Save Us, Oh Lord!

Prelude

Welcome, Announcements, Joys, and Concerns

This is Palm Sunday. Some of you may have palms that the church ordered before all this mess and were able to get to you. Some of you may have found the printable ones we linked to on the church website. If you don’t have either, that’s ok. Use your hands! Those have palms. I’m always up for a good liturgical pun!

There will be communion after the service via Zoom. We’ll start that call at 11 and will give everyone until 11:10 to gather. Make sure you have some sort of bread - any kind will do and some sort of grape juice or wine. Whatever you’ve been able to get ahold of. I understand that the grocery stores are weird and unpredictable places right now.

This is going to be an unusual Holy Week for sure. We will have Maundy Thursday service via Zoom call on Thursday at 6pm. The link is on the church website. Have your dinner ready and we will eat a meal and share communion together. Immediately following that, Ben Avon Community Presbyterian, our friends and neighbors, will be holding a livestreamed Tenebrae service. The link to that will be on the website as well.

Easter Sunrise breakfast, 10 am worship, 11:10 communion. Log in details are on the church website and in your email.

Lunch with the Pastor is Tuesdays at noon. Login info doesn’t change from week to week and is available on the website.

Elders meetings every Thursday evening at 6. You have the log in info in your email or call me to acquire it.

www.emsworthstandrews.com

Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.

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Psalm 118:1–2 ESV

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”

PSalm 118:19-29

Psalm 118:19–29 ESV

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! 28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. 29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Prayer of Invocation

Hosanna, Loud Hosanna

Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang; through pillared court and temple the joyful anthem rang. To JEsus, who had blessed them, close folded to his breast, the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed ‘mid an exultant crowd, the victor palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud; the Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state, nor scorned that little children should on his bidding wait.

“Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing, for Christ is our Redeemer; the Lord of heaven, our King. O may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice, and in his blissful presence eternally rejoice.

Confession

We cannot come before God unless we are first honest with ourselves about who we are, about the mistakes we make, and about how well or poorly we care for others. In this spirit, let us offer our prayers to God. Let’s read together our community prayer of confession, followed by our silent prayers of individual confession.

God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin. Return us to paths of righteousness through Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Take comfort in the assurance that even those things that are hidden from memory, or are too deep for our words, are not beyond God’s forgiving love. God, who knows us completely, bestows pardon and peace. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, it is now and ever shall be: world without end. Amen, amen.

Musical Meditation

Witnessing God's Work

Hearing the Word

Eternal God, whose word silences the shouts of the mighty: Quiet within us every voice but your own. Speak to us through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ that by the power of your Holy Spirit we may receive grace to show Christ’s love in lives given to your service. Amen.

Matthew 21:1–11 ESV

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Save Us, Oh Lord!

It feels weird to be doing worship this way on Palm Sunday. We’re supposed to be marching down the aisles waving our palm branches and getting ready for Easter. Instead we’re staying at least 6 feet away from anyone we don’t live with and watching church on YouTube. We’re worried about how bad the virus spread is going to get here in our own community, especially after some members of our own congregation have been quarantined. We’re seeing entire nations flounder as they try to figure out how to navigate this. The entire world is upside down and closed for business. 

I have now been sheltered in place at home for three weeks with my husband and our two youngest kids, who are ages 11 and 13. 

Yeah. 

Two middle schoolers. 

Home. All Day. 

Every day. 

For three weeks now. And it’s not like summer when they have camps and kids to play with outside. The only kids they get to play with are each other. There are dozens of kids their age in our neighborhood, but they can’t go play with them. 

And even that school to summer transition is usually pretty rough. This one was worse. But the weird thing that’s happening now is we’re finding a new normal. We have a routine of things that they are supposed to do every day like studying Spanish and math online, working out, and walking the dog. Not only are we falling into this routine, they are starting to get along. Like. . . better than ever. 

Oh, I still here, “You idiot!” and “He threw a ball at me” and the like a few times a day, but it’s not nearly as bad as I’d expected it would be and not even as bad as it was that first week. They are even sort of looking forward to getting back to school work after Easter. They won’t be back in the buildings, but they will be working on schoolwork online. 

Kids are so resilient! They are so flexible! And they are so good at finding the good in a bad situation. My husband and I are disinfecting packages when we bring them in the house, checking in on our parents to make sure they are behaving and staying put, I’m making phone calls and emails to keep in touch with you all, Tim’s trying to work at home with two middle schoolers and a dog wrestling in the room behind him during meetings, we’re staying on the kids about the makeshift homeschool work we gave them to do, trying to figure out grocery deliveries, introducing the dog to everyone when he bursts in on our Zoom meetings, figuring out how much Coronavirus news is enough and how much is too much, and all that other hard, stressful grown up stuff. 

But you know what my kids seem to be taking away from this? 

We’re having movie nights almost every night. . . popcorn and all. 

They learned how to play Risk and bake chocolate chip cookies. 

Our dog is deliriously happy that we’re all home all day and he’s fun to walk and isn’t it great that we got a dog before all this happened?

I let them build “an every blanket they could find” fort in the family room. 

The weather was so nice last Sunday they had a “beach party” in the front yard and yelled greetings to all the neighbors walking their dogs and riding their bikes out on the street. 

All of this crazy upside-down garbage that is happening right now and those are the things my kids are going to remember about this time in our lives. 

They are going to walk away remembering this as that time we all hung out as a family with no interuptions for two months. 

It may go down in family lore as being as good as our trip to Peru or Uganda.

Kids have this crazy ability to roll with the punches and find happiness in whatever. 

I think that’s why all of our Palm Sunday hymns talk about kids shouting “hosanna”. 

Without the children shouting out as Jesus enters Jerusalem, it’s just a bunch of stressed out grown ups looking for someone to save them from a garbage world. 

Here are the people of Israel - oppressed by the occupying Romans. Can you even imagine how terrible that would be? I think we can finally for once in our lives identify a little bit with the fear they must have had. I’ve never in my life been afraid to be out in public. Not once. And I’ve been to some pretty sketchy places. But now? The grocery store sounds scary. Take that anxiety over venturing out for milk when there’s a nasty virus out there and multiply it by like at least 10- I don’t know. I’m bad at math and I’m pretty sure this isn’t an exact science. 

Suffice it to say that those were scary scary times. 

“Hosanna” means “SAVE US, OH LORD!” This is a cry out for help from a bunch of stressed out grownups who are living through a terrible time in history. 

But we sing about the children dancing and praising because children have this way of seeing only the hope in the dark situation. I think this Palm Sunday, we need the children in our hymns more than ever. 

The oppressor 2000 years ago was a giant empire that swept in and put them on a sort of lockdown. Our oppressor is a sneaky little virus that has us in lockdown. 

They were waiting for a military savior to kick out the Romans, we are waiting for a medical savior to kick out this coronavirus. 

So we shout “Hosanna!” today, not out of tradition or obligation. We don’t shout “Hosanna!” because it’s a happy shout for us stressed out grown ups. We shout “SAVE US, O LORD!” Because today, we truly recognize our own frailty and need for God’ intervention. 

There is certainly a shadow on the palms that we are wise to remember. It’s all right if you are struggling to feel the vibe this year. But don’t forget the children who see the celebration in it all.  Celebration is important. That’s part of our story. Especially when we are trying to make our way through trying times, we are wise and even perhaps comforted to remember that the shadow on the palms is the heart of the story. That shadow on the palms is why we are able to celebrate. Without the shadow of Good Friday falling on the Palms of the triumphant entry, they are just branches waved at another good teacher. 

It’s ok to feel weird about celebrating right now. It’s ok to be weirded out by the idea that we will be celebrating Easter so differently than ever before. 

The crowd of followers 2000 years ago saw Jesus riding into town and shouted “HOSANNA! SAVE US!” because they thought maybe he was the hope they were waiting for. Today as we remember Jesus riding into the city, we are shouting “HOSANNA! SAVE US!” because he is still the hope in dark times like the ones we’re trying to get through right now. 

Even when we’re stressed out and scared and trapped. . . 

Even when Jesus isn’t saving us the way we expect. . . 

Palm Sunday is about hope. 

Today we enter a dark week. It’s usually a dark week liturgically because we’re remembering Jesus’ last days and the great sacrifice he made for us. But it’s also a dark week pragmatically and emotionally because we are all entering another week of lockdowns and bad news. Most years, I would encourage you to lean into the darkness that is falling over the Palms. This year, I’m going to tell you to do the opposite. Follow the lead of the children. Remember that the darkness of Holy Week is our hope. 

Remember that this will end and the new life of Easter will come when it comes. 

Remember that Jesus is worth celebrating, even in trying times. 

So wave your palm branches and shout “Hosanna”! 

Sing with abandon like the little children and dance like a crazy person! I see how you all self-consciously wave those palm branches in church every year. Now nobody’s looking and you have no excuses! Go nuts! 

We need the hope and the excitement and the optimism and the wild abandon of children today. So get out there and act like a bunch of little kids!

All Glory, Laud, and Honor

All glory, laud, and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

Thou art the King of Israel, thou David’s royal Son, who in the Lord’s name comest, the King and blessed One.

All glory, laud, and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went; our praise and prayers and anthems before thee we present.

All glory, laud, and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

To thee, before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise; to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise.

All glory, laud, and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

Thou didst accept their praises, accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King!

All glory, laud, and honor, to thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

Apostles’ Creed

As we come together, we do so remembering the things that hold us together as a church. So let’s take this time to recite together what the church declares to be true in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer

After each petition of our prayer today, you are invited to speak your concerns or thanksgivings out loud or write them in the margins of this paper or in a journal. 

As God’s people, called to love one another, let us pray for the needs of the church, the whole human family, and all the world, saying: Hear our prayer. 

Let us pray.

That churches of all traditions, may discover their unity in Christ and exercise their gifts in service of all, we pray to you, O God:

(Silence)

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

That the earth may be freed from war, famine, and disease, and the air, soil, and waters cleansed of poison, we pray to you, O God:

(Silence\)

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

That those who govern and maintain peace in every land may exercise their powers in obedience to your commands, we pray to you, O God:

(Silence)

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

That you will strengthen this nation to pursue just priorities so that the races may be reconciled; the young, educated; and the old, cared for; the hungry, filled; and the homeless, housed; and the sick - especially those suffering from Covid-19 -, comforted and healed, we pray to you, O God:

(Silence)

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

That you will comfort and empower those who face any difficulty or trial: the sick, the disabled, the poor, the oppressed, those who grieve and those in prison, and especially those we lift up in the silence now, we pray to you, O God:

(Silence)

Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Merciful God, as a potter fashions a vessel from humble clay, you form us into a new creation. Shape us, day by day, through the cross of Christ your Son, until we pray as continually as we breathe and all our acts are prayer; through Jesus Christ and in the mystery of the Holy Spirit, we pray boldly as we have been taught saying: 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Sharing of our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory

Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessing flow! Praise God, all creatures here below! Praise God above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen!

Prayer of Thanksgiving

O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High

O love, how deep, how broad, how high, beyond all thought and fantasy, that God, the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortals’ sake.

For us baptized, for us he bore his holy fast and hungered sore; for us temptations sharp he knew, for us, the tempter overthrew.

For us by wickedness betrayed, for us, in crown of thorns arrayed, he bore the shameful cross and death; for us gave up his dying breath.

For us he rose from death again; for us he went on high to reign; for us he sent the Spirit here to guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

All glory to our Lord and God, for love so deep, so high, so broad; the Trinity whom we adore forever and forevermore.

Charge and Benediction

Amen

Postluded