Holy WEEK! Batman!
Did you know that Holy Week, especially Good Friday, is the most sacred, biblically and theologically in the entirety of the Christian year? More important than Mothers’ Day (Shocking, I know!). More important that Christmas Eve (now I’ve gone from preach’n ta meddlin’). And Yet, Holy Week services are often the lowest attended in most congregations!
Developing a spiritually mature appreciation for Holy Week can be a major turning point for a typical Christian.
I know, I know. But that’s what we’ve always done! Besides, that whole suffering on the Cross thingy is a real downer!
Yes. It. is.
Getting over skipping Holy Week can be a huge breakthrough for a genuine Christian faith. I grew up in a home that did this for a long time until my sister and I were in youth group and we were asked to get involved in the Easter Sunday Breakfast that the youth used as a fundraiser. This was the impetus to get out of our comfy routines as a family and try something new. It was worth it.
All human emotions get covered during Holy Week. Our Lord and Savior did not come to Earth as a human, endure misunderstanding and mistreatment, a miscarriage of justice and then a humiliating death on the cross so we would live our best life ever and eat Jelly Beans. Although I must confess, I really like Jelly Beans, especially the Brach’s Brand (hint, hint).
Our faith is a realistic faith. Meaning that the entirety of the human experience is included. Not just the warm, fuzzy feelings. All of them. Jesus can handle our greatest doubts, fears, disappointments, anger, lusts, jealousies, joys, contented moments and all the rest! Ours is not some vapid, shallow, feel-good only faith. It’s for all of life.
So, therefore, our worship life reflects that as well.
You might come to Palm Sunday and go from triumphant joy to despair and back again. Yes. That would be normal given the story.
Maundy Thursday takes us from the intimate scene of the Last Supper to the betrayal in the Garden. ‘In a garden’ sound familiar to anyone taking our Christ in the Old Testament course???
Good Friday is of course, the most important event in all of history. An innocent man dies for all the guilty. Death is defeated. Satan thinks he has won. But the tables are turned three days later.
The empty tomb of Resurrection Day vindicates that what took place on the Cross was more than a mere execution. It was the means by which God makes a way for us to be saved!
So, please, open up your calendars and make a plan to attend all of Holy Week. Sacrifice a personal engagement (something big has, in fact, come up), there is literally a bigger name on the other line!
We meet:
Palm Sunday 10:00 am
Maundy Thursday 7:00 pm
Good Friday 7:00 pm
Resurrection Day, Sunday 10:00 am
See you all this week!
Pastor Mark
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