Variety is important to our worship, and certainly on this Sunday of the year there is variety. First of all we celebrate and remember Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem with celebratory passion among the people celebrating His coming. It is a time of joy and exuberance, with a spirit of enthusiasm. But in only a few days the cries of "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," become "Crucify Him!".
So in one worship service we as worshippers will remember how Jesus was received gladly and then experienced the same folks turning their backs on Him. Our desire in worship will be to stand in celebration as He was received and to bow and kneel at the mention of Golgotha and the cross. As we worship we will experience extremes in our remembrance and rehearsal of those events in our hearts and minds.
We should approach worship asking the Lord to help us avoid the near-sightedness of the people of old, who worshipped Him as a King on Sunday and chanted insults to Him on Good Friday. May we be strengthened in the remembrance of Palm Sunday and the Passion, giving thanks for His sacrifice that we might be reconciled, and a part of His kingdom. mjm
