Palm Sunday

What’s the Deal with Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Passion Week, the beginning of the ending of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey fulfills a prophecy uttered several centuries earlier by the prophet Zechariah: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). The prophet foretells the arrival of a king—a great and righteous King who brings salvation. According to the New Testament’s accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people of the city went to the outskirts of the city to usher Jesus into town. As Jesus processed toward Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, the people laid palm fronds and cloaks in the road as a way of giving Jesus a king’s welcome. The palms signify that the King of the world is entering Jerusalem.

Importantly, though, Jesus is not like other kings, and his kingdom does not work like other kingdoms. Jesus does not launch his kingdom with military might and conquest, but with self-giving love. He wears a crown of thorns, and he is enthroned upon a cross. Today, King Jesus enters Jerusalem amid shouts of “Hosanna” (“save us!“). By Friday, he will be slain in Jerusalem amid cries of “Crucify him!” But these conflicting shouts are two sides of the same coin, for it is precisely by being crucified that Jesus saves the world. King Jesus’ route to glory goes the humble way of the cross—of love. And if we are his disciples, so must ours.

Jonathon+

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the first day of what is traditionally known as the Triduum, which essentially means “The Great Three Days.” And, no, it’s not ‘Monday’ Thursday as it may seem to be pronounced (or as some thought when they were kids in a liturgical church).

So, what does “maundy” mean?! It comes from the Latin “mandatum,” which basically means “commandment.” That makes a kind of sense, doesn’t it? I mean, it’s not a far stretch to see “mandate” in there. (In fact, the software I’m writing this on tried to autocorrect the Latin term to “mandate” while I typed. Ha!)

Holy Thursday (as some refer to it) is so named “Maundy” because this is the day we remember the final Passover feast Jesus celebrated with His disciples. And, at that celebration, Jesus says to them, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

The way Jesus demonstrates this love is by humbling himself and washing the feet of His disciples. Jesus the Christ, God incarnate, takes on a task typically reserved for the lowliest of servants. At our Maundy Thursday service, we mimic Jesus’ humility by washing one another’s feet.

In addition to the foot-washing ceremony, we will partake in celebrating Holy Eucharist—which Jesus also instituted on this same night he broke bread with and washed His disciples’ feet. (This is no small matter, but this brief article can’t cover the magnitude and beauty of the Lord’s Supper.)

Afterward, we will strip the altar. The “Stripping of the Altar” involves removing all of the elements used during worship: the chalice (the cup which holds our communion wine), the paten (the plate which has the bread), books, candles, linens, and anything on the Table. It is often done hastily and sometimes dramatically.

The significance in the tradition of Stripping of the Altar is sobering. Those implements, which are otherwise special and sacred, on this night are treated as common. Just as Jesus was so treated as a common criminal. We gather around the now-bare altar. Yet, just as Jesus’ friends and followers did after His arrest, we’ll all eventually leave; leave the church to return to our respective homes.

This somber tone of worship will carry on to Good Friday. But, we know that Sunday is coming; and that means Resurrection! Until then--until Resurrection Sunday--we allow ourselves to sit in the sorrow. Blessed be the God of our salvation.

Adam

Good Friday

The Friday before Resurrection Sunday (or Easter) marks the commemoration of Christ’s crucifixion, therefore to call it “Good” Friday feels paradoxical. 

Imagine the emotions felt by his followers & family on the day that Jesus was executed. He was, of course, their teacher, friend, brother, and son, but they also had become convinced that he was their Savior and God. 

To call this day “Good” in this sense feels ironic or even sinister. And yet, Christians acknowledge that when Christ died on that cross over two millennia ago, he was paying the debt that mankind accrued for our rebellion against God (sin). 

Jesus knew his life on earth would end in crucifixion, and he went willingly to make a way for us to have a restored relationship with the triune God and to give us access into God’s kingdom. In this sense, “good” feels like an understatement because without Christ’s death, we would be damned to pay for that debt with our eternal death. 

So, on Good Friday, we rightly sit in the tension of mourning and lamenting the sin we ourselves commit which led to Jesus’ death, while also acknowledging that without it, we would have no hope for the restoration of life in God’s Kingdom.

Jed

Resurrection Sunday

I know why you’re here... You have a question. What exactly is the deal with Resurrection Sunday? Perhaps I’m being a bit presumptuous to assume that you’re even asking the question. Maybe you’ve never even thought to ask it before this very moment.

    First, Resurrection Sunday is the actual name of the day that most of the world refers to as Easter. The term Easter is fine to use, although it can be misleading. Easter and the associated celebration is most closely connected with the pagan goddess Eostre.

    As has  so often been the case, Christianity, as it spread throughout the world, adapted existing local celebrations to tell the story of Christ. Far from adopting pagan practices, though, the early Christians looked at what they were doing as redeeming the pagan culture—to take a curse and turn it into a blessing! This is central to the very message of Christ.  Especially the message of Resurrection. What is more of a reversal of a curse than overcoming the curse of death through resurrection?!

    Next, Resurrection, while it is essentially the theme of every Sunday services, bears having a special day and season because it is absolutely essential to our faith. St. Paul himself says, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

    Paul understood fully that our faith rests in large part on the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus. We acknowledge this reality as well when we celebrate this most important day in our Christian Calendar. We acknowledge that our resurrection has been assured through the resurrection of Christ. He is the first-fruit; we will one day be the harvest. Praise be to God!

    Resurrection Sunday grows in significance as we place it in the context of the Christian calendar, as it follows the season of Lent and is the culmination of Holy Week! As we come to Resurrection Sunday, having spent 40 days practicing self-denial, we are able to worship and celebrate even more freely.

    Yes, resurrection is so important to us that we don’t merely get one day to celebrate, but an entire 50 day season! This reminds us that the feast is bigger than the fast! That, though there is pain in the night, praise God, JOY comes in the morning! As we feast this Resurrection season and add the Hallelujahs back into our liturgy, let’s remember the goodness of resurrection that is becoming real in our lives even now as we wait for it to come in fullness one day!

Derek+