Community Update from Dr. Bob – 03/27/24
Welcome to Holy Week, one of the most important weeks of the Church calendar throughout history. Holy Week is the week-long transition out of Lent—a time of repentance—and into Easter—a time of celebration. As we begin to transition out of Lent, spend some time reflecting on what you may be able to repent of before God. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we don’t have things to repent of. Our hearts can be stubborn and hard before God. Spend some time in prayer this week asking the Holy Spirit to shine his light into the dark areas in your life where you stand in need of repentance and forgiveness.
We began our Holy Week remembrances this past Sunday with Palm Sunday, the recounting of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where he spent his last week of his physical life here on earth. During this time, the crowds of celebrants who greeted Jesus on Sunday turned their back on him on Friday as he was executed as a criminal.
Maundy Thursday is an often-overlooked day of Holy Week. It’s a commemoration of the Last Supper, the final time Jesus spent with his disciples in the upper room celebrating the Jewish Passover. The Passover meal was the setting for Jesus’ introduction of Communion—the Lord’s supper. In this way, he expanded on the freedom from slavery in Egypt to incorporate the freedom from sin that he was providing as the Passover lamb… a sacrifice to God for the sins of the world. It was late that night Jesus was arrested.
Then Good Friday marks the day of the crucifixion. The cheering crowds were gone, replaced by an angry mob calling for the death of Jesus. We will have a reflective Good Friday service where we mark the story of Jesus’ death. Then, just when all seems lost, we experience the great joy and surprise of Easter! New life and resurrection spring forth from death. The celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate overcoming of death and sin, ushering in a season of new life and reconciliation with God.
If you have not done so recently, I recommend setting aside some focused time this week and reading the story of the Holy Week. Palm Sunday can be found in Luke 19:28-48, then there are some teachings of Jesus for a few chapters, then the rest of the Holy Week story can be found in Luke 22:1 – Luke 24:12.
Join us for our Good Friday and Easter Celebrations (as well as our Family Easter Party on Saturday)—and consider reaching out to a friend. You never know when your invite will come at just the right time. Pray—and ask. As we hope to show welcome and hospitality to many guests this weekend, please be thoughtful about their experience. As an act of grace, consider sitting in the middle of the section (so people won’t need to crawl over you find a seat). As an act of welcome, prioritize making someone new feel welcome before we greet our long-time friends. These small acts of hospitality add up!
