Monday Reflections...Holy Week 2019

We have made it to Holy Week 2019.  I find it helpful to lay out the days of this week to remember what Jesus was doing as He was heading to the cross and the resurrection from grave.  

 I have said this before but www.gotquestions.org is a great resource to gather information from the Bible.  Just type your question in the search bar and away you go to Bible answers from the Bible.  I assembled the summaries below from this online resource. 

 Sunday - yesterday - Palm Sunday - the 10th day of Nisan - the first day of the week - lamb selection day - Jesus enters Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey to fulfill the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 - He receives the praise of the people saying "Hosanna!"

 Monday - today - Holy Monday - the 11th day of Nisan - Jesus cleanses the temple - Jesus curses the fig tree

 Tuesday - Holy Tuesday - the 12th day of Nisan - Jesus challenges the religious authorities - Jesus commends the sacrificial gift of the widow giving her all - Jesus delivers the Olivet Discourse to His disciples

 Wednesday - Spy Wednesday - the 13th day of Nisan - the day thought that Judas Iscariot allied with the religious leaders to hand Jesus over to them - Jesus was anointed with oil at a shared meal at Simon the Leper's home

 Thursday - Maundy Thursday - the 14th day of Nisan - "maundy" means "command" - it is the day that Jesus gave the command to His disciples at the celebration of the Passover Meal to now remember Him until He returns with the celebration of the Lord's Supper - Jesus also gave His disciples the command to love and serve each other while washing His disciples feet

 Friday - Good Friday - the 15th day of Nisan - Jesus retreats to the Mount of Olives with His disciples, minus Judas Iscariot - Jesus prays to His Father with His disciples sleeping near by - Jesus is betrayed by Judas to the Jewish authorities - a through the night unjust trial occurs resulting in a declaration in the morning in the temple - Jesus is handed over the Roman authorities - Jesus is sentenced to death on a cross and brutally scourged and mocked - Jesus carries His cross to the Hill of Golgotha to the chants of the people "Crucify Him!" - Jesus is crucified between two criminals and says His seven last statements - Jesus is placed in an empty grave of a rich man prior to sunset by Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus with the women noting were He was laid

 Saturday - Holy Saturday - the 16th day of Nisan - the Jewish Sabbath day of rest - the seventh day of the week - Jesus is resting in the grave - the disciples are hiding in fear - the tomb is guarded with Roman guards and secured with Pilate's seal - the woman are planning for visitation of the tomb the next morning

 Sunday - Resurrection Sunday - the 17th day of Nisan - the first day of the week - the women find the grave empty - the report is given of a miraculous event that left Roman soldiers fearing for their lives - angels appeared - Jesus makes Himself know to Mary Magdalene and the other women, to Peter, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and then to the rest of the disciples minus Thomas

 I hope these short summaries will help you think of Jesus this week.  Fill them out with the Scriptures that correspond to the events mentioned here.  Find the prophecies fulfilled as Jesus walks through the week.  Be filled with the events of Jesus so that your observances this week will be supplemented by your awareness of why you are gathering with other believers.

 One last note is that my heart is so full from hearing from other ministers who shared their hearts in my presence.  My training sessions in Chicago last week were so enriched by other Interim Pastor Ministries team members sharing their experiences along with the presenters.  A fellow minister shared his heart at our men's monthly breakfast on Saturday and the you could see the impact on the men surrounding the table.  Topping it off, I was able to worship at a local church in my area to listen to a friend, another local pastor, who brought God's Word to me and the congregation gathered.  This sometimes "lonely" job was reinforced by the team last week.  "Thank you God."

 I pray that you have a great holy week.

 Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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