Introduction: The Passion Week of Christ
I recall when Amanda and I were planning our wedding, we constructed a week by week to-do list. We had so many things to remember that we knew if we were to get it all accomplished we had to sort it out. The week of the ceremony was jam packed. Bridal lunches, groomsmen gatherings, rehearsals and the like led up to one final moment: the wedding day. When we finally made it to the ceremony there was both a joyful celebration and sigh of relief. Of course, now some twenty years later we look back to that event with gladness.
The focus of this resource
The resurrection is doubtless one of the highlights of the Christian calendar. The gospels record the details and events of the final week of Christ’s earthly ministry. When you put the final week together, there were many things happening that led up to the cross. If we take the accounts and put them in order, then we have a list of meaningful stories that help us better understand and value the resurrection.
The believer will always want to look back to that “big day” with a heart of worship. If we don’t fully grasp what happened, why it happened, or when, then we may miss both blessings and truth contained in Scripture.
How to use this resource
This devotional set is meant to help you think through the final events that lead us to the most important miracle of Jesus: His resurrection. Each day will guide you through the gospel accounts of what was happening as Christ had a view toward both the cross and his eternal glory. The week-long events are known historically as The Passion Week. Each gospel has some detail about the week. Our focus in this devotional is in Matthew’s gospel. While I give you the location of each day’s events in each gospel, the reading has chosen one to hone in on. There are questions at the end of each day that allow you take the message farther if you so choose.
Our prayer is that you will use this either as a personal resource, or as a family worship guide. My hope is that you have a ready heart that sees resurrection Sunday as a joyful celebration you are ready to embrace.
He’s Alive!
