In Today’s Worship: It is amazing that of all the honor, fame, and power Jesus deserved, instead He chose to die on the cross to pay for your sins. He chose the nails. What amazing love! Today we recall both our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His Passion. This day is called both Palm Sunday as well as the Sunday of the Passion. These two names reveal a two-fold focus. Today’s worship begins by commemorating King Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. There He is beheld and welcomed by commemorating King Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The worshipers paved His pathway both with palm branches and articles of their clothing, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Similarly, we wave our own palm branches with which we proclaim the glory and honor due our blessed Savior, who comes among us in His Word and Sacraments. Nevertheless, as that first Palm Sunday pageantry shortly gave way to the persecution of Passion Week, so also today’s worship swiftly transitions from tones of triumph to those of lamentation.
