Holy Week is a time when Christians celebrate the last days, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday and goes on through Maundy Thursday (Last Supper), Good Friday (Death of Christ), Holy Saturday (Christ in the tomb) and ends on Easter Sunday (the day of Christ’s Resurrection).
The following devotions—prepared by Chris Shay—will take you through the seven days of Holy Week. We hope that they will help you to gain new insight into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We pray that through them you will be open to loving God and others in a new way.
These devotions will probably be more effective and have more meaning if they are done first thing in the morning. Each day’s study will be available on MetroYouthNetwork.com.
Monday, April 2nd
Word: Read John 12:1-8
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5″Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7″Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. ” It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
Questions:
-Mary understood the value of sacrificing something of great worth to worship Jesus. What have you sacrificed to Christ that has cost you something? Have you given this to God as an offering?
-For those of you who attended nursing home visits on Sunday can you honestly say that you loved those people as an offering to God, even though you may have hated the experience?
-What might God be asking you to deny yourself of even this week to honor Him (money, a kindness to a neighbor or family member instead of going out with friends, etc.)?
(Holy Week Devotions courtesy of Chris Shay)
Youth Department