It’s Holy Week- What If I Don't Believe?
- Apr 9, 2017
- 4 min read
It’s the last week of Lent. I know several people who have given up some things. The most recent trend being “staying off social media.” I have seen so many people stay off social media for the past few years, I just figure that’s what they are doing when I don’t see anything from them for several weeks. I have been witness to people over the years give up chocolate, reading books, alcohol, certain foods and even sex for this period.
The origins of lent start with it being the traditional week before the crucifixion. It seems to have appeared sometime in the 3rd for 4th century but there isn’t anything scriptural to express the Lenten experience and nothing that I can find expressing taking something away. I think this Christian movement has probably come out of an edict by Constantine related to doing business the 7 days prior to the crucifixion day. I don’t have anything against the whole fasting experience but in general I think we make a show of it more than is necessary and fasting is an effort by a believer to remove distractions that may get in the way of growing their relationship with Christ.
In looking the scriptures and even though there is some discrepancy about the actual events leading up to the crucifixion, I would like to believe there are a few principles in the scripture that we could learn from and should consider bringing in to our spiritual lives each year. Whether you’re a Believer or not, I think there are some lessons to learn in looking at the scriptural description of the last week of Christ.
Traditionally, on Monday, Christ cleansed the temple of the money changers, vendors and thieves in the temple. Although traditionally we set our annual resolutions on the first of the year, I would suggest that we use this time to take stock in who we are and what we are doing. This is the time to look within ourselves and “cleanse the temple.” We tend to carry our anger, frustration, conflicts and sadness within and this would be a great time to let some of that go. Springtime, most of change the air filter on our home furnace, why not clean out some of what drags us down.
On Tuesday, Jesus makes predictions of his own death. This was a time in which he began to prepare those around Him for what was going to happen. Take the time to think about ways to fix relationships, say the “sorrys” we need to say, develop goals to make us better. Not goals external to us, but goals to fix those things that clutter and dirty up our hearts and minds. Attend to relationships and commit to fix those that are broken. Per scripture, Jesus took time to take account of what his life had been about and what he saw for the future after His death. Whether you’re a Christ follower or not, we know that this life ends and have we given thought to what happens when we take our last breath and heart pumps for the last time.
I have heard people say that their only goal is live for the moment but I know as a Believer that living now in this body will end but the soul continues. Are you satisfied with what you have done and accomplished? If you had to write your tombstone today, what would it say about you. Is there is a legacy that you leave or when you die is just over. I went to funeral several years ago for a Korean War veteran with Patriot Guard Riders (that’s a great group and for another blog) and I count myself as Scooter Trash but what was remarkable to me was that not one single person showed up for the funeral other than PGR and the funeral home.
On Wed, we see Judas make the deal for Christ. Tradition states, he made 30 pieces of Silver. Good amount of money at the time but did it make him happy in the long run. Scripture says he hung himself over the guilt. I tell people on a regular basis the Guilt is a useless emotion. It doesn’t encourage any change but simply makes you feel like crap. If you are struggling with guilt, whether form a broken relationship or something else, it will eat you up inside. I encourage you to take the time to try and work through those issues. If it’s guilt that needs forgiveness from a person seek it out. If it’s guilt over something spiritual, deal with it.
Thursday, was the day of the Passover Feast and the Last Supper. This is a time that everyone gathered together and spent time building themselves spiritually and emotionally for what was to come. When you look at the painting by Leonardo DaVinci, you see a group of men who obviously knew each other well and were invested in being together. Although it’s not a picture, it expresses the character of all those people.
We need to work on our friendships and spend time growing relationships. Let’s not just regret the broken ones but let us try to plan and spend time with those people we consider friends. I’m not saying have a party but I am saying, we sometimes think that relationships get strong just because they exist but the relationships whether it is with your partner, husband or wife or simply a friend will never grow unless we make a conscious effort to grow it.
There is so much that Easter brings to us. This week gives us an opportunity to look beyond ourselves to the impact we have on others and the impact others have on us. Certainly, my hope is that if you are not a Christ Follower, you take a step forward in understanding eternity and grace through Jesus Christ, but I also hope that we as human beings can take the time to look within ourselves and see what we can do in this world to grow our relationships, clean up our temples and fix those things that are broken.
Jim
Aka/Preach
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