Holy Week
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
-Isaiah 53:4-6
It feels as though this Lenten journey has been a long and winding road, and short at the same time. As we move from the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday to the Upper Room where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and ate his Last Supper with friends… to the cross, we reflect on these past 40 days. What are the lessons we have learned? What is the growth we have experienced? How is God shaping us to give up our will and embrace God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven?
I can only imagine how difficult it was for Jesus to pray in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will but Thine be done.” Jesus knows every struggle, every temptation, every obstacle we face. He faced them too. We have the incredible gift of God’s amazing grace because Christ was willing to give up His will in that garden. “For God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” -John 3:16-17.
Why do we call Good Friday, “Good”? Because we are made new through Christ’s blood, shed on the cross. That is the good news of Holy Week. But we don’t end at the Upper Room, or the garden of Gethsemane, or the cross on Golgotha, or even at the tomb. The true story of our faith begins at the empty tomb on that first day of the week. Come journey with us through Holy Week. Invite a neighbor or a friend to join us on this journey. Welcome home.
April 2, Maundy Thursday worship 7pm in the Garden Sanctuary
April 3, Good Friday worship 7pm in the Main Sanctuary
April 5, Easter Breakfast 7:30am-10:30am
Easter Sunday worship 8:30am
Easter Egg Hunt 10:00am
Traditional Easter worship 11:00am
PRAYER
Lord, we ask for shelter and protection in those moments we are afraid of life.
And those moments we are afraid of death.
Lord, in your mercy, send your Spirit to comfort us and remind us that in life and in death we belong to you. We thank you for the events of this Holy Week. As we walk with Jesus through Palm Sunday, the Upper Room for the Last Supper, and journey to the cross on Good Friday may we also make room to celebrate the resurrection on Sunday Morning. Amen.
