Palm Sunday Stations of the Cross

Sermon 4-17-11

Palm Sunday stations of the cross

What is palm Sunday
Jesus enters the city
Praised in a parade
Begins his last week on earth
Begins the direction toward the cross

Appeal to the brain or the heart
Today I am asking you to go on a journey with me

The Christian faith is both a journey out and a journey in
We don’t spend as much time as we could on the journey in

Today I want you to join me on a pilgrimage – a journey
What we are talking about today – the stations of the cross
Why we are talking about it

Also know as the way of the cross-
Replaces a pilgrimage to the holy land
5th century one priest had a series of connected chapels built – each one for the purpose of contemplation one part of the journey of jesus

Historical stations
11 to 30 – catholic church settled officially on 14 in the 1700’s

Scriptural stations-
1. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,
2. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested,
3. Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin,
4. Jesus is denied by Peter,
5. Jesus is judged by Pilate,
6. Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns,
7. Jesus takes up His cross,
8. Jesus is helped by Simon to carry His cross,
9. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem,
10. Jesus is crucified,
11. Jesus promises His kingdom to the repentant thief,
12. Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other,
13. Jesus dies on the cross,
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.
15. Some add the resurrection

Reduced to 7 based on space available here
Resurrection added because we wanted to bear witness to it

The stations of the cross are about Jesus. The Christian faith is about Jesus, he said, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.

The stations on this property and the future labyrinth are planned to help you find those moments of rest of respite

Where the stations begin
Welcome to the Woods Chapel Walking Trail and Stations of the Cross. Here you can follow in the final footsteps of Christ on earth. Please stop and meditate at each Station and consider the suffering of our Lord.
Christ says: Come, walk with me.

Station one – jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

Station two- jesus is betrayed by judas
Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 22:48

Station three- peter denies jesus
Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:75

Station four – Jesus is condemned by pilate
What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:22

Station five - jesus is flogged and beaten
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” Matthew 27:28-29

Station six- jesus is crucified
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull. Here they crucified him, and with him two others – one on each side. John 19:17-18

Station seven – jesus is risen
I am not going to walk you through this experience, for this is the experience of next Sunday, easter sunday

The closing sign-
As you have walked the Trail and stopped at each station – you have shared the Life, the Death and the Resurrection of Christ. Please continue to visit this place. Walk with us – walk daily with Christ – lay your burdens at the foot of the cross and share your joys at the empty tomb. Christ says: Continue to walk with me.

I appeal to you this week to walk this journey with Christ
I appeal to you to make time to come and physically take this journey on your property
To live this holy week with our savior and remember his suffering
Only as we do this are we able to understand and celebrate the joy of resurrection