CALL TO WORSHIP
OPENING COMMENTS
- Today is the sixth Sunday of Lent (Easter Preparation). It is also referred to as Palm Sunday, the day we use to remember Jesus entering Jerusalem at the beginning of the week in which He died.
-
Luke 19:28-40
28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to [g]Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”
32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”
34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.
37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying:
“ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
- Re: “Palm Sunday” … from The Augusta Press ..
- Palm Sunday commemorates when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey the week before his crucifixion. Although the people cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and greeted Him with anxious expectation with palm branches . . . by Friday, they would crucify Him.
- Jesus rode a donkey on Palm Sunday as a symbolic fulfillment of prophecy and a declaration of His true mission. This act directly fulfilled Zechariah 9:9, which prophesied that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem “righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey.” By doing this, Jesus publicly announced that He was the long-awaited King, but not in the way many expected. Jesus did not come as a warrior to overthrow Rome; instead, He came as a humble King bringing salvation.
- The theme this week is God’s vindication.
- The selected readings are: Isaiah 50:4–9a • Psalm 31:9–16 • Philippians 2:5–11 • Luke 22:14–23:56
- Our interactive sermon today, entitled THE CALL TO HUMILITY, will be based on Philippians 2:5-11
OPENING SONG
OPENING PRAYER
FIRST MESSAGE
- Liturgy of the Passion
- Voiceover by: Tommie Grant – Ladson, South Carolina, US
Program Transcript …
There’s a moment in the Gospel story when Jesus “turns His face to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) It’s a deliberate and resolute decision, knowing full well what lies ahead. He enters the city to cheers and palm branches, a fleeting moment of celebration. Yet, His path is not toward an earthly throne, but toward suffering, rejection, and the Cross. Still, Jesus presses forward, fully committed to fulfilling God’s promise to redeem the world.
On this Palm Sunday, we are invited to walk with Jesus as He begins the final steps of His earthly journey. His entry into Jerusalem is both triumphant and solemn, a moment that highlights His compassion for humanity and His unwavering submission to his calling. Jesus embraces the suffering that awaits Him, not out of resignation, but out of love — love for the people cheering, love for the disciples who don’t fully understand, and love for a world in desperate need of salvation.
Jesus’ decision to turn toward Jerusalem reflects the heart of God’s promise — a promise not to abandon humanity but to save it. Through His compassion and obedience, Jesus fulfilled this promise, facing suffering and death so that we might know life. His journey was not easy. The shouts of “Hosanna!” would soon turn into cries of “Crucify him!” Yet Jesus’ love for humanity never wavered. He carried the weight of our brokenness, walking this path so that we could be reconciled to God.
As we reflect on this moment, we are reminded that Jesus’ compassion and submission were acts of profound strength. He chose to endure suffering, not for His own sake, but for ours. Psalm 31 gives voice to the anguish Jesus would experience, but it also speaks to the trust and hope He carried in His Father’s plan. “I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” This trust is the foundation of God’s promise — faithful, unchanging, and fulfilled through Christ.
Today, as we remember Jesus turning His face to Jerusalem, let us reflect on the depth of His compassion and the cost of His obedience. He walked this path for us, fulfilling God’s promise to redeem and restore. May we respond with gratitude and trust, knowing that His journey was one of love — a love that holds us even now.
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.
Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends — those who see me on the street flee from me.
I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:9-16
May we follow Jesus with hearts full of trust, knowing that His path to Jerusalem was for us — a fulfillment of God’s promise of redemption and love.
KEYNOTE PASSAGE for Today …
| Philippians 2:5-11 NRSVue | Philippians 2:5-11 NLT |
| 5 Let the same mind be in you that was[that you have] in Christ Jesus, | 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. |
| 6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, | 6 Though he was God,[Being in the form of God] he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. |
|
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. |
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[He emptied Himself]; he took the humble position of a slave[the form of a slave] and was born as a human being. |
| And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. | When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. |
| 9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, | 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, |
| 10 so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
SERMON
The Call to Humility
Philippians 2:5–11 NRSVUE
One day, a man received a letter in the mail informing him that he had been named the “Humblest Man in Town.” He was invited to a special banquet where the prestigious award would be presented to him. Thrilled by the honor, he eagerly accepted the invitation. On the night of the event, as his name was called, the man stood up proudly and walked confidently toward the podium. But just as he reached out to accept the award, the presenter quickly pulled it back and withdrew the honor.
This little humorous story illustrates the irony — the humblest person would not likely desire recognition nor believe they deserved an award for it. Humility has more to do with our posture with others. Do we show up to be recognized or to serve others?
Today, the Revised Common Lectionary recognizes the Liturgy of Passion, which commemorates the suffering and death of Jesus as the ultimate act of humility. It’s only fitting, then, that our pericope today will be looking at the humility of Christ Jesus. Specifically, how he set aside everything to be with his creation to show us the true nature of God. This passage, referred to as the Christ hymn, is a calling to humility for the Church and us, his image-bearers. We will begin in Philippians 2:5.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5–8 NRSVUE
In the verses leading up to this passage (Philippians 2:2–4), Paul is urging the church to be unified, to lay aside their pride, ego, and selfishness, and to have the mindset of humility. So, now in verse 5, Paul begins to describe the blueprint for this humble way of living. What he used was likely an early church hymn, which had become known to various churches. What we have read so far is the first part of this hymn.
None of us can imagine exactly what Christ willingly gave up to enter our world. Here is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One “from whom are all things and for whom we exist (I Corinthians 8:6),” laying aside anything that he could have used to his advantage.
This humility of Jesus went so far as to come to us as a helpless infant. Rather than appearing as a full–grown man who was ready to take charge and start asserting his authority over everyone and everything, he chose the humblest of beginnings. Jesus was a refugee, and others viewed his birth as having suspicious circumstances. Jesus was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so to speak.
Verse 7 says that Jesus emptied himself. To be clear, he did not empty himself of his divinity, as he was both fully God and fully man.
So, what then was emptied from Jesus? Bradley Jersak, Principal of St. Stephen’s University, Director of SSU School of Theology and Culture, and Professor of Religious Studies, offers the idea that what is emptied is not a “what;” it’s a “who.” And of course, the “who” is Christ, himself. He was emptied into our world as a selfless, loving, servant. It is this self–emptying (kenosis, in Greek) that reveals the true nature of our God, who came not to be served but to serve.1
In the Greco–Roman world, certain emperors attained the recognition as gods after their death. They were afforded this status based on their displays of power, influence, and dominance during their reign. “Might equals right” was the thinking of the day.
Although the poem that Paul used in this passage to the Philippians was considered a Christ hymn, it followed closely with how hymns to the Greco–Roman gods were structured.2 But what Paul does is turn the usual hymn upside down. Rather than using force to have power over others, Jesus’ greatness was his humility. Rather than ruling with an iron fist, Jesus becomes the servant, or slave, of all.
If we go back to verse 5, we are now equipped with the answer as to what the mindset of Christ Jesus was. The Church is to consist of believers who exhibit the humility of Christ Jesus in our dealings with others, especially with members of the Body of Christ. We are those who set aside our pride, our egos, and self–centered ways of living to live as humble servants instead.
Let’s shift our focus now to the rest of this hymn. We are going to be looking at verses 9–11.
Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9–11 NRSVUE
Here we finally see the exaltation of Jesus. He was obedient to the point of death. To the very end, he served in love without resisting. And now, the hymn finishes with the supremacy of Jesus. It is he, and he alone, who reigns for all time. So much so that everyone will one day bend the knee to him. Every tongue will confess the name of Jesus to the very glory of God.
Verse 11 says virtually the same thing as Romans 14:11 and was perhaps borrowed from the same hymn.
“As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.” Romans 14:11 NIV
These verses again would have looked familiar to the Philippians as this was how the hymns to the Greco–Roman gods would have sounded. Those emperors were considered “great” and were exalted after their deaths, and so, we have Jesus being exalted as well. But here is the massive difference.
- First, Jesus didn’t assert power and dominance to gain his status in his incarnation. The “greatness” that brought about his exaltation was his humble, loving service to all. It was simply who he was.
- Second, the exaltation of Jesus by the Father was above every other name. Sending a clear message that even the emperor gods paled in comparison to the sovereignty of our Savior, Christ Jesus. The implication is that they too will one day bow before him. As will we all.
Jesus’ exaltation was being lifted up on a cross, and after his death, ascending to the throne of his Father. And the good news? Being found in Christ, we went with him! So, there’s no need to strive and grasp attempting to exalt ourselves. He’s done it for us. We can rest in humble obedience. No need to stride to the stage to snatch a prize to prove our worth.
Living into the humility of Jesus isn’t always easy. It goes against the old ways in which we once lived, the ways of asserting our own greatness and superiority. The good news is that we aren’t left to our own devices to muster up the strength to just “be more humble.” Through the life of the Holy Spirit in us, we submit to our patient and humble Savior who is committed to continuing and finishing the work that he began in us. It is the walk of humility, not a frenzied race. And along this walk there will be many opportunities to practice the humility of Jesus.
Let us be watchful of what the Lord is showing us in regard to how we posture ourselves towards those whom he loves. Let us be the servants to those that he desires to continue serving through us.
Footnotes:
- Jersak, Brad. A More Christlike Way: A More Beautiful Faith. CWRPress 2019
- The Roman Empire: in the First Century. The Roman Empire. Roman Gods | PBS
CLOSING SONG
CLOSING PRAYER
BENEDICTION
- May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:13).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- This week being Holy Week, we’ll be having some important online events coming up …
-
- On Thursday … a special Prayer Meeting
- On Friday … a special Good Friday Fellowship Meeting
-
- In keeping with our observance of Holy Week …
-
- Next Sunday … a face-to-face meeting for our Easter Sunday FM
-
- On Sunday, May 4 … a face-to-face meeting for 1st Sunday in May
- In June … a Re-launch of our GCJ Sunday School … The exact date has not been decided as yet … but it should be around June 15 (mid-June)
Small Group Discussion Questions
- List some examples of the humility of Christ in the Gospels?
- What are some attitudes of superiority that we might need to watch for?
- What are some ways that we can embody the humility of Jesus in our settings?
- Describe God’s character, nature, and posture towards humanity.