Sunday 5 April (Palm Sunday)
Palm Sunday Resource
1) Worship
A great worship song to dance and sing praises along to - Rend Collective ‘Celebrate’
2) Word
How do we prepare well at the beginning of this Easter week?
Read / retell /act out: Luke 19: 28-44 & John 12: 12-19
Discussion points:
Why were the people of Jerusalem so excited to see Jesus?
Do you think people expected King Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey?
What were people shouting and why?
Why did Jesus weep over the people of Jerusalem?
As Jesus paraded into Jerusalem, it wasn’t with pomp and ceremony (like a film star might), he entered with humility, peace and sadness. The crowd worshipped and welcomed him, waving palm branches in celebration (palm leaves symbolise triumph and victory). Amongst the crowd, the teachers of the law (Pharisees) were quick to say that Jesus should stop people naming him as King and Lord. Jesus’ reply is interesting, he says that even the stones along the road would burst out with cheers and praise! What a strange thing to say! I hope that we don’t allow anything to stop us praising and worshipping the one true God, not even Covid-19! It is exactly at times like this that we need to remember scripture and proclaim, praise and worship - about the things of the past, the present and the things that are yet to come. Jesus began to weep as he got closer to Jerusalem, he knew that these same people who were worshipping would soon reject him, and he desperately wanted his followers and his offenders to know how much God loves them.
On Palm Sunday, as we enter Holy week, let’s remember that we have the privilege of knowing God’s rescue plan and our part in it as his children. Let us use this week to prepare well, remembering all that Jesus suffered and did, to enable us to have eternal life.
Video of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem
3) Activity suggestions
Make a palm leaf
Under 5’s -
If you’re feeling brave, get the paints out and make multiple hand prints or draw around hands and cut out multiple times. Then fasten onto a stick (something you can find at home eg; couple of lolly pop sticks, small garden cane, even a small fallen branch....).
5-11’s
See what resources you have to create your own palm leaf; there follows a few suggestions depending on how creative (or patient) you feel!!
Use the print out - colour it or use as a template to cut out in green.
Create a palm leaf window light catcher by making a palm leaf outline with veins to enable different shades of tissue paper to be stuck all over
Use a large green sheet of paper. Cut 6cm strips about half way down the length. Then roll into a long tube and tape the uncut end. Pull out the cut strips to create the fronds of the palm leaf.
Cut out a palm leaf from felt. Use a contrasting thread to sew little lines to represent the shaped edges (or cut if prefer). Sew or stick the word ‘hosanna’ in the centre.
Palm leaf print out:
https://illustratedmin.s3.amazonaws.com/weekly-resources/PalmColoring.pdf?ck_subscriber_id=776485776
Reflection
I wonder what you would have shouted if you had been there that first Palm Sunday?
Spend some time as a family praising and worshipping Jesus - use your palm leaves to wave or kneel before, as you remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
I wonder what you are really thankful for this week?
Even though it’s been another unusual week and those of you already in your Easter school holidays might not have been able to do what you’d got planned. But stop now, and think what you have got, what you have been able to do and thank God for keeping you safe. (You can wave your palm leaves again as you pray!)