Passion Week is the time between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. This year, that would be April 1 (Palm Sunday) through April 8 (Easter Sunday). It is so named because of the passion that Jesus had to go through. His obedience to the father and His love for us was so passionate, He paid the ultimate price of suffering and death. I am inviting you to spend time reading in the Gospel of Mark in preparation for Passion Week as well as the following weeks in April. You will find the Passion Week stories in Mark chapters 11-16. During the month of April, all the messages will come from these chapters.
The Passion Week also includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. At JIBC, we choose to remember the passion of Christ with a contemplative service on Good Friday. One of my pastor friends, Curt Bradford of Riverbluff Church, has a Maundy Thursday service. Both are planned to lead us to remember the passion of Christ, the price He paid for our sins, and the Fathers great love for us. “Maunday”, by the way, comes from an old Latin word meaning “mandate”…as in “a new command I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). A traditional Maundy Thursday service includes a foot washing ceremony remembering what Christ did for us.
For our Passion Week, we choose to observe Good Friday, the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday. It is not named Good Friday because what happened to Jesus is good. The arrest, beatings, and crucifixion was brutal. There was nothing good about it. It is referred to as Good Friday because of what happened through Jesus for all of us. Romans 5:8 says “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” 1 Peter 3:18 says “For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” So with a contemplative service, we will remember, observe the Lord’s Supper, give thanks, and pray.
I hope to see you during this time of the year when we celebrate His love. Remember, you have family and friends you have been praying for and loving. If there is one or two times a year they will attend church, Easter is one of them. Invite them to join you for this years Easter Celebration. They will hear the Good News of God’s great love.
See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
