With the advent of the month of April comes perhaps the most sacred week on the Christians calendar…Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday on the 13^th and concluding with Easter on the 20^th. Of course, between these two Sundays is Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

And it is a sacred week that should be marked by solemn reflection and worship as we remember that the events we will be recalling in our worship services were made necessary because we were sinners destined for hell. If it were not for Jesus’ willingness to pay the penalty for our sins, each of us would be going to hell following our death. Not a pleasant thought. However, that’s what makes this week so significant…it marks the dramatic shift in our eternal destinies…from heading to eternal damnation to eternal life in paradise! Holy Week is the linchpin of our faith! It’s what it is based upon. This is why it is so important, what makes it sacred, why we need to set aside time to worship during it.

Our Lord’s mission to save us sinners began with his birth in Bethlehem, but it reached its climax when he entered the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of the Passover holiday week. (Historians believe that this occurred on March 29, 33 A.D. and that Jesus was crucified on April 3^rd.) The Gospels indicate that following Jesus’ celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples, he was betrayed by Judas and handed over to the corrupt authorities who would go on to mistreat him, condemn him to death under false pretenses, and then kill him on the cross. A death that would inflict the most extreme pain you can imagine. He also would have suffered great humiliation as the crucified would have been stripped naked and the execution carried out where the maximum number of people would see it. (It is generally believed that this took place outside the western entrance of the city of Jerusalem that would have led to the city’s business district.)

In short, it was a pretty horrible way to die…but Jesus endured it for one reason…SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!

The Holy Scriptures make it pretty plain…sinners will be judged and condemned by the Supreme Judge and no amount of persuasion or legal loopholes will be getting them off the hook. Simply put…you sin…you’re going to hell, and it doesn’t matter if you think it’s fair or not. That’s the letter of the law and it will be carried out perfectly. That’s what you and I are facing come Judgment Day. But Jesus has already been convicted, found guilty, and been punished for them! Therefore, the sentence against me has already been carried out! Praise be to God for this mercy towards us sinners!

And then, just to be clear that this has been done for us, God raised Jesus from the dead three days after this all took place and his empty tomb now declares our salvation and the truth of this message.

This is what Holy Week is all about and why you and I do not fret or fear death…we don’t face judgment on the other side…only the joys of heaven.

I hope that you’ll set aside one week out of fifty-two to celebrate this and to hear once again the wonderful news of what God has done for you!

Until next month….

Pastor Roloff