Palm/Passion Sunday

This service was quite different from our usual service. There wasn't a sermon, exactly, but the following is what happened during the service. We had actors who portrayed some of the characters, and the children's choir and adult choir were the crowds in Jerusalem. The children's choir also joined Jesus as the disciples for the "Last Supper" and had Communion with him.



This morning we celebrate a little differently than we usually do. On the calendar, Palm Sunday is listed as Palm/Passion Sunday. We celebrate Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode victoriously into Jerusalem, but the cries of “Hosanna” are quickly drowned out by the cries from the crowd: crucify him!

A hallmark of Judaism was a required pilgrimage to Jerusalem. After Jesus walked on this earth, Christians, too, made the journey to Jerusalem to walk where Jesus walked. Over time, churches outside Jerusalem began to commemorate Jesus’ final days with their own prayer walks, mirroring the “stations” that were observed in Jerusalem. The purpose of these “stations” was to help Christians make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, meditating on what Jesus went through on our behalf.

As we recreate some of the key events of the last week before Jesus’ crucifixion, remember that the point of all of this is to help us better understand what Jesus did for us. The whole reason for Jesus’ coming to earth was to save us from our sins and to reconcile us to God. Not just for heaven, but for earth, as well.

Sometimes we can fall into the trap of watching a Christmas play or an Easter play and seeing it simply as a historical recreation, or worse, as just a play. Today as we walk with Jesus through some of the major events in the last week before his crucifixion, we have intentionally created elements to remind you of the scene. We have also intentionally left some elements of our current culture. For example, there are historical actors in costume, reminding us that this was a historical event which happened in a specific place and time to real people.

But we also will have participants in modern clothing, reminding us that although these events happened in the past, they still are relevant to us today. We are just like the crowds who celebrate Jesus on Palm Sunday, yet whose sin nails Him to the cross on Good Friday. So remember that we all have a part to play in this Passion Play.

We start at Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem.

Triumphal Entry: Mark 11:1-11
[Jesus comes in while choir and Heaven's Angels sing]

As we continue toward the cross, Jesus and his disciples celebrate the Passover in the Upper Room. As they celebrated, Jesus instituted Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. We, too, celebrate Communion with Jesus; he is present with us in this celebration every time we eat the bread and drink from the cup.

Last Supper: Mark 14:17-26
[Communion: Children at front with Jesus, served by pastor, congregation in pews, served by ushers]

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Song: In The Garden (314)

The Garden: Mark 14:32-42: Jesus praying in the Garden, then led off by a soldier.

And so it was, that the only truly innocent person was arrested, betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples. He was beaten and questioned, and though they had no basis by which to convict him, he was sentenced to death on a cross. Meanwhile, even Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus.

Good Friday: Mark 15: Jesus is crucified. 

And very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. (Mark 15:1)

Pilate questioned him, but Jesus made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:5). The custom was that at this time, the people could have a prisoner released, and so Pilate asked if they wanted him to release Jesus. The chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. (Mark 15:11). When asked what he should do with Jesus, the crowd shouted: Crucify him! (Mark 15:13)

The soldiers led Jesus into the palace. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. (Mark 15:17) They mocked him, beat him, and spit on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

READ Mark 15:25-30
READ Mark 15:33-46
[Jesus taken off the cross and carried out.]

Song: Were You There


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