“I thank God for all who made this Holy Week and Easter a tribute to our Lord, Jesus Christ. The thoughtfulness of using your gifts and generosity for preparation, cleaning, serving, assisting at worship, and being models of a joyful people is much appreciated. Be blessed as we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord!”
With Joy,
Pastor Dana
Enjoy some photos from the week!
When Jesus comes to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he is starting the week that will transform the world and all of creation forever. It all begins with a donkey ride…
“I thank God for all who made this Holy Week and Easter a tribute to our Lord, Jesus Christ. The thoughtfulness of using your gifts and generosity for preparation, cleaning, serving, assisting at worship, and being models of a joyful people is much appreciated. Have a blessed celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord!”
With Joy,
Pastor Dana
Easter Breakfast setup team break
Easter 2017 Altar
Getting ready for Easter worship 2017
He is risen!
Easter 2017 children’s time
Easter hosts for 2017
Noah Soto and Clive Gompert receive their First Communion on Maundy Thursday 2017
Friday April 14
Luke 19
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
Jesus replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
But Jesus did get through the Golden Gate and he entered to the cheers of the people. Notice it is his disciples doing the cheering. And others following him, as well. But not all are happy. The religious leaders from the Pharisees are following Jesus, too, in order to trip him up.
Jesus will have none of this. Jesus is making it clear. Either accept me an reject me as the one sent by God to rule forever. He gives one more prophecy concerning the rocky path is taking into city and beyond.
Jesus replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
This fulfills still another prophecy of what Habakkuk predicted would happen to those who oppose God.
Habakkuk 2
You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
The Messiah is vindicated. Even the stones know who he is.
Thus begins Holy Week.
The one who comes in the name of the LORD is confident.
Jesus…
He doesn’t sway from his mission.
He doesn’t try to compromise on what God calls him to do.
Accept him or reject him.
On his terms.
The Messiah is at the gate…
Who will follow?
ME
Today is Good Friday. What does this day mean to you?
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The towns of Bethany and Bethpage are located by the Mount of Olives.
Before Jesus enters into Jerusalem, another prophecy is fulfilled. The Messiah will come riding in on a donkey.
Luke 19:30-34
“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.
And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.”
See how that matches the words of Zechariah? What is also amazing is this donkey ride bookends the life of Jesus.
You see, the last time we hear of Jesus riding to Jerusalem on a donkey is in his mother’s womb. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus ready to enter the world came past Jerusalem on their way to Bethlehem just outside of town. So, we have a donkey ride at the beginning of his life and now there will be another at the end.
The disciples know the significance of what is taking place. They know the significance of spreading garments before royalty.
Luke 19
So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.
Here is another prophecy fulfilled.
2 Kings 9
Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ ” They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
ME
Spreading garments and red carpets…Similar?
Psalm 118
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Jericho is 850 feet below sea level. It is not only the oldest city in the world, it is the lowest city. To travel from Jericho to Jerusalem is 18 miles straight up hill. And Jerusalem is at 3000 ft. above sea level. So, it is almost a 4000 foot gain in altitude!
What do you do when you travel in such harsh and desolate conditions? The same as you might have done if you took any long car riding vacations when you were a kid.
You sing songs to pass the time.
Going up the mountain road, Jesus and all the other travelers who were going to Jerusalem for the Passover would be singing. Especially songs from the book of psalms. Like Psalm 118.
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Sound familiar? We will be hearing these same words soon.
So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, his disciples are following him, and so are others who are coming for the Passover festival. His entourage gets even bigger as he leaves Jericho for the last leg of his journey. Jesus even heals two blind men on the way and they follow him, too!
When they all arrive at Jerusalem, the desolate countryside instantly turns into a bustling city. Jesus would get to the top of the mountain overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. Then he would head to the Mount of Olives.
ME
What songs from your childhood do you remember?
Luke 18
Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.”
When we look at the original Palm Sunday, we realize Jesus has already indicated to his disciples how they ought to look at what is happening carefully. Like a master playwright, the whole scene is blocked out. It is about prophecies from the Bible.
The last stop for Jesus and his disciples before they get to Jerusalem is in Jericho.
Jericho is the most ancient city in the world, where people have been living in this oasis in the middles of a desert continuously since 9000 B.C.
Jericho is the last water hole for people traveling to Jerusalem. The last vegetation you see is palm trees. So many palm trees that Jericho is called the city of Palms. How appropriate considering what will happen soon.
ME
What is your favorite part of the desert?
The prophecies and bookends of the life of Jesus…
A message about Holy Communion as children receive their first communion on Maundy Thursday.
So there you have it. One lie, two lies, three lies. And then let’s throw a curse in there, too.
What’s fascinating with all that is going on with Peter is how the actions of Jesus and Peter are a case of opposites. Think about it.
Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asks God to take the cup of suffering away from him three times. But he will do what God wills.
Peter denies the man he calls, “Messiah,” three times.
Peter strikes out in violent attack. Jesus doesn’t raise a finger. Peter blurts out, “I don’t know the man!” Jesus remains silent.
Suddenly Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Three times…”
How does Mark know what flashed through Peter’s mind? Well, Peter is one of Mark’s key sources for his Gospel. Peter knows what flashes through his own mind. And Peter has indeed brought a curse down on himself. It’s not just lying. He is betraying his best friend.
This is the worst thing you can do. Turn your back on your best friend. Humiliating.
That’s what makes this all the more powerful. We are reading the beginning foundational history of the whole Christian movement, the Gospel of Mark. Peter, one of the key sources of the Gospel is also one of the key founders himself. Peter makes sure that every generation afterward gets to read about him at his absolute worst.
What leader wants to put his failure in the “Articles of Incorporation” to be read and read forever?
Betraying the one who means everything to him.
Having his arrogance and bluster be stamped out by his fear.
Peter is as bad Judas.
And that’s just what Jesus doesn’t need.
You see, just like Peter, Jesus is tired, Jesus is stressed out, and Jesus is all alone.
So, Judas betrays him.
The rest of his followers desert him. And now, the only one left, his best friend, the one whom Jesus has invested in more than any other, “Denied.”
Why does Peter allow these words to be written? Who casts themselves in such a horrible light?
Someone who knows something about forgiveness.
This isn’t the end of the story
But you will have to wait until next Sunday to find out how this story ends.
Why did those who wrote the Bible, especially those telling their own story, show so many key leaders messing up all the time, including themselves? What other sacred books do that? Trick question…
