Worship at Home for Palm Sunday
This service is for use in a single home or with a cluster of homes gathered by means of the internet. To wave palm branches as part of this worship, draw or find a pattern and cut them out, or be creative and improvise! Make homemade musical instruments (percussion and wind) to play during the Responsory. A PDF download of this text is available below.
Prayer
God our hope,
today we remember that when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem
the people shouted hosannas and proclaimed him as king.
Help us to honor him every day,
choose him as our leader,
and follow him in the way that leads to new life;
for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:1-11
(Common English Bible)
When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task. He said to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter, you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anybody says anything to you, say that the Lord needs it.” He sent them off right away. Now this happened to fulfill what the prophet said, Say to Daughter Zion, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the donkey’s offspring.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them. Then he sat on them.
Now a large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut palm branches off the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” they asked. The crowds answered, “It’s the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Responsory
(If desired, wave branches and use homemade instruments)
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the one who brings hope during difficult times!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!
Hosanna in the highest!
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
(Common English Bible)
5 Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:
Though he was in the form of God,
he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
But he emptied himself
by taking the form of a slave and
by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore, God highly honored him
and gave him a name above all names,
so that at the name of Jesus everyone
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(New Revised Standard Version)
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Reflect
(silently or share in a group): The Hebrew word hosanna means “save us.” When you say “hosanna,” what does it mean to you?
Prayers for Others
Almighty God, hear our prayers for the Church and for the world.
Grant that all who confess your name may be united in your truth,
live together in your love and reveal your glory in the world.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace;
that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation,
that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to your honor and glory.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours,
and grant that we may serve Christ in them,
and love one another as Christ loves us.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit;
give them courage and hope in their troubles,
and bring them the joy of your salvation.
In mercy, receive all who have died, that your will for them may be fulfilled;
and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
We pray all these prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
— adapted from “A Litany for the Church and for the World,” The United Methodist Book of Worship #495
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn
“What Wondrous Love Is This” (The United Methodist Hymnal #292)
To hear the song, use one of these links: https://hymnary.org/text/what_wondrous_love_is_this_o_my_soul_o_m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8FguGvkgjo;
or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-UmemwpAvA
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of life
to lay aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
to lay aside his crown for my for my soul.
To learn more about this hymn, see https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-what-wondrous-love-is-this