Looking Forward to Easter

Greetings in the Name of our Risen Lord,

Every year I look forward to Holy Week. 

Several years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to the Holy Land. Our group walked in the steps of Jesus during his last week. We hiked the road through the Kidron valley. The road that Jesus used riding a donkey in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We stood where Jesus taught, healed, and confronted the religious leaders early in the week outside where the Temple had stood in the day of Jesus. We went to the place where Jesus had his last meal with the disciples on Maundy Thursday. We prayed at the Church of All Nations built over the place where Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

It was emotional to follow the steps of Jesus from the place of his arrest to where he was unjustly tried by the Jewish leaders, to wind through the Via Delarosa (the way of suffering) as Jesus took this route dragging the cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher built over the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. It was a holy moment to join with our group singing “Amazing Grace” as several other groups joined us in multiple languages. 

These days, we are flooded with the accounts of conflict around the world, the division in our nation, and the violence and protest in our streets. For some, these national and world events create anxiety and hopelessness. We are tempted to doubt God and wonder, “Where is God in all of this?”

For me, these events do not define the work of God in this world. Holy Week and Easter are the answer to the question. Where is God? God is working to restore this broken world with the broken body of Jesus and the divine victory of Jesus’ resurrection. 

I look forward to Easter with great anticipation. On Easter, we proclaim that the suffering of this world is not the way of God. Easter is God’s word that violence does not have the last word. On that day, a new direction was set for all the world. We will never be the same. The power and hope that was given at Easter is now given daily to those who believe. Though we are knocked down, we are not out. Through we are driven into the ground, we are not done. On Easter, God proclaimed forevermore that defeat and despair shall not have the last word. 

God is not done with us yet. Christ is risen! Praise God! Hallelujah! 

See you Sunday morning for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday for the remembrance of Jesus’ Last Supper, Good Friday to hear the last words of Jesus, and Easter Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and God’s coming victory over all that is broken! 

Invite a guest and join in the celebration!

Pastor John Allen 

As the Apostle Paul proclaims, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is about to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)