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Most Easter Sundays started early for me as a teen. The church youth group always had a sunrise service. We’d drive a few miles north of town and sit on the rim of a canyon cutting through the sandstone. The leaders encouraged us to spread out, so we wouldn’t talk, hoping we’d think about the meaning of Easter, and maybe, just maybe, even talk to God about it a little. It must have worked.  

I didn’t like getting up early, and I didn’t like sitting in the cold, but there’s something about watching the sun rise that makes the inconvenience worth-while. The reddish-orange hue on the horizon as that glowing disc approaches and then cracks the skyline never fails to impress. The light that begins to dispel shadows, pushing the darkness away, brings everything it touches into sharp focus. As it begins its march across the sky, the sun takes on a golden yellow glow, spreading warmth and bringing the promise of a new day. Sun rise. Son Rise. The play on words is trite, it’s old, it’s been used a kajillion times, but it’s still meaningful. On that first Easter Sunday the sun rose and the Son of God rose, and as He rose the light of His gospel spread, illuminating truth and dispersing the shadows of lies.

Sun rise brings the promise of a new day, but each day is fleeting and quickly comes to a close.

Son Rise – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – is the promise not of a new day but of a new life; a life lived in the very presence of the Lord Himself. A life that is not fleeting, that will not pass quickly, a life that is everlasting!

We have to remember there’s no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There’s no Son Rise without the horrible, unjust, yet wonderful sacrificial death of Jesus. The juxtaposition is poignant; the indescribable fettered agony of the cross and the pure ecstasy of freedom in the resurrection.

But why did Jesus have to die, especially in such a cruel way? A good question we all have to answer, even a teenager sitting in the cold dawn of an Easter morning. We all have to come face to face with our own sin and the realization that we cannot justify ourselves before the holy God Almighty. We need a savior, one who can and will pay the price for our sins. Jesus was able and willing and that’s why He had to die. He was the only one who could redeem us, and for that He endured the cross.

Culturally sin is passé, but it’s still an accurate describer of what fills the heart of man. We are all sinners, we all need a savior, we all need Easter; not the bunny or the eggs, we need Jesus. We need amazing grace and He provides it – in abundance.   

Without Easter the past has no meaning, the present has no purpose and the future holds no hope. Have you seen the Son Rise on Easter morning?  

In one sense, there’s nothing special about “Holy Week.” Just another sequence of eight days each spring — nothing is intrinsically holy about this Sunday to Sunday that moves around the calendar each year.

We have no mandate from Jesus or his apostles to mark these days for particular observance. Paul, for one, would be quite happy for us to partake, or not. “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).

Clearly, the celebration should not be pressed upon the conscience of others. “Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath” (Colossians 2:16).

Opportunity, Not Obligation

Celebrating Holy Week is not an obligation, but it is an opportunity. It is a chance to walk with the church, throughout time and throughout the world, as she walks with her Bridegroom through the most important week in the history of the world. It is a chance to focus our minds on, and seek to intensify our affections for, the most important and timeless of realities.

While not mandating the observance, or even suggesting it, the New Testament does give us indirect reason, if we’re looking for it. The final eight of Matthew’s 28 chapters are given to this one week, along with the last six of Mark’s sixteen and the final six of Luke’s 24.

Most significant, though, is John. Ten of the Gospel’s 21 chapters — essentially half — deal with the final week of our Lord’s life, his betrayal, his trials, his crucifixion, and his triumphant resurrection. Even Acts, which then narrates the life of the early church, returns to the events of Holy Week with frequency (see, for instance, Acts 1:15–19; 2:22–36; 3:11–26; 4:8–12, 24–28, among others).

Indeed, it could even be said that all the Old Testament anticipates this week, and the rest of the New Testament reflects it in theology and practical living.

Seize the Week

Without any arm-twisting or conscience-pressing, I would encourage you to consider how you might make the most of this week. These are some of the darkest and brightest days in the history of the world, and they are rich with soul-sustaining food and life-clarifying vision.

In the chaos of our increasingly fast-paced and hectic society, Holy Week is a reminder to pause and ponder, to carefully mark each day and not let this greatest of all weeks fly by us like every other.

Perhaps pick a time each day — alone or with family or housemates — to slow down and savor what was happening during the Passion week some 2,000 years ago. Consider reading through a Holy Week devotional — or even better, one (or a couple) of the Passion narratives from the Gospels:

Matthew 21–28

Mark 11–16

Luke 19–24

John 12–21

Block out several minutes. Find a comfortable place to sit. Seek to quiet your soul, and pray that God would meet you in the events and significance of this week. And spend a few moments in prayer after you read and turn the truth Godward in adoration of Christ. Receive this week with thanksgiving, and make it holy by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:5).

You may want to make it memorable with candles or some other special flair. If your church, or another in town, does a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, that presents another opportunity.

A Prayer for Passion Week

If you’d like a specific biblical text to serve as a prayer charter for this week, here’s what I’m asking for myself and my family: that God would make the prayer of Ephesians 3:16–19 increasingly true of us this Holy Week —

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Jesus’s step-by-step journey to Golgotha is a glowing revelation of the extent of his love. He loved us “to the uttermost” (John 13:1) in going all the way to the cross for us, with every bruise, every puncture, and throb and stab of pain. And it is during Holy Week that we see most profoundly how deep the Father’s love for us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

May God make this to be for you a week of being newly grounded in the love of Christ, so plainly on display from the resolve of Palm Sunday, to the ultimate sacrifice of Good Friday, to the triumph of Easter Sunday. And may you freshly know the love of Christ, in all its breadth and length and height and depth — and wonder upon wonder, be filled with all the fullness of God.

DesiringGod. Make the Most of Holy Week. March 21, 2016. David Mathis.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/make-the-most-of-holy-week

We are continuing our series on getting to know your church leaders a little bit better. Read along to learn more about Mike Camp, who is our new Tech Ministry Coordinator.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born and raised in a small town just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Though I call it home when I go to visit, the East Mountains feel more like home to me.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

Well, looking through my stuff from kindergarten (my mom saved everything), I guess I wanted to be a fireman or an astronaut. I much prefer sitting next to a fire than running into one, and I’m terribly afraid of heights, so…

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

I heard a sermon by Rick Warren on the radio a few months before I met Pastor Frank, so I guess I would have to say that sermon was it.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I think the best phrase I ever heard was in Alcoholics Anonymous: “God led me to AA so AA could lead me to God.” That miracle began October 20, 2019.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Juntos and FH! It’s a bit of long story that I’d be happy to share one-on-one.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge as serving as Tech Ministry Coordinator?

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I really enjoy astrophotography. I was introduced to the hobby by a work mentor many years ago. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I usually enjoy going hiking if I’m caught up on my chores.

What is the perfect meal?

Low saturated fat, plenty of leafy green vegetables, and a reasonable portion of protein. (Just in case my cardiologist reads this!)

Who or what never fails to make you laugh?

Nate Deterding and cat videos.

“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

As we look towards celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, it is certainly the pinnacle of our lives leading into eternity. For us, that joyous morning looms large. But let’s look at the evening of that momentous day when Luke tells us about two sad people walking away from Jerusalem, disheartened that the Messiah had not come, and perplexed at all the happenings of the previous week: the arrest, suffering and death of their hope. Jesus came alongside them unrecognized and began talking to them about the events of the previous days.  

He enlightened them about His purpose in coming into the world, and how scripture pointed towards Him from ages past. When they stopped for the evening, the men recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread with Him, and joyfully and excitedly returned to Jerusalem to tell everyone. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

Were those two just lucky beyond measure, or unusually blessed, getting a Bible study from Jesus, or are we the ones most blessed? Unlike the walkers, we have the opportunity every day to open the scriptures and to learn about God’s plan for us, and hear His purpose for our lives through our prayers. God has provided us with the gift of His written Word, so that we never need to be uninformed.

The two were walking physically, and had been trying to walk spiritually with Jesus. Have we realized the promise of the resurrection in our lives? Are we walking in the light of Jesus in all that we do, or are we swayed by the world around us? They were listening to Him; are we? The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  (Isaiah 9:2) 

The walkers were excited that their teacher, friend (and now Savior) was not dead, but alive forevermore. How much more can we rejoice than them, because the power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we experience that power every day. They told their friends the Good News; do we share with all those around us the hope of eternal life which we have? 

So, let’s rejoice that the tomb was empty, but let’s also look forward, like the walkers to Emmaus. Jesus has not only risen indeed, but He lives forevermore, and wants to walk with us and help us grow in knowledge of Him. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

What brings you joy? When I was a young boy of 6, my grandfather took me fly fishing with him for the first time. He was already well advanced in years of life and experience in fly fishing. That day, my Grandpa Tom handed me his Orvis 3 weight rod; and I instantly fell in love with the feel of a fly rod in my hand. My earliest memory was not of the smooth finish of a well-made handle, but of the feel of his strong, yet tender, hand helping me to properly hold the rod that I recall most. He spent the majority of that morning patiently untangling knots and retrieving my wayward casts from trees that lined the cool mountain freestone stream.

In spite of my frustration, he remained calm. I frequently became discouraged due to my inability and lack of skill as a newbie. However, I remember his joyful smile and the reassurance of his words. He’d say, “Just keep with it, you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

By early afternoon he managed to teach me to make a basic cast with a short leader, outfitted with a size 16 elk hair caddis fly. We took a break for lunch and afterwards made a short drive up a dusty mountain road to what he called his favorite run. It was a river bend with riffle water that dropped off into a deep hole tucked into an undercut bank, situated in the middle of a beautiful green mountain valley. As we waded upstream to approach the hole, he reminded me to remember what we had been practicing. He reassured me with words of encouragement.

I crouched down and creeped up to the hole, my grandpa trailing just behind me. I could feel my heart beating faster, so I took a deep breath and made a cast. The fly landed soft enough, and I’ll never forget the sight of the wild brown trout that rose to the surface from the shadows of the river bed to eat my fly. “SET, SET, SET!,” my grandpa shouted! I hooked the fish and landed it! However, that day I too was hooked!

Looking back, I don’t know which one outshone the other when I landed that fish: my excitement, or Grandpa Tom’s joyful belly laugh. I do know this, what was first his joy, he was glad to share with me. His joy became my joy, and then my joy seemed to multiply his joy. Such it is to be a disciple of Christ, and a fisher of men!

The Lord said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:8-12)

Is your joy in Christ? In His presence there is fullness of joy! As Christ’s disciples, we find our joy in Him, and so we pursue Him (in His word and prayer) in our pursuit of joy. In doing so, the Spirit leads us in fruitfulness to pursue one another in the love of Christ. Then, His joy may be in us, and our joy in Him may be full. As we grow in years and wisdom as disciples of Christ, may we not miss out on the compounding pleasure that comes from giving of ourselves in love and service to each other. This pleasure is found in our own pursuit of joy and Christlikeness, as we pursue each other out of the abundance of His love for us.