Take time each day this week to reflect on the moments that lead up to Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. Then join us in the evenings in the Fellowship Hall for a time of worship and teaching.

One week before the first Easter Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the final time. In the past He had visited but this time was different. He was there as the King, fulfilling a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 that the coming ruler of Jerusalem would come in humbly on a donkey. The people there to celebrate Passover that week hailed Him as their Savior. They praised Him, laying cloaks and palm branches so even His donkey would not have to walk on the ground. However, many expected Jesus to conquer their human enemies rather than their spiritual oppressors. Missing the symbol of the humble donkey rather than a war horse, they hailed their Champion without understanding what He was there to do. Jesus was about to let the Romans and Jewish leaders execute Him to take away sin and the sting of death. Over the course of the week He would teach, confront, serve, heal, prophesy, die, and rise again.

Reflect:
How do Jesus’ ways seem odd to you? If He doesn’t solve all your earthly troubles, can you worship Him for rescuing you spiritually? Are you open to whatever the Lord may show you this week?

Join us for special services starting  Monday, March 25th at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall.

The Monday before Easter, Jesus drove the people who were taking advantage of the people, Jew and Gentile alike, who came to the temple to worship God. The place for prayer and sacrifice had become a place where ripping people off was normal. Sacrifice was replaced with greed and Jesus responded with anger. He, the truest temple, the place where God and man met through sacrifice and prayer, had come to change the very hearts of those whose worship was about themselves. Jesus made us as the Church the new temple so that all people can meet Him through us. Sacrifice and prayer now take place in relationship directly with and God alongside our spiritual siblings.
 
Reflect:
How may you have made worship about yourself than loving God or others? What is one way you could better connect with unbelievers or believers in your life to be Christ's presence to them?    
 
Join us in the Fellowship Hall tonight for a special service from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Jesus said a lot on the Tuesday before Easter, which is why it is traditionally called "Busy Tuesday". He debated religious leaders, used a fig tree to teach about faith, called out the Bible experts, taught a parable about obedience, and warned of the end of all that the people held dear. Only He knew that all of human history had been building up to His death and resurrection, just a few days away. But Jesus was also speaking out further into the future, warning of calamities and judgment. One day Jesus will return suddenly and judge the world. Believers' lives will be weighed and rewarded accordingly. Those who do not know Christ will be condemned. The final judgment should be a heavy topic for us - how will we stand before the Lord?  If we, like the religious leaders 2,000 years ago, reject Jesus' authority over us because we think we know better, we have everything to fear. He will conquer and judge the world with the Father one day. If we know Him, we are covered by His grace and will obey Him, and we can be confident before Him. We are in good standing with the conquering judge and we can be confident looking out at the weighty future. Christ overcame the wicked world at the cross and will one day cleanse and make all things whole.
 
Reflect:
Do you have confidence that you have submitted to Christ's authority and grace? How does knowing He will judge the world give you comfort and confidence today?
 
Join us in the Fellowship Hall tonight for a special service from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Today is called "Silent Wednesday" because there is not a record of what Jesus did. He seems to rest in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. But while He does, Judas received money to betray Him and Mary sacrificed money to honor Him one last time before He died. To Judas, Jesus was nearly worthless; He could be exchanged for silver. To Mary, He was priceless; if she'd had more to give she would have. By Wednesday, the time before the cross was getting very short. In a few days, Jesus would pay the greatest price He could for you.
 
Reflect:
What is Jesus worth to you? Will you respond to His sacrifice by giving yourself for Him? What cheaper thing are you clinging to rather than have more of Him?
 
Join us in the Fellowship Hall tonight for a special service from 6:30pm-8:00pm.

Jesus spent the last hours before His arrest with His disciples teaching them and eating the Passover meal. This day is called "Maundy Thursday" which comes from Latin for "command", from Christ's new command to love one another. This is when Jesus said that all people would know His disciples by their love for one another. He demonstrated that love by washing the disciples feet. He told them how He would give them purpose as He sent them out as He had been sent to us.
 
That night, in the dim flickering light of an upper room, Jesus commemorated God's freeing His people from Egypt, knowing that He would soon become the sacrificial Passover Lamb. He was about to rescue all people from their true enslavement to sin. We join the one who serves us by serving, who sacrificed Himself for us by sacrificing, and who will one day dine with us by remembering our Rescuer.
 
Reflect:
How much do you accept Jesus's loving service to you?
Who needs His love through you right now?
 
Join us in the Fellowship Hall for a special service tonight from 6:30pm-7:30pm and tomorrow morning at 7am in the sanctuary.

Good Friday was the best worst day in history. It was the most unjust and evil day and it was the most gracious and powerful day. Jesus spent a night being interrogated and mocked as He was shuffled from place to place. He was tortured nearly to death before being nailed on a cross for all to gawk at. But He did all this willingly and mercifully. He asked forgiveness for His executioners and welcomed a fellow condemned man to His Kingdom. God's love and justice came together on the cross since God's right judgment of sin was accomplished and so was His merciful love for you. Thank God He was not fair on Good Friday. Thank God He used the greatest evil to accomplish the greatest good.
 
Reflect:
Do you expect God to be entirely fair and to do things the way you expect? Do you see yourself as truly needing His sacrificial forgiveness? What change in perspective do you have knowing that God made the worst day in history also the best day?
 
There is no service tonight.

If God has ever seemed far off, ignoring you, perhaps not all He was said to be, you’ve gotten a taste of what the day before the resurrection was like. Many of Jesus’ followers were dumbfounded. Their beloved teacher who showed power over storms and sickness was dead- now what? Forced to suffer through a holiday in despair, they must have wondered about their King.
 
Others, however, knew that Jesus had predicted even this. They may not have fully understood, they may have had their certainty shaken, but they knew that He worked in mysteriously sure ways. These ones must have wondered at their King. God rarely follows the story we would write for our lives, and that can be devastating. But His promises are certain and His ways are higher than ours. On that Saturday, He knew what the next morning held.
 
Reflect:
How much do you trust God when He doesn’t follow your plans? What does the resurrection mean for your troubles?
 
Join us in the Fellowship Hall for a special service tonight from 6:30pm-7:30pm.