Reflections for Holy Week

March 25^th – Palm Sunday

Thought for the Day:

Who is Jesus anyway?  What did he do on this earth?  How are you like the people in the streets on Palm Sunday?

Isaiah 50:4-9

How has God called you to be a teacher?

Do you ever feel that the message that God has given you to teach has fallen on deaf ears? 

Do you ever feel as if God’s message has brought disgrace upon you?

Psalm  118:1-2, 19-29

Is it always easy to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks to him?

Philippians 2:5-11

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ in you?

How can you empty yourself of all that you are so that God can fill you?

Matthew 21:1-11

Who were the people worshiping? 

What about Christ were they drawn to?

What does it mean to truly worship Jesus and not a false image of who we think he is?

John 19:38-42

Does it surprise you that Nicodemus is in this story?

How had Nicodemus changed since we saw him last in John 3?

Jesus, their savior, the one they believed to be the Messiah, God’s own anointed is dead.  He has utterly abandoned them.  It seems that everything that he lived for and everything that he was has been crushed. Jesus is gone. 

How do you think Joseph and Nicodemus felt as they took Jesus’ body to the tomb?

How do you think you would feel?

March 26^th - Monday in Holy Week

Thought for the Day:

What have you given to God?

Isaiah 42:1-9

How is Jesus’ last week embodied it this OT passage?

If we are called to act like Christ how does this passage call you to act or change the way you act?

Psalm 36:5-11

What does it mean to say that God is steadfast? 

How can your love for those around you be more like God’s steadfast love?

Hebrews 9:11-15

What does it mean for Jesus to enter into the High Place of God?

How do you enter into the High Place of God?

John 12:1-11

This woman offered something precious to her, which had great value up to Jesus, what precious and valuable things have you given to God?

March 27^th, Tuesday in Holy Week

Thought of the Day:  

What does it mean to walk through life they way that Christ did?

Isaiah 49:1-7

How does is the life of Jesus reflected in this passage?

How is your life as a follower of Jesus reflected in this passage?

Psalm 71:1-14

Is it easy for you to trust God in times of struggle?

Is it easy to trust God even when it seems that your “enemies” are “winning”?

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

How is the cross foolishness to this world?

What is the wisdom in it, to those who know Christ?

John 12:20-36

How is dieing to yourself and living for Christ  like a stalk of wheat that has been planted?

  

March 28^th, Wednesday in Holy Week

Thought of the Day:  

Is it easy to trust God and follow Christ in the darkness of life?

Isaiah 50:4-9a

How is God your hope? 

What does it mean for God to be your salvation?

Psalm 70

How can you rejoice and be glad when people and things in this world seem to be against you?

Hebrews 12:1-3

How are the lives of Christians that have gone on before you good examples to follow as you follow Christ?

John 13:21-32

Are there ways that you have betrayed Christ in your life? 

Do you really and truly understand that Christ has compassion on you and forgives you for all your failings? 

March 29^th, Maundy Thursday

Thought of the Day: 

How does the rituals of the Church affect your life and your walk with Christ?

Exodus 12:1-14

What does it mean for us to remember the Passover as Christians?

Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19

What do you give back to God as a token of your love?  What things do you give to God as an offering?

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

How does the Lord’s Supper having meaning in your life? 

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

What does it mean that Jesus is our servant? 

How can you follow his example in your life?

  

March 30^th, Good Friday

Thought of the Day:  

Christ did what he did and went through what he went through because of his love for you.  How have you in your thoughts, actions, words etc helped crucify Jesus?

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

How is it that you like a sheep has gone astray? 

How are your actions responsible for Christ’s death?

Psalm 22

Why do you think the Psalmist cries out to God like this?  Have you ever felt like this?

Hebrews 10:16-25

What do you think it means for God to write God's law on your heart?

How are you/can you be changed by the laws of God being something inside of you instead of something external to you?

What ways can you can encourage others to love and good deeds?

John 18:1-19:42

In our lives we often treat Jesus in the ways that the different people in this passage did.  In what ways have you been a Judas, a Peter, a Caiaphas, a Pilate a member of the crowd, or a soldier?

March 31^st, Holy Saturday Week

Thought of the day:  

What does it mean for you to trust God when everything in life seems to be falling apart?

Job 14:1-14

Job is aware of his mortality, that his life will be over one day.  It gives him some perspective on how great it is that God, who is immortal, cares for him. 

What does it mean to you that God cares about you?

Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24

Have you ever felt like God has turned against you? 

Is it easy for you to remember that God's love for you is steadfast and that the mercy that God is willing to show you will never come to an end?

Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16

Is it easy for you to trust God? 

Do you truly allow God to be your rock, your fortress?

1 Peter 4:1-8

What do you think it means to live by the will of God as opposed to living by human desires?