Lent- Week 6

HOLY WEEK
Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 8:1-20
Objective: To discover our need to REMEMBER
Don't forget- no meat on Good Friday

It's HOLY WEEK!!!!!!!!

Holy Week is a time of remembrance! Holy Week represents the last week of Jesus' life before his resurrection on Easter Sunday. What does that mean for us? Isn't it just like the other weeks of Lent?

Holy Week is very important in the life of a believer for it gives us an opportunity to remember! To remember means to keep in mind for attention or consideration. So often we have encounters with people, places, and things and give no further thought to them. However, our encounter with God should be different! Because we have examined ourselves for over five weeks (seeking growth during desert experiences), we have demonstrated our desire to receive what God has for us. I believe that Holy Week is prime time for us to do so through remembering.

Deuteronomy 8:2 says "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands." In this passage, Moses is speaking to the children of Israel about God's great deliverance of God's children. However, the central theme is to REMEMBER! Moses explains throughout chapter 8 of Deuteronomy that remembering is necessary for fully obtaining the promise of God.

During this Holy Week, I challenge each of us to REMEMBER! Remember what Jesus did and experienced during His "Holy Week" and what that means for you as an individual, as well as the body of Christ corporately.

PALM SUNDAY- Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem when the crowds recognized Him as King crying "Hosanna" which translates "save now!"

HOLY MONDAY- Jesus cleanses the temple by turning over the tables when the moneychangers were inside of the temple.

HOLY TUESDAY- The Pharisees try to "trick" Jesus. Jesus delivers the best sermon known to the world- the sermon on the Mount of Olives.

SPY WEDNESDAY- Judas agrees to betray Jesus and schemes about Jesus' capture.

MAUNDY THURSDAY- Jesus experiences agony in the garden of Gethsemane but decides God's will is what is best. He has the Last Supper with the disciples and is arrested.

GOOD FRIDAY- Jesus' trial, crucifixion, death, and burial.

HOLY SATURDAY/BLACK SABBATH- Jesus' day of rest in the tomb.

And we know what Sunday morning brought for us! RESURRECTION DAY!

Let us remember Jesus' Holy Week as we walk through our Holy Week. Let us remember what God has already done for us and the revelations that God has given us during this Lenten season in order to GROW through our desert experiences. Let us experience our own Holy Week:
"Palm Sunday"- make our triumphant entry, "Holy Monday"-cleanse the temples in our lives, "Holy Tuesday"-spread the Word of God to others, "Spy Wednesday"-find out who our fake friends are, "Maundy Thursday"-surrender to God's will, "Good Friday"-die to ourselves, "Holy Saturday"-rest from the troubles of the world...because RESURRECTION DAY is just around the corner!!! Your elevation arrives when you GET UP!

Final Challenge: Take a calendar and write one thing that God has already done for you on each day of the week. As you continue through this month...next month...the months to come...REMEMBER that your desert experiences are opportunities for growth if you REMEMBER how good God has already been/how faithful God has already been/how miraculous God has already been!

May God cause of your cup to overflow with wisdom, power, restoration, and favor as you REMEMBER this Holy Week in preparation for Resurrection Sunday!

Blessings,
Pastor C