshipful “hosannas” for angry cries of “Crucify Him!”

The triumphal entry is the story of a King who came on a donkey instead of a horse. The truth is that Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as an earthly king but by love, grace, mercy, and personal sacrifice. His kingdom is not one of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood. He comes not to conquer kingdoms and nations but hearts and minds. He brings peace not through might or politics but through reconciliation with God. The type of triumphal entry Jesus wants to make is one into our hearts where He reigns supremely over our lives in righteousness, peace, justice, and unity.

Prayer: Lord, You are the great King over all of the earth. As we remember the happenings of Palm Sunday, help us to invite You to make a triumphal entry into our hearts and lives as we continually humble ourselves before You in worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Followup Activity: Read Matthew 21:1-11 and reflect on the ways the people honored Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. Then, in your journal or on a piece of paper, make a list of all of the ways we can honor the Lord today. If you’re leading your family through this activity, consider leading them through a time of prayer where you engage in some of the worship practices you’ve listed on your paper. 

* Image courtesy of Tim Mossholder

* This devotion is part of an 8-day Holy Week devotional titled RENEWED. It is available as a free download from Celebration Church in New Orleans at http://www.celebrationchurch.org/library

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