Passion Sunday/Palm Sunday

 

Opening Prayer

Savior,

You brought us out of the desert,

gave us living water,

cured us of our blindness,

and called us from out of our graves into new life.

May we be fully aware of the sacrifice you have given,

so we may truly live,

the life you want us to live,

in joyful abundance!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 50:4-7

• How can you identify with this scripture? Are you feeling weary as the season of Lent comes to a close?
• Does this scripture give you any encouragement to keep on with your Lenten disciplines?

 Philippians 2:6-11

• Name qualities of a humble person. Do you have any of these qualities?  Do you know anyone who does?
• How do you show Jesus you love him? How does he show you he loves you?

 Matthew 26:14-27:66 (27:11-54)

• Choose an action from the Gospel reading that reflects something going on in your life right now.
• How have you rejected Jesus today? Yesterday?  This week?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• What gets in your way when you try to give your time to Jesus in prayer? What distracts you?
• If you don’t feel well, do you want others not to feel well along with you?
• Consider the conversations you’ve had in the last 24 hours…how many of them included a complaint by you or another person?
• How much of your prayer life is complaining or whining to God?
• What causes you to feel weary? Make a list of the things that drain you.
• How do you feel when you are accused of something you didn’t do?
• When have you felt rejected? Who rejected you?
• Have you experienced a time when you were able to turn your back to people or actions which had taken control over you? How were you able to overcome?  How can you continue to resist the temptation to give up or give in?
• How do you respond to people who question the existence of God because He allows suffering?
• Share a time when you have changed your perspective, like those in Jerusalem.(one day they are praising Jesus and another they are condemning him)
• What in your life is worth dying for? How do you determine worth?
• Do you know anyone who is selfless? What qualities do they have that you can model?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  May I be emptied…

ALL:  so I can be refilled with humility.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

 ALL:  so I can be refilled with obedience.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

 ALL:  so I can be refilled with hospitality.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

ALL:  so I can be refilled with forgiveness.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

ALL:  so I can be refilled with acceptance.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

ALL:  so I can be refilled with trust.

Leader:  May I be emptied…

ALL:  so I can be refilled with faith.

 

Challenge for the Week:  The Romans hung Jesus on the cross to bring attention to him, ridicule and humiliate.  Even in this state, Jesus was able to forgive those who had scourged, tortured and spat on him.  How do we act when someone lies to us, cheats or tells lies about us?  What do we do when people throw daggers at us with their words and actions?  How do we forgive those who hurt us?  On the flip side, what do our actions say?  Do we consistently treat others kindly or are we guilty of spreading rumors or gossiping?  Do we turn the other way when someone is being treated unjustly?  This week, take some time to really look at your actions; what are they really saying?  Do we look more like Jesus in these readings or like those condemning him?  Make a commitment to make a permanent change in how you treat others, even if it is a baby step.  Take the opportunity given to pray more intently this last week of Lent to make a positive change.