This is Passion Week, the most serious and somber week of the year for Christians. It’s because we followers of Christ follow Him to the painful point of betrayal, the lonely garden of Gethsemane, and the cross on Calvary. It’s a week that causes us to stop and think about life, about Jesus’ life — a beautiful sacrificial life that was given for ugly undeserving sinners like me… It’s a week where Christians understand how weak we are, how sinful we are, how we are betrayers like Judas (and Peter and the rest of the disciples), cowards like Pilate, ruthless like the Roman soldiers — we all are sinners just the same. It’s a dark week, but it’s because, as someone observed, “It’s the darkest just before the dawn!“
The thing that keeps me going through Passion Week is the reality that it points to the glorious Easter Sunday morning! And that’s what I’m looking forward to all year long! It’s not because we get to have a nice Easter picnic after our Sunday service (although that’s always good!). Easter Sunday brings hope to even the darkest of circumstances, even in the face of the grave, there is the resurrection hope that Jesus’ resurrection ushers forth.
One of my favorite Easter traditions is singing that great and glorious hymn, “Low in the Grave He Lay“:
“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus, my Savior! Waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Lord! Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!” [Baptist Hymnal #160]
That’s a song that I sing with full gusto and VOLUME!! How could you not sing those words with shouts of cheer? It’s the greatest of all victories for all of eternity! So don’t ever despair in times of darkness, the dawn is right around the corner!
[Jacob, let's be sure to sing this on Sunday; I won't be able to wait for another year! ]
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