Holy Week - We Know the Future!

April 18, 2011 Monday Message:

This is Holy Week. Many of you will visit church more than once this week. Holy week actually started yesterday, with Palm Sunday. Let’s look at what happened during this week 2000 years ago.

It’s Pesach, the Passover week, so Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. As they finished Thursday’s Passover meal, Jesus took common items from the dinner table, bread and wine, and instituted The Lord’s Supper, known also as Holy Communion or the Eucharist. Jesus said to do this so as not to forget him, “in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19

On the surface, Good Friday seems anything but good. This is the day Jesus was beaten and crucified. But it is good that Jesus took our sin to the grave, it’s good that as he took away our sin, his righteousness covered us, and it’s good that the Father’s plan was being fulfilled.

Friday was Jesus’ first day in the place of the dead; Saturday was the second, and Sunday the third. And on that third day, “God had him up, alive, and out where he could be seen.” Acts 10:40 MSG

Each year as we transition from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, I’m reminded of Dr. Tony Campolo’s famous story, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Comin’!” No matter how bad Friday looks, we know everything will be fixed by Sunday. We know the future!

At any given point in time, God’s plan may not make sense to us. But only God knows the entire plan; only God can see the big picture. “My thoughts are not your thoughts; your ways are not My ways,” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

So our mission is to trust in the Lord, and lean not on our own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 Everything will be all right in the end. If everything is not all right, it is not the end.

May you and your loved ones have a safe and blessed Easter.
He is risen; He is risen indeed!

Norton Lawellin