Holy Week – Sunday April 4 – A PRAYER FOR EASTER SUNDAY
Holy Week
Sunday April 4 – A PRAYER FOR EASTER SUNDAY
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
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After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -= Matthew 27:62-66, 28:1-20 (NIV)
Beautiful Saviour, Wonderful Son, Jesus Messiah!
Today we celebrate with JOY what You have done for us. The tomb was empty, and the angels confirmed to the women that You indeed rose again from the dead.
They thought the story was over and they were simply mourning Your loss, not sure how they could continue without You.
But that was not the case.
You changed the world!
We praise You today that we no longer have to suffer for our own sins. We can come to You, asking for forgiveness and turning away from our disobedience, and You save us!
You save us!
You have risen! You have risen indeed!
You appeared to the women and to the disciples to prove to them what God had done. They saw with their own eyes and attested to your majesty and glory.
And today, as we plunder through another pandemic-occupied Easter, we give thanks that You are here with us, even when we can’t gather together as a church.
You bring us together.
You inspire us to share Your love with others.
You call us to go and make disciples and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Give us the strength, the joy and the inspiration to do Your will in this exhausting and spirit-crushing time in our history.
May the resurrection always inspire us to walk in obedience.
May the resurrection always inspire us to think of others before ourselves.
May the resurrection always inspire us to leave behind our old habits and ways that hurt us.
May the resurrection always inspire us to seek You above all else.
Lord Jesus, we can never thank You enough for what You have done for us. But we come before You on this glorious morning praising You.
Thank You for Your True Love for us.
Thank You for sending lifelines this past year to help us persevere.
As You have promised, ALWAYS be with us, God! Be with us until the end of the age.
May we walk as a Resurrection People sharing the knowledge that Your act of love has saved us, and that this act of love is free for anyone who desires it.
May the world see Your goodness when they see us, and may they pursue You with all of their hearts.
Use us, Lord, in the days, weeks and months to come.
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Be our friend that never leaves our side.
Be with us until the very end of the age.
For we ask and pray all these things in the name of the One who has saved us, Lord Jesus!
Amen
Thank you friends, for hanging in there with me for these 47 days. I hope you have been blessed. Happy Easter, and may God be with you all until we meet again!!
