The Lord bless you today through the hearing of His word.
Please stand and face the processional cross.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Let us pray.
Most merciful God.
As the people of Jerusalem with their palms in their hands 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, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life.
Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
the Holy Gospel according to Saint John the 12th chapter.
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem so they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet with him crying out Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord even the king of Israel and Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it just as it is written.
Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.
The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.
The reason why the crowd went to him was that they heard
He had done this sign.
So the Pharisees said to one another, you see that you are gaining nothing.
Look, the world has gone after him.
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Let us go forth in peace.
of children made sweet holes and are free.
of children.
Do you before your passion
the children.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you sent your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross, mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
The Old Testament reading is from Zechariah chapter nine.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation as he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the full of a donkey.
I will cut off from the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off.
And he shall speak peace to the nations, his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.
Today, I declare that I will restore to you double.
This is the word of the Lord.
The epistle is from Philippians chapter two.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus?
Who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, even being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore,
God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
This is the word of the Lord.
We now sing stanza one of hymn 440, Jesus I will ponder now.
You know what it says.
the Holy Gospel, according to St.
Matthew, the 26th and 27th chapters.
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest whose name was Caiaphas and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
But they said, not during the feast, let's there be an uproar among the people.
And when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
A woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, why this waste?
For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.
But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, why do you trouble the woman?
For she has done a beautiful thing to me.
For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.
Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.
And one of the 12, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, what will you give me if I deliver him over to you?
And they paid him 30 pieces of silver.
And for that moment,
he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus saying, where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?
He said, go into the city to a certain man and say to him, the teacher says, my time is at hand.
I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.
And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the 12.
And as they were eating, he said truly,
I say to you, one of you will betray me."
They were very sorrowful and began to say to him, one after another, is it I, Lord?
He answered, he who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.
The son of man goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed.
It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.
Judas, who would betray him, answered, is it I, Rabbi?
He said to him,
You have said so.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and after blessing it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body.
And he took a cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, drink of it all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day.
when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom.
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
And Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because of me this night.
For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.
But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.
Peter answered him, though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.
Jesus said to him, truly, I tell you, this very night before the rooster crows,
you will deny me three times."
Peter said to him, even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.
And all the disciples said the same.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray.
And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death.
Remain here and watch with me.
And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, my father, if it be possible.
Let this cup pass from me.
Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, so could you not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.
The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Again, for the second time he went away and prayed, my Father, if this cannot pass until, unless I drink it, your will be done.
And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
Believing them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
Then he came to the disciples and said to them, Sleep and take your rest later on.
See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Rise, let us be going.
See, my betrayer is at hand.
While he was still speaking Judas came one of the 12 and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the elders of the people The betrayer had given them a sign saying the one I will kiss is the man sees him And he came up to Jesus at once and said greetings rabbi and he kissed him Jesus said to him friend do what you came to do Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him
And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
And Jesus said to him, put your sword back into its place for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
You think that I cannot appeal to my father and he will at once send me more than 12 legions of angels.
But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?
At that hour.
Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me?
Day after day I sat in the temple teaching and you did not seize me.
But all this has taken place that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and elders had gathered Peter was following him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death But they found none so many false witnesses came forward
At last, two came forward and said, this man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.
And the high priest stood up and said, have you no answer to make?
What is it that these men testify against you?
But Jesus remained silent.
And the high priest said to him, I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus said to him, you have said so.
But I tell you from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven And the high priest tore his robes and said he has uttered blasphemy What further witnesses do we need?
You have now heard his blasphemy.
What is your judgment?
They answered he deserves death And they spit in his face and struck him and some slapped him saying prophesy to us you Christ
Who is it that struck you?
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard and a servant girl came up to him and said you also were with Jesus the Galilean He denied it before them all saying I do not know what you mean When he went out to the entrance another servant girl saw him and she said to the bystander This man was with Jesus of Nazareth and again.
He denied it with an oath.
I do not know the man after a little while
The bystanders came up and said to Peter, certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.
Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, I do not know the man.
And immediately the rooster crowed.
Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, before the rooster crowed, you will deny me three times.
And he went out and wept bitterly.
When morning came all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death They bound him and led him away and delivered him over to pilot the governor And when Judas his betrayer saw that Jesus was condemned he changed his mind and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood They said what is that to us see to it yourself?
And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed.
And he went and hanged himself.
But the chief priest, taking the pieces of silver, said it is not lawful to put them into the treasury since it is blood money.
So they took counsel and brought with them the potters field as a burial place for strangers.
Therefore, that field has been called the field of blood to this day.
Then was fulfilled.
what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah saying, and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.
Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus said, you have said so.
But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer, and Pilate said to him,
Do not hear how many things they testify against you.
But he gave him no answer, not even a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
Now, at the feast, the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus, who was called Christ?
Or he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, have nothing to do with that righteous man.
for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."
Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
The governor again said to them, which of the two do you want me to release for you?
And they said, Barabbas, Pilate said to them, then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?
And they all said, let him be crucified.
And he said, why?
What evil has he done?
But they shouted all the more, let him be crucified.
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man's blood, see to it yourselves.
And all the people answered, his blood be on us and on our children.
Then he released for them Barabbas and have excursed Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters and they gathered the whole battalion before him and they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
In twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews.
And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him
and led him away to crucify him.
As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.
They compelled this man to carry his cross.
And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means place of a skull, they offered him wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.
Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And over his head, they put the charge against him, which read, this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.
And two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.
And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself.
If you are the son of God, come down from the cross.
So also, the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him, saying,
He saved others.
He cannot save himself.
He is the king of Israel.
Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
He trusts in God.
Let God deliver him now, if he desires him.
For he said, I am the son of God.
And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lemma sapatani, that is my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
And some of the bystanders hearing it said, this man is calling Elijah.
One of them once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.
But others said, wait.
to see whether Elijah will come to save him.
Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth shook.
The rocks were split.
The tombs also were opened.
And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
When the Centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, truly, this was the Son of God.
There were also many women there, looking on from a distance who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock.
They rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
Next day, that is, after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, Sir, we remember how that impostor said while he was still alive, after three days I will rise.
Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people he has risen from the dead.
And the last fraud will be worse than the first.
Pilate said to them, you have a guard of soldiers.
Go make it as secure as you can.
They went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
You may be seated.
Grace to you in peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Behold, your King is coming to you humble, mounted on a donkey, our Lord.
The long-awaited King arrives.
He's fulfilling the prophetic words that have been written about him, but who, if anyone in this large crowd really knew who this was and what he had come to do?
Our Lord had set aside all the glory of heaven.
took on human flesh and came in this humble way as he entered Jerusalem, the holy city, on his way to his cross and the passion where he would complete his fulfillment and be glorified in his crucifixion.
Many who were in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, they knew the holy scriptures.
They knew these scriptures, what a prophesied of the one to come and what he must do and Jesus himself had told his disciples,
even on the way to Jerusalem, what was going to happen.
Matthew records, and as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, see, we're going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.
And he will be raised on the third day.
They followed the Lord.
They followed the Lord Jesus into his holy city, where he will be handed over to his voluntary suffering and death for the sins of the world.
This foreshadows his entry into the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, by the way of his cross and passion, his resurrection and ascension.
Hosanna, save I pray to the king of Israel.
will be fulfilled in the hour of his cross.
The procession of palms, points, and leads to the passion of our Lord.
Today, the Sunday of the Passion begins our most sacred time of the year as we hear, gaze upon, and even participate in the events that changed all history.
Bring forgiveness, life, and salvation.
And through the passion events, our Lord and Savior redeemed us, lost and condemned persons, purchased us from sin, death and the devil and made us his own to live in his kingdom and everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness.
Jesus went to the cross and willing submission to the will of the Father.
He committed no crime.
It was without sin.
And he allowed himself to be arrested, tried, beaten, mocked, crucified, that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.
The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, was laid upon the altar of the cross.
The sins of the world were placed upon him.
He was offered up as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world.
And as Jesus bore our sins, he was forsaken by God the Father, separated from him.
experiencing hell so that we would not have to.
And his bloody sacrifice was accepted by God the Father.
And Jesus gained access to you, for you, into the presence of God himself and his heavenly kingdom.
As Jesus yielded up his spirit, the curtain of the temple was torn into from top to bottom, signifying that through Jesus, the barrier to God's kingdom is removed.
The cross is also the throne of our King.
There, in a suffering of death, King Jesus revealed his glory.
As we heard, Christ Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
This Jesus Christ who reigns as king over all has redeemed us, lost and condemned people.
He has purchased and won us from all sins, from death and the power of the devil, with his holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death that we may be his own and live under him in his kingdom.
and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.
May him be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
May the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Please stand for prayer.
Let us pray for the whole people, the whole church of God and Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, you have given us the peace that passes understanding in Christ our Lord.
Manifest this peace among the nations to bring an end to war and violence.
Unite your church in peace and harmony and give your calm to the troubled hearts of your people that they may serve you in peace and quietness.
Lord in your mercy.
Heavenly Father, you have revealed the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations, guard your church against all her enemies, empower her in the proclamation of the saving gospel, and in the works of mercy that make known your love to those still in darkness in the shadow of death.
Lord, in your mercy.
Merciful Lord, sustain all fathers, mothers, and children, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors.
laborers and employers, teachers and students.
Enable us all to serve our neighbors in godly vocations, delighting in the Lord's loving kindness, Lord in your mercy.
Lord God our King, your Son entered Jerusalem as the true ruler, ready to lay down his life for his people.
Grant this same mind to those in authority over us, that they would discharge their duties even for the least among us.
and so receive your commendation.
Lord in your mercy.
Oh God, draw near to those in trial and peril.
Forsake not the brokenhearted, nor those in any kind of need.
Hear their humble cries.
Come quickly to their aid and rescue those who delight in you, especially Vicki, Lynn, Anita, Lois, Larry, Lewis, Chuck, Marlis, Tim, Greg, Doris, Matthew, Megan, Mark, Ethel, Bob,
Peter, Fred, Harold, Joan, Greg, Linda, Jaden, Rick, Lorfinn, Lacey, Marilyn, Marlene, George, Ann, and Florence.
Lord in your mercy.
Father, you reveal your righteousness in the suffering and kingly death of your son Jesus.
By this sacrament, increase our faith, fill us with your righteousness, and lead us to proclaim his death until he comes.
Lord, in your mercy.
O Lord, as once your son was welcomed with palms and hosannas, so open the hearts of all who hear your word, that by the Holy Spirit they may believe in Jesus Christ and come to him.
Restore the fallen and bring back to the faith those who have rejected the gospel for the prison of error and idolatry.
Lord, in your mercy.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We praise you, Father, that you have sent your son, not in wrath, but in mercy.
As we enter this most holy week and ponder together the mysteries of your great salvation, show us the answer to your people's prayers of Hosanna in the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
You may be seated as the offering is collected.
the Lord be with you lift up your hearts let us give thanks unto the Lord our God
It is truly meat, right, and salutary that we should at all times and at all places give thanks to you, Holy Lord, Almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who accomplished the salvation of mankind by the tree of the cross, that where death arose, their life also might arise again, and that the serpent who overcame by the tree of the garden might likewise by the tree of the cross be overcome.
Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify your glorious name, ever more praising you and saying.
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.
Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night when he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said,
This is my body which is given for you this due and remembrance of me.
In the same way also he took the cup after supper and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying drink of it all of you.
This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
as do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Welcome to the team.
Thank you for tuning in to the Divine Service at Zion Lutheran Church in Chippewa Falls.
May the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
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