It’s that wonderful time of year when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus—a holiday we call Easter. Interestingly, the tradition of Easter isn’t something the Bible commands. In fact, the specific observances of “Good Friday” and “Easter Sunday” don’t appear in Scripture at all. But what we do find is the consistent encouragement to let the Word dwell in us richly, to meditate on it day and night, and to think deeply on what is written. That’s the spirit behind the special opportunities we’re offering during Easter—to create space for just that kind of reflection.
Alongside the rich theological truths of Easter week, there are also loads of cultural traditions: hiding eggs, painting them, chocolate bunnies, candy, pastries, fish on Friday, ham on Sunday. Some families give Easter baskets. Some churches rent helicopters to drop thousands of eggs over a field of children. There’s the mall Easter Bunny for photo ops, and in many churches, the pressure to dress up in your finest suit or a spring dress with a hat so large no one behind you can see the stage. There are pageants, special songs, and elaborate decorations. None of these are inherently bad—but they can distract us from the serious work of contemplating the death and resurrection of Jesus if we’re not careful.
To help you slow down and go deep, we’re crafting three services during what we call Holy Week, starting this Sunday.
We begin with Palm Sunday. I’ll be preaching from Luke 19:28–48 (if you want to get a head start). It’s the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a colt, weeping over the city, and then entering the temple to drive out those buying and selling. It’s all in a single day. We see Jesus as the smiling, celebrated king… the weeping prophet… and the consuming fire who confronts and cleanses sin. These are some of the most vivid, complex glimpses of Jesus in the Gospels. My hope is to lead us to worship Jesus as he truly is, not just our small or distorted view of him.
On Good Friday, the sanctuary will open at 6:00 p.m. for quiet reflection. The service will begin at 7:00 p.m. as we gather around the cross in worship. I’ll zoom out a bit and walk us through the last days of Jesus—from the Last Supper to his final breath—mainly using the Gospel of Luke. You probably already know these final moments are intense: betrayal, denial, mob violence, beatings, and crucifixion. From a human point of view, it’s a tragedy. But from God’s perspective, it was the ultimate sacrifice for sin, leading to the ultimate triumph over death.
We won’t have separate ministry for kids on Good Friday, but the children’s rooms will be open if needed. I actually encourage you to bring the kids into the service. The story of Jesus’ last days is hard, but it’s good for our children to sit in the darkness before the dawn.
On Saturday night, we’re opening the sanctuary from 6:00–9:00 p.m. for anyone who wants to come and prepare their heart for Easter. No band, no preaching—just quiet instrumental music playing in the background. Come for an hour or the whole time. If you’re planning to pray anyway, come do it together. The prayer room will be open as well if a few of you want to gather for some group prayer.
On Easter Sunday, the main thing to know is that service will begin at 11:00 a.m. (not 10:00). We encourage you to come around 10:00 or 10:30 for pastries, drinks and connecting with community. The service will run from 11:00 to noon so you’ll have time for Easter meals and gatherings. We’re only doing one service this year because we want to celebrate as one body.
As we move toward Easter, let me encourage you to do two things:
First, be careful of busyness. I know how much time it takes to host guests or make things special for kids. These are good things—but don’t let them crowd out space for prayer, Scripture, and stillness.
Second, be intentional in your pursuit of God. Read through at least one Gospel account of Jesus’ final week. Do some supplemental reading on the cross and resurrection. Maybe watch The Passion of the Christ or the new Jesus film produced by Chris Tomlin, which looks promising. Fast. Intercede. Pray for outsiders, unbelievers, and prodigals to come to our services and encounter the living Christ. Easter is a time when more lost people are found than any other. Churches across the country will be flooded with seekers. Let’s cry out for God to move.
Even if I prayed, fasted, and prepared more than anyone in the world, I couldn’t make these services at Ren powerful on my own. I’m just one part. But when all of us bring our full selves to the table—when we collectively seek the Lord with expectancy—that’s when the glory of God is most powerfully revealed.
Anticipating great things,
Pastor Scott A