Revised Common Lectionary: Sixth Sunday in Lent (Palm)

Year A

Entry into Jerusalem - Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29;

Our response to Christ - Discipleship, Depth, Devotion

Four times, Jesus is called ‘the Son of David’ (Matthew 20:30-31; 21:9,15).

Christ is greater than David. He is David’s ‘Lord’ (Matthew 22:41-46). Christ is not only ‘the Son of David’. He is also the Son of God (Romans 1:3-4).

We rejoice with the Psalms of David. We rejoice even more in the Gospel of Christ.

Our response to Christ is to be marked by discipleship, depth and devotion.

Discipleship - The blind men ‘received their sight and followed Him’ (Matthew 20:34). They did not receive their sight and then forget about Him. Grace is to be followed by gratitude. Those who have received grace are to give themselves to the Lord in gratitude.

Depth - The crowds were enthusiastic (Matthew 21:8-9) but superficial (27:20-23). Pray for depth, a true and lasting response to Christ.

Devotion - Pray that the spirit of praise will overcome the spirit of pride (Matthew 21:15).

Discipleship, Depth, Devotion – with Christ as our Strength, Song and Saviour

‘The Lord is my Strength and my Song. He is my Saviour’ (Psalm 118:14).

Knowing that Jesus Christ is our Saviour gives us a song to sing: ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine... This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long’.

Knowing that Jesus Christ is our Saviour, we sing His song with strength, committing ourselves to His service, earnestly seeking to win others for Him: ‘We’ve a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right ... We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, that shall lift their hearts to the Lord...We’ve a message to give to the nations, that the Lord, who reigneth above, hath sent us His Son to save us... We’ve a Saviour to show to the nations...’ (Mission Praise, 59, 744).

Don’t keep your Saviour to yourself. Share Him with others. Win others for Him.

Year B

Entry into Jerusalem - Mark 11:1-11 (or John 12:12-16); Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29;

Prayer: Let us rejoice in God’s wonderful love.

In Mark 11, we learn of the authority of Christ. Calling the ‘colt’ into His service, He says, with authority, ‘The Lord has need of it’ (Mark 11:3). With authority, He speaks to the fig tree (Mark 11:14) - a ‘visual aid’ of His teaching: ‘Every branch of Mine that bears no fruit, He takes away’ (John 15:2). In the temple, He speaks with authority, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer...’ (Mark 11;17). He speaks of authority in prayer: ‘whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours’ (Mark 11:24). The religious leaders did not understand Jesus (Mark 11:27-33). Why? - They didn’t love Him. We can experience His authority: His Word spoken to us ‘in power...’ (1 Thessalonians 1:5). We can exercise His authority: Through prayer, setting His Word free to do His mighty work (Ephesians 6: 18-20) - if we are learning to love Him!

‘Into Thy hand, I commit my spirit’ (Psalm 31:5). These words were spoken by Christ as, in death, He gave Himself for our sins (Luke 23:46). For Christ, there was suffering - ‘I am the scorn of all my adversaries’ (Psalm 31:11). His suffering was followed by rejoicing, the joy of the resurrection - ‘I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place’ (Psalm 31:7-8). God answered the prayer of His Son - He brought Him into the ‘spacious place’ of the resurrection, the ‘spacious place’ which is, for us, ‘eternal salvation’ (Hebrews 5:7-9). We look to the crucified Christ and we say, ‘Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me’ (Psalm 31:21). In the risen Christ, we are ‘strong and our hearts take courage’ (Psalm 31:24).

Praise: Let us give thanks for God’s faithful love.

‘The Lord is my Strength and my Song. He is my Saviour’ (Psalm 118:14). Knowing that Jesus Christ is our Saviour gives us a song to sing: ‘Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine... This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long’. Knowing that Jesus Christ is our Saviour, we sing His song with strength, committing ourselves to His service, earnestly seeking to win others for Him: ‘We’ve a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right ... We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, that shall lift their hearts to the Lord...We’ve a message to give to the nations, that the Lord, who reigneth above, hath sent us His Son to save us... We’ve a Saviour to show to the nations...’ (Mission Praise, 59, 744). Don’t keep your Saviour to yourself. Share Him with others. Win others for Him.

Do you feel like you can`t go on? Do you feel like giving up? Here`s God`s Word of encouragement for you: ‘He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 1:1:6). God finishes what He starts - ‘He didn`t bring us this far to leave us. He didn`t teach us to swim to let us drown. He didn`t build His home in us to move away. He didn`t lift us up to let us down’. In all the changes of life, we must remember this: God is faithful. His love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. We don`t keep going because we are strong. We are ‘kept by the power of God’ (1 Peter 1:5). In ‘humility’ let us live ‘to the glory and praise of God’ (Philippians 2:3; Philippians 1:11). ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ (Philippians 2:11) – He will give you the strength to keep going when you feel like giving up.

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Year C

Entry into Jerusalem - Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Our response to Christ - Discipleship, Depth, Devotion (see above - notes for Year A)

Discipleship, Depth, Devotion – with Christ as our Strength, Song and Saviour (see above - notes for Year A)