I hope you had a great week, and for those of you fortunate enough to enjoy a spring break, I hope you found some rest. I had a great week with my family as we got to spend time together with out-of-town relatives and friends. I missed being with you all on Sunday, but it was refreshing to reconnect and recharge before our final sprint to Easter. I want to publicly thank Pastor Matt Gillum for filling in the pulpit last Sunday to free me up. I know we’d all agree that he did a great job wrapping up our “Fresh Start” series by teaching us what it means to truly do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
I’m looking forward to rejoining you in our worship services this weekend. As you know, we will celebrate Palm Sunday and prayerfully enter into Holy Week. Sunday’s services will be filled with special elements, as our children’s choir will help lead us in worship, we’ll observe the Lord’s Supper together as a community, and we’ll be celebrating changed lives through believer’s baptism in both services. I hope you make it a priority to join us for this important Sunday and begin preparing your own heart for Easter.
Proper preparation is always critical for any event to be successful. Last week, in order for us to have a successful vacation, we had to thoughtfully prepare all of the logistics. We had to focus on our schedules, pack the right things, and make all of the proper travel arrangements. In the same way, we must all thoughtfully begin preparations if we want to have a successful Easter at ABC. These preparations will look different than my travel plans, because spiritual preparation isn’t centered around mere logistics. Instead, the preparation we must focus on centers around our hearts.
You might ask, “how do I prepare my heart?” First, I’d advise you to reflect on the Gospel with fresh eyes. Paul tells us, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It is of “first importance” that we remember our own need for a Savior. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection were not merely historical events, they were personal events for any Christian. His death was our death, and by grace and through faith, His resurrection is our new life as well.
Secondly, I’d encourage you to confess your sin. There is an old puritan saying that the most mature Christian isn’t the one who sins the least, but rather the one who repents the most. As we grow in Christian maturity, we should also grow in awareness of our own shortcomings. The more we understand the Word, the more we see where we fall short. The more we are led by the Holy Spirt, the quicker we will hear His correction. I’d encourage to examine your heart this week and ask for the Holy Spirit to expose and convict you of sin. When He does, quickly confess and turn away. When you do, the Apostle John tells us there is great news waiting for you: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Finally, I’d encourage you to commit to the Word of God. Read your Bible every day. If you already read your Bible every day, read more of it every day leading up to Easter. Don’t spend your time on commentaries and authors (although they all have a purpose), but instead solely focus on God’s Word. Let Him speak to you, not some other author. I truly believe most Christians spend more time each week reading the words of man, instead of the Word of God. Read God’s Word consistently and purposefully this week. Read the crucifixion and resurrection accounts in each of the four Gospels. Read the greatest resurrection chapter in the scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15. Focus intently on the story of Easter, and ask for God to speak into your life through His Word. The good news is the Book is alive, just like our Savior (Hebrews 4:12). If you seek His voice this week, I believe you’ll find it in His Word.
The countdown is officially on for Easter. My question is are you ready for the big day? We’ve all got time to get prepared, but the work begins today. So may we all be purposeful in the coming days, because if we are, I believe we’ll experience a Resurrection Sunday like no other. Have a great rest of your week and I’ll see you on Sunday.
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