All glory, laud, and honor,
to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children
made sweet hosannas ring.
And as he rode [into Jerusalem), they spread their garments on the road. As he was now drawing near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:36-38, RSV)
This morning, gathered with my stepmother and sisters, we watched the Palm Sunday worship service broadcast by First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte. As the congregation sang (and we hummed) "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" the choir processed with the childrens choir waving palm fronds.
We begin Holy week with Palm Sunday processionals around the world (in my home church, the congregation processes with the choir, walking under outstretched palm branches). The temptation is to enjoy the hosannas of Palm Sunday and ignore Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the somber services during which we reflect on the Passion of Christ. But to truly celebrate Easter we must fully participate in what leads up to it.
The only way you can be delivered from that sin is to have your false expectations destroyed, once and for all. And that is precisely what happened between Palm Sunday and Good Friday . Jesus drew the false, sinful expectations of the world unto himself, absorbed them, and bore them on the cross. His death was the death of all of our false expectations, and therefore his death was the death of sin itself. The false piety of Palm Sunday is crucified on Good Friday and buried that night, in order that true faith in God might be created on Easter through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Edwin Peterman
We go through this Holy Week knowing that on Easter Eve we will gather with extended family and friends to celebrate the life of my father. And we will celebrate, even in the midst of our grief. We will celebrate his life with us and his new life with Christ.
to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children
made sweet hosannas ring.
This morning, gathered with my stepmother and sisters, we watched the Palm Sunday worship service broadcast by First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte. As the congregation sang (and we hummed) "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" the choir processed with the childrens choir waving palm fronds.
We begin Holy week with Palm Sunday processionals around the world (in my home church, the congregation processes with the choir, walking under outstretched palm branches). The temptation is to enjoy the hosannas of Palm Sunday and ignore Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the somber services during which we reflect on the Passion of Christ. But to truly celebrate Easter we must fully participate in what leads up to it.
The only way you can be delivered from that sin is to have your false expectations destroyed, once and for all. And that is precisely what happened between Palm Sunday and Good Friday . Jesus drew the false, sinful expectations of the world unto himself, absorbed them, and bore them on the cross. His death was the death of all of our false expectations, and therefore his death was the death of sin itself. The false piety of Palm Sunday is crucified on Good Friday and buried that night, in order that true faith in God might be created on Easter through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Edwin Peterman
We go through this Holy Week knowing that on Easter Eve we will gather with extended family and friends to celebrate the life of my father. And we will celebrate, even in the midst of our grief. We will celebrate his life with us and his new life with Christ.
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