I hope your week has been wonderful. This week holds special significance as we delve into the theological meaning of Holy Week, which is central to the Christian faith. Jesus endured suffering, died, and triumphed over death!

I want to share some insights from my devotions this week. Each day, I reflected on the Passion of Christ and composed 25 meditations on Holy Week. My prayer is that they resonate with you.

With the peace of Christ,

Dr. Antipas

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Meditations on Holy Week

1. As we enter the sacred time of Holy Week, let us take a moment to reflect deeply on the profound journey of Jesus. The gravity of the Resurrection is illuminated through the trials and tribulations outlined during this significant week.
2. Today marks Palm Sunday, the ceremonial beginning of Holy Week. This is an opportunity to learn from Jesus, who exemplified the art of repositioning Himself for what lay ahead. He made a remarkable entrance into Jerusalem, riding on a humble colt, an emblem of simplicity and vulnerability. How might you prepare yourself, adjusting your stance for the divine plans God has in store for your next chapter?
3. Riding a young donkey, though seemingly mundane, speaks volumes of Jesus’ readiness to embrace the challenges ahead. This choice symbolizes the discomfort and struggle that would unfold throughout the week, as He traversed a path marked by pain, ultimately leading to a victorious destiny. Repositioning ourselves often demands radical and even uncomfortable changes.
4. The journey of Holy Week is steeped in profound humility, a call to lay aside our egos and acknowledge something greater than ourselves. Lord, forgive us for the moments when we fail to embody humility, and guide us to walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ’s example!
5. Holy Week serves as a powerful testament of faith played out in the public arena. Jesus showcased unwavering love even amidst brutal and violent opposition. Though love may sometimes be overshadowed or trampled, His steadfast commitment to love remained resolute. Indeed, love is far mightier than hate.
6. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem was laden with prophetic significance. The crowd recognized His divine essence as they cheered, witnessing the spectacle of His arrival on a colt. Their adoration hinted at the ultimate victory to come, despite the turbulent path ahead, fraught with pain, betrayal, and denial. While we may know the conclusion of the story, it was a profound and challenging faith journey for Him.
7. The journey of faith is not one of flawless perfection but rather one of exploration and growth. As we navigate through life, we encounter moments of learning and reflection. It echoes the sentiment of Bishop Anselm of Canterbury, who spoke of “Fides quaerens intellectum”—faith seeking understanding. May this week serve as a transformative journey filled with fresh insights, nurturing our lived witness to the world.
8. After sharing His last meal with His disciples, Jesus spoke these comforting words: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth… You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) Come, Holy Spirit!
9. During Holy Week, a poignant and transformative moment unfolded as Jesus knelt before His disciples to wash their feet, symbolically commissioning them for a life of unwavering service. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. profoundly stated, “You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” Jesus exemplified this truth, His actions a masterclass in humility! What about us?
10. Faithfully pursuing the depth of Christ’s love demands a spirit of humility and a commitment to serve. The Master Teacher and Lord, in a gesture of unparalleled love, lowered Himself to the dusty ground, knowing that among those He served, two would soon betray and deny Him. Christ’s love is boundless and knows no restrictions, reaching even the most unreachable hearts.
11. As we meditate on the Passion Story, our focus is drawn to the profound hope we find in Christ’s enduring promise. This sacred week serves as a reminder that mental stress and emotional turmoil are transient; they do not linger. Sunday’s resurrection is coming, heralding a new dawn!
12. Holy Week unveils a deep and transformative connection between love and hope. God’s love extends to every individual, even to those who seem difficult to embrace. Lord, in Your infinite mercy, guide us to love as You do. Hope, after all, is a relentless force. Our struggles do not dictate our destiny; rather, through them, we find resilience and emerge even stronger!
13. We must not underestimate the profound devastation of feeling crushed; it brings pain, a burden that resonates with many hearts. Jesus intimately understood the depths of this agony. Yet, it’s essential to recognize that these crushing experiences do not define us—our true beauty does.
14. In the midst of suffering, a glimmer of hope emerges as beauty slowly reveals itself. Just as wine is born from the pressing of grapes and oil flows from the pressing of olives, our life’s true purpose often springs forth from the trials we endure. Jesus faced His own moments of crushing anguish in Gethsemane, a testament to the human experience. Soon, we will gather to celebrate the immeasurable lesson uncovered in such trials: while crushing moments are temporary, the victories they yield are everlasting!
15. J.P. Lederach reminds us that theo-moral imagination invites us to envision ourselves within a vast network of relationships—one that even includes our enemies. It encourages us to embrace the complexities of life without reverting to simplistic dualistic thinking, to pursue creativity boldly, and to bravely accept the inherent risks of venturing into the unknown.
16. Let us not rush to the resurrection; there’s a compelling story that unfolds before the glory! Let’s take time to reflect on that narrative. Jesus endured profound suffering, reminding us that if we seek His resurrection power, we must also partake in His suffering (Phil 3:10). Beyond the shadows of despair lies magnificent glory!
17. The term “Maundy” derives from the Latin word for “commandment,” a poignant reference to Jesus’ profound humility on Maundy Thursday when He washed His disciples’ feet and called them to embody that same spirit of service and love. Lord, in Your boundless mercy, guide us toward a deeper understanding of how to love and serve others with true humility.
18. Have you ever felt the sting of loneliness or the weight of abandonment? Consider that even Jesus experienced such heart-wrenching emotions on the cross, crying out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Remember, even in the heaviest of moments, this is not the end for you—in this life and beyond. A brighter dawn is ahead; just wait and see!
19. “Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:46. Like Jesus, entrust everything into God’s capable hands. Let it go. Trust that God can carry your burdens with grace and strength.
20. “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross; The emblem of suffering and shame, And I love that old cross where the dearest and best; For a world of lost sinners was slain….” (Hymn)
21. Through the boundless love of Jesus, vividly revealed on the cross, we encounter a profound and transformative truth: True love, at its core, endures suffering. The ultimate victory of love emerges only through the crucible of pain and sacrifice. In essence, love bears the weight of suffering; yet it also triumphs in unfathomable ways!
22. Good Friday is a sacred moment of reflection, a time to honor a Savior who willingly gave His life for the sins of the world. St. Augustine reminds us, “The death of the Lord our God should not be a cause of shame for us; rather, it should be our greatest hope, our greatest glory.” In the face of the cross, we witness the profound generosity of our loving Jesus. Yet, paradoxically, this true love exposes its vulnerability, open to the wounds inflicted by those who abandon, betray, deceive, strive to sow discord, and walk away. The depth of this love makes the hurt all the more poignant and real.
23. Good Friday beckons us into a deep theological reflection on the suffering Christ—a Jesus who embraces pain with open arms. Theologian Jurgen Moltmann articulates beautifully that the God who suffers is the God who loves deeply. Our God is not distant; rather, He is profoundly moved by our own struggles and heartaches. In our moments of vulnerability and distress, God draws nearer, embodying the essence of true and abiding love.
24. In the words of scripture, “Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matt 26:27-28) Our sins are forgiven, and we can respond with fervent joy: Hallelujah!
25. Revelation 5:9 resounds with triumphant praise, declaring, “They sing a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered, and by your blood, you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” In these words, we find the powerful truth that the blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us, wrapping us in grace and love beyond measure.

PR

Image: Bill Williams.

Easter is the centerpiece of the Christian Faith. It is the annual celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The proclamation of “He is risen” and its response “He is risen indeed” will keynote Easter services all over the world. The only reason I write these words is that resurrection.

The Apostle Paul wrote that if Christ did not rise, our faith is in vain; useless, meaningless, totally lacking in value and merit; a waste of time. But when Paul wrote those words, he had already encountered the risen Christ. Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. That momentary meeting changed Paul from one who persecuted the followers of Christ into one who led them and still today leads and shapes the church through his writings.

Paul wrote that anyone who becomes in Christ is a new creation and that everything in that person becomes new; the old passes away. We learn from Paul that while sin came into the world by the disobedience of one man, that redemption, grace and truth which readily overcomes the evil and the consequence of sin also came by one man, the one we call Jesus, savior, the lover of our soul.

Jesus loves us. Moreover Jesus loves you. I heard those words for the first time 45 years ago. I was still a young man when I heard those wonderful words: “Jesus loves Murray”. Jesus was standing at the door of my heart, knocking and hoping that I would open that door and invite him to come in.

I heard those words that day and invited Jesus into my heart. I did not understand what was to come. I had no background in this form of thought. I only knew that I wanted to be loved by God; that I needed a savior. I wanted the circumstances I faced to change.

So I swallowed my pride, my self assurance, my assumptions, traditions and simply, in my mind’s eye, opened that door and asked Jesus to come into my heart. And he did! Something happened, something wonderful, so wonderful that 45 years later I invite you to do what I did. Jesus loves you, dear one. He is standing at the door of your heart and knocking right now. Jesus is hoping that you will invite him in.

Will you? If you do, this Easter season will be filled with delight and wonder. You will become a child of the King. King Jesus, son of God and son of man. He is the mighty God whose arm is not short but able to save all who call on him.

This article was originally featured in two daily newspapers in Hawaii on Easter Sunday, 2006.

Rembrandt, Descent from the Cross (1634)

His arrest and crucifixion were not events that came upon Him unexpectedly.  Instead, right from the very beginning of His ministry, He repeatedly told His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.  They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life” (Matthew 17:22-23; see 16:21; 20:18-19; 26:2,10-12).  It was His plan all along, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

No ordinary man could have orchestrated things the way that they happened.  On the surface, it may seem as if Jesus was not in control, as He was betrayed, arrested, beaten, condemned, and crucified.  However, even the betrayal by His friend and disciple Judas (Matthew 26:20-25; see Psalm 41:9), and the gambling for His clothes by the Roman guards at the foot of the cross (Matthew 27:35; see Psalm 22:18), were all part of His Master Plan, as prophecy after prophecy was fulfilled in every detail.  The Bible is clear that Jesus’ death on the cross was not an unexpected “accident”; instead, it was a choice that He made as the ultimate demonstration of His love for all mankind.  After all, as Jesus Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13), and as the apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church thirty years later, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  When it comes to the fact of His death, Jesus was still in control.

Have you ever stopped to think about the details of that “Good” Friday twenty centuries ago?  Notice that Luke wrote in his gospel, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’  When He had said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).  Most victims of crucifixion would slowly pass out and eventually die of asphyxiation.  However, Jesus did not die in the normal way.  Instead, He chose the exact moment of His death, thus proving His words, “I lay down My life — only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).  Even when it comes to the timing of His death, Jesus was in full control!

If Jesus’ death was the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed, because it would only be the story of a man who was defeated by death.  But three days later Jesus proved that He was more than just a man, and that He had the ultimate control over death itself, by walking out of the tomb alive and well and for all to see!

What does all of this mean for you and me today in the third millennium?  If Jesus had control over the fact of His death, the timing of His death, and death itself, the most sensible and reassuring thing we can do is to give Him control over our lives as well.  When it comes right down to it, there is not really all that much in our lives that we have control over.  However, the One who heard the cry for help from the thief hanging next to Him on Golgotha, is the same One who hears our cries for help today.  And I don’t think that we could ever go wrong in taking our finances, our relationships, our jobs, our ministries, and our lives, and turning control of them over to Him.  After all, if He can keep this entire universe running smoothly (see Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3), He should be able to keep our lives running smoothly too.