Holy Week: Palm Sunday

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Holy Week: Palm Sunday

The Significance of Palm Sunday

March 24, 2024 • Pastor Ellen Bilsborough • Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:12–19, Matthew 21:1–11

On our first day of Holy Week, Pastor Ellen Bilsborough discusses the profound symbolism in how Jesus entered Jerusalem. This Palm Sunday we encourage you to reflect on the character of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who entered in the most humblest of forms. Each day of this Holy Week, tune in and celebrate the greatest story ever told, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

Jesus' triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

Day 7: Saturday In The Tomb

March 30, 2024 • Matthew 27:62–66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, John 19:40

Jesus' body lay in its https://www.learnreligions.com/israel-tour-pictures-4051289, where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-shabbat-2076791. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus: "He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-myrrh-700689 and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40, https://www.learnreligions.com/new-living-translation-nlt-700666) Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community. Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they had come to realize that Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited https://www.learnreligions.com/prophecies-of-jesus-fulfilled-700159. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial. While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-gods-plan-of-salvation-700502: "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19, https://www.learnreligions.com/new-living-translation-nlt-700666) Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Holy Week: Good Friday

March 29, 2024 • Pastor Ellen Bilsborough • Luke 22:63—23:56, John 18:28—19:37, Matthew 27:1–62, Mark 15

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in the https://www.learnreligions.com/timeline-of-jesus-death-700226 leading to his death. According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning. Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by https://www.learnreligions.com/facts-about-jesus-crucifixion-700752, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-roman-crucifixion-700718 known at the http://time.before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a https://www.learnreligions.com/christianity-symbols-illustrated-glossary-4051292. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers https://www.learnreligions.com/crucifixion-of-jesus-christ-700210. Jesus spoke https://www.learnreligions.com/7-last-words-of-jesus-700175 from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46) Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last breath and https://www.learnreligions.com/why-did-jesus-have-to-die-700645. By 6 p.m. Friday evening, https://www.learnreligions.com/nicodemus-seeker-of-god-701080 and https://www.learnreligions.com/joseph-of-arimathea-701077 took Jesus' body down from the cross and laid it in a http://tomb.friday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

Holy Week: Passover and Last Supper

March 28, 2024 • Pastor Ellen Bilsborough • Mark 14:12–72, Luke 22:7–62, John 13, Matthew 26:17–75

From Bethany, Jesus sent https://www.learnreligions.com/peter-the-apostle-member-jesus-inner-circle-701069 and https://www.learnreligions.com/disciple-jesus-loved-john-the-apostle-701065 ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-maundy-thursday-700614 services. Then, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples, saying: "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, https://www.learnreligions.com/new-living-translation-nlt-700666) As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-sin-700703 and death. During this https://www.learnreligions.com/the-last-supper-700217, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-communion-700655, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of https://www.learnreligions.com/christianity-symbols-illustrated-glossary-4051292 (Luke 22:19-20). Later, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the https://www.learnreligions.com/israel-tour-pictures-4051289, where Jesus prayed in agony to https://www.learnreligions.com/god-the-father-701152. Luke's Gospel says that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44, https://www.learnreligions.com/english-standard-version-bible-700661). Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of https://www.learnreligions.com/caiaphas-high-priest-of-the-jerusalem-temple-701058, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus. Meanwhile, in the early morning hours, as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed. Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.