Palm Sunday~~April 9th 2017

Wayside Baptist Church

1746-60 Broadway

Brooklyn, New York 11207

 

As I’ve probably mentioned before I’m not much of a church goer but I feel it is very important for me to attend during Holy Week. Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter (Resurrection Sunday) have great significance for me.  This was my first time attending Wayside Baptist Church and I did enjoy the service.  I was brought up and raised in the Baptist Church so this is where I feel comfortable.

As some of my regular readers may know I’ve been having a very difficult time at work so all the more reason to attend church. I need some inspiration. Something uplifting. I need to be in a place where I’m accepted and consider a human being not just a warm body performing a variety of mindless tasks.

Church is a place where I have value and worth. Big difference from the job. At church I’m reminded that God has not forgotten me despite all my problems.  The Sanctuary is where I can release my emotions. It is very common in the traditional Black Church to see people spontaneously cry, shout, dance and praise God. There is no shame. I did cry during the service because my life is so complicated. Jesus is there to comfort those of us who are broken.

One personal reflection and revelation is Matthew 6: 19-21 Reminding me that my treasure is not here on this earth nor is this earth my home. Heaven is my home and that is where I will be going when my time on this earth ends. My earthly struggle will end. I will be reunited with family members or as many in the Black Community say, The person has gone from Labor to Reward. Earth = Labor & Struggle. Reward = Heaven or Paradise.

Matthew 6:19-21

New King James Version (NKJV)

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Wayside Baptist Church

Fortunately I had already arranged to have this Palm Sunday off specifically so that I could attend church. There is something comforting in the familiar. Even though I’ve attended a variety of churches and explored different belief systems I always come back home.  This coming Good Friday is my normal day off so I will try to make the Good Friday service. Wayside Baptist Church is having an Early 9:00 am service for Resurrection Sunday which I will do my best to attend then off to work.

The Responsive Scripture Reading was Matthew 21: 1-11 and the Pastor focused on the Gospel of John Chapter 12.  Palm Sunday is Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

 

 

Matthew 21:1-11

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Triumphal Entry

21 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage,^[a] at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

⁴ All^[b] this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”^[c]

⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him^[d] on them. ⁸ And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’^[e]

Hosanna in the highest!”

¹⁰ And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

¹¹ So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Christian Cultural Center is a church that I used to attend many years ago. The Pastor is Rev. A.R. Bernard