To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!

1.Thou art the King of Israel, thou David’s royal Son,

2. The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went;

our praise and prayers and anthems before thee we present. Refrain

3. To thee, before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise;

to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise. Refrain

4. Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayer we bring,

who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King! Refrain

WORDS OF WELCOME   

MINUTE for MISSION: One Great Hour of Sharing                                                     

CALL TO WORSHIP: Zechariah 9:9

ONE: Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!

MANY: Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

ONE: Lo, your king comes to you;

MANY: triumphant and victorious is he,

ONE: humble and riding on a donkey,

MANY: on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

ONE: The Lord be with you.

MANY: And also with you

We praise you, O God, for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ, who entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph and was proclaimed Messiah and king by those who spread garments and branches along his way. Let these branches be signs of his victory, and grant that we may follow him in the way of the cross, that, dying and rising with him, we may enter into your kingdom; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.  

HYMN [BLUE#13*] [GTG#106]  “Prepare the Way, O Zion”          

1 Prepare the way, O Zion, your Christ is drawing near!

Let every hill and valley a level way appear.

Greet one who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story.

O blessed is Christ who came, in God’s most holy name. 

2 He brings God’s rule, O Zion; he comes from heaven above.

His rule is peace and freedom, and justice, truth, and love.

Lift high your praise resounding 

for grace and joy abounding 

O blessed is Christ who came, in God’s most holy name. 

3 Fling wide your gates, O Zion; 

your Savior’s rule embrace,

and tidings of salvation proclaim in every place.

All lands will bow rejoicing, their adoration voicing.

O blessed is Christ who came, in God’s most holy name.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

RESPONSE (While Children leave) [BLUE#] [GTG#591]

“Halle, Halle, Hallelujah!”

Halle, halle, hale-lujah! 

Halle, halle, hale-lujah!

Halle, halle, hale-lujah!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah! 

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

SCRIPTURE [Pew Bible NT pg.21 or 23]   Matthew 21:1-17

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.’

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, ‘It is written,

“My house shall be called a house of prayer”;

   but you are making it a den of robbers.’

The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’, they became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read,

“Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies

   you have prepared praise for yourself”?’

He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON:     “Parody Parade”     The Rev. Aaron Ochart

 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW   

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH   Theological Declaration of Barmen

6. “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Matt. 28:20.) “The word of God is not fettered.” (II Tim. 2:9.) 

The church’s commission, upon which its freedom is founded, consists in delivering the message of the free grace of God to all people in Christ’s stead, and therefore in the ministry of his own Word and work through sermon and Sacrament.

We reject the false doctrine, as though the church in human arrogance could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of any arbitrarily chosen desires, purposes, and plans. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY  Excerpt from “Sing Hosanna to the King” Lloyd Larson

OFFERTORY RESPONSE [GTG 701] “Lord Prepare Me”

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, 

pure and holy, tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORDS 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN [GTG #218]  “Ah Holy Jesus” 

1. Ah holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, 

that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?

By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted!

2. Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?

Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.

‘Twas I Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee. 

3. Lo, the Good shepherd for the sheep is offered;

the slave hath sinned, and the Son has suffered;

for our atonement, while we nothing heeded, 

God interceded.

4. For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,

thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation,

thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion, 

for my salvation.

5. Therefore kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, 

I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,

think on thy pity and thy love unswerving, 

not my deserving.

PARTING PRAYER (Richard of Chichester c. 1197-1253)

Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have won for us, for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know you more clearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen. 

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [GTG#227] “Jesus, Remember Me”

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. 

POSTLUDE:   Rondeau from “Sinfonie de Fanfares” by Mouret