worship guide
Palm Sunday Resources for Pastors: Sermon Ideas, Guides, & Liturgy
Planning your Palm Sunday service for March 29, 2026? Find sermon guides for the Triumphal Entry and Passion narrative, liturgy by type, and practical ideas for palm processions — free and subscriber resources.
Updated for Palm Sunday 2026
Palm Sunday vibrates with excitement and expectation. We have the vivid story of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, entering the city of Jerusalem to the shouts of a boisterous crowd, a day we celebrate knowing that this same city would turn against Jesus in only a few days, resulting in his crucifixion. Good Friday casts a shadow on Palm Sunday, beyond which shines Easter. Palm Sunday is a gateway to the many-layered observances of Holy Week.
This guide brings together TPW's sermon and liturgy resources for Palm Sunday (March 29, 2026), including scripture guides and sermon resources for preaching about the Triumphal Entry, as well as links to resources for preaching the passion narrative, liturgy organized by type and theme, and practical ideas for planning your service.
Palm Sunday services are among the most vivid of the year. Children love to be included and to have the chance to hold a palm frond and wave it during the services.
Real, full palm leaves are fantastic to use where available, but most churches in the colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere will probably find it much more practical (and economical) to use strips of palm fronds, which can be obtained from church supply sites and some florists. These can be held or folded into crosses and when dry, they keep well as a reminder of Palm Sunday (and can be used to create the ashes for Ash Wednesday—for more Ash Wednesday resources, see our Ash Wednesday Guide).
Use the links below to find resources quickly. This page includes both free and premium resources. If you aren't a subscriber yet, consider a 14-day free trial to see how TPW can help your ministry.
Preaching Guides on the Triumphal Entry
Lectionary Guides include preaching commentary, illustrations, quotes, and liturgy (Complete Package subscribers). Scripture Guides offer the same sermon content without liturgy (Essentials subscribers).
Mark 11:1-11 | Welcoming the King
Jesus is welcomed in the way kings are expected to be welcomed. But his kingship is altogether different.
Luke 19:28-40 | A Humble King
Jesus doesn't enter like Caesar and his kingdom is one of peace, yet the triumph of this humble king dwarfs any of which Caesar could boast.
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 | The Cornerstone
Jesus himself applied Psalm 118 to himself. It offers insight into the events of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, Jesus is king, even though the "wise" of his day rejected him.
Isaiah 50:4-9a | Face Set Like Flint
In this servant song which looks forward to Jesus, the servant is faithful and sustained by his relationship with God and knows that he will be vindicated.
Philippians 2:5-11 | He Came Down and Brings us Up
Paul's hymn to Christ reveals the inner truth of the Incarnation that is on display at Palm Sunday. Jesus came down and humbled himself—yet he is the king he was welcomed as on Palm Sunday
Remembering the Passion of Jesus on Palm Sunday
Many traditions include the story of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus on Palm Sunday. This is traditional and also serves congregations where many do not attend Good Friday services.
A common practice is for the congregation to read one of the passion narratives together, with parts assigned to members of the congregation. This brings the story to life and allows people to place themselves at different places in the passion story.
For further resources for preaching on the crucifixion, please see our Good Friday Worship Guide.
Palm Sunday Liturgy by Type
Find Sermon and Liturgy Resources by Theme
Sermon resources accessible to all paid subscribers. Liturgy requires Complete Package subscription.
Palm Sunday Frequently Asked Questions
This is Year A in the Revised Common Lectionary cycle (see our Year A guides). For the Liturgy of the Palms, the texts are Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29 (Guide) and Matthew 21:1-11. For the Liturgy of the Passion, the texts are
Isaiah 50:4-9a (Guide)
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11 (See our new Lectionary Guide)
Matthew 26:14-27:66 (Alternative year A guide) or Matthew 27:11-54
Ultimately, the choice is pastoral — what does your community need to hear on Palm Sunday? But there are some factors to consider:
Attendance at Good Friday services. If most members of your congregation will not attend a weekday service, then capturing the story of the cross on Palm Sunday allows you to focus on the Resurrection on Easter.
Composition of the congregation. Are children present? While we should not neglect teaching children about Good Friday, doing so in an age-appropriate way is important. Suggestion: Do a brief children's sermon on Palm Sunday before sending the kids off to Sunday School, then focusing on the Passion narrative.
Consider not preaching at all. If you choose to do a recitation of the full Passion account in one of the gospels (which can take several minutes), it may be more appropriate to give the congregation silent time to reflect (perhaps before the Prayer of Confession). You also could introduce an activity instead, such as allowing people to leave their sins or sorrows at the cross on slips of paper (as on Good Friday).
Processing into the church as a congregation, singing or shouting with palms is a great and immersive way of bringing people into the events of Palm Sunday. Processions are especially exciting for children! Less liturgical and unaffiliated churches may borrow a framework from other traditions, some of which have their roots in the oldest recorded celebrations of Palm Sunday.
Where weather is harsh, or outdoor space is at a premium, an indoor procession is possible. Consider starting in the foyer and walking together into the sanctuary or even starting in the sanctuary and walking around the outside of the seating.
Want traditional and creative Palm Sunday processional ideas? See 6 Palm Sunday Service Ideas: Processions and Interactive Liturgies.
Palms were religiously and culturally significant in Jesus' day. Solomon's temple had palm motifs carved on the walls and the doors to the inner sanctuary (I Kings 6:29, 32). Palm branches were part of the annual Festival of Booths (Sukkot), and therefore had liturgical significance (see Lev. 23:40). Further, in the Psalms, the bright green and productivity of palms (they produced dates) was a symbol of vitality and flourishing (see Ps. 92:12).
Palms remained part of celebrations in first century Judean culture. Palms had featured in the dedication of Herod's refurbishment of the temple and during Judas Maccabee's triumphant return to Jerusalem. They featured on coins from that period and even on Roman propaganda after the defeat of Israel, showing that they had nationalistic significance.
In Jesus' day, the palms therefore were a sign of life and celebration, a religious symbol associated with the temple, and a political statement about who they thought Jesus was.
Interesting fact: the Judean date palm was renowned in the ancient world, but went extinct about 500 years ago. Recently, seeds stored at Masada were sprouted by scientists and some of the trees that may have provided the palms for Palm Sunday now grow again in Israel.