Last week in Singapore, Pope Francis sat down with a group of young people from various religions and stated, "All religions are a path to reach God. They are – I make a comparison – like different languages, different idioms, to get there. But God is God for everyone, and since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God. ‘But my God is more important than yours!’ Is this true? There is only one God, and our religions are languages, paths to reach God. Some are Sikh, some are Muslim, some are Hindu, some are Christian, but they are different paths.”

Statements like these always sound nice and welcoming, but beneath the polite and inoffensive surface, are ideas opposed to Scripture and historical Christian doctrine (aka what the Church has taught since Jesus' ascension to Heaven). So, if the Pope's words set off your theological alarm bells, good. Let's take a closer look and break down his statement,

"All religions are a path to reach God. They are – I make a comparison – like different languages, different idioms, to get there."

Comparing religions to languages is odd. If you think about it, the Pope is essentially stating that Christianity is just one translation of truth among other translations. But that's not true. The truth of God is not expressed through the various world religions, but exclusively through his Word (2 Peter 1:16-19), his creation (Romans 1:19-20) and his Son  Jesus Christ (Acts 17, Acts 4:5-12, John 1:14). Christianity is not an edition of truth stacked next to Islam and Hindu editions. No, our faith is built on the prophets and apostles that point us to Christ (Ephesians 2:19-21). He alone is The Way, The Truth, The Life (John 14:6). There is no other option to get to God apart from Christ, anything else is foolishness (Romans 1:18-22).

"But God is God for everyone, and since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God."

This is also very misleading and vague, but we'll do our best to clarify a few things. For one, we believe that God is the Savior for all people of every color, language, tribe and tongue (Revelation 7:9). However, because of original sin (Romans 5:12), we are all born separated from the Father and are "by nature children of wrath", held captive by sin (Ephesians 2:3). So then, how do we become children of God? We are adopted as sons and daughters of God by grace through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 8:15). As sons and daughters of God, we can endure the ups and downs of life knowing that God is for us (Romans 8:31, Psalms 56:9, Isaiah 41:10). Those who have not put their faith in Christ remain separated from the family God and are in desperate need of evangelism. To tell a room of Christians and non-Christians that we are all God's children for sake of superficial peace does nothing but pat people on the back as they run straight towards Hell (Jesus certainly did not; Matthew 10:34-36).

‘But my God is more important than yours!’ Is this true? There is only one God, and our religions are languages, paths to reach God. Some are Sikh, some are Muslim, some are Hindu, some are Christian, but they are different paths.”

The nations need Christ, and thus need Christianity. The sad reality is, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikh have fallen for false gods, false religion, heresy and lies. But they're not alone, so have Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Hebrew Israelites, and many hypocrites that claim be Christians on the outside but remain Christ-less on the inside. Does this mean we're suddenly "holier than thou" because we've been saved? No! This means that as recipients of God's grace (John 1:16-17), we ought to desperately share the gospel and be an example of God's patience, love, and kindness to those around us. We do not shame those of other faiths, nor view them as our enemies, but as prisoners of a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12), captives of sin and false hope. Apart from the exclusive gospel message of Christ that Christianity brings, there is not hope.

Conclusion
Statements like Pope Francis' ought to remind us of the centrality of the gospel, supremacy of God's Word, and the importance of Sola Scriptura (according to Scripture alone). There is no other hope or escape from sin other than the gospel: the good news of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection to redeem God's people through faith in him alone (Romans 1:16). Second, we must never forget that God's Word is supreme over everyone, including pastors, leaders, church history, tradition and the Pope (1 Corinthians 4:6). We should appreciate and love our pastors and leaders, study, cherish, and celebrate Christian tradition and history, but we must be careful to never place any of them on the same level or above the Bible. God's Word alone (Sola Scriptura) has the final say on everything concerning our faith: theology, doctrine, how to live, etc. You don't have to be a pastor to differentiate sound teaching from confusing, vague, and false teaching. The same Spirit that wrote the Scripture is the same that teaches us its meaning today, and he is with you (John 4:16-17). Equip yourself with God's Word, and do not be afraid to stand for truth. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2024/september/documents/20240913-singapore-giovani.html

The Church was rooted in living rooms. No joke, look it up! The Church, even in her infant stages, has always met in homes.

In Acts 2, we see the Church just getting started, and the Bible makes it clear on how the early Christians went about their week. Acts 2:46 tells that the Church gathered, “day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts”. Life was simple. You loved Jesus, worked hard, worshiped in the temple, and spent time with your neighbors. You gathered to take Communion together, share struggles, support each other and encourage one another.

Fast Forward to 2020 and life is a little more complicated. We find ourselves in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and church looks different than what we’re used to. In just a few months we've seen schools shutdown, restaurants close, and countless businesses go belly up. We're required to wear a mask on most private property, sanitize and wash our hands every other minute. We're asked to social distance, stay 6 feet away, and although it helps keep people physically healthy, it’s detrimental to our emotional and spiritual health.

Humans weren't created to be isolated. We weren't created by God to stay in our homes and never leave. We were made for community. We were designed by God to share life with others. If you're a Christian, community is essential. Not only is it important for us as individuals, but also for the corporate health, growth, and witness of the Church. For most Christians, it feels like that’s been taken away when churches decided to meet online every week. However, I want to remind you that God is in control, and global pandemic or not, we are still the Church.

Just because LifePoint isn't physically gathering together in our building on Sundays, doesn't mean that community stops. For many of us, and for far too long, we've taken small group opportunities for granted. We've taken LifeGroups and Bible studies for granted, it's got to stop. Most of us have seen home groups as an option for spiritual growth, but today home groups are the only option.

We're getting back to our roots.

Starting Sunday, August 16th, we are inviting you to join a Worship Group and watch our online service with a small group. A number homes will be available to gather throughout the DFW metroplex to sing to the Lord, study his Word, and take Communion together.

For some of us, the health risks are still too high to be in physical groups. We understand, and we support you in that decision. However, for those who are unable to be physically present in a worship group, we are asking you to join an online worship group that will experience worship together through a “watch party”, and then connect via online groups where you can see and be seen by others.

Life has changed, and we can no longer afford to just wait and see what’s next. We must adjust, because the mission and worship of our God must never stop. It’s been too long, and the weight and distance of it all is beginning to show in many ways. So, be a part of the solution. Take the next step and sign-up today. Let us know that we can count on you and that you’re ready to follow God's direction for our church. Hopefully one day soon we can return to regular corporate worship, but when that time comes, we should never return to being isolated from community and fellowship.

To sign up for a Worship Group, click the Worship Groups box in the homepage on our app, or fill out our short online form.

Today is Sunday, the final day of Holy Week. The disciples are still shaking with fear and doubt, and Mary prepares to finish preparing Jesus’ body and say goodbye, one last time. However, this Sunday will be unlike any other.

It’s the third day since Jesus died on the cross. His disciples are gathered together, unsure what the next move is. Mary Magdalene quickly gathers whatever supplies she needs and heads out to prepare Jesus’ body. A thousand questions are running through her head, but the one thing she’s sure of is that she wants to see Jesus.

She’s weeping as she hurriedly walks to the tomb. She remembers her life changing encounter with Jesus. She remembers the torture that The King suffered and is preparing herself to see his destroyed body once again. It’s still very early in the morning, the sun hasn’t come up yet, but as she approaches the gravesite, she notices that something’s off. Something doesn’t seem right. The boulder that blocked the tomb has been rolled away. The tomb is empty.

“Who stole his body?” Her hands start to tremble and tears flood her face, and panic begins to fill her heart. She drops her bags and ceramic bowls crash to the floor in pieces. Mary takes a breath and runs off to break the news to the disciples.

Peter, James, and John jump out from their beds at the sound of thumping at the door. It’s Mary. She’s frantic. She can hardly speak.

“He’s gone! Jesus is gone!” She utters and runs back to the tomb.

The three men take a look at each other and take off behind her. Their darkest dream has come true: Jesus has died and his body is missing. They arrive and dash into the tomb. All that remains are linen and cloth. This reality is too much to bear and the men walk back home in defeat.  Mary stands outside weeping as the men walk off. She can’t believe it.

But then, in a flash two angels appeared in the tomb. They flashed like lightning, dressed in white, and asked Mary, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She replied with her face still in her palms, “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him”. (John 20:13).

Another voice speaks and this time Mary turns around.

“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” he asks.

She doesn’t recognize him. She thinks he’s the gardener.

“Mary”, he says.

This voice sounds familiar. Could this be him? Mary lifts her head.

“Teacher!” Her sorrow turns to joy as she looks up and sees Jesus!

Mary hurries back to the disciples again. This time, it’s a run of freedom. She’s laughing the entire time. Her tears are gone. She hasn’t smiled this big in what seems forever.

Shortly after appearing to Mary, Jesus goes to visit his disciples. They’re amazed. Some can’t believe it, but Jesus allows them to touch his wounds, and reminds them of the promise he made to come back to life.

Nailed. Dead. Risen. The King is alive!

Tomorrow is Easter. For us, it’s a day when we remember that Jesus came back to life. We know what happened after Jesus died on the cross, he rose on the third day. However for the disciples, Jesus was still dead on this Saturday. Their teacher, best friend, their King is dead and buried in a tomb.

Today is Saturday of Holy Week, the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day that God instituted for the world to rest. In Genesis 1, God creates everything in six days, and on the seventh day he rested. He didn’t rest because he was tired, God doesn’t get tired. He rested so that we can find rest in him. In Jesus’ time, the Sabbath was a huge deal. The Sabbath was usually spent with physical rest, as well as finding spiritual rest with God through thanksgiving and worship.

This Sabbath is very different for the disciples and followers of Jesus. There isn’t any peace in their hearts. They’re still in shock from watching their friend be beaten and ripped apart. No matter what they do, they can’t get the sound of the whip from their ears. Every time they close their eyes they see his bloody body on the cross. They’re tormented, worn down, and have no idea what’s going on. There’s silence in the room as they force themselves to eat and try to find sleep. They doze off, but are met with nightmares and wake up sweating.

They’re afraid. Will the Pharisees come for them next? Was Jesus really the Messiah? What’s going on? Where is Jesus?

It’s Saturday, the Sabbath, and The King is still in the tomb. As far as the disciples know,The King has been silenced. Along with Jesus, all their hopes and dreams are dead and buried.

To them, Sunday was just going to be another day… but although the King is dead and buried, he isn’t finished and his story is far from over. He is just getting started, and the best is yet to come.

The King is saving his best work for last.

Today is Friday, Good Friday. We’re on day five of Holy Week, and today, Jesus will be falsely accused, tried, and sentenced to death on a cross.

Jesus has been betrayed by Judas, arrested, and has been accused of blasphemy by pre-dawn, early morning kangaroo court of the Jewish religious leaders. They accuse him, charge him, find him guilty, and send him to Pilate. Jesus finds himself standing in front of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor that oversees the Jews. He allows them to have religious freedom as long as they pay their taxes to Rome. However, today’s he’s woken abruptly by the Pharisees and an angry mob.

Pilate looks at his servants and asks what’s going on outside. From what they can tell, the Jews are angry and ready to have someone executed. Pilate walks out from his chambers and sees Jesus. His face is bruised from the punches and abuse, and there’s a cut on his lip. His hands are tied behind his back, and he stands silently before Pilate.

Pilate approaches Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews? Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” (Mark 27:11-12)

“Blasphemy!” cry the pharisees.

“How can this man be God?!” shout the scribes.

“Crucify him!” scream the priests.

Pilate is confused. He’s only heard good things about Jesus, yet the Jewish leaders demand his execution. Something isn’t right, something is off. Does Pilate go with his gut and say no? There may be riots if he does. Or, does he allow this innocent man to be killed in order to appease the mob?

Pilate stands before the mob and asks, “What about Barabbas?”

Each year during this week, Rome allowed the Jews to pick one prisoner to be released. The people cry, beg, and plead for Barrabas to be released.

“Give us Barabbas! Crucify Jesus!” they shout. Pilate agrees, and Barrabas walks free.
“Very well, he will be crucified”, says Pilate.

There are no more palm branches being laid at his feet. No one sings Hosanna. Instead the crowd roars, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

As Jesus is sentenced to death, Judas jumps from a tree with a rope tied around his neck. The man that betrayed The King for thirty pieces of silver, now hangs eight feet in the air, lifeless.
The King, God’s holy Son, Jesus, has just been traded for a terrorist. Pilate can’t understand why all of this is happening and symbolically washes his hands clean of this mess. Jesus stands silently, and like a lamb sent to be slaughtered, he is sentenced to die.

For a second, close your eyes. Imagine Jesus walking through the Roman courts to be beaten. Watch the man that healed the blind, have his eyes beaten shut. See the hands that healed the sick, tremble in pain. Look at the feet that walked on water, take a step closer to death. Jesus enters a large empty courtyard with a wooden stump in the middle. It’s the scourging courtyard. Jesus’ hands are tied down, and the Roman soldiers are given the command to begin.

Sticks with metal studs on the ends are brought out. These aren’t for the scourging. These are to soften Jesus’ flesh for the true beating. “Hit!” commands a Roman officer. “Hit!” he shouts again. Blow after blow, swing after swing, the soldiers tenderize Jesus’ body for what is next.

Then, the whips are brought out. These aren’t ordinary whips. These have nine lashes lined with sharp pieces of metal and glass. The officer’s voice shouts, “Hit!”

Skin is ripped apart. Again, “Hit!”

Blood goes flying through the air.

Ribs are broken.

Pieces of bone are torn from Jesus’ body.

Listen to the sound of whip. Hear Jesus’ breathing. Look the pharisees in the eyes as they smile with a smirk of satisfaction. This is their plan finally being played out.

Jesus lays there on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Every inch of his skin has been ripped open. The scourging ends, but his suffering is far from over. A crown of thorns is driven into Jesus’ skull. A robe of mockery is thrown on his back and two pieces of tree trunks are thrown at his feet. “Pick up your cross, Jesus”, they laugh.

Ordinary men would have been dead by now. Most wouldn’t have survived the scourging, but not The King. Jesus takes up his 150 pound cross on his shoulder, and begins his walk up to the place called Golgotha.

As he walks, he’s mocked, ridiculed, and cursed at. People spat in his face. “This is God?!” they mock. Stones are thrown at him. Punches and kicks are thrown. It’s an agonizing journey until finally, they reach the top of that hill just outside the city gates.. Exhausted, Jesus collapses on the dirt. His torn flesh burns like wildfire.

The soldiers throw his body on the cross and bring out three long, heavy, railroad-like spikes, one for each hand, and one for his feet. Jesus, barely conscious screams out in pain. The nails crush through his bones and his nerves go into shock.

They stand the tree trunk up and place into a concrete hole in the ground. Jesus is now hanging on the cross.

Do you see his mother there? Can you see the tears flow down Mary’s face as she watches? Her baby boy. Her son is being crushed before her very eyes. Feel the pain in her heart. She's kissed scrapes, scratches and bruises away since he was a baby. Not this time.

Hours pass. Jesus is still alive. He mumbles prayers to the Father. His prayers aren’t to take him down. They’re not commands for angels to come rescue him. The King is praying over the very ones who drove the nails through his hands. He’s praying for his enemies. He’s praying for those who will believe in him. He’s praying over you, and he’s praying over me.

It’s almost time. His lungs are filling up with fluid. Breathing has almost become impossible. The wrath of God is pouring on to Jesus.

All the sin of the world is being laid on him, driving him deeper into the nails. Every once of pain. Every broken relationship. Abandonment, neglect, fear, pain, sorrow, anguish, all being absorbed by Jesus. It’s the darkest moment in history, and The King is facing it alone.

Jesus’ heart begins to race. He feels something he’s never felt before. Is that the Father leaving? Where is he going? Why is he turning away from Jesus?

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he cries out.God’s infinite, holy wrath, has been placed completely on his Son. This is it, this is the final moment of the day.

With every last drop of strength left in his body, he lifts himself up, and with tears in his eyes he says, “It is finished”.

The King is dead.

It’s Thursday. Passover is finally here. All of Jerusalem prepares to have supper with their families inside the city. Last minute shoppers are still scrambling to get those final ingredients that they need. The big day is finally here.

Our story picks up in Matthew 26, and Jesus is sitting with the twelve disciples preparing the Passover meal. Everything seems normal. These men have had this meal for years, it’s nothing new. The men enjoy their dinner, share stories, and sing songs of worship. There’s laughter, hugging, joking, it’s a celebration. Beneath the smiles, Jesus knows what’s up ahead. The writing is on the wall, and he’s in for the longest night of his life.

Jesus is both God and man. Perfectly woven together, he’s 100% God and 100% man. There’s no separating his humanity and deity. He knows he’s going to be betrayed. He knows he’ll be abandoned. He knows he’ll be beaten, torn apart, separated from the Father, and his flesh is terrified. His soul is trembling. Not because he’s a victim, or because he’s unsure what’s to come. Jesus was and is always in control of everything, and despite knowing the brutal death that is inching near, he willingly and faithfully obeys the Father.

The men finish their Passover meal, the last Passover meal of the Old Covenant, and Jesus institutes the New Covenant. Jesus takes a simple piece of bread and cup of wine, and prays over it. Jesus holds the bread in his two hands, tears it into pieces and says, “Take, eat; this is my body”, (Matthew 26:26). He takes the cup of wine, and with fear and anxiety in his heart, yet in complete control commands, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” (Matthew 26:27-28). Passover was celebrated to remember the blood that was shed to cover Israel’s doors, but on Friday, the perfect lamb will die to cover our sin. They will no longer remember a four-legged animal with fluffy skin, but look back at The King.

After their meal, the men wipe down their plates, fold up their mats, and follow Jesus to a place called Gethsemane. The disciples sit off to the side while he walks a little deeper into the trees to pray. Jesus drops to his knees. Shaking, trembling, sweating blood, he makes war against his flesh. Jesus cries out to the Father, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me”, yet humbly submits to the will of God, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus is hours away from death, and he prays for his brothers. He prays for his mom, and he prayed for those who would believe in him. He prayed for you, and he prayed for me. (John 17)

Jesus lifts himself off the ground, takes a deep breath, and walks back to wake his closest friends, Peter, James, and John. “Wake up,” Jesus says.

The men turn their heads, and strange silence falls over the trees. There’s small flames walking towards them, torches. There’s footsteps, and they’re getting louder, and louder. Judas steps forward. Judas awkwardly hugs Jesus and places a kiss of betrayal on Jesus’ cheek.

Holy, victorious, and humbly Jesus stands.

This is The King, and this is his hour.

We're halfway through Holy Week, and although tonight seems normal, a strange silence has fallen over the scribes and pharisees.

All of Jerusalem is preparing for Passover, the temple is once again jam packed, and Jesus is preaching to his faithful people. This time, he owns the crowd. There's no longer any confusion on who is in charge. All eyes are glued to Jesus and ears lean in to hear every word that he is speaking. However, people's minds can't help but wonder where their religious leaders are at. "Did they give up? They were so angry last night. Where could they possibly be?"

The leaders haven't given up. In just two days, they've lost respect from the people, and their authority has been duped by Jesus. Now, they're ready to take matters into their own hands. For the rest of the night, they remain in shadows. Their doors are locked, they speak in whispers, and devise a plan to get rid of Jesus once and for all.

Jesus has returned to the temple to teach, but this time the religious leaders are prepared. They've rehearsed their lines, practiced their questions, and feel ready to challenge Jesus. They're ready to shut him down, prove him wrong, and shut him up.

In Mark 11:27-28, Jesus takes two steps into the temple and is immediately rushed by the religious leaders. Imagine a big time lawyer and client walking out of a courtroom, immediately met by microphones and questions, that's how Jesus finds himself in this scene. The scribes and pharisees get in Jesus' face and ask, “by what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you authority to them?” (Mark 11:28). They’re asking Jesus, “Who do you think you are?! We've studied, we've memorized the Bible, we've learned all there is to learn! You have no right to come in here and do this!” They’re ready to stump Jesus. They've prepared for any sort of answer, except one.

Jesus listens, and agrees to answer if they answer his question first. He asks, “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” Mark 11:30. Jesus asks, “Is John the Baptist’s ministry from God or man?” You see, John had just baptized Jesus and publicly acknowledged that Jesus is God. That’s important to know because the people loved John, and saw him as a prophet. Prophets were a big deal, and were considered prophets if they had a ministry, a mission, sent directly from God. If the pharisees agree that John’s ministry was from God, then Jesus is correct. If they say that John’s ministry is from man, then they’re denying that he’s a prophet. There’s no correct answer for them to give! They either lose to Jesus, or have the huge crowds get angry with them for rejecting God’s prophet. Boom, Jesus got ‘em!

Then, Jesus shares the parable of the wedding tenants (Mark 12:1-12), aimed directly at the scribes and pharisees. Jesus exposes their hypocrisy, their false religion, and the crowd is now looking at them with doubt. Like little kids that don’t get their way, the religious leaders get mad and grind their teeth. Their breathing gets heavy, and their hearts fill with rage. They continue to dig in and question Jesus about God, theology, and doctrine, but he answers everything perfectly. The crowd is amazed, and the hate inside the leaders’ hearts grows.

Jesus didn't come to play games with the scribes and pharisees. He didn't come to validate their beliefs, and he wasn’t going to let them continue to teach their misunderstanding of scripture. The pharisees have been insulted, rebuked, corrected, and put on notice that their time is up. It’s just day three of Holy Week, and Jesus has arrived and flipped the city of Jerusalem and its leaders upside down. The story continues, and the plot to get rid of Jesus begins.

Today is Monday, day two of Holy Week. We’re one day closer to the crucifixion and resurrection of The King. Jesus has entered Jerusalem on a donkey, and heads to the temple on Monday.

Palm Sunday has passed, and in today’s passage we see Jesus teaching in the temple. However, this isn’t a normal day in the temple. Thousands of people are still trying to enter Jerusalem for Passover, and finding a place to sit, or even stand in the temple seems impossible. Mark’s gospel tells us that upon entering the temple, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves (Mark 11:15). Jesus walks into the temple, which is supposed to be a house of prayer, but instead hears bartering and sale negotiations. Rather than being a place for people of every nation to pray and worship God, the temple has become a place of business. Faithful people are entering to worship, but are being sold goods at outrageous prices before being able to enter. A holy anger, a righteous anger stirs up in Jesus, and he begins throwing the tables on their sides. Pigeons and goats scatter and fly away. Gold coins are flown across the floor, and people are diving over one another to pick up what they can.

Angry voices rise and hearts are filled with anger, but one remains righteous. The scribes, pharisees, and priests stand back and watch the event take place. They observe the crowd and watch as their profits and business associates are thrown out of the temple. In a matter of seconds, Jesus disrupted their bank accounts, revealed their sin, restored order in the temple, and is now going to teach the crowd. Jesus has not only put himself on the religious leaders’ radar, but has also disturbed the peace and will soon be on Rome’s radar.

Many people like to imagine Jesus as this happy-go-lucky, rosy cheeked man that loves everything and everyone no matter what. However, that is far from the truth. God holds a very specific and holy wrath for sin. As a matter of fact, he hates it. He hates it and promises to destroy it. On this night, Jesus releases a small drop of that anger. However, in a few nights, Jesus will take the full weight, the full curse, the full pain, the full wrath of God on the cross. Later, Jesus went on to say that our bodies are a temple, and that God himself dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. So, what’s your heart like tonight? What does your temple look like? Is it a place of prayer? A place that seeks God? Or is it a place that has forgotten its purpose?

This is what Holy Week is about. Tonight, and for the next five nights, I encourage you to seek the Lord and prepare your heart for Easter. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin you may not even be aware of and bring it to God.

Today is Palm Sunday, and that means it’s the start of Holy Week. For Christians, Holy Week is a time where we focus on Jesus and prepare our hearts to celebrate Easter. We look back on the seven days leading up to the greatest moment in all history, the resurrection of The King, Jesus.

However, in order to truly understand Holy Week, we have to first understand Passover.
Passover in Jerusalem was, and is still a massive celebration. As a matter of fact, Jews have celebrated Passover for 3,000 years. So, what is Passover? It’s a 7-8 day holiday that remembers and celebrates the pass over in Exodus chapter 12. At the start of Exodus we see the people of Israel enslaved by Egypt. They’re being beaten, broken, whipped, and killed by a brutal ruler, Pharaoh. In chapters 2-6 we see a man named Moses be born, and he is sent by God on a journey that will eventually lead to Israel’s freedom. In chapter 7, Moses stands up to Pharaoh and warns of God’s command to release the Israelites from captivity. Pharaoh laughs, mocks Moses, curses the name of God, and sends Moses away. Over the next 4 chapters, God sends 9 plagues to wreak havoc over Egypt. Pharaoh remains stuck in his ways, and in chapter 11 God sends the 10th and final plague to crush Egypt and break Pharaoh.

God was preparing to strike and kill every firstborn in the land of Egypt, (Exodus 11:5). Every firstborn child, and even the firstborn cattle were going to take their last breath. Moses warned Pharaoh, pleaded, and begged him to obey God, in order to save Egypt from a great cry, (Exodus 11:6). Again, Pharaoh threw Moses out of his throne room and rejected God’s command.

While God prepares to destroy Egypt, he chooses to have mercy on Israel. In Exodus 12:5-13, we see a beautiful picture of grace, and foretelling of Jesus. Each household in Israel was to sacrifice their most precious lamb, and spread its blood on their door posts. The destroyer, also known as the death angel (Exodus 12:23), would sweep throughout the land and slay the firstborn, but would pass over the homes that were covered by the blood (Exodus 12:23). Blood was shed to save God’s people in Exodus, and would later be shed on the cross to save us.

This was the first Passover, and the start of the ancient Jewish holiday. Fast forward to Matthew 21, and Jerusalem is jam packed to celebrate Passover. Thousands and thousands of people flood the city to celebrate, fellowship, and worship together. While all of this is happening, The King arrives. The people see Jesus ride in on a donkey and shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:1). They cry out praises to Jesus, lay palm branches at his feet, and rejoice that the Savior is finally here! The people know the prophesies, they grew up singing songs of the coming King, their ancestors waited for him, and now he’s finally here! Little do they know, that in 5 days their shouts of joy will turn into cries of hatred.

This is why we celebrate Palm Sunday, and over the next few days we will focus on the events leading up to Good Friday and Easter. If you’re unfamiliar with the book of Exodus, I encourage you to read chapters 1-14. It’s an amazing story that you and your family will enjoy. After reading through those chapters, give Mark 1:1-11 a read. Imagine what Jerusalem looks like. Listen to the crowds cheer, see the kids smile, and reflect on the arrival of Jesus in your life.