WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
OPENING HYMN: “ALL GLORY, LAUD AND HONOR”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
Sovereign God,
you have established your rule in the human heart through the servanthood of Jesus Christ. By your Spirit, keep us in the joyful procession of those who with their tongues confess Jesus as Lord and with their lives praise him as Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING - Zechariah 9:9-10, 16-17
Our first reading is from Zechariah.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
16 On that day the LORD their God will save them for they are the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.
17 For what goodness and beauty are his! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
PSALM 118:1-2, 19-29
A reading from Psalm 118; please read responsively.
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good;
God's mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now declare,
"God's mercy endures forever."
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord.
20 "This is the gate of the Lord;
here the righteous may enter."
21 I give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and you have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 By the Lord has this been done;
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 Hosanna! O Lord, save us!
We pray to you, Lord, prosper our days!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God and has given us light.
Form a procession with branches up to the corners of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will thank you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good;
God's mercy endures forever.
GOSPEL READING – MARK 11: 1-11
The holy gospel according to Mark 11:1–11.
Glory to you, O Lord.
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2 and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.
3 If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'"
4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it,
5 some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"
6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.
7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.
9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
"Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"
11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
MESSAGE – PASTOR KARL
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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 (inspired by Philippians 2:5-11)
We pray together for the church, the world, and all in need...
Gracious God, we pray that you would hear our prayers,
and graft in our minds the same mind that is in you,
that we might be vessels of your humility and grace.
As Christ emptied himself, trading in the form of God for the form of a slave; we pray for the Church, and all her people and ministers.
Form us into a Church that empties itself for others, and for you.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Your Son was born in human likeness, and found in human form; we pray for the whole human family, for the nations of the earth,and for all who live in the midst of disaster, famine, or terror.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Even after humbling himself in the incarnation, our Lord humbled himself even to the point of death; we pray for our nation, our leaders,
and all the people who live within these borders. Bless us with your humility.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Your humility and your love for us was so broad and deep, even to death. We pray for those who we love who have died,and as you were highly exalted, may they rest with you in glory.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In Christ’s exaltation, he was given the name that is above every name; we pray in Jesus’ name for those who are poor,those who are hungry, and those who are hurting in any way.
Give them your grace.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray, for those who are sick (especially…); give them the gift of healing, strength, and life.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
You humbled yourself in the manger, and you humbled yourself on the cross; and to you O Lord we bend our knee with those above and those below, to the glory of God the Father Almighty.
Amen.
— written by Rick Morley, and posted on his blog, www.rickmorley.com.
LORD’S PRAYER
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
SHARING THE PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you all.
And also with you.
OFFERING
Thank you for your generous support of the ministry and mission of St. John Lutheran Church.
SENDING WORDS
As the last echo of the final alleluia fades, so does our hope that this journey can end in any other way. The week stretches ahead glory-less and pain-full. Whether we walk with all faith or none we look towards the cross, knowing it is both the most human and most divine of all journeys. Travel the road with courage,with love, and with the uneasy peace that is the gift of faith
into this holiest of weeks.
Amen.
~ written by Cheryl Lawrie http://holdthisspace.org.au/
POSTLUDE – “GO TO DARK GETHSEMANE”
We invite you to sit in prayer and silence and to depart when you are ready.