The week before Easter is called Holy Week because so much of what Jesus is about happened in that last week. Measured by the amount of space that the Bible writers devote to the last week we can dramatically see why this week stands out. In the Gospel of John, Jesus enters Jerusalem in chapter 12 and the book is only 21 chapters long! Matthew, Mark and Luke each devote about 30% of their books to the last week. We celebrate an 8 day week. Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday and we focus on the Last Supper/Crucifixion (Thursday night and Friday) and Easter Sunday but there is much more to look at. I wish we could have an adult study Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening to survey the parables, teachings and prayers of Jesus in the last week because I believe these are the main teachings in the opinion of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We might also notice that the letters of Paul only speak about death and resurrection and almost nothing at all about Jesus’ life.

Remember that our religion (the stuff we do) always defines and shapes our faith (Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.). To help your faith in Jesus, get to know Jesus with personal reading, and by obeying the commandments he left us. I believe that Jesus saves us by forgiving our sins. All four Gospels speak of this in two ways: In John, Jesus washes our feet to make us clean (John 13). Our feet are dirty from the journey of life and Jesus washes them. It looks like the forgiveness of sins to me! In Matthew Mark and Luke, Jesus takes bread and wine and says “This is my body and blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, do this for the remembrance of me”. The next day, Good Friday, He dies on the cross, making the bread/body and the wine/blood instantly connected to the crucifixion. Even John has Jesus explaining this in chapter 6 (in connection with the feeding of the 5,000) Jesus is the one who washes and forgives, we are the receivers of the gift. I am convinced by personal reading and repeatedly taking the communion, hearing the words over and over again that forgiveness is given to us in the hearing, eating and drinking of Christ, with all the other believers. Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation. Next comes Easter.

Pastor Peter Ruggles