Holy Week: Let’s pray for the impossible!
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” -1 Corinthians 15:55 This week is Holy Week or Passion Week. Let us prepare our hearts to celebrate the high point of our faith—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heavenly king, Alleluia! Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia! But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia! Now above the
Holy Week – Day 6: Good Friday – What’s Good About It?
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. -Isaiah 53:5–6 Our human minds can’t even begin to grasp the enormity of the price Jesus paid for us on the cross. If we did,
Holy Week – Day 4: Aged to Perfection
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! -2 Corinthians 5:17 What is one of the main themes that keeps recurring in the faiths and literature of the world? What is that longing in the human heart that never goes away regardless of the time or place? It’s the desire that the old, the worn out, and the temporary pass away and the new, the fresh, and the lasting appear! This is what
Holy Week – Day 1: Palm Sunday – What’s the Buzz?
An Introduction Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” –John 11:25–26 Most of us are familiar with the verses above, but think about the last part of the Scripture—do you believe this? This is the heart of our discussions about our faith and something we should continue to ask ourselves daily. Do we really
From the Pastor: Love, Suffering, Grief, and Joy: The Last Four Days of Holy Week
If you were asked to associate one word each for the four days from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, what would those four words be? For me, they are as follows: Maundy Thursday – Love A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. –John 13:34 Jesus’ new commandment is intended for the disciples’ welfare, for them to enjoy lives of meaning and purpose. In his ministry, he gives us a model
Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday Celebration Service
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” –John 11:25–26 Most of us are familiar with the verses above, but think about the last part of the Scripture—do you believe this? This is the heart of our discussions about our faith, and something we should continue to ask ourselves daily. Do we really believe
Resurrection: The Key to Understanding Life
Imagine the disciples witnessing Jesus’ trial—his brutal beating and excruciating death, and finally, his burial in a sealed tomb. After all the jubilation and endless miracles, silence. Painful silence. It was the sudden end of all their hopes and dreams. The Messiah and their whole future was dead, buried, and gone. By the evening of Good Friday, that glorious promise and hope had become just one more illusion and disappointment, another mirage in the desert. But the astonishing, extreme event of
Easter – Weekly Invite – 1 April
It's Easter! This Sunday, we are excited to get together to worship and thank God for the most spectacular event in the history of the world. Pastor John will be preaching on "Resurrection Changes Everything." Bring your praises, prayers, and requests and let us place them at the feet of God and expect the impossible from him. Easter Celebration Following Worship: For our celebration following our worship service, please bring either a savory or sweet finger food to serve 10-15
Weekly Invite – Palm Sunday – 25 March
Family Sunday: Every other last Sunday, we designate as Family Sunday to celebrate our time together as a church family. Children, youth, and adults join together to participate in different events and activities. This Palm Sunday, we will watch an excellent, profound, but simple, film—the retelling of Jesus’ life, from his birth to his resurrection. Join us as we experience the impact of Jesus’ life on many and on us. "Perspective Changes Everything" - To listen to and read Philipp Meinecke's
The Significance of Holy Week
Palm Sunday begins what we call “Holy Week.” To understand the significance of this week, let's summarize the bare facts of the three major events in the ministry of Jesus just prior to his resurrection. Each of the three is heavily loaded with irony. 1) Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. He comes to people who think he is the deliverer with great worldly power to set the Romans back on their heels (a Clint Eastwood type Messiah). “He’s the
