I am working on a service where, in addition to celebrating Palm Sunday, we begin the walk through Holy Week (though I don't want to go too far with this- we have a service for Thursday and Friday). Does anyone have an interesting/innovative way of demonstrating this transition. I was thinking that we might 'redecorate' the sanctuary on the closing hymn shifting the colors from purple to red, take out the palms and banner symbols and raise the banners for the coming celebrations, bring in our communion symbols and Good Friday visuals.
I'd love to hear your thoughts,
TB in MN
As to the historic background:
The events of Palm Sunday are shaped dramatically by the politics of the day. The Romans are in power, ruling with an iron hand. The Jewish community is divided into various factions, each trying to hold on or claim power. For some, such as some of the Pharasee's, maintaining the delicate balance of peace with Rome and tempering the rising Jewish nationalism is critical. Others are in full scale cooperation with Rome, some are in various degrees of rebellion against Rome. The Romans are crucifying anyone who upsets, rebels, or breaks a major law in order to 'maintain order' (according to Crossin, there are days when 100's of executions take place). Things are tense and none of the leaders, Jewish or Roman, are interested in lighting the match that will explode the powder keg Jerusalem has become.
Enter Jesus, leading a growing band of cast-offs from the country and whipping a crowd into a celebratory frenzy (think about it- how do the Roman's hear those cheers of "Here comes the king"?). Being Passover, the Jewish national pride is soaring frighteningly high and the city is crowded with outsiders- some of whom are spoiling for a fight with anything Roman. Order is hard to maintain. Then Jesus goes after the powerful temple tradespeople and,in case that isn't enough, the very banking interests of the Temple (bankers usually are not pleased when their tables are overturned, store owners are none too thrilled with their displays being tossed about).
Sooooooo..... many, many leaders are not pleased. Most would like to see trouble kept to a minimum and Jesus is not behaving himself. The leaders do not want a revolution from the Jewish side or a Roman crackdown. The solution? Kill off the troublemaker Jesus and be done with him.
To 'celebrate' all of this we have turned Palm Sunday into a day of parading about and having fun. While I am all for fun in church and at worship, there is a disturbing undercurent in this story that needs to be brought out. How many great leaders can we name that are assasinated in order to be silenced? How often is killing presented as a solution to a percieved problem- personal, national or global?
In my worship service, we will be having parading about by the children, waving palm branches, joyful music and even stringing up balloons for that festive part of the day but, as the service moves on, these more sinister layers will slowly be revealed. In the sermon, we will make clear mention of the 'rest of the story', we will have two anthems- one a joyful march the other a more 'sober' number and, at the final hymn, we will shift our paraments and banners from the celebratory and kingly purple to reds and blacks pointing to the coming days. The lighting will dim as we end worship (as dim as one can get in the morning!) and we end singing 'Were You There'.
Just a few ideas-
TB in MN
I agree with the historical data that TB in MN offers, but I would offer this
mino (?) expansion on the Israeli side of the equation.
The Sunday we celebrate as Palm Sunday was for the Jews "Lamb Selection Day." To
keep passover they were instructed to select a the choicest lamb to care for for
a week as they prepared their hearts for Passover celebration. The Chief Priest
would also select a lamb and lead it in procession into town. Jesus and his band
crashed their parade and this is one of the sources of their anger.
Interesting and preachable - Lamb Selection Day and Declaring Jesus as the One
the will Save.
We celebrate a full blow PAssover meal on Thursday evening. Complete with
canting and song led by a Messianic Jew that attends our fellowship.
Exciting times to preach.
Binny
Binny
Can you give us a published source for "Lamb Selection Day"? I've not heard of that before but, as you say, it will preach!
Thanks and blessings, Eric in KS
==========
TB in Mn
We begin our Holy Week with red for Palm Sunday -- and decorate with lots and lots of palm fronds and potted palms. Our cross is completely veiled in natural homsespun-colored fabric on which the Crown of Thorns and the three nails are painted. Then we change to white for Maundy (Holy) Thursday, then almost nothing, just a black veil for Good Friday. (On Maundy Thursday, following the Eucharist, the choir sings a specially chosen piece of music while the clergy and sacristans completely strip the chancel of all worship paraphernalia. On Friday we offer communion from the Reserved Sacrament, the ciborium for which is veiled in black.)
On Palm Sunday, we do the long, participative reading of the Passion Narrative with members of the congregation taking the various parts and the whole congregation taking the part of the crowds. I usually don't preach at all on this day; during the time for the homily we simply sit in silence and contemplate the drama we have just taken part in.
Blessings,
Eric in KS
I am having trouble visualizing verse 7's "and he sat on them", them being both the donkey and her colt. How does one do that? Was he riding side-saddle on the mama, using the colt for a footstool? Changing up every few blocks? I suspect there may be some fiddling with the language between the original prophecy and the proposed fulfillment. Any of you original languge or history mavens out there have some helpful words? tom in TN(USA)
My children's ministry group is doing something interesting and different to me this year for Palm Sunday, thought I'd share it. I think they got the idea out of a magazine (I can find and share the source later, if anyone needs it).
This past Sunday the children handed out notecards and asked each member of the congregation to write down a prayer request. (This doesn't necessarily have to be done from the whole congregation, but in our case it was). The congregation turned in the requests and the children's leaders have purchased colored cut-outs of little hands (like for a bulletin board). They will write a child's name in the Palm of each hand, and a prayer request on each of the fingers and the thumb. Then to start out our service Sunday instead of Palm Branchs, the children will come in carrying the hands attached to donated paint-stirrer sticks... and present their "Palms" at the altar where the bouquets of hands will be placed in vases on our altar. After the service the kids will all find "their hands" and take them home to be praying for those requests... and to work with their parents and with our leaders on the power of intercessory prayer.
Yikes! Sorry, I hit the submit button when I was going to apologize for taking up space talking about programming type stuff in the Bible Study section... it is worship related, but not exactly on topic. Hope it was worth it to somebody out there -- either for this year or in the future.
(oh, btw, thanks so much for last week! I got so much out of our discussion.) RevAmy
to Tom in TN -- the reference to two animals in v. 7
is probably because of a misunderstanding of Hebrew poetic form. This is a kind of "parallelism" found in many of the psalms when a line is repeated for emphasis or poetic value. See Zechariah 9:9 for the most plausible explanation.
Revmar in KS
Tom in TN
REvMar is correct. My professor at Wake Forest used this passage to illustrate Matthew's misunderstanding of Hebrew. Some scholars believ the Matthew was a Greek Jew who had only a reading knowledge of Hebrew. At other points in the gospel you can read where Matthew may have missed the point of the dualism/parallelisms.
Nancy in WI - I am intrigued by your suggested ending. I've titled this weeks service as "the Beginning", noting that this story marks the start of the holiest week in our faith. (I serve a baptist church in rural NC that is just awakening to the lectionary, and liturgical calendar.) So, do you have any other suggests about how to carry out this "to be continued" idea? ... (Next week i will use as high a spoken liturgy as possible, with antiphonal readings, songs, etc.)
Thanks for all the help
Steve in NC
Since I'm not preaching this Sunday. I have time to work on our Holy week services. I'm planning to tell the stories from the eye's of one of the disciples and dress the part. I like to play Peter for the communion and footwashing on Maunday Thursday and I may do the tenebrae through the eyes of Judas.
Harold in Alabama
Our anthem is "In the shadow of the palms" speaks of the sneaky! Nancy-WI
Steve, I end with the reading matthew 26:14-19. Just as the disciples go to prepare. I may recruit two disciples and actually send them. We too have a meal with communion in our basement then I give out candles and move them to the sanctuary (last years church I sent them outside and around to the front door) I have a cd with sound effect and will play that, then soloist will sing in the garden.
Oh, Easter morning starts with a medely combination of "ten thousand angels and were you there when they crucifiec the Lord." then we open the tomb!
Revmar in KC - your explanation of the dualism missed by Matthew is possible with reference to the donkey and a colt. However another possible explanation presented by other scholars is that it was easier for the disciples to bring the colt by bringing its mother also. Who knows? The point we need to agree on is that this Jesus came as a king - but a very different type of king than folks expected. Isn't that just like God who turns our world upside down?
Pastor John in CT
I read recently in James Kelso's "An Archaeologist Looks at the Gospels" about some OT references to the Mount of Olives, from which Jesus is riding on Palm Sunday. Among these were David's penitent walk up the Mount (II Samuel 15: 30-31), Solomon's building of pagan shrines on the Mount (I Kings 11: 7-8) and Ezekiel's vision of God's departure from Jerusalem by way of the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11:22-25).
I had not previously connected the Mount of Olives with these dark moments in Israel's history.
Now here's Jesus riding down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem, coming as a humble king. We focus on the goal of the ride--Jerusalem--but is Jesus not also forgiving and redeeming the rejection of God that took place on the Mount--and also our rejection of God?
Just thoughts, with acknoweldgments to the late Dr. Kelso.
Jim in Nebraska
I read recently in James Kelso's "An Archaeologist Looks at the Gospels" about some OT references to the Mount of Olives, from which Jesus is riding on Palm Sunday. Among these were David's penitent walk up the Mount (II Samuel 15: 30-31), Solomon's building of pagan shrines on the Mount (I Kings 11: 7-8) and Ezekiel's vision of God's departure from Jerusalem by way of the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11:22-25).
I had not previously connected the Mount of Olives with these dark moments in Israel's history.
Now here's Jesus riding down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem, coming as a humble king. We focus on the goal of the ride--Jerusalem--but is Jesus not also forgiving and redeeming the rejection of God that took place on the Mount--and also our rejection of God?
Just thoughts, with acknoweldgments to the late Dr. Kelso.
Jim in Nebraska
I'm sorry, my post was unsigned and not too clear. I should have just gone to bed!
Palm sunday ends with the 19th verse where the Disciples go to prepare the place. On Maundy Thursday we pick the story up again at that point, We start with scripture and foot washing and then a community dinner which ends with communion. From there we move as a group to the sanctuary, with candles as if we were walking out side. (which if it is possible is very good) then I move though the reading and scriptures in the BOW (UMC) to reading 10. This year I am ending with a man carrying in a large cross. ( We sing remember me after each reading.) Good friday picks up at reading 11 and goes through 16. I have a reading done by Mary mother of Jesus, several solos and use Were you there when we crucified the Lord. Finally, on Easter, we are starting out with Christ in the tomb and in the opening of worship the tomb is openned, but we do start with the same where you there... and another song. Hope this helps someone.
I too would like to know more about the Lamb selection.
Nancy-Wi
How about this connection: We will be preaching on the morning of Oscar night. The night where all the celebrities come out and dazzel us with their costumes and popularity. I am thinking of contrasting our celebrities of today with Jesus. They show up in strech limos, Jesus showed up in a beat up 1986 Ford Pinto (the modern day version of a donkey. They show up to accept an award, Jesus showed up to accept a cross. We will forget the celebrities of today because they contribute little, we will never forget Jesus because he accomplished so much.
The question for my congregation this weekend is will we follow the celebrity superstars of today because they give us what we want, or are we williing to follow Jesus because He gives us what we need?
Some early thoughts from a desperate preacher. Pastor John in CT
Hi ho Silver, away!
It was Palm Sunday and Jesus was coming into Jerusalem. He was riding on a
blazing white stallion and kicking up a cloud of dust as he rode along. He
was looking for trouble. The people that he passed on his way were in awe
of such a beautiful animal but they were even more awestruck by the man who
was riding it. As Jesus passed by, you could hear the people say, "Who was
that masked man?"
There were bad guys on the loose and Jesus had a job to do. As he rode into
Jerusalem he quickly sized up the situation and formed a plan to capture the
ring leader of the trouble makers. His name was Diablo or Satan. There was
a short scuffle and Jesus won handily over Diablo. He hog-tied the devil
and threw him in jail.
As a large crowd of people gathered to see what the commotion was all about,
Jesus mounted his horse and pulled on the reigns. The stallion stood on its
hind legs, neighed loudly, and pawed the air with its front legs. When it
stood as tall as it could stand, Jesus leaned forward in the saddle. Holding
the reigns with one hand while lifting his white hat in the air with the
other, He shouted with a loud voice, "" As Jesus road off into the sunset,
you could hear the William Tell Overture in the background. Du du dunt. Du
du dunt. Du du dunt dunt dunt.
Isn't that how you would have done it if you were Jesus? It's how I would
have.
Adapted from "Not the Lone Ranger, But the Lone Savior," by Roger Griffith
Pastor John -
With the Oscars around the corner, and the traditional walking on the red carpet, I, too, have been thinking about celebrity. The movie stars will be rewarded either with an award, or with "air time." They'll be rewarded with publicity about how nicely or badly they dressed (let's face it NO ONE will forget that swan dress).
Liken the red carpet to a pathway of palms, and know that Jesus' reward will be a crown of thorns, jeers, and a cross. It puts in a different perspective what we think we want out of life.
We want a celebrity, someone we can look up to, and who'll give us exactly what we think we need. We THINK we need to destroy "Rome," whatever our Rome may be. And we project onto our leaders the task of destroying our own personal Romes. They are to be highly visible, perfect people, offending only the people who need to be offended (but never ourselves) with the truth.
Sally in GA
Hi all,
I have just recently made a trek to the Holy Land and it was fantastic! I HIGHLY recommend it. We were perfectly safe. The only harmful people over there are the militant news reporters. :)
Anyway, The guide was an Arab Christian and was extremely knowledgable about his stuff. He told us that Jesus rode on the donkey to represent that he was a king coming in peace. The colt that was with him was to represent everyone who was wanting to go with Jesus.
He was hailed as King by the people the he ministered to and advocated (the lower class, the unrepresented, the blind, the lepers, the lame, widows and orphans, the outcast of society).
Also, he came from Bethphage, near Bethany which is on the opposite side of the Mt. of Olives from Jerusalem. Jesus never stayed in Jerusalem overnight until he was under arrest. He usually would stay in Bethany at Lazaras' house. Bethany is only about a hour walk around or over the Mt of Olives to Jerusalem. That's interesting.
Blessings on you as you minister this next week.
jeff in co
I am intrigued with what Jesus says, in Luke, after he was told by the Pharisees to make the people be quiet; "I tell you that if they kept quiet, the very stones alone the road would burst into cheers." Is he saying that oppressiive regimes can not stop creation from being free and celebrating life. Humour, laughter, music and rejoicing is a sign of wellness and freedom. I know when I am well, I laugh and I am lighter. When I try to, falsely, be in control, or when I am not well, my sense of humour goes away, and I don't sing. The rocks and stones cheering, or singing, was a sign that people were free and well in Jesus' presence. Do we point people to times when they have a good sense of humour and when they want to laugh and rejoice? Is that when they are spiritually well? Brent.
Yesterday we were at our district clergy worship and our D.S. had somthing to say that I pass on. I had not thought of it in this fashion. He said, "too many of us go from the joy of Palm Sunday and the parade to the joy of Easter and the rising of Christ, with out Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. He said we go with just the good feelings without the sorrow and pain, and agony." and when I got to thinking aobut I thought how true it is. And with out going through the whole week we can not know the whole Christ. MR in NY
RevAmy: Where did you purchase your pre cut hands? Incidently, I think everything in worship is important, not just the sermons. Thanks for taking up space. We are doing an open hands intercessory prayer ministry and you have helped it. God works, let give her room. Nancy-Wi
Nancy asked, "Where did you purchase your pre cut hands?"
Nancy, I can't answer for Amy, but if you have a good teachers' supply store in your town you can get them there. If not, you can order them from U.S. Toy in Kansas City, MO.
Blessings, Eric in KS
POOH on the pre-cut hands! Get the kids to trace around their own hands with crayons on construction paper and cut them out. they are not as neat and uniform, nor as easy and quick as getting a bunch of die-cut clone hands from the resource center, but they are a lot more personal and charming. A long roll of red carpet is nicer and neater than a hodge-podge of branches and clothes, but I bet if anyone had asked Jesus, he would have chosen the latter over the former, hands down.;} If you don't have enough kids, get the grown-ups to trace their hands too. I bet it's been a long time since most of them have, and it might bring back some good memories. tom in TN(USA)
