One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
Jesus Speaks Near the Treasury James Tissot, French, 1836-1902
“Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”
They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” So they finally replied that they didn’t know.
And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Prayer:Heavenly Father – You put Christ Jesus over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. You have given him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world. Lord Jesus – Everything is under your power and you are head over everything for the church. Holy Spirit – Give me the gift of discernment and the wisdom to test all things by conformity to your Word and Spirit. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar:
“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”
Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.
“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Prayer:“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
Wash me whiter than snow… cleanse me with the blood of the Lamb. And fill my heart, and mind, and soul with praise for Jesus – the Lamb of God – my Shepherd and my Lord.
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Scripture Song:“Salvation belongs to our God” – Petra
Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.
Prayer: Make us a House of Prayer– Daniel Brymer
Make us a house of prayer / That we might meet you there / On behalf of the nations / A dying generation / Make us a house of prayer
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
“Man of Sorrows” James B. Janknegt (1990)
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”
O Yahweh, God Almighty, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of all who confess with their mouths and believe in their hearts that Jesus is Lord; We pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. We pray, that by your sovereign mercy and grace, you would visit the land of Israel with your powerful presence.
We pray you would restrain the diabolical evil, and contain the demonic violence present in the land. We pray you would confirm the decisions and policies of the elected leadership, the Knesset and the courts, that are in keeping with your perfect will. We pray you would purge from leadership positions, and constrain the excesses of those who will not submit to your will.
“O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people. They plot against those you cherish. ‘Come’, they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you. … Let them know that you, whose name is Yahweh — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.”
For you, our Father, have declared, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.”
“Can a mother forget the baby nursing at her breast or have no compassion on the child of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
We pray O Yahweh, a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. O God, we who call upon the name of Yahweh, will give ourselves no rest – and will give you no rest, till you establish Jerusalem and make her a praise in all the earth. Be pleased to hasten the day when all Israel will cry out, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh.”
Hear our prayer O Yahweh, for we pray in the strong name of Jesus our Redeemer and Messiah, our risen, reigning and returning Prince of Peace. Amen and Amen
Spiritual Song:“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” – Jose and Kathy Jimenez
After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
Palm Sunday pilgrims enter Jerusalem though St. Stephen’s Gate (March 28, 2010)
And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
Prayer: Lord Jesus – Fill me with an overwhelming sense of joy for all the wonderful things you have done… in me, around me, and through me. May I sing and shout your praises now… and forever. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 