Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday, Liturgy of the Palms A

Nalae notes:

Fuller says this text should be the curtain raiser, the introduction. LM says that a group of people should start somewhere outside the place of worship with palm branches and march/walk to the church, and together with those already int he church begin the service. A song could be first (short, somber) or no song at all - but by all means read this passage right away. Then have a livelier song.

Nocent says that the Easter Triduum or focus on three days went from Fri-Sat-Sun in Augustine’s time to Thur-Fri-Sat and that isn't good because it leaves out the resurrection. SDG: my own thought is that since the Jewish day started at sunset, and because we know the resurrection is a fact in the morning, that it is, it still is, only three days, Thur evening - Friday - Saturday - early Sunday morning. So let it be four days but only 72 hours long.

In fact this may render the Sabbath vs. Sunday, even among Christians, Adventist vs. the rest - render those arguments harmless. You can celebrate and "have church" anytime from Sat evening to Sunday morning.

One church practice has "The Last Supper" (provide photo of famous painting) being celebrated on Thursday. In any case read from John, the RCL has Tue reading 12.20-36; Wed 13.21-32; and Thur 13.1-17, 31b-35. At least tell the people that 13.36-16.33 are spoken from that upper room.

Hymns

"All Glory Laud and Honor" LW82 #102

The words are very old (750/760-821) by Theodulf of Orleans

no lcms given for the palms, only passion, maybe that’s because they do this story on Advent 1ABC.

Gospel 269, 271: Mat 21.1-11 versus Joh 12.12-19 (also 269)

Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord

Hymn of the Day: 442 All glory, laud, and honor (processional)

438 A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth

Liturgy:

Summary: Today has two parts, Liturgy of the palms and Liturgy of the passion

Palms

Psa 118.1-2, 19-29

2020 Hosanna which is benedictus in Latin.

2017 The key phrase, /l'olam chesed hu/ repeated, said in 1, repeated in 2. Then 19ff begins with "Open to me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank Yahweh." And in older liturgies they had a gate those with palm branches would enter, then presumably, they'd go from there to the house of worship. And then 27-29 "With branches in your hands, join the feast. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar."

Mat 21.1-11 Jesus' triumphal entry

2020 That Jesus came on an ass shows that his coming in the beginning of his life, the beginning of his ministry and the end of his ministry, he was not the great king (he will come as that when he returns) but the humble servant.

2017 Zec 9.9 is quoted

Passion

Isa 50.4-9a The Obedience of the Servant

2020 My comment on multi-course meal below means that if you’re just reading through the Bible Jan 1-Dec 31 you never get beautiful and appropriate and instructive passages paired together.

2017 This is so "right" for the season that it shows not the thin gruel but the one course we've been eating should really be a multi-course meal. "I offered my back to those who beat me and my face to those who pulled out my beard" "I have set my face like a flint" "Who will dare to bring charges against me now? Where are my accusers?"

Psa 31.9-16 The Rejected Man

2020 Weak eyes probably means an old person. This could have been someone who came before Jesus the Messiah, such as the OT prophets.

2017 This is the one we have been reading since Thursday.

Php 2.5-11 A Citizen Body Marked by Unity and Status Inversion

2020 Status inversion means be a servant, if you want to do what pleases God, we don’t even have to deal with the language “who is great in the kingdom of God” but just put it, those things that please God - - serve others.

2017 "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave...and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross...God has exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knew would bow."

Mat 26.14-27.66 Trial through Crucifixion

(or at least 27.11-54) the shorter form is Jesus trial before Pilate

The individual subsections are

a (11-26) also called the Roman Trial;

bJesus' Crucifixion (27-44);

c Jesus' death (45-56);

[And the other parts, before 26.14 and after 27.55-66]

Judas agrees to betray Jesus (14-16)

The Lord's Supper (26-30)

Jesus predicts Peter's denial (31-35)