Confirmands Never Stop Singing Hosanna Mt 21 1 9
March 29, 2026
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Palmarum, The Sixth Sunday In Lent 29-March-2026 Sermon Text: Matthew 9:1-9 Sermon Theme: “Confirmands - Never Stop Singing Hosanna!” I. Creation’s King Humbles Himself FOR YOU! (Vs.1-3) II. The Rescuing King’s Word Stands Forever! (Vs.4-5) III. Weekly Worship The King Who Comes To You! (Vs.6-8) IV. Daily Pray Save Us Lord! (Vs.9) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
Palmarum, The Sixth Sunday In Lent 29-March-2026
Sermon Text: Matthew 9:1-9
Sermon Theme: “Confirmands - Never Stop Singing Hosanna!” I. Creation’s King Humbles Himself FOR YOU! (Vs.1-3) II. The Rescuing King’s Word Stands Forever! (Vs.4-5) III. Weekly Worship The King Who Comes To You! (Vs.6-8) IV. Daily Pray Save Us Lord! (Vs.9) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church, and suffer all, even death rather than fall away from it?” In a few minutes you will give your answer before God and our congregation. Are you ready to die for confessing that Jesus is Lord the only Source of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation?
Remember the Last Passover. Peter was certain that all the others might forsake Jesus, but he would die for his Master. A little slave girl guarding the door to the high priest’s palace simple question, ‘You aren’t one of this Man’s disciples too, are you?” Led to bold Peter, the Rock, to deny Jesus - not once, but three times. The Rock became more like shifting sand. Will you deny Jesus like Peter?
Another beloved apostle chosen by Jesus sold out his Lord for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Judas Iscariot worshiped the idol of mammon. He had agreed with Thomas’ words along with the twelve, Joh 11:16 ...., "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." Then opportunity knocked. Sell out Jesus for gain and friendship with the world. Sadly Judas’ choice made him captive to Satan and ended in death by suicide. Will you suffer death...or sell out Jesus for worldly gain? One Sunday missed, soon turns into two, then a month, a year, and before you know it you’ve followed Judas’ path.
The other ten apostles fared no better. Instead of dying with Jesus, when the soldiers came to arrest Him - they all ran away to save their skin. Will you run? On March 26, the Finnish Supreme Court has found the two Finnish Lutherans guilty of “inciting hatred” with a pamphlet they wrote. Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a medical doctor and member of the Finnish Parliament wrote a pamphlet titled, “Male and Female He Created Them.” Her pastor, Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) — a partner church of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), edited the pamphlet. Their first trial they were found not guilty, but last week that decision was overturned by a 3 to 2 decision of the Finnish Supreme Court. Dr. Räsänen will not back down from speaking the truth. It will cost her and maybe even imprison her - and her pastor. They refuse to run away from Jesus - The Truth.
It is ironic that the special services in our lives are found beginning on page 268 with Baptism. Then comes the rite of Confirmation. After that the service of Holy Matrimony. Finally our Funeral Service. If you only appear in Christ’s House those four times during your life, you will have denied Jesus, sold Him out, and ran away from Him. Sadly over the course of over three and a half decades of tending Christ’s sheep and lambs - I’ve seen many who foolishly followed this path of spiritual self -deception.
My prayer for you confirmands, and all who hear this sermon is that you repent and cling to Jesus in His Word. Now is the day of salvation! Every day is the day of decision to stand with Christ or be chained to Satan!“Confirmands - Never Stop Singing Hosanna!” I. Creation’s King Humbles Himself FOR YOU! (Vs.1-3) II. The Rescuing King’s Word Stands Forever! (Vs.4-5) III. Weekly Worship The King Who Comes To You! (Vs.6-8) IV. Daily Pray Save Us Lord! (Vs.9)
I. Our world loves those who are rich and successful. A record 3,428 entrepreneurs, investors and heirs make this year’s World’s Billionaires list. You probably could name a few. Is there a list of the world’s poorest indebted people? Do you know the names of any of the homeless in your community? The starving? The destitute?
I know the world’s poorest person....Jesus of Nazareth. Foxes had their holes, birds of the air their nests, but He had no place to lay His head. Of Jesus the Spirit of Truth wrote through Paul’s pen - 2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. Jesus is the King of Creation. By Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that exists. Now He prepares to fulfill the final Passover FOR YOU. History records: (vs.1-3) The King of Creation doesn’t even own a beast of burden. He must borrow an unbroken colt and its mother. If objected to the two disciples are simply to say, “The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them.” Jesus not only knows about the owners objection, but He knows all that He must suffer to save sinners. There is no other way to save a world of sinners. The eternally begotten Son of the Father must be made fully Man. He must pour out His blood upon the Cross - or we will all be damned.
Dr. Luther once compared all of us to donkeys. Donkeys either ridden by Jesus or by the devil. Whose donkey are you? By grace remember your baptism - the Triune God has written His Name upon you and marked you with the sign of Jesus’ cross. The Lord has need of you. He calls you to run the race set before you with endurance. It will not be finished until He brings you across the goal and you die to rise again to eternal life.
Perhaps young ladies you are like Esther. Wicked Haman had determined to wipe out God’s people. Esther hesitated to go to the king to plead for life. Her uncle Mordecai sent her word to speak up for life: Est 4:14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" You have come into Christ Jesus’ Kingdom for such a time as this! As you sang during your musical - “a person is a person, no matter how small.” Confess against our culture of death - that life from the moment of conception is to be protected. Life matters. Sadly Canada murders the depressed and ill calling it a “good death.” Death is only the wages of sin - the last enemy that we face. Last Thursday Spain murdered a mentally ill young woman, a rape victim, suffering from mental illness - they murdered her by physician assisted suicide. Instead of compassionate care they chose cold hard death.
You are called into Christ’s Kingdom to speak out and defend life from the moment of conception to natural death. Let Creation’s King strengthen you to run the race of the Faith set before you! - Isa 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. (29) He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. (30) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, (31) But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
II. Wait on the Lord! Hear His Word! (Vs.4-5) Jesus is knowingly fulfilling God’s Word preached by the prophet Zechariah five centuries before Jesus’ incarnation and birth. Zechariah’s name means “Yahweh Remembers.” God never forgets His written Word and His Promise to save lost sinners. God speaks - God fulfills His Word.
The Apostle Peter quotes the prophet Isaiah,1Pe 1:24-25 because "ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY, (25) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. The Word of the Lord Endures Forever - is the motto of our Lutheran Reformation. VDMA for the Latin motto Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum.
Many confirmands are blessed with a new study Holy Bible. Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest it. You will find out that from Genesis to Revelation it is all about Jesus - He is the King coming to you. You didn’t choose Him - God the Father choose you in Jesus from eternity to be His own. How do you know? He baptized you by the Holy Spirit to know and cling to Jesus.
The Rescuing King comes to you in His Gospel Word. He speaks you alive in baptism. He speaks you released in absolution. He speaks you saved in His flesh and blood - given and shed - and fed you at His table.
Don’t despise the simple means of His enduring Word. The Rescuing King comes to you in His Holy Bible.
III. It was early Sunday morning as King Jesus neared Jerusalem. Suddenly a worship service breaks out! (Vs.6-8) The disciples obey Jesus’ Word. They use their outer cloaks as a saddle upon the unbroken colt for the King’s mount. The humble creature is willing to serve its Creator through the noisy crowd.
The people rejoice for the King comes among them. They are pilgrims only having one outer cloak. Gladly they lay down the best they have for Jesus’ donkey to ride over it. It’d be like men taking off their expensive suit coats and casting them on the ground to be walked upon. Others cut down branches. John tells us that they were palm branches to carpet the road for their King. Contrary to the way we picture it, they weren’t waving the palm branches - they were spreading them on the road.
The palm tree in an arid land was a sign of hope, life, joy, and salvation. King Jesus comes in lowliness to the despairing, dying, sorrowing, condemned sinners to bring them His victory. Never forget the day that His victory became your own. January 20th, 2012 the King washed His death and resurrection victory upon you at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Evanston. Baptism is your birthright, declaring you a child of the Heavenly Father, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a daughter of the Church, a citizen of heaven.
On January 20th, you were marked with the sign of the cross. Daily take up your cross and follow Jesus. The world will treat you as it treats Him. Take heart. He is with you to strengthen you. Under trials remember your baptism in it King Jesus promises to be with you always. Confess with St. Paul, Php 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: (12) I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Be like the pilgrim crowds and every Sunday worship our King who rides into His Church on the humble means of His Word preached and the Lord’s Supper placed upon your lips. This is your baptismal calling, life, and victory - He is here in the divine service to strengthen you by His Spirit.IV. Pilgrim crowds journeying towards Jerusalem would pass the miles singing the Psalms. The Hallel, Psalms 113-118, were sung by the Jews at their high festivals. Psalm 118 was composed for the dedication of the new temple after 70 years of Babylonian exile. The priests sang it as they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the altar.
Now the true Lamb of God is coming to be sacrificed on the altar of the cross for the sins of the world. My sins and your sins. The crowds cannot but sing out the 118th Psalm. (Vs.9) Hosanna is a anglicized Hebrew for the words: “Save now, I pray, O Lord” From Psa 118:25-26 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. (26) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
Daily pray as you sing hosanna! Save now I pray O Lord! Hear God’s Promise, “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirt.” Speak Truth and Reality into your ears in The Apostles’ Creed. Let Jesus fold His nail scarred living hands around yours as He breathes forth from your lips, “Our Father, who art in heaven” breathing the Comforter back into your ears. Then sing hosanna - “Save now, I pray, O Lord.”
King Jesus has come for you! He rode into Jerusalem to die for your sins. He poured out His blood to redeem you from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. He has made you His own! Call upon Him in every trouble! Sing hosanna every Sunday as He draws near to you at His altar in simple bread and wine blessed by His Word to be a communion of His body and blood - given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins, to fill you with His eternal life, and salvation. Here at the altar is a reunion with all Christians who now rest for their labors and are with Jesus in heaven. They await the day of resurrection - when we shall see them again - in that day no one will take your joy from you.
“Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church, and suffer all, even death rather than fall away from it?” Only by the grace of God in Christ Jesus within His Church will you remain steadfast. Amen.
Sermon Text: Matthew 9:1-9
Sermon Theme: “Confirmands - Never Stop Singing Hosanna!” I. Creation’s King Humbles Himself FOR YOU! (Vs.1-3) II. The Rescuing King’s Word Stands Forever! (Vs.4-5) III. Weekly Worship The King Who Comes To You! (Vs.6-8) IV. Daily Pray Save Us Lord! (Vs.9) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church, and suffer all, even death rather than fall away from it?” In a few minutes you will give your answer before God and our congregation. Are you ready to die for confessing that Jesus is Lord the only Source of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation?
Remember the Last Passover. Peter was certain that all the others might forsake Jesus, but he would die for his Master. A little slave girl guarding the door to the high priest’s palace simple question, ‘You aren’t one of this Man’s disciples too, are you?” Led to bold Peter, the Rock, to deny Jesus - not once, but three times. The Rock became more like shifting sand. Will you deny Jesus like Peter?
Another beloved apostle chosen by Jesus sold out his Lord for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Judas Iscariot worshiped the idol of mammon. He had agreed with Thomas’ words along with the twelve, Joh 11:16 ...., "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." Then opportunity knocked. Sell out Jesus for gain and friendship with the world. Sadly Judas’ choice made him captive to Satan and ended in death by suicide. Will you suffer death...or sell out Jesus for worldly gain? One Sunday missed, soon turns into two, then a month, a year, and before you know it you’ve followed Judas’ path.
The other ten apostles fared no better. Instead of dying with Jesus, when the soldiers came to arrest Him - they all ran away to save their skin. Will you run? On March 26, the Finnish Supreme Court has found the two Finnish Lutherans guilty of “inciting hatred” with a pamphlet they wrote. Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a medical doctor and member of the Finnish Parliament wrote a pamphlet titled, “Male and Female He Created Them.” Her pastor, Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) — a partner church of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), edited the pamphlet. Their first trial they were found not guilty, but last week that decision was overturned by a 3 to 2 decision of the Finnish Supreme Court. Dr. Räsänen will not back down from speaking the truth. It will cost her and maybe even imprison her - and her pastor. They refuse to run away from Jesus - The Truth.
It is ironic that the special services in our lives are found beginning on page 268 with Baptism. Then comes the rite of Confirmation. After that the service of Holy Matrimony. Finally our Funeral Service. If you only appear in Christ’s House those four times during your life, you will have denied Jesus, sold Him out, and ran away from Him. Sadly over the course of over three and a half decades of tending Christ’s sheep and lambs - I’ve seen many who foolishly followed this path of spiritual self -deception.
My prayer for you confirmands, and all who hear this sermon is that you repent and cling to Jesus in His Word. Now is the day of salvation! Every day is the day of decision to stand with Christ or be chained to Satan!“Confirmands - Never Stop Singing Hosanna!” I. Creation’s King Humbles Himself FOR YOU! (Vs.1-3) II. The Rescuing King’s Word Stands Forever! (Vs.4-5) III. Weekly Worship The King Who Comes To You! (Vs.6-8) IV. Daily Pray Save Us Lord! (Vs.9)
I. Our world loves those who are rich and successful. A record 3,428 entrepreneurs, investors and heirs make this year’s World’s Billionaires list. You probably could name a few. Is there a list of the world’s poorest indebted people? Do you know the names of any of the homeless in your community? The starving? The destitute?
I know the world’s poorest person....Jesus of Nazareth. Foxes had their holes, birds of the air their nests, but He had no place to lay His head. Of Jesus the Spirit of Truth wrote through Paul’s pen - 2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. Jesus is the King of Creation. By Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that exists. Now He prepares to fulfill the final Passover FOR YOU. History records: (vs.1-3) The King of Creation doesn’t even own a beast of burden. He must borrow an unbroken colt and its mother. If objected to the two disciples are simply to say, “The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them.” Jesus not only knows about the owners objection, but He knows all that He must suffer to save sinners. There is no other way to save a world of sinners. The eternally begotten Son of the Father must be made fully Man. He must pour out His blood upon the Cross - or we will all be damned.
Dr. Luther once compared all of us to donkeys. Donkeys either ridden by Jesus or by the devil. Whose donkey are you? By grace remember your baptism - the Triune God has written His Name upon you and marked you with the sign of Jesus’ cross. The Lord has need of you. He calls you to run the race set before you with endurance. It will not be finished until He brings you across the goal and you die to rise again to eternal life.
Perhaps young ladies you are like Esther. Wicked Haman had determined to wipe out God’s people. Esther hesitated to go to the king to plead for life. Her uncle Mordecai sent her word to speak up for life: Est 4:14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" You have come into Christ Jesus’ Kingdom for such a time as this! As you sang during your musical - “a person is a person, no matter how small.” Confess against our culture of death - that life from the moment of conception is to be protected. Life matters. Sadly Canada murders the depressed and ill calling it a “good death.” Death is only the wages of sin - the last enemy that we face. Last Thursday Spain murdered a mentally ill young woman, a rape victim, suffering from mental illness - they murdered her by physician assisted suicide. Instead of compassionate care they chose cold hard death.
You are called into Christ’s Kingdom to speak out and defend life from the moment of conception to natural death. Let Creation’s King strengthen you to run the race of the Faith set before you! - Isa 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. (29) He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. (30) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, (31) But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
II. Wait on the Lord! Hear His Word! (Vs.4-5) Jesus is knowingly fulfilling God’s Word preached by the prophet Zechariah five centuries before Jesus’ incarnation and birth. Zechariah’s name means “Yahweh Remembers.” God never forgets His written Word and His Promise to save lost sinners. God speaks - God fulfills His Word.
The Apostle Peter quotes the prophet Isaiah,1Pe 1:24-25 because "ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY, (25) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. The Word of the Lord Endures Forever - is the motto of our Lutheran Reformation. VDMA for the Latin motto Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum.
Many confirmands are blessed with a new study Holy Bible. Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest it. You will find out that from Genesis to Revelation it is all about Jesus - He is the King coming to you. You didn’t choose Him - God the Father choose you in Jesus from eternity to be His own. How do you know? He baptized you by the Holy Spirit to know and cling to Jesus.
The Rescuing King comes to you in His Gospel Word. He speaks you alive in baptism. He speaks you released in absolution. He speaks you saved in His flesh and blood - given and shed - and fed you at His table.
Don’t despise the simple means of His enduring Word. The Rescuing King comes to you in His Holy Bible.
III. It was early Sunday morning as King Jesus neared Jerusalem. Suddenly a worship service breaks out! (Vs.6-8) The disciples obey Jesus’ Word. They use their outer cloaks as a saddle upon the unbroken colt for the King’s mount. The humble creature is willing to serve its Creator through the noisy crowd.
The people rejoice for the King comes among them. They are pilgrims only having one outer cloak. Gladly they lay down the best they have for Jesus’ donkey to ride over it. It’d be like men taking off their expensive suit coats and casting them on the ground to be walked upon. Others cut down branches. John tells us that they were palm branches to carpet the road for their King. Contrary to the way we picture it, they weren’t waving the palm branches - they were spreading them on the road.
The palm tree in an arid land was a sign of hope, life, joy, and salvation. King Jesus comes in lowliness to the despairing, dying, sorrowing, condemned sinners to bring them His victory. Never forget the day that His victory became your own. January 20th, 2012 the King washed His death and resurrection victory upon you at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Evanston. Baptism is your birthright, declaring you a child of the Heavenly Father, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a daughter of the Church, a citizen of heaven.
On January 20th, you were marked with the sign of the cross. Daily take up your cross and follow Jesus. The world will treat you as it treats Him. Take heart. He is with you to strengthen you. Under trials remember your baptism in it King Jesus promises to be with you always. Confess with St. Paul, Php 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: (12) I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Be like the pilgrim crowds and every Sunday worship our King who rides into His Church on the humble means of His Word preached and the Lord’s Supper placed upon your lips. This is your baptismal calling, life, and victory - He is here in the divine service to strengthen you by His Spirit.IV. Pilgrim crowds journeying towards Jerusalem would pass the miles singing the Psalms. The Hallel, Psalms 113-118, were sung by the Jews at their high festivals. Psalm 118 was composed for the dedication of the new temple after 70 years of Babylonian exile. The priests sang it as they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the altar.
Now the true Lamb of God is coming to be sacrificed on the altar of the cross for the sins of the world. My sins and your sins. The crowds cannot but sing out the 118th Psalm. (Vs.9) Hosanna is a anglicized Hebrew for the words: “Save now, I pray, O Lord” From Psa 118:25-26 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. (26) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
Daily pray as you sing hosanna! Save now I pray O Lord! Hear God’s Promise, “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirt.” Speak Truth and Reality into your ears in The Apostles’ Creed. Let Jesus fold His nail scarred living hands around yours as He breathes forth from your lips, “Our Father, who art in heaven” breathing the Comforter back into your ears. Then sing hosanna - “Save now, I pray, O Lord.”
King Jesus has come for you! He rode into Jerusalem to die for your sins. He poured out His blood to redeem you from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. He has made you His own! Call upon Him in every trouble! Sing hosanna every Sunday as He draws near to you at His altar in simple bread and wine blessed by His Word to be a communion of His body and blood - given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins, to fill you with His eternal life, and salvation. Here at the altar is a reunion with all Christians who now rest for their labors and are with Jesus in heaven. They await the day of resurrection - when we shall see them again - in that day no one will take your joy from you.
“Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church, and suffer all, even death rather than fall away from it?” Only by the grace of God in Christ Jesus within His Church will you remain steadfast. Amen.
© 2026 Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana Podcast. All rights reserved.