Holy Week
The Deeper Journey That Takes Us To Higher Heights
As our journey of Lent continues, we’re invited to participate in the depths of the human experience. We name the brokenness of our world and lives as we sit with the reality that all is “not as it should be.” We’re invited to fast, pray, and increase our works of mercy for the poor and justice for the oppressed, as vehicles to make space for God to move and work in our lives and world.
And… the journey of Lent is going somewhere.
It’s headed through death toward resurrection.
As we approach Holy Week, we slow down our journey with Jesus and travel with him in real-time toward the cross on Good Friday and his powerful resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The journey begins on Palm Sunday (April 13, 2025), when we rehearse Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to deal with suffering, sin and death once and for all. He enters as a king… but a king like any other. He doesn’t ride the warhorse of the powerful Roman army. He humbly mounts a donkey, which ancient kings rode in peace time. He comes with power and authority, but uses all his kingly might in a way the world has never seen before or since. He lays down his life for his people.
Then, our journey plunges into the depths on Good Friday (April 18th, 2025) as we recount Jesus’ crucifixion together. God sees the pain of this world and does something about it. We see God who allows our suffering to affect him. Jesus was betrayed to death at the hands of unjust political and religious powers, abandoned by his closest friends, and hung on a cross between two criminals (whom he invited into new life with him). Jesus took the pain of injustice, sin and death upon his shoulders and allowed it to do its worst. God enters the darkness of our world, so that we might enter into the light of his renewal. But for now, on Good Friday, it ends in darkness of death. It seems to be the end.
On Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025) we are surprised to see that with God, there are no dead ends. On that first Easter, nobody expected the empty tomb. Everybody knows death is final. But not with Jesus. Our journey is suddenly illuminated with the explosive power of God to break the power of sin and death! In Jesus’ resurrection, we get a “sneak preview” of the life God has in store for all humanity, and indeed all creation. God is renewing everything, and restoring all of us. And like those first surprised disciples at the empty tomb: we are sent out to be agents of that resurrection renewal wherever we go!
Please join us for our Holy Week journey, as we navigate the depths and rise to new heights with Jesus, together! Invite a friend!
Palm Sunday
9:30am
April 13, 2025
Renew Church: 3725 30th St, 92104
Good Friday
7pm
April 18, 2025
Renew Church: 3725 30th St, 92104
Easter Sunday
9:30am
April 20, 2025
Renew Church: 3725 30th St, 92104