The Most Important Week

This is the start of a week that commemorates the single most important event in the history of the world – the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth around 30 A.D.  For many, this week is called Holy Week or Passion Week; but for many others it has no particular significance beyond Easter egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. 

Whether we choose to recognize and celebrate the true significance of this week, the fact remains that this week, and Easter Sunday in particular, was originally a celebration of God’s plan of salvation and restoration of relationship between God and mankind that was provided freely by him with the gift of his own Son – and Jesus’ willing sacrifice of himself on the cross, followed by his resurrection from the dead.  The fun, secular activities that have come to be associated with this week were not added to the celebration until centuries after the historic event it remembers.  Even the more religious ideas like “giving something up for Lent” (after wildly celebrating in a secular way the night before!) were added much later.

I don’t ever want to lose track of the truth behind the celebration.  Jesus endured an enormous amount of pain and suffering so that I could avoid what I deserve – eternal death.  I will never fully comprehend the price he paid on my behalf.  A former pastor used to always ask this question of someone who was being baptized: “Do you believe that Jesus still would have died on the cross even if you were the ONLY ONE who deserved punishment and needed salvation?”  This question always personalized Jesus’ death for me every time I heard it asked.  Jesus still would have gone through everything he did even if it was just for me!

We are all in danger of overlooking the significance of this week.  For many, it is because there is a lack of understanding – their lives have simply not been touched by God yet, or they have rejected the message altogether.  But for those of us who follow Jesus regularly, there is a different danger – thinking about the gospel message so often that it becomes “old hat” and loses its personal significance.  The longer I am a Christian, the harder it is to imagine what my life without God would be like; so I can begin to become immune to the importance of what this week remembers.

As with many spiritual issues, I think the solution is to be intentional.  Don’t take communion without truly meditating on what Jesus did for me hundreds of years ago.  Choose to think about what I can give back to God – not just what I get out of relationship with God.  Focus on becoming more like Christ in my humility and my willingness to sacrifice for others.  One of my pastors recently asked this question at the end of a sermon: Was Christ’s death worth the things you’re living for?

I find myself asking this question often now – which helps to focus my life on things that have eternal significance while also reminding me of the price Jesus paid for me.  I hope your Passion Week finds you kneeling at the foot of the cross once again and celebrating the miracle of Easter through new eyes – then moving on to the rest of your life with a fresh start as you live for God alone.