Palm Sunday, Good Friday & Easter: The Holy Week

I live a pretty active lifestyle; I'm always on the move. Whether it is work related, ministry related or family activities, I always have something to do and I am always in my car traveling from point A to point B. Yesterday, I got a notification from the Bible app that read "View the reading plans for this Holy week". I thought, "this Holy week"? I'm an idiot. I am busy all the time but is that any reason to give an excuse to me questioning this week, and the massive importance it holds? No. Did I start a reading plan immediately? No. Instead I thought about this week, it all began Sunday, it was on Sunday when the church was handing out Palms; hence why Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday but do we know why it is called that? I do, I learned all about that importance a few years ago when I became a believer in Jesus. The Holy week becomes even holier on Friday, Good Friday, my entire life up until 4 years ago Good Friday was good because I had the day off from school; and I said that many times without thought of the true reason, again I am an idiot. But the stupidness doesn't end there because on Easter Sunday my entire naive childhood meant when I awake I will have eggs to find, and an Easter basket filled with toys and candy. Here we have a sinless man, who did nothing wrong and everything correctly, died for me and was risen on the third day; and all I cared about was no school and candy. Idiot. You know what is worse, is that even now when I know about all of this, I am still moving from point A to point B without thought of what Jesus was doing on this day 1,982 ish years ago. 

The Importance of Palm Sunday
Jesus tells two of his disciples to go forth into Jerusalem and grab the young donkey who is tied up and when asked explain that the Lord needs it. The disciples did exactly this, found the donkey which was exactly where Jesus had said it was and they told the man when he asked (Jesus predicted this) that the donkey was for the Lord. After Jesus received the donkey, he mounted it and preceded into the city of Jerusalem, while the citizens are laying down their garments and palms on His path. This day marked the first day of Holy week because Jesus' mission on earth was to die on the cross for our sins, and Him going into Jerusalem was very much like Him walking triumphantly to his death. 

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
These were days filled with Jesus weeping over the predicted destruction of Jerusalem, flipping tables in the temple because people were placing bets and gambling, having his authority challenged and many many teaching moments. Jesus continued to foretell of the destruction of Jerusalem and the persecution that will transpire for those who believe in Him. 

Maundy Thursday
On this day was the very first communion. Jesus gathered the disciples for the "Last Supper", told them about His death and that they cannot go where He is going. Poor Peter demanded and assured Christ that he would follow Him to death however Jesus predicted that before the rooster crows he will deny Him three times, even though Peter did not believe this, we all know what happened in the end. Judas at this point had already agreed to betray Jesus and Jesus knew. After yet another argument about "who is the greatest disciple", Jesus went out to Mount of Olives to pray and encouraged the disciples to pray as well that they may not be led into temptation, but the disciples fell asleep, Jesus awoke them in what I suspect to be anger but before they can begin praying Judas appeared with the crowd of people coming to arrest Jesus and take him to trial. 

Good Friday

This is one of the most critical days in history. This days prediction began in the years of Genesis after Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit, God had told them, "And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." After Jesus was arrested he was beaten, whipped and put on trial. Jesus was chosen opposite a thief and possible murderer to be crucified and the criminal was released. Jesus carried his cross all the way to Calvary, and was nailed to it; hands and feet pierced to this cross and then the cross was placed in the ground so that all can see the King of the Jews on Calvary. Once Jesus had died, he was placed in the tomb and the disciples were in a state of confusion despite Christ explaining what would happen. 

Easter

It was the women who were bringing spices that they had prepared to the tomb, once they had gotten there they noticed that the tomb stone had been rolled back and there was no body in the tomb. Once again shock and confusion overtook them until an angel appeared to draw some logical conclusion that what Jesus had predicted in Galilee had come true that the Son of Man would be betrayed by a sinful man, crucified and risen on the third day, which was today. The prophecy had been fulfilled, death had lost its sting and heaven was a place where believers in Jesus could find a home where sin does not exist. All because of Jesus. 

The Resurrection

24 But very early on Sunday morning[a] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[b] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

 Luke 24: 1 - 12

Don't allow your lives to get too busy that you forget about what He did many many years ago. It's all because of Jesus we're alive and going to heaven! 

Blessings!

Chelsea Carman