Palm/Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday is the first Sunday of Holy Week. The two titles point to different foci of the day. Palm Sunday focuses our attention on the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem while the people shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). Passion Sunday focuses our attention on Jesus’ suffering that is to come in the week ahead—the stories of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Taken together these two foci of the day help God’s people anticipate the dramatic nature of what is about to unfold—those that shouted, “Hosanna!” will also cry, “Crucify him!”. By recounting these narratives, we draw closer to Jesus’ ministry, God’s character, and the entire scope of the story of redemption.

Featured Palm/Passion Sunday Resources

four-part image showing palm branches, communion elements, crown of thorns, and cross

Worship Resources for Holy Week and Easter

Easter Good Friday Holy Week Maundy Thursday Palm Sunday Stations of the Cross

As you plan for Holy Week and Easter services consider adapting one of the following resources for your own context. Resources at ReformedWorship.org and in our print/digital edition are free to use in worship contexts with acknowledgment.

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Crown of thorns with bowl of water and pitcher

Having the Identity of a Servant: Palm/Passion Sunday

Jesus Christ as King Palm Sunday Servant Triumphal Entry

It is worth noting that in Luke’s account of the triumphal entry there is no mention of the Palms; instead Luke highlights the laying down of the coats, a sign of reverence and subservience. Little did Christ’s followers understand of what true service to God requires: Nothing short of our whole lives, not merely our cloak. Yet, though they did not grasp the deep significance of the pageantry unfolding in front of them, they played a significant part. The message of the angels proclaimed in Luke 2:14 —“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” —has now been taken up by Christ’s disciples, “‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” (Luke 19:38). As Christ’s disciples in the world today, we need to continue that refrain or else the stones will cry out in our place.

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