A Hymn and Sermon for Palm Sunday

All Glory, Laud, and Honor

Refrain
All glory, laud and honor,
To Thee, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David's royal Son,
Who in the Lord's Name comest,
The King and Bless'd One.

The company of angels
Are praising Thee on High,
And mortal men and all things
Created make reply.

The people of the Hebrews
With palms before Thee went;
Our prayer and praise and anthems
Before Thee we present.

To Thee, before Thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To Thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.

Thou didst accept their praises;
Accept the prayers we bring,
Who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King.

---Theodulph of Orleans, circa 820. (Translated into English from the Latin by John M. Neale, 1851.)

From a sermon by Rev. Bryn McPhail of St. Giles Kingsway Presbyterian Church, Toronto, ON:

It is not enough for us to simply recognize His authority, but we must lay down the palm branches of our heart for Jesus. Our challenge is to allow Jesus Christ the King, to be our King--that is, we must let Him rule in our hearts.

Perhaps you have heard the saying, "He marches to the beat of his own drum." Or, perhaps you have heard it said, "So-and-so is a law unto himself." Friends, this should never describe the Christian. The Christian marches to the beat of his Masters' drum. The Christian is to abide by God's law.

I do not mean to suggest that we regress into some sort of legalism whereby we follow a bunch of rules in order to avoid ridicule or punishment. What I am saying, what I do want to remind you of, is that the One who went to the cross for you also bids you, "Follow Me."

"What a Friend We Have in Jesus"--we all like to sing that, don't we? Do you remember what Jesus said about what it means to be friends with Him? He says, "You are My friends if you do what I command you" (Jn. 15:14).

Do you see the connection between Christ's authority and our responsibility? If Jesus is King, then He is also our King. If the authority of Christ extends to all things, it extends also to our lives.

Friends, the authority of Christ is not something to dread. The authority of Christ allows us to trust in the promise that He is indeed "our refuge and strength; a very present help in times of trouble" (Ps. 46:1).

The One who bids us, "Follow Me" is a loving Authority. So great is His love for us that He became one of us and paid the penalty for our sin. Surely, this is a God we can entrust our lives to. Amen.

Read all of Divine Authority Asserted: Matthew 21:1-17.