Waving Holy Week On Toward Easter

The season of Lent is almost complete.  Easter is a few days away.  On Sunday, our hallelujahs will rise in joy and tell the world of the glory and triumph of our God.  Churches around the world will be filled with people, their voices raised in song proclaiming “Hallelujah!  Jesus is risen!”

But before we can celebrate our Lord’s triumph over death, we still have some work to do and lessons to learn.

Beginning with yesterday, Palm Sunday, we hear the celebratory story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, welcomed as a king.  The people recognize him as someone special, possibly even their Messiah.  They have seen and heard of the miracles He has done.    

We join them and become a part of the story as they wave palm branches and lay their coats across the road to keep the dust from kicking up onto this man of God.  We march around the church waving our palm branches and shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

They know, as do we, that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9  “Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

But many expected a different kind of king.  They thought the Messiah would deliver them from the unjust and oppressive rule of Rome and restore Israel to greatness.

How often do we expect a different Savior than the way in which Jesus comes to us?

How often are we fair weather Christians?  As long as the going is going our way, we’re right there waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!”   But as soon as the going gets tough or things don’t go our way, do we turn around and abandon our God thinking He has broken His promises?  Do we become like the crowd in Jerusalem only days later shouting for Pilate to “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

In order to truly celebrate Easter we need to see ourselves for whom we really are.  And THAT requires a full investment in Holy Week.

I invite you to join me here this week and we’ll get ready for the most spectacular event in history…Easter.

www.elcaAndy.org
Maundy Thursday, 4/21, Dinner 6:30 pm - bring an item to share.  Free-will offering.  Worship 7:45 pm
Good Friday, 4/22, 7:30 pm Tenebrae Service (increasing darkness/shadows)
Easter Sunday, 4/24, 8:30 & 10:45 am Worship, 9:45 am Easter Breakfast (free-will offering)