As a member of one of our church's four worship teams, I am humbled and deeply honored to be entrusted with leading worship during one of the most cherished events in our Christian tradition, Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday, also known as the Triumphal Entry, marks the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem. Riding on a donkey, he is welcomed with shouts and songs of joy while cloaks and palm branches are laid in his path. This fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 (NIV), foretelling the arrival of a righteous and humble king. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! As Jesus enters Jerusalem, a city steeped in tradition, he is greeted with jubilant shouts and songs of joy. The path before him is covered with cloaks and palm branches, a sign of honor and respect. This scene, reminiscent of the Old Testament's treatment of kings. See 2 Kings 9:13 (NIV). They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!” This is a powerful affirmation of Jesus' kingship over Israel, the peak of his earthly ministry. Yet, amidst the celebration, there is a dark undertone. Jesus, in a recent prophecy, has foretold his own death. See Colossians 2:15 (NIV). And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. This act of 'triumph' (Colossians 2:15) is a challenge to the Roman authorities. It is a signal that his mission is not one of conquest but of sacrifice. This stark contrast between the joyous celebration and the impending tragedy of Jesus' death is the true significance of Palm Sunday, a day that is also known as Passion Sunday, marking the beginning of the end of Jesus' earthly journey. The palm tree, a symbol deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern cultures, has dual meanings on Palm Sunday. Palm branches symbolized eternal life in Egypt, and they were often seen in funeral processions. In Rome, they represented triumph and victory, a common feature in victory parades. Thus, on Palm Sunday, the palm branches embody mourning Jesus' impending death and celebrating his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This dual symbolism adds a layer of complexity to the event, making it a unique and significant part of Christian tradition.
On Palm Sunday, churches around the world commemorate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem with a variety of traditions. One such practice is the procession, often extending into neighborhoods, where participants sing and wave palm branches. This reenactment of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem not only brings the event to life but also allows the participants to feel a part of the story. Another tradition is the crafting of palm crosses, a symbol that reminds us of the branches strewn before Jesus and prefigures his crucifixion. These crosses, often made by children, serve as a tangible reminder of the significance of Palm Sunday and its place in the Christian faith. These diverse traditions, each with its own unique significance, contribute to the rich tapestry of Palm Sunday observances. As I guide the gathering in Palm Sunday worship, I am acutely conscious of the profound significance imbued within this sacred occasion.
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Sin! It is in all of us. Even the most perfect person we know deals with sin on one level or another. In 1 John 1:8 (English Standard Version), we read, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Moreover, Romans 3:10 (New International Version) says, As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous – not even one.” And Romans 3:23 (New International Version) says, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. All Have Sinned If we deal directly with sin, we must think of sin as a living being. Look square in the face of sin and see it for what it is. Call it out. What is it doing? What is it saying? And how does it make us feel? It is safe to answer, “My sin makes me feel great!” to the question about how sin makes us feel. Let’s be honest. Quite often, when we are in the midst of our sins, we feel fantastic. We enjoy doing what we are doing as we are doing it. But, at the end of the day, after we are all done sinning, we are left feeling worse for having engaged in the sin, and the compulsion to seek forgiveness surfaces. It is a relentless cycle that weakens our souls with each encounter with sin. Let me share an example of how this might play out. Let’s say your sin is the sin of revenge. People who seek revenge feel that the bible verse found in Matthew 5:38 allows them to take action against people who mistreated them. Matthew 5:38 says, You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ Let me quickly share that this bible verse is not about taking revenge on others. No. This bible verse is meant as a guide for judges to set appropriate fines to punish someone who caused harm to another. It is a way to establish a punishment fit for the crime. It does not mean that if someone does something that causes you to lose your eye, you now stick a stake in their eye, causing them to lose their eye. A more appropriate fine would be for the person to pay for your medical bills and all that is required to help you regain or accommodate your loss of sight. Let's read what the New International Version of Romans 12:17-19 says about seeking revenge. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Proverbs 20:22 (New International Version) says, Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you. Revenge Won’t Solve Your Problem Revenge won’t solve your problem. Quite often, while you are in the midst of revenge, it feels like you have conquered your opponent. In fact, revenge facilitates increased anger and retaliation—another vicious cycle. In talking to people who have sought revenge and won, they have shared with me how they feel they left a piece of themselves in the battle after winning. Let me share a story to show how revenge works. Now, let me say first this story is fiction. The names are fictitious and do not represent anyone you or I know. The names are added so that the story can be followed easily. Allie and Brenda are friends who occasionally get together for lunch on Fridays, and during these luncheons, they sometimes share intimate details of their life. One day, Allie shared the details of an argument Allie and her husband, Ben, had the previous night. The following Sunday, someone from church walked up to Allie, hugged her, and said, “I am so sorry to hear about the problems you and Ben are having. I hope you can resolve them soon. I’ll pray for you. Ok?” Allie was a little bit taken aback. In fact, she was furious. The only one she talked about the argument to was Brenda. Instead of confronting Brenda, Allie decided to share one of Brenda’s secrets with a very talkative church member. Well, before long, Brenda’s secret was out. Brenda knows Allie exposed her secret. And now both Allie and Brenda’s reputation has been compromised. Feeling betrayed, they begin a vicious cycle of making one look worse than the other. While the exposure was done in whispers placed into the ears of others, the effect was public humiliation. Needless to say, the friendship ended with Allie and Brenda being foes of war. Allie could have avoided this destruction if she had remembered that revenge is the Lord’s. Romans 12:19-20 (King James Version) states, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. The Lord’s way is better. Allie could have let the Lord fight her battle. She could have allowed the Lord to decide the nature of punishment or reconciliation for Brenda's sin of gossip. Instead of getting even with Brenda, Allie could have focused on resolving the problem with love, kindness, and compassion. After all, just as Brenda initiated strife out of the sinful nature within her, Allie responded with retaliation by her own sinful nature, as well. We all mess up. Some of us have more experience and better control over our sins than others. Nevertheless, none of us should act as if we are better than others, for we all will struggle with sin until the day we die. We Can Overcome Sin I recently heard a minister say, “You can’t heal what you don’t reveal.” I agree! While we cannot crush sin entirely out of our life, we can overcome sin. The first step in overcoming sin is to recognize the sin. Be honest with yourself about the sin. Then, ask the Holy Spirit within you to help you overcome the sin you have identified. He will help you every step of the way. Love Wins All Love is the greatest tool to use when we are under strife of any kind. Perhaps if Allie had acted in love and forgiven Brenda, she and Brenda might still be friends. This year, on April 7, 2023, we remembered Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. His sacrifice was offered to us because of His love for us. On April 9, 2023, we celebrated Easter, the day the Lord rose from His death on the cross, restoring His exalted life as Christ and Lord. Our Lord does not ask much of us. He asks us to believe in Him as our Savior, and He asks us to love. John 13:34 (New International Version) says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Ephesians 4:32 (English Standard Version) says, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Best wishes and prayers go out to you as you live in faith, hope, and love. Cover Photo Credit: Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-whispering-near-the-woman-s-ear-5085562/ Lunch Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-elderly-woman-looking-at-each-other-while-holding-fork-6928672/ Marlene Bertrand is an evangelist and a reputably ordained minister. In 2012, Marlene established a ministry with Christian House International to share the gospel with the world. Through Voice of Hope, Marlene hopes people will learn about the Lord, our Savior and will come to know, love, and trust Him for a life forever in the Kingdom of God. Easter is a highly celebrated event whether you are an Episcopalian, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, or "Christian" or some other doctrine you subscribe to. With its themes of Jesus' triumph over death and His resurrection, we prepare ourselves for the Ascension of our Lord. It is important to remember that Salvation is not just a historical event that occurred in the distant past to other people in other areas. Easter is truly an opportunity for rebirth for those who grasp it. The spiritual energies available during the resurrection are available here and now. People interested in their spiritual growth and well-being eagerly look upon the Easter season. The rituals we observe allow us time for reflection, prayer, and repentance, which can lead to our rebirth. The early Christians no longer focused on the exodus from Egyptian Bondage but on a new kind of departure from the Bondage of sin to the new life of our Risen Lord. Sometimes during the weeks preceding Easter, I have a feeling of discomfort, of sadness. I walk around moping, not entirely understanding why. Maybe it is because, in a way, I am in mourning. Perhaps, I am mourning the loss of a part of my essential self. Even though my sinfulness is something I need to eradicate, I still mourn its loss. Why do I do this? Why does anyone do this? I think it is because the behavior patterns of sin become familiar to us, and we feel oddly comforted by their familiarity. ~Marlene C Bertrand Sinfulness lies deep within a person; it is an attitude, a willingness to turn one's face away from the Creator. Often we are not even conscious of this shift away from God. Only after one realizes that he has turned his face away and separated himself can he hope for perfect reunification. But how do we move from our deeply flawed state of sin to reconciliation? The followers of Christ have been furnished with the cure. Through the saving action of Christ, each of us has been reconciled to God. Once and for all, Jesus has paid the price for us to redeem ourselves. Jesus Died For Us Jesus died on the cross. Jesus was nailed to the cross. Yes, He was nailed! If you have ever had injections at the doctor's office, you know the feeling of pain that came with that skinny little needle. And, in a few seconds, the pain was gone. Now imagine what it was like for Jesus to have nails driven into His palm as He hung on a cross so that he could bleed until He died. The weight of His body certainly added to the torrential pain. Can you imagine the pain He certainly suffered? And, He suffered that pain for you and me. Good Friday was the day Jesus died. And then He was resurrected on Easter Sunday. If we study the work and the teachings of Jesus, we find nothing but selfless giving and miraculous cures. Jesus could cure miraculously because He was the Son of God. But did He gain any material comforts? Any pleasures? Not really. He didn't gain any goods from what He did. And, still, He lived a life of giving beyond measure. We read story after story of Jesus, the man who, while He Himself suffered, took away the sufferings of others. Even His death was excruciating. And remember, He suffered that pain for you and me. He suffered that pain so that our sins could be forgiven. He sustained that pain so that our slate of sin could be wiped clean, and we can now have a genuine relationship with God, our Creator. What does Jesus' life teach us? It teaches us not to give suffering to others but take suffering ourselves. It teaches us to comfort others. It teaches us selfless giving. It teaches us to forgive even if extreme pain is inflicted upon us. It teaches us to love all and hate none. We must remember that life is a series of stops and starts, spiritual advancement and spiritual retreat. We have "spiritual growth spurts" throughout our lives until the day we die. The spiritual energy of the Easter Season affords us a unique opportunity to grasp hold of our redemption. Let us celebrate Easter Sunday, remembering the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Lord wants us to spread peace by living and giving selflessly. We honor Him by spreading goodness, happiness, and cheer worldwide. I hope that this Easter, you will take the opportunity to explore the reason for the season in your own life. We at Voice of Hope wish you a very Happy Easter! Photo Credits: Photo by Rodolfo Clix: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-image-of-person-praying-1615776/ Copright 2023 Marlene C Bertrand Marlene Bertrand is an evangelist and a reputably ordained minister. In 2012, Marlene established a ministry with Christian House International to share the gospel with the world. Through Voice of Hope, Marlene hopes people will learn about the Lord, our Savior and will come to know, love, and trust Him for a life forever in the Kingdom of God. |
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