Holy Week begins this Sunday as we travel with Jesus into Jerusalem where he is hailed as the Messiah, the long-awaited King by cheering crowds waving palms.  What is this strange palm parade about? And how does this same joyous crowd shouting Christ's praises on Palm Sunday end up shouting "Crucify Him!" just four days later? 

Let’s listen as we remember the extraordinary claim of our faith--that God's love is more powerful than the darkest darkness, more powerful even than death. 

First Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death--
   even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
   and gave him the name
   that is above every name,
so that at the name of 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. 

Second Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28-40

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples,  saying,  “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find  tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it  here.  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’”  So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”  They said, “The Lord needs it.”  Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.  As  he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the  whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a  loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen,  saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”  He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

During this season of Lent, we have been exploring "habits of joy." This week, Rev. Rebecca invites us to examine the relationship between generosity and joy. Contrary to the culture of consumerism all around us, our faith reminds us that possessions and money can never really make us happy. In fact, it is giving and serving that truly fill us with joy. Let's listen as we hear what our scripture readings this week from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians and Jesus' parable of the foolish rich man in the Gospel of Luke have to share about the vital link between generosity and leading a full and joyful life.


First Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 (NRSV) 
We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their  extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.


Second Scripture Reading: Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV)
Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of  greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build  larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being  demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

During this season of Lent, we have been exploring "habits of joy." This week, we are examining the relationship between listening to God and the joy of purpose and fulfillment. Many of our kids and youth helped lead this week's service, sharing some the things they have been learning in Sunday School the last several weeks. Together with them, we will explore the story of Jesus' visit to Mary and Martha on his way to Jerusalem. This week's sermon is a "guest preacher" - Alex Floyd Marshall, our Director of Children and Youth Ministries. Our journey begins with a dramatization of the story of Mary and Martha-- written by our Sunday School students-- which sets the story in today's world. 


Scripture Reading: Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV) 
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and  asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the  work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’