If all you knew of Holy Week was Palm Sunday and Easter, you might think that Jesus had it easy. One Sunday they throw a parade for you, and the next Sunday you’re walking out of the tomb. It’s all fun and games for Jesus, except it wasn’t. That’s why the church has always insisted on looking at the whole week.
The “Hosannas!” of the parade seem so authentic until we hear the same people crying “Crucify him!” five days later. The miracle of the Resurrection doesn’t seem so miraculous unless you saw him die on the cross that Friday before. So the church celebrates Holy Week each year to walk us through the whole story. And in the whole story, we see ourselves–from the lowest of the lows to the highest of the highs.
We shout “Hosanna” but then find ourselves turning away from Jesus the next moment. We say we’ll stand by him no matter what, but then deny even knowing him the next. We believe we are good and blameless, but it’s our sins that nail him to the cross. Our sins put him in the tomb. And for our sake, he rose. Paying the price of our sins. Destroying death and offering us new life.
Life wasn’t a straight line for Jesus from joy to joy. There was a deep dark valley called Good Friday in between. When we walk the valley with Jesus, we see how much he loves us. He endured death, even death on the cross, for us. And he rose to bring us new life. It’s the whole week that tells the message, so join us this week as go step by step to the Resurrection.
- Sunday, March 24 – 8:30 and 10:00 am, Palm Sunday worship
- Thursday, March 28 – 7:00 pm, Maundy Thursday special Communion service
- Friday, March 29 – 7:00 pm, Good Friday service with Craig Wasner and friends
- Sunday, March 31 – 8:30 and 10:00 am, Easter worship
God bless your whole week,
Pastor Mark