the journey begins renewal

Articles in this column over the last several weeks have considered ways that Christians can confirm their calling into the faith. Tangible actions and attitudes contribute to affirmation and confidence in the process of maturing as a believer. Christianity’s cornerstone doctrine, and foundation of one’s calling, is the resurrection.

Paul calls the resurrection of Jesus the matter of “first importance” in the gospel message (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The apostle reasoned that the resurrection was based not on hear-say and tradition, but upon historical evidence and proof. The resurrection of Jesus was crucial to his arguments in the chapter, and for the spiritual behavior and decisions of the believers. But the resurrection did not come without sacrifice.

Christianity’s Holy Week immediately precedes Easter Sunday. It is the last week of the season of Lent and is often referred to as “Passion Week.” Liturgies and services have traditionally celebrated different events each day of the week, though today’s church culture often sees larger churches offering the same Easter service repeated throughout the week. Traditionally the services of Holy Week and Easter draw the largest attendance to church of the entire year.

Earlier in March, the Christianity Today magazine and website ran an article asking “Will Easter Resurrect Pandemic Church Attendance?” Most churches have had limited in-person congregational worships since Easter 2020. Even as groups begin to gather again, church attendance has been limited in returning to pre-COVID numbers. Leaders anticipate more than half of evangelicals to return in person, but many Catholic and mainline Protestant churches are still hesitating to return.

Whether you return to a church building this year or not, gather your spirit with the Christian community during Holy Week this season. Prepare yourself spiritually, mentally and emotionally to celebrate the resurrection this year. The paragraphs that follow will point you to passages in the Bible to accompany each day. Set aside a time each day to read the Scripture and to pray.

Jesus’ ascent to Jerusalem on the Sunday before Easter has become known as Palm Sunday in most church cultures. The Lord’s arrival as King and Sacrifice follows the Jewish Passover traditions for the selection of the sacrificial lamb. Shouts of “Hosanna” and the waving of palm branches were both declarations from the people that their political and spiritual hopes were resting on the Messiah.

All four gospels record the events of what is known as the “Triumphal Entry” on Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44 and John 12:12-19). Select one or more of the passages for your Scriptural reading, mediation and prayer time for the day. Ask God to lead your week to the cross and beyond.

The chronology of the remainder of Christ’s last week on earth has been a topic of theological debate for centuries. The Roman Catholic Church’s tradition for the week has been the most widely accepted and is used for the formation of Holy Week services.

Holy week

 

There is often confusion about the days of the Hebrew week. Their “day” began at sunset and proceeded until the next sunset. Their Sabbath – Saturday – actually started at sunset Friday evening.

On the Monday of Holy Week, most traditions see Jesus cursing the fig tree and cleansing the temple (Matthew 21:12-19). These events are also described in the gospels of Mark (Mark 11:12-18) and Luke (Luke 19:45-48). There may be many spiritual applications in these passages for Christians today, but an over-riding theme seems to be that it is easy for religious leaders to be so immersed in the details of the faith that it is easy to miss the larger significance of what God is accomplishing. Read one or more of the passages and pray that you never miss the forest while looking for the trees.

During the Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus taught in the Temple area. His teaching not only looked to the future, but hinted to His own death (John 12:20-36 and John 13:21-38). Jesus had predicted His death at least three times in the synoptic gospels (Matthew 16:21-23, Matthew 17:22-23 and Matthew 20:17-19; all three occurrences are also recorded in Mark and Luke). On your Tuesday of Holy Week, notice how all of Scripture looks toward the sacrificial death of Jesus. Offer prayers of thanksgiving to God for His attention to the details of salvation.

On Holy Wednesday, most churches remember the story of Judas arranging the betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). Many Western churches hold Tenebrae services on Wednesday, the word coming from the Latin for “shadows” or “darkness.” Betrayal is horrendous, but easy. This day, as you read this passage, join the other disciples in asking Jesus, “Is it I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)

The Thursday of Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday in many church cultures. The day commemorates the institution of the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:17-25; and Luke 14-20). Paul summarizes the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Select one of the verses for your reading and prayer time today, remembering what the symbols of communion stand for.

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Many church cultures observe Good Friday as a day of fasting. The Roman Catholic traditions include the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion on this day. Scripture readings from Isaiah 53, the book of Hebrews, and the passion narrative from John are focal points. The death of Christ is recorded in all of the gospels (Matthew 27:35-56; Mark 15:24-41; Luke 23:33-49; John 19:18-30). Select one of the passages for your reading and prayer time.

Saturday before Easter is the Sabbath in the Jewish tradition. Following His burial (Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-46; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-42), guards were placed at the tomb to assure its security (Matthew 27:61-66). The Sabbath is a day of rest, a commodity more valuable than gold in our society today. As best you can, allow this day to be a day of rest for you. Remember that the disciples had a day of rest prior to the resurrection.

Remember the events of Holy Week in the life of Jesus, and anticipate the amazing work that God is about to perform. Reflect on how God has taken the “death” of your life, worked it together for good, and brought deliverance. Anticipate Him doing even more.

Have your heart ready for the resurrection.

 

raise hallelujah

Palm Sunday celebrates the commemoration of Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion. Remembering the day in worship can be traced back to the late third century. [su_quote align=”right” cite=”Johnathan Edwards”]To pretend to describe the excellence, the greatness or the duration of the happiness of heaven by the most artful composition of words would be but to darken and cloud it; to talk of raptures and ecstasies, joy and singing, is but to set forth very low.[/su_quote] Observances included hymns, prayers and Bible readings. Early in Jerusalem people would travel through the holy places in the city as they read Scriptures and sang songs. As the end of the day approached, the people would return home declaring, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

 

The “Triumphal Entry” is one of a handful of incidents in the life of Christ that is recorded by all four gospel writers. It is the Sunday that begins Holy Week, remembering Jesus’ entry into the city as prophet, priest and king. By the sixth and seventh centuries palm leaves were added to the celebration. Early in the eighth century, an early morning procession replaced the evening one, and the Roman Catholic Church had institutionalized the celebration of Palm Sunday.

Scriptural passages | Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:1-9 Mark 11:1-10 Luke 19:28-39 John 12:12-18

The contrasting events of Holy Week perplex many Bible readers. Was the crowd so fickle that they are praising the name of Jesus on Sunday and yelling, “Crucify him!” days later? While some people may have joined into the exuberance of the crowds, the best explanation sees two separate groups of people dictating the direction of the sentiment. On Palm Sunday, the crowd was driven by faithful Jewish followers praying for redemption from the enslavement of Rome and sincere disciples of the rabbi from Galilee. The crowd that later would yell for Jesus’ execution was driven by Jewish leaders and people the leaders had paid off. The majority of those praising Jesus on Sunday were not present in the crowd later in the week.

Praise Beyond Words

The Gospel writers describe a crowd gathered outside of Jerusalem filled with excitement. Don’t picture they were outside the city gates waiting on Jesus to finally arrive. The Passover was at hand and every faithful Jewish male was required to be at the Temple to celebrate the event (Deuteronomy 16:16 NIV). The paths leading up to Jerusalem were filled with excited Hebrews. The people were not sure whether Jesus would be attending the celebration (John 11:56-57).

Like the Sabbath, the celebration of the Passover stirred a time to remember God’s activities and His promises. It was a renewed and invigorated time of Messianic hope and expected deliverance. The people came to Jerusalem expecting the miraculous intervention from God.

Pharisees and temple soldiers, along with a small Roman presence, lined the way to Jerusalem assuring peace among the people. Some religious leaders were concerned that Jesus’ followers were making so much noise that the Romans might become fearful of a riot or revolt and step in with force (Luke 19:39).

It Was What the People Said

Luke tells us that the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully praising God in extremely loud voices for all of the miracles they had seen (Luke 19:37 NIV). The shouts of the people seemed simple:

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! (Luke 19:38)

The Pharisees immediately tried to get Jesus to silence the followers. They understood. This isn’t just a cheer devised by the disciples. The phrase is found in the Hebrew scripture. Listen to the words of Psalm 118:1-29 NIV. While affirming that the loving kindness of the Lord endures forever, a vital truth is declared, “I will give thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21 NIV). The next verse sheds new light:

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22 NIV).

Peter makes sure that we understand that this verse is speaking about Jesus (1 Peter 2:6-8 NIV). Peter’s words also reference Isaiah 28:16 (also quoted by Paul in Romans 9:33 and Ephesians 2:20) and Isaiah 8:14 (again found in Romans 9:33). Matthew (Matthew 21:42) and Luke (Acts 4:11) quote the Psalm 118 passage.

This phrase finds its use only regarding Israel’s savior. This marvelous work that the Lord is doing launches the day of salvation (Psalm 118:23-24). The day of the long-anticipated salvation from Lord arrived. Many disbelieved the day would ever come. But it will come – indeed, it has come. Hope captured and displayed.

Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! (Psalm 118:25 ESV)

Matthew, Mark and John indicate that a word used in the chanting is the Hebrew, Hosanna. The word means “to save, to rescue” and it can denote a “savior.” The word referred to the Messiah as “the Son of David” as its only use.

This reaction of the crowd angered the religious leaders (Matthew 21:15-16 NIV). The scribes and Pharisees displayed jealousy toward Jesus more than anything else. Concern also arose that the Romans would not like to hear Jesus proclaimed as King while the Romans believed that Caesar alone occupied the King’s throne.

Raise Your Hallelujah

As we prepare for the resurrection, we have talked about being raised for such a time as this, about being raised to walk, and about our need for a Sabbath’s rest to prepare for the resurrection. It is also vitally important that we raise our “hallelujahs” because of what the Lord has done. As Jesus said, if we do not do it, even the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:40).

Bethel Music released a praise and worship song in 2019 called “I Raise a Hallelujah.” Since its release, the song earned nominations for Billboard’s top Christian song of the year and the Dove Award for Best Worship and Praise Song of the Year. Listen to a few of the words:

I raise a Hallelujah in the presence of my enemies.

Up from the ashes.

I raise a Hallelujah louder than my unbelief.

Hope will arise.

I raise a Hallelujah in the middle of the mystery.

Death is defeated. The King is alive!

Spend this week raising your hallelujah. You live the resurrection.

raised to walk

Before the Resurrection

Raised to Walk

This Easter, let’s look at the resurrection in a little larger context than we normally view regarding this important Christian doctrine. It is easy to focus attention on the immediate setting of the crucifixion of Jesus to the degree we miss the bigger picture the Bible portrays of the context and contrast between life and death. As we consider several lessons the Bible is teaching “before the resurrection,” remember there is a large context (life vs death) and an immediate context (the nature of a Jewish religion in the culture of the Roman Empire) for the doctrine of the resurrection.

Consider also that God tends to teach important concepts to His people by first previewing or introducing the subject, then by teaching about it in space and time, and finally by reinforcing the concept in practical, historical settings.

The Raising of Lazarus

Our Scriptural passage for the day is John 11:1-57. Many recognize a structure of the Gospel of John which focuses on signs (John 2:11) through which God reveals the glory of His Son (John 1:14). The raising of Lazarus from the grave becomes the ultimate sign of His ministry and previews the resurrection of Jesus himself. The impact of this event is multiplied exponentially by the interactions with the disciples during an unhurried journey to Bethany, the connection between beliefs about the resurrection and immediate behavior, and the understanding by Mary and Martha and the religious leaders that the resurrection changes everything.

The setting in the previous passage, John 10:22-42, reveals the immediate context of this Scripture. Jesus and the disciples had attended the winter Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. The December festival was about ninety days away from the Passover. The 11th chapter of John indicates following the raising of Lazarus the Passover feast was “at hand” (John 11:55). This phrase usually indicates the time is within the month. For more information on the immediate setting of this passage, see the Mediterranean Moments article.

This is For You

John spends a little time at the beginning of the eleventh chapter to identify the main characters in the account (John 11:1-5).  Messengers arrive to Jesus with an announcement, “The one whom you love is ill.” John uses the phrase of himself – in a very personal, yet humble way. Jesus loved the family and had a more intimate relationship with them than He did with many others. Just as the Twelve had a special place in the life of Jesus, this family occupied a similar position.

Jesus’ first statement reacting to the news is comforting. “This illness does not lead to death.”  But Jesus adds some depth to the observation. “It is for God’s glory, so the Son of God may be glorified through it.” This is one of the few times that Jesus refers to Himself directly as the “Son of God.” Jesus’ preferred title of Himself seems to be the “Son of Man.”

If there was any question about the depth of this relationship, John clarifies it completely in verse five: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” John probably uses the term “her sister” rather than her name, Mary, because there were so many women named “Mary” in the life of Jesus. The real question comes with the unexpected action that follows. “So when Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was” (John 11:6 ESV). While we would have expected Jesus to drop everything and head to Bethany, He stays where He is two more days.

Jesus’ attitude toward this illness is the same as in John 9:3. The sickness provides an opportunity for “the work of God to be displayed” in His life. What is true here can be applied to every trial that a Christian faces. Our natural reaction to trials is to treat them as an intruder, getting rid of them as quickly and painlessly as possible. When we offer our trials to God and allow Him to use them as He pleases, we bring glory to His name as He works through and in the trials of life.

Perhaps the relaxed response of Jesus confused the disciples. After two days, Jesus announced they were heading to Judea (John 11:7). The disciples, ever protective of their Master, reminded Jesus that Jewish leaders were ready to arrest or kill Him. “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep and I must wake him.” The disciples giggled under their breath. “Lord, he will wake up on his own.” Can you see Jesus shaking His head and saying, “Lazarus is dead.”

But you said his illness wouldn’t lead to death. Jesus continued more deeply, “I am glad that I was not there. This all happened for your sake, so that you may believe. Let’s go to him.”

The Believer Never Tastes Death

At this point, our expectation rests upon Peter saying something. But it isn’t Peter who speaks, but rather Thomas. Some thirty days before we have labeled him a “doubter,” Thomas speaks confident words that indicate he may understand what Jesus is trying to teach. “Let’s go with Him that we may die with Him” (John 11:16).

The disciples were no doubt puzzled as they made their way to the village near Jerusalem. Jesus had said this sickness did not lead to death, but now Jesus had clearly stated that Lazarus was dead. Jesus had never been wrong before. What did all of this mean?

Not too long ago Jesus had been teaching the very same thing. In John 5:24, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” In John 8:51, Jesus responds to accusations by the Pharisees, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Pharisees changed the wording to “taste death,” but Jesus did not correct them.

You will never taste death. Those are powerful words – but especially in light of the circumstance with Lazarus. “Jesus must have been wrong,” you can almost hear the skeptic murmuring. Death is all around; it has claimed another victim.

Outside Target Stadium in Minneapolis, the home of baseball’s Minnesota Twins, rests a plaque commemorating an historic event. At the location, just outside of Gate 34, exactly 520 feet from home plate stands a statue of a golden glove. The spot marks the landing of the longest home run ever hit by any Twins player – hit by Harmon Killebrew, Hall of Fame third and first baseman. On June 3, 1967 Killebrew launched one of his 573 home runs an amazing 520 feet, a record that, as of 2020. still holds for the Twins.

On May 13th, 2011, Killebrew left an even greater statue, written in a powerful blog on his website.

It is with profound sadness that I share with you that my continued battle with esophageal cancer is coming to an end. With the continued love and support of my wife, Nita, I have exhausted all options with respect to controlling this awful disease. My illness has progressed beyond my doctor’s expectation of cure.

On that evening, Killebrew entered hospice care preparing to die. Four days later, the man nicknamed “The Killer” and “Hammerin’ Harmon” passed away. It did not matter how many home runs he hit. There was no care given to his amazing career. Death is the great equalizer. You live; you die.

Or did he? Did Lazarus? Jesus says to Martha, outside of the grave of her brother, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 ESV). Though he die, he never dies.

Jesus taught the same thing earlier in John’s gospel. In John 5:24, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” In John 8:51, Jesus responds to accusations by the Pharisees, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Martha, do you believe this? Really? Are you ready for Lazarus to be raised to walk?

We Get What This Means

Mary and Martha believed in the resurrection of the dead, but they believed that it happened later, before heaven and at the judgment. Jesus wants them to look at the reality of a resurrection right now. The resurrection makes us be raised to walk differently. The Pharisees understood the implications of this teaching. “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:48). From this point on, the Jewish religious leaders made specific plans on how to kill Jesus. They didn’t understand that Jesus was saying, “You cannot kill me.”

Life versus Death

The reason is that death is bigger than an event that marks the end of the body’s life. Death is what many people live every day. Since Adam’s sin, death has reigned through people on earth. The expression, “This has been a living hell,” has more truth to it than most realize. Because of death, two things dominate our lives – fear and guilt. The fear of death produces a pervasive bondage that is inescapable and unending. The condemnation of guilt shackles us to the wall, keeping us from ever touching the healing powers of life.

“Don’t you know … We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4 ESV). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2 ESV).

We don’t have to live like this anymore. Was that what Jesus meant when He said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV)?

Raised to Walk

I remember the words from almost sixty years ago, just as clearly had it been only sixty seconds. Warren Robbins, minister of the Plainfield Christian Church, rested the head of a nine-year-old boy in the palm of his hand. Bending at his back, he lowered the quiet and still body into a pool of less than warm water. Family, friends and curious strangers gazed at the ceremony taking place behind the shadows of the church pulpit.

“Buried with Him in the likeness of His death. Raised to walk in newness of life.”

I wonder if the words rang just as loudly in the ears of Lazarus for the remainder of his earthly years. I would imagine that he clings to them even now.

“Lazarus, come forth.”

If death was all around you – close enough to touch, poignant enough to smell, etched forever into the granite of your vision  – and somehow you evaded its snare and walked away, wouldn’t you walk differently? Wouldn’t your life be filled with a humbling wonder of how and why your life continued? Could you keep your tongue from shouting your experiences to everyone who would listen? The realization that you had been raised to walk again would be an explosive, volcanic force in your life for the rest of your days.

Raised to walk in a newness of life.

Petra

What is your favorite Easter song? My favorite Easter song was performed by Petra, a music group regarded as the one of the foundations of Christian rock and contemporary Christian music. The song is titled, Grave Robber, and was written by Petra band member Bob Hartman.

There’s a step that we all take alone
An appointment we have with the great unknown
Like a vapor this life is just waiting to pass
Like the flowers that fade, like the withering grass
But life seems so long and death so complete
And the grave an impossible portion to cheat
But there’s One who has been there and still lives to tell
There is One who has been through both heaven and hell
And the grave will come up empty-handed that day
Jesus will come and steal us away

(Chorus)
Where is the sting, tell me where is the bite
When the grave robber comes like a thief in the night
Where is the victory, where is the prize
When the grave robber comes
And death finally dies

Many still mourn and many still weep
For those that they love who have fallen asleep
But we have this hope though our hearts may still ache
Just one shout from above and they all will awake
And in the reunion of joy we will see
Death will be swallowed in sweet victory

 

Grave Robber: More Than Just a Song

Grave robber – it sounds more like something out of a world wrestling match than church, doesn’t it? Maybe that is a far more appropriate imagery than a hallelujah or a lilly. Paul says we wrestle – not against flesh and blood – but against powers and principalities. And for centuries, we wrestled against death – and lost.

If I understand what happened on the day that Christ rose from the grave, death died.

Since Adam in the Garden, death had reigned day after day, generation after generation. From the time of a birth, mankind simply waited for the time of a death. From the moment that Adam and Eve buried Abel, people have paused respectfully at tombs, gathered together in cemeteries, planted flowers and gazed and remembered. And death smiled. Laughed. Champion again. Undefeated. Still holding the belts. Longest reigning ever.

And today, if you and I were to visit cemeteries

and look for

 

Grandpa May, whom I never knew

Grandma May

James Thomas, Uncle Wes’ son

Uncle Lloyd

Uncle Herb

Aunt Reba

Aunt Sylvia

Aunt Flossie

Aunt Emma

Uncle Wes

Sharon, a teen-aged girl, and the first funeral I ever officiated

Grandpa

Chuck

Dad

Bama

Grandma

Joe, the one who got away

Dean

Joyce

Jacob

Mom

Scott

Rich

Renae

 

Your loved one

 

We would be struck by seeing a man, relaxed, waiting, almost anticipating our arrival. Sitting on the headstone. Glistening. White. Radiant.

With a slight smile on his face, he whispers, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

He is not here.

She is not here.

Never was.

Never will be!

 

A Reason for our Hope

For death, you see, not only does not reign – it doesn’t even need to be considered.

Useless.

Impotent.

Stingless. Defeated.

Robbed.

 

And a grin bursts over our faces.

They are not here.

They are risen!