Words of Welcome

  Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Philippians 2:5-11 We begin Holy Week today by waving palm branches and singing “All Glory, Laud, and Honor.” While Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we know that this path led to the cross of Good Friday. But, for a moment we get to join in the parade welcoming Jesus into the city and into our lives.   The reading from the 118th Psalm declares that God “is good; his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 118:1). It’s this steadfast love that endures forever that provides the foundation for our journey of faith with Jesus as we join him on the festal path of obedience. As we travel with Jesus through the gates of righteousness, we can join Jesus as he heads toward the Temple, so we can give thanks to God who is our salvation (Ps. 118:19-21). Therefore, let us give thanks to God, because “this is the day the LORD has made, [so] let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:22-24). The reading from Philippians 2 offers us a h...

Matthew 21:1-11 This is probably the most confusing day in the church year. Some churches celebrate Palm Sunday by waving palm branches and shouting hosanna to the king of kings. Other churches observe Passion Sunday, with its emphasis on Jesus’ death on the cross. But maybe these two emphases belong together, because they reflect the tension that exists between how humans view power and how Jesus viewed it.  The reading from Matthew describes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which suggests that we’ll be focusing on the triumphal part of the story. But, there is a catch, because Jesus’ vision of triumph is different from the way most humans understand it.  The story begins with Jesus and his disciples drawing near to Jerusalem, which will soon be celebrating Passover. When the group arrived at Bethphage, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out his advance team to locate a donkey and her colt, and then bring the animals to him. When the animals arrived, Jesus ...

Luke 19:28-40 Concerning the sermon title – this isn’t a sermon about the Rolling Stones!  They may have something to say, but I don’t think it’s connected to Palm Sunday! When you drive into the church parking lot, do you notice those two gargoyle blocks of stone sitting on the circle?  Do you ever wonder why they’re there?  I think they come from the old church, and they serve as a reminder of our connection to that former place of worship and service.  We don’t talk about those stones, but they do have a story to tell. Stones might be inanimate objects, but they do tell stories.   When I go to England next fall on my sabbatical, I plan to visit Stonehenge.  That stone structure draws visitors from all over the world, and everyone wonders who built it and why.  These stones have a story to tell, but we must use our imagination to hear it.       Or, what about the stone monuments in Washington, D.C.? ...