03/29/26

As We Gather

Today we enter the Great and Holy Week of our faith, the very heart and center of God’s greatest act since the Creation itself—the salvation of mankind by the overthrow of sin, death, and the devil, and the restoration of all creation through the power of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. As we join the crowds welcoming Jesus, the one who comes in the name of the Lord, we plan to get swept up in the drama of the story many know so well. Today sets up for us the week of His Passion!   

Activity Bags We value children in our worship services. If needed, there is a family room available for families with children. The family room has a diaper changing table, a closed-circuit TV to watch the worship service, toys and books for children. The family room is located across from the kitchen in the long hallway, the first door on the right, just past the bathrooms. There are “King’s Kids” bags with activities for children to help them worship. They are near the usher’s station on a small rack. Please return the bag to the rack after the service.

Holy Communion The Scripture teaches the Lord’s Supper is a precious gift of God in which Christ gives us His true body and blood (in a miraculous way), together with the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Because the Bible teaches that this Sacrament may also be spiritually harmful if misused ( 1 Cor: 11:27), and that participation in the Lord’s Supper is an act of confession of faith, we ordinarily commune those who have been instructed in the teachings of our church and who have confessed their faith in these teachings. If you have a question, please speak to Pastor Ralph before the service. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic alternative, there is grape juice at the center of each tray. Those not receiving the Sacrament, including children, are invited to come to the altar, cross their arms over their chest, and receive a special blessing.

A Christian Lives a Self-Effacing Life “A Christian does not love himself except in God. In himself he only hates himself, that is, since he himself is dishonest and vain but God is truthful, he loves none of those things which he himself desires and knows but looks for those things which are contrary to him… Thus the saints loved, and desired the cross, death, folly, and shame although they only ruined themselves by them, because they reduced themselves to nothing that God might be All in all. And this is the thought in the words of Christ: “He that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” Matt 10:39 What Luther Says # 660

Palm Sunday

March 29, 2026

✠ PROCESSION OF PALMS ✠

(the church processes singing from outside and into the Sanctuary)

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

C:   Hosanna to the Son of David.

Processional Hymn                     Hosanna, Loud Hosanna                                     LSB   443  

Hosanna, loud hosanna,    The little children sang:

Through pillared court and temple     The lovely anthem rang.

To Jesus, Who had blessed them,     Close folded to His breast,

The children sang their praises,    The simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed    Mid an exultant crowd,

The victor palm branch waving    And chanting clear and loud.

The Lord of earth and heaven   Rode on in lowly state

Nor scorned that little children    Should on His bidding wait.

“Hosanna in the highest!”     That ancient song we sing;

For Christ is our Redeemer,    The Lord of heav’n our King.

Oh, may we ever praise Him    With heart and life and voice

And in His blissful presence    Eternally rejoice!

Holy Gospel                                 (The triumphal entry)                                   John 12:12–19

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” ¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, ¹⁵ Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” ¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” 

Invocation, Confession and Absolution

P:   We gather in the name and at the invitation of our great and gracious triune God:

C:   In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

P:   Today is the beginning of Holy Week. We recall how our Savior gave His life so that our sins would be forgiven, and heaven opened to us.

C:   Even during worship, our minds wander to other concerns.

P:   These concerns are already known to God. Give them into His loving hands for resolution, and turn your hearts and minds to focus on our Lord’s determination to free us from every sin. Confident of the forgiveness He won through His glorious death and resurrection, let us  admit our sinful condition to Him and to one another.

C:   I confess to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am mired in sin and incapable of saving myself. Heavenly Father, for Jesus’ sake and because of His sacrifice for us fallen creatures, we beg You to forgive, strengthen, and turn us to Your will so that we may follow our Savior in loving service to You and to one another.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   As a called and ordained servant of Christ, who gave Himself over to death that we might have eternal life, and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn of Praise                           All Glory, Laud, and Honor             LSB 442   vs 1, 3-5

Prayer of the Day

All:  Most merciful God, as the people of Jerusalem, gathered to greet Your dearly beloved Son when He came into His Holy City, grant that we may ever hail Him as our King and, when He comes again, may go forth to meet Him with trusting and steadfast hearts as we continue to follow Him in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

OT Lesson                                  (The servant’s obedience)                                 Isaiah 50:4–9

The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. ⁵ The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. ⁶ I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. ⁷ Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. ⁸ He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! ⁹ It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.

NT Lesson                     (The humiliation and exaltation of Jesus)           Philippians 2:5–11

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Holy Gospel                           (The Son of Man must be lifted up.)                      John 12:20–33
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. ²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. ²⁷ “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. ³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. ³² But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

Message Song                    Sing To the King/ Hosanna                        Foote-Horn/Tuttle

Sing to the King who is coming to reign      Glory to Jesus the Lamb that was slain
Life and salvation His empire shall bring     And joy to the nations when Jesus is King

Chorus         Come let us sing a song    A song declaring we belong to Jesus
He is all we need      Lift up a heart of praise
Sing now with voices raised to Jesus     Sing to the King

For His returning we watch and we pray   We will be ready the dawn of that day
We’ll join in singing with all the redeemed   ‘Cause Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King    Chorus

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!

Lord, we lift up Your name     With hearts full of praise.

Be exalted, O Lord, my God!      Hosanna in the highest!

Glory, glory!  Glory to the King of kings!

Glory, glory!  Glory to the King of kings!

Lord, we lift up Your name      With hearts full of praise!   

Be exalted, O Lord our God!     Hosanna in the highest!

CCLI Song # 4010902 © 2003 sixsteps Music | worshiptogether.com songs.  CCLI Song # 21545© 1985 Shadow Spring MusicFor use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License # 11390779

Message                               When Much Is Made About Jesus

1. 1.      When much is made about Jesus, people    show     up        !
2. 2.      When much is made about Jesus, the    opposition    shows up as well.
3. 3.      When much is made about Jesus, those who continue in Christ do so because no     one   else    has the words    of    eternal    life    .

Notes:

The Apostle’s Creed    (on screen)

Offering 

Offertory                            Praise God from Whom All Blessings flow         LSB 805 (8:00)

                                                         Antiphonal Hosanna            Ascension Choir         (10:30) 

Prayers of the Church  

After each petition:

 P:  Lord, in your mercy,

 C:  hear our prayer.   

The 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.

The Lord’s Supper

Preface                                                                      page 194 in the hymnal

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  ♪ And with thy spirit.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  ♪ We lift them up unto the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  ♪ It is meet and right so to do.

P:  It is truly good, right, and salutary …. And with the host of heaven we sing:

Sanctus — Holy, Holy, Holy                                          page 195 in the hymnal

C:  ♪ Ho -ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of Sa – ba – oth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.   

          Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is

          He who cometh in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

The Words of Institution (Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper)

Pax Domini—The Peace of the Lord                    page 197 in the hymnal

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.C:  ♪ Amen.

Agnus Dei – Lamb of God                                                             page 198 in the hymnal                                      

C:  ♪ O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world; have mercy upon us.

         O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world; 

         grant us Thy peace.  A – men.

Distribution Hymn                  Christ, the Life of All the Living                              LSB 420

                                                         Palm Sunday Proclamation   (Ascension Choir) (10:30)

Nunc Dimittis                                                                                  page 199 in the hymnal        

C: ♪ Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.                                                                                                                                          

 Post Communion Collect

All:  All praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, our King divine, for Your great deliverance of all by the sacrifice of Your own life on the cross, bringing the forgiveness of our sins to us now in Your precious body and blood. As You humbled Yourself, becoming obedient to the point of death, grant that we have the same mind, that we hold fast to the Word of life and serve You with thanksgiving and praise; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Benedicamus

P:   Let us bless the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction                                                                                                   Numbers 6:24–26

P:   The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and ✠ give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Passion Sending           Ride On, Ride On in Majesty                             LSB 441

Announcements 

Dismissal

P:   Go in peace as you serve the Lord.      

C:   Thanks be to God!   

Postlude

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”