Re-Mixing Palm Sunday

We’re coming up on Palm Sunday, the day that kicks off Holy Week. It is often a time to literally parade the children with palm branches, making them part of the story. That can be wonderful, but I’m aware that we will likely not have any kids where I’m leading the service, which is tough when memories abound of those parades. Even if there are children to participate, how do we bring this day to life and not just redo last year (and the year before that and the year before that…)?

I tried to read Matthew’s account (21:1-11) with fresh eyes and the opening verses struck me. Picture this happening today. Two guys go into a village as per instructions. They see a donkey and a colt and take them from someone’s yard. Someone sees them and asks why they are doing this and they say, “The Lord needs them.” This person then can’t do enough to help. That this happened I find pretty miraculous. Now, Jesus knew the right place to send them, perhaps even an angel had visited the owner to give him a heads up. We don’t know. But this part of the story fascinates me.

As you prepare for worship this Sunday, think about engaging the whole congregation with all of Matthew 21:1-11. A parade with palm branches is fun, but disconnected from the rest of the story it lacks deeper meaning. For younger children the events of Holy Week are hard to comprehend, but they can understand that the parade is one chapter of the story, one part of a bigger picture.

This is the happiest part of Holy Week until Easter morning, so some celebration is in order! Consider handing out kazoos and small instruments, and pieces of fabric for people to lay down. Bring colour and movement to everyone, not just those in the parade. If you don’t have budget for palms, bulletins will do for waving. Get people to say the words of the crowd, to be disciples and to be those troubled within the gates of Jerusalem asking questions (perhaps the choir in the loft?).  

Talk after or during the acting out of the story about some or all of the following. Engage with all ages and not just the children:

a) The disciples got a donkey and colt because the Lord needed them. What do you think the Lord needs from His disciples today? What might Jesus be asking of us?

b) This story fulfills a prophecy from Zechariah 9 made hundreds of years before. God did not forget to make this come true. What other promises has God kept in other Bible stories, especially in the New Testament? How is Jesus like a king and how is He not?

c) Talk about what “Hosanna to the Son of David!” means. Hosanna was used at the time as a blessing or acclamation. In the Psalms it more directly translates “Save us”. Son of David was the most common title for Messiah in Jesus’ day. What might the people have been thinking that Jesus could save them from? What might we want Jesus to save us from today?

d) The people said “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah and a prophet. Who today comes in the name of the Lord, representing Jesus? Do we bless these people and how?

e) The people there that day were able to see Jesus for who He was – not just the son of a carpenter from Nazareth. Today, we can have a harder time seeing Jesus and knowing who He is for us. Who is Jesus for people today?

Hopefully this will create some fertile ground for prayer.

As you begin to experience the events of Holy Week, try to take the time to savour them for yourself. It’s very easy to get busy with creating experiences for others and so focused on them that we don’t take the time to really unpack the story for us personally. Find that time to breathe yourself into what is going on. The more depth we find in our own walk and time of reflection, the more we can bring to our leaders and learners.

May God inspire you as you prepare to join the voices shouting “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”