Call to Worship/Pastor's Prayer for March 29, 2026

Call to Worship

Happy Palm Sunday! The Apostle John wrote about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem which took place on the day which have come to call Palm Sunday. John wrote this:

John 12:12–16 ESV

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

Do you know what the term Hosanna means? The word “Hosanna” originates from a Hebrew plea for deliverance. Its roots lie in Psalm 118, where it appears as a prayer: “Save us, we pray, O LORD!” followed by “O LORD, we pray, give us success!” The term essentially means “save us” or “grant us salvation”—a direct appeal to God for rescue and victory. That is what the crowds (probably mostly made up of people from the region Galilee who traveling together to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration) were crying out.

May this be the cry of our hearts this day as well. Let’s pray.

Hosanna! Blessed is He who came in Your name, O Yahweh, Most High! Hosanna in the highest. Lord, we pray this day for the salvation of those in our midst who have never truly repented of their sins and placed their faith in the person and work of Jesus, the Christ, who came to redeem them from their sins.

Lord, we further pray for deliverance for those of us who are believers — deliver us from our old sinful nature which seeks to defeat us as why put on our new nature in Christ.

Lord, as the crowds in Jerusalem, on that day so long ago, exalted Your holy name, may we too exalt Your holy name this day. But may we not be so quick to turn against Your Servant as they were that fateful week.

May You be honored in our worship this day.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pastor’s Prayer

Holy Father,

We come before with our prayers and petitions because we believe that You hear us, and that You delight in answering our prayers which are offered in faith, and in accordance with Your will.

I bring before You this morning our missionary, Hadessah Broeckert, and her ministry with Baptist Mid Missions, and Bibles International. May Your hand of blessing and protection be upon her.

Lord, I continue to pray for my acquaintance, Joseph Santhosh and his family as they serve in India. This is a great time of persecution against believers in Jesus. May Your hand of protection and provision be upon them and their ministry.

Lord, we continue to pray for baby Wynter, as she has been going through this great trial. We pray mostly for her parents as they go through this very difficult time, and what will perhaps be a very long journey. Father we also pray for another little one, Millie Mae, who is just four weeks old and has contracted RSV. If it please You, may You grant healing to this young child. Again, I pray for her parents and her family as they travel this difficult road together. May You receive the glory that is due Your name in this situation.

Lord, I pray for those among us who are sick and hurting. I pray for Brian Batterbee as he is out of town due to his father, Charles Batterbee’s declining health. Lord, I commit that entire situation to You. Sustain Brian as he seeks to minister to his aging parents.

Lord, we think of our shutins: I pray for Joyce Hatch, for Kristen Davis, for Dick Andrews, for Steve Nunham, and I’m sure there are many more. May Your hand of blessing be upon each one of them. And may we as a body find ways to remind them that they are not forgotten.

Lord, I pray for next Sunday, the day in which we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead. I pray that You draw many folks, especially those who have never embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior, to come and join us for this very special day. I pray that even now Your Spirit would be doing the preparatory work in their hearts, preparing them to respond to Your call to salvation in a positive manner. I pray that we who make-up this body of Christ will be the channel that You use to bring such to salvation.

I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.