Holy Week

Holy Week
(this month's newsletter article for our local church)

(“He [Jesus] is the head of his body, the church.” Colossian 1:18a)

A friend of mine recently tagged me in a Facebook post called “Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus.” If I had the space I would quote the entire spoken word recording for you. Suffice it to say, there are more and more people who are discouraged with church, who may even have been harmed by religion, but still deeply love Jesus. I am not talking about the type who simply add Jesus to a long list of happy philosophers, hand picked and place on a shelf along with other favorites of literature, movies and music. The people I hope read this are those who truly do love Jesus Himself, but are very weary of an institution called “The Church” which seems to represent Him so poorly.

Let me say, I completely understand. My role as a pastor keeps me in the system by default. But, in the spirit of honesty, there are numerous times I might have decided to express my faith in Jesus in some way other than traditional church-on-Sunday. I completely understand those who love Jesus, but are going it alone because they just don’t like church very much at all.

So on Sundays, they stay home. I get that. You are the ones I hope read this today. River of Life Assembly of God is not, and will never be the perfect church. And, it did not become more perfect when I arrived as pastor. This church, full of imperfect sinners, and served by an imperfect pastor with a load of human weaknesses, will fail you if you stick around for any length of time.

But let me tell you something else about River of Life. This group is dedicated to loving those who have been hurt. For the last six years Patti and I have been literally singing a “one note” song as we lead, teach, preach and live among the dear people here. The one note is “grace”. We hope we are teaching and living the most beautiful aspect of Jesus’ teaching. Since He reached out to prostitutes and tax collectors, and was rumored to be a wine-bibber because He had meals with “sinners”, it is clear that He wants the church, His “body” to follow His pattern.

We are learning, at River of Life, to lay out politics outside the door. With Jesus’ help we are loving people we may never have met, and may not have approached before we learned to adjust our thinking. We haven’t lowered our standards, believe me. Instead, I believe we have raised them! The standard Jesus asked us to meet was, “by your love for one another, they will know you are my disciples.”

This is Holy Week. I wish I could invite all of you to a special service each day of this incredible week as we approach Easter Sunday. Maundy Thursday (which is from the Latin “maundy” or “commandment” reminds us of the Last Supper, and Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. We are learning to follow that Jesus. He washed the feet of one who denied he knew Jesus, the feet of another who doubted He was alive after the resurrection. And, Jesus even washed Judas’ feet, mere hours before he would leave to betray him.

Then comes Good Friday, of course. It is “good”, even though Jesus suffers and dies on the cross because that death brought the forgiveness to our hearts what we have longed for so much. If we were to meet together this Friday, we might be reminded how great our own misdeeds have been, and how deeply Jesus loved us to die for each of them.

But, we will meet on Sunday, Easter Sunday. Or better, “Resurrection Sunday”. Every Easter I am glad I did not leave the church. I cannot conceive celebrating the Risen Christ at home all alone. It is something I must celebrate with all of my other friends who follow Jesus. It is a time when we want to sing, want to hear all the earth break forth in shouts of praise. It is the time when, I hope, you will consider joining us at River of Life, or another church, and seeing if maybe church is worth one more look. It truly is a lonely road, trying to follow Jesus by ourselves.

This week do yourself—and God, and Christ, and the living body of Christ on earth—a favor. Experience Holy Week, in communion with others, at a church.