Christians celebrate Palm Sunday the Sunday before Easter, remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event is mentioned in all four Gospels. (Mark 11:1–11; Matthew 21:1–11; Luke 19:28–44; and John 12:12–19).

Palm Sunday is also the first day of Holy Week, a time when many Christians reflect on the last week of Jesus’ life in preparation for Easter.

I pray these resources are helpful to your meaningful celebrations. – Lisa <><

PRAYERS
Opening Prayer for Palm Sunday by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
ONE:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
In Jesus Christ, you rule and reign,
Not as a tyrant, but as a humble servant
Riding on a donkey, washing feet, suffering from injustice
Open our hearts this day, take your throne
Open our lips this day with shouts of praise

ALL:
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!

Palm Sunday Prayer– a prayer of petition on the theme Hosanna, Save Now! by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
What did they cry out that first Palm Sunday?
Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who comes in the Name of the Lord!
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Hosanna in the Highest!
Hosanna! Save Now!

Jesus, save us
Save us from the oppression of the Romans
Save us from the corruption of the Temple
Save us from slavery to sin and death
Save us from hunger and thirst
Save us

What are you crying out for God to save?

add our own petitions

Jesus, you are our Living Hope
You are One Who Saves

Salvation means wholeness
Lord, we need it
We need it for ourselves
We need it for our families
We need it for our places of work
For our schools
For our community
For your church
For those who are suffering in body, in mind, in spirit
For our world

For an end to the evil, injustice, and oppression
For an end to the hate, the division, the despairing

Lord, we need your salvation
We need your wholeness and we need it now
In our mourning, our grieving,
In our lamenting, and in our loss

We need it in our rejoicing and our celebration
We need your salvation
We need your wholeness

You are the Lamb of God
You are the King of Kings
You are the Christ, the Anointed One, the Savior of us all

We cling to you and we cling to your cross
We cry Hosanna! Save Now!

Make this real in us
Real in your church
Real in your world

conclude with the Lord’s Prayer

Consider using Blessed is the King by Steve Garnaas Holmes as an affirmation of faith or prayer of commitment. Coming Kingdom is a powerful call to action. He also supplies several resources entitled Hosanna on his blog, Unfolding Light:
Resource 1
Resource 2
Resource 3
Resource 4

READER’S THEATRE SCRIPTURE SCRIPTS
Reader’s Theatre: Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Based on Matthew 21:1-11 NIV
Parts: Narrator, Jesus, Prophet, All (congregation as the crowd)

NARRATOR
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them

JESUS
Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.

NARRATOR
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

PROPHET
Say to the Daughter of Zion, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

NARRATOR
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

Introduction to the song begins
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds went ahead of him and those that followed shouted

ALL SHOUTING:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!

Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!

ALL SINGING:
Use one of the suggested songs or one of a similar theme. A choir anthem, solo, or song led by a praise band could also be used at this point.

Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, United Methodist Hymnal #278
Mantos y Palmas, United Methodist Hymnal #279
All Glory, Laud and Honor, United Methodist Hymnal #280
Hosanna (Praise is Rising), CCLI #4662491
Hosanna, CCLI #21545
Hosanna (Be Lifted Higher), CCLI 5780152

Speak the final lines during an interlude before the final verse or chorus of the song

NARRATOR
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

ALL:
This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.

Click Here for a Reader’s Theatre script which does not include singing and extends the story a few verses (Matthew 21:1-17).

PALM SUNDAY SERMONS
Pick Your Parade (Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:41-44; Psalm 146)

Jesus the King (Luke 19; Zechariah 9)

The Palm Sunday Path (Mark 11:1-10)

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Palm Sunday Prayer © 2019 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia.
Opening Prayer for Palm Sunday © 2015 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia.
You are welcome to use this work in worship or other devotional settings with proper attribution. Leave a message for posting and publication considerations.

Reader’s Theater: Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11)
© 2014 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia.

Adapted from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.