Most things will go on as normal this week.
Schools will still teach. Work doesn’t stop. Groceries still need to be shopped for. Dogs still need to be walked.
But this is not an ordinary week.
This week is holy.
To make something holy is to set it apart for the purposes of God. Traditionally, that’s what Christians have done with the week before Easter.
We have set apart this week for specific reflection and contemplation.
It began this past Sunday with an outstanding Palm Sunday service (thank you choir, handbells and Makenzie!)
This was the moment Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final time. He was welcomed as a king even as he rode in on a donkey.
On Thursday Jesus gathered with his disciples to celebrate the passover. We will immerse ourselves in this story with a reenactment of the Last Supper. It begins at 6:30 pm with dinner at 5:45 pm.
That night, Jesus was betrayed while he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He was arrested and unjustly convicted.
The next day the Romans crucified Jesus. The Savior of the world hung on a cross. We will study the last seven words of Jesus at a Good Friday service at St. James United Methodist Church (2201 St James Church Rd).
Then we wait.
One day.
Two days.
Three days.
Has the Light of the World been permanently extinguished? That’s what Jesus’ disciples wondered as the calendar turned to Sunday morning.
A new day dawned. Easter morning arrived. With it came a life-altering discovery that has continued to reverberate through history.
The tomb was empty.
Jesus was alive.
Easter is a day of celebration for the new life that is found in Christ. We will gather on the shores of Lake Norman right at daybreak just like the group of women who journeyed to the tomb just as the sun was beginning to rise.
The sunrise service is at 7 am at Jack and Claire Wong’s house (8522 Pine Lake Rd). Park on the street or carpool from the church.
At 9:30 and 11 am we will hold our normal Easter services. These are excellent services to invite a friend.
The events surrounding the last week of Jesus’ life are among the most studied and celebrated stories in human history. This is a week like no other.
Embrace it.
Become immersed in its power.
Allow it to guide you to a deeper understanding of Jesus’ love for you.
See you on Thursday!
—Pastor David
