March 29th, Sermon & Ministry Resources
"Behold Your King" (Matthew 27:11-54)
Lectionary Readings — Palm Sunday (Liturgy of the Passion) — March 29, 2026
Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 27:11-54
Call to Worship (based on Matthew 27:11-54)
Leader: Jesus stood before the governor, and Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
People: Jesus said, “You say so.”
Leader: They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. They twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head.
People: They mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Leader: They led Him away to crucify Him. Over His head they put the charge against Him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
People: Those who passed by derided Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
Leader: From noon until three o’clock, darkness came over the whole land.
People: About three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Leader: Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed His last.
People: At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Leader: The centurion and those with him keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, and they were terrified.
All: They said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” We gather to worship the crucified King. Amen.
Opening Prayer (based on Psalm 31:9-16)
Let us pray:
Gracious and merciful God, we gather on this day of paradox—a day when hosannas give way to the shadow of the cross, when triumph walks hand in hand with suffering, when the King enters His city knowing full well what awaits Him.
Like the psalmist, we come before You in our distress, knowing that our eyes grow weak with sorrow, that our souls and bodies carry the weight of grief, that life can feel consumed by anguish. We know what it means to feel forgotten, to face the contempt of others, to hear whispers of conspiracy and threat against us.
Yet on this Palm Sunday, we see in Jesus the One who knew these same afflictions—who would soon be despised and rejected, who would be betrayed by friends, who would face mockery, conspiracy, and death itself.
And so, with the psalmist, we declare our trust in You. We say, “You are our God.” We place our times in Your hands, knowing that even the darkest Friday cannot defeat Your purposes, that even the sealed tomb cannot contain Your love.
Lord, let Your face shine upon us, Your servants, and save us in Your unfailing love. As we walk this week from palms to passion, from celebration to sorrow, from the mountaintop to the valley of the shadow of death, remind us that our Savior has walked this path before us, and that resurrection awaits on the other side of the cross.
In the name of Jesus, who enters Jerusalem as King, we pray. Amen.
[NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon]
Sermon Outline: "BEHOLD YOUR KING"
Based on Matthew 27:11-54
INTRODUCTION:
The question that echoes through this passage is simple yet profound: “Are You the King of the Jews?” From Pilate’s judgment hall to Golgotha’s hill, the answer unfolds in ways no one expected. Today we witness the coronation of a King like no other—a King whose throne is a cross, whose crown is made of thorns, and whose kingdom is established through suffering and death.
I. THE KING QUESTIONED (Matthew 27:11-14)
A. Pilate’s interrogation: “Are You the King of the Jews?”
B. Jesus’ enigmatic response: “You say so”
C. The silent King—Jesus refuses to defend Himself
D. The irony: The true King stands trial before an earthly ruler
II. THE KING CROWNED (Matthew 27:27-31)
A. The soldiers’ brutal parody of royalty
B. The scarlet robe—a mock royal garment
C. The crown of thorns—a symbol of the curse He bore
D. The mockery: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
E. The truth hidden in the mockery—He truly is King
III. THE KING CRUCIFIED (Matthew 27:32-44)
A. The charge above His head: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews”
B. Crucified between two criminals—the King among sinners
C. The taunts continue: “Save Yourself! Come down from the cross!”
D. The King who refuses to save Himself so He can save others
IV. THE KING CONFESSED (Matthew 27:45-54)
A. The cosmic darkness—creation mourns its Creator
B. The cry of dereliction: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”
C. The climactic moment—Jesus breathes His last
D. The curtain torn—access to God now open through the King’s death
E. The centurion’s confession: “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
F. The truth finally recognized—the crucified One is indeed the King
CONCLUSION:
The question Pilate asked finds its answer at the cross. Yes, Jesus is the King—but not the kind of king anyone expected. He is the King who conquers through surrender, who triumphs through suffering, who reigns from a cross. And the response of the centurion must become our response: “Truly this man was God’s Son!” This Palm Sunday, as we prepare to walk through Holy Week, we acknowledge Jesus not just as a teacher or prophet, but as the crucified King who died for our sins. Will you bow before this King today?
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