Holy Week

When we think about what our world is going through right now, it can be overwhelming. It is hard not to think about this plague that has affected our whole world. Many see it up close and personal. Many of you have suffered a great personal loss of loved ones. Many of you feel like you are a prisoner in your own home. We have so many restrictions placed on us. But for our own good.
With all of this staring us in the face, we reach Holy Week. Then we wonder, why is this happening now. After all, this is the most important time as a follower of Christ. This week reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. But has that hope been clouded over by this global pandemic?
On "Maundy Thursday", the day Jesus had the "last supper" with His disciples, Jesus told them about one who would betray Him. He explained about breaking bread and drinking of the wine, in remembrance of Him, to us we know that as communion.
Then Jesus went to the garden to pray to the Father. He knew what He was about to face.
He was betrayed by Judas, He was arrested. Then He was beaten beyond what our minds can comprehend. He went through the most horrible, physical beatings. Yet He would not deny His Father in heaven, or deny that He was Christ, the Messiah.
We ask, why did He do that? Why would He go through all of that. Why-all for love! He loves us so very much. He knew He had to save His creation, His children.
Jesus was hung on that cross, His blood ran down, He cried out "It is Finished". And He gave up His Spirit.
Isaiah 53:3-5:
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
He was despised, and we didn’t value Him.
Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses,
and He carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded Him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
 But He was pierced because of our transgressions,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on Him,
and we are healed by His wounds.
Then Jesus' body was taken down and His body was prepared for burial, and placed in the tomb.
The tomb was guarded 24 hours a day, and a very huge rock was rolled in front of the opening. The officials didn't want anyone to come and steal Jesus' body from the tomb.
Even the guards remembered what Jesus had said, "in three days I will rise again".
Sunday morning came, The two Mary's went to the tomb. A violent earthquake came. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone. His appearance white as snow. The guards fell down in fear like dead men.
The angel told the women "Do not be afraid, Jesus is not here." "For He has been resurrected."
He told them to go quickly and tell the others.
When the women went to tell the others, Jesus met them. He said "Good morning."
They fell at His feet to worship Him.
I wanted to go through those days when the disciples wondered, where is hope?
I wanted to refresh our minds, how horrific it must have been for those followers of Christ to witness the beating and death of Jesus, their Lord.
Hope must have seemed like a million years away to them. Then in three days hope returned, in glory.
Jesus promised to be with us always. We have His Holy Spirit with us always. We can talk to Him, and He hears us. He loves us more than we can comprehend.
I write to you this Easter weekend to remind us all that we have hope. We have the promises of Jesus, and the hope He gives to us.
The world is in turmoil presently with this global pandemic. But I write to you to say, Jesus is bigger than any pandemic. He is stronger, He is Lord over all, He is faithful in His promises to us.
Jesus already fought for us and won the battle between life and death.
Yes we have seen a great loss.The enemy will "try" to use this pandemic to wipe us off this earth. But it cannot. Jesus already has victory. Why have we lost so many? I do not know. However, we must continue to pray.
This, I do know, we cannot lose hope. We have to hang on to Jesus with all of our strength. Grab ahold of His hand and hold tightly. Call out to Jesus. He is our Savior, our redeemer, our hope.
If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, and for redemption and forgiveness, please, grab ahold of Him this Easter. Let Him come in and be Lord of your life. Open your hearts and receive all that Jesus has for you, hope, love, faithfulness, healing, security, and most of all, eternal life with Him.
Another thought, we cannot meet in our churches, with the other believers. I would like to remind you, Jesus isn't a building. Church isn't a building. Church is the Body of Christ. We are the Body. He lives in us. We can still worship Jesus this Easter Sunday in our homes. We can watch services on line. Jesus will be here with us, with you, in our homes.
I pray for you all, that you have a beautiful Easter, and that hope fills your hearts and your homes.