Prayer & Thanksgiving
We rejoice with the Grace & Scott Hamman in the birth of their daughter Constance Dawn Hamman on April 3.
Pray for the Gibson-Davis family in the death of Rhett’s father on April 1.
Community
If you are in a position to provide extra community support, consider:
The Crop “Virtual” Walk on Sunday, April 5
Iglesia Emanual Food Bank
World Relief refugee families
& others. Find more details here.
About the Music
By Dave Stuntz, Director of Music Ministries
With the advantage of knowing what happened next, I think we can agree that Palm Sunday is a truly strange, conflicted day. A crowd spontaneously forms to exuberantly herald Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem (perceiving Him to be the one who would liberate them from the Romans), even as He weeps (see Luke 19). Not exactly a “triumphal” entry! Within several days, those same throaty praisers will shout, “Crucify!” You and I would have been in the thick of both gatherings. (And right about now, typing the word “gatherings” is kinda strange…) How do we mark such a day? How do we worship, especially when we cannot be together? Wherever you are, see yourself as at the gates of Jerusalem; you are part of the throng (even if it doesn’t feel very throngish right now), joyfully singing of Christ’s arrival into the city. Listen carefully to the words of Psalm 24. “Lift up your heads” becomes what those just outside Jerusalem may have done, looking up the hill to see Jesus descending from the Mount of Olives. The Man of Sorrows is hailed as King; the people (including each of us) are clearly looking to the Good Shepherd for comfort, when He alone knows what the next days will entail. “Yes, I will provide comfort, but not as you think, and at greater cost than you can imagine.” So our “worship posture” today swings from hands waving palms (improvise!), to prostrate on the floor (even in your living room) – shouts of praise, face-lowered confession, and deep gratitude. Feel the tension of the juxtaposition, captured so very well by Fred Pratt Green in “To Mock Your Reign”:
To mock Your reign, O dearest Lord, they made a crown of thorns;
Set You with taunts along that road from which no one returns.
They did not know, as we do now, that glorious is Your crown;
That thorns would flower upon Your brow, Your sorrows heal our own.
In mock acclaim, O gracious Lord, they snatched a purple cloak,
Your passion turned, for all they cared, into a soldier’s joke.
They did not know, as we do now, that though we merit blame
You will Your robe of mercy throw around our naked shame.
A sceptered reed, O patient Lord, they thrust into Your hand,
And acted out their grim charade to its appointed end.
They did not know, as we do now, though empires rise and fall,
Your Kingdom shall not cease to grow ‘til love embraces all.
Hosanna to the Savior’s Name ‘til heaven’s rafters ring,
And all the ransomed host proclaim “Behold, behold your King!”