I sent this work out to the church at 180, but felt that it is a great resource for any family to do together in preparation for the upcoming Passion Season.... Enjoy and let me know if you have any thoughts:
Too often I have found myself at an Easter service only to realize that….. I missed it. I mean the whole week leading up to Easter is unlike Christmas. With Christmas we get the hustle and bustle and see it coming the day after Thanksgiving. Passion Week is the greatest time that we could experience as believers!
Holy Week/Passion Week is upon us April 1 (Palm Sunday) through April 8(Resurrection Sunday). This week is filled with the process of what Christ did all week leading up to the death, burial and resurrection. I wanted to suggest a great opportunity to every family and person in the church. In preparing my heart for this season my son Jeremiah asked, “Dad, can we do the weekly readings for the passion week again this year?” This floored me. I wasn’t even thinking about Easter, and I’m the pastor! What it says to me is the undeniable and powerful truth that we need to have Biblical teaching and leadership in our homes.
I am suggesting that families this year commit to walking through the passion week TOGETHER IN SPIRITUAL UNITY. I am suggesting that Father’s lead their families through a daily devotional that I am including to help you carry out Biblical training in your homes for this incredible week. I have always had a daily reading with my family so that the Bible has become the central focus for authority in our home. If that is not something that your family has created, you can START NOW!!! What I suggest for our families is to click onto the link: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/easter_week_devotionals_09-doc.pdf and familiarize yourself with the process. I suggest the week before the passion week you do a “pre-passion week” intro. The link has one such day. Some shopping will need to be done for the purchase of several candles and such, but the cost is very minimal. Also, we will need to get some songs ready to sing as a family. Then simply during the Passion Week, Sunday to Sunday you will need to set apart at least 30 minutes (either at the breakfast table or the dinner table). Then simply open in prayer, go through the lesson, and then get family members to read the scriptures, dialogue on the questions and then worship Jesus in song and allow everyone to pray over the material discussed (just like a community group!)
If this is too much, a simpler reading schedule below will allow you to do more of your own personal creativity on approaching the Passion Week material. This may be too much work for a busy dad not able to plan this much in a short time, that is why I have provided the link above. A simple Passion Week reading schedule is below:
Palm Sunday: John 12:12-19; Psalm 24, 29; Isaiah 42:1-9; Zechariah 9
Monday - Cleansing the Temple: John 12:20-36; Psalm 51, 69; Isaiah 49:1-12
Tuesday - Facing his Enemies: John 12:37-41; Psalm 6, 12, 94
Spy Wednesday - Judas Seeks to Betray Christ: John 12:42-50; Psalm 55; 74
Maundy Thursday - Last Supper and Gethsemane: John 13:1-38; Matthew 26:17-56; Psalm 102, 118; Isaiah 50-53; if time allows - John 14-17
Good Friday - Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus: John 18-19; Matthew 26:57 - 27:61; Philippians 2:1-11; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Colossians 1:1-14; Genesis 22:1-14; Exodus 12:1-14
Holy Saturday - The Great Sabbath as the Savior Rests from his Redeeming Work of New Creation: Matthew 27:62-66; Psalm 16-17; Ezekiel 37:1-14
Easter Day - The Son of God is Risen from the Dead: Mark 16:1-8; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:1-22; Psalm 148-150; 118
Monday - Cleansing the Temple: John 12:20-36; Psalm 51, 69; Isaiah 49:1-12
Tuesday - Facing his Enemies: John 12:37-41; Psalm 6, 12, 94
Spy Wednesday - Judas Seeks to Betray Christ: John 12:42-50; Psalm 55; 74
Maundy Thursday - Last Supper and Gethsemane: John 13:1-38; Matthew 26:17-56; Psalm 102, 118; Isaiah 50-53; if time allows - John 14-17
Good Friday - Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus: John 18-19; Matthew 26:57 - 27:61; Philippians 2:1-11; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Colossians 1:1-14; Genesis 22:1-14; Exodus 12:1-14
Holy Saturday - The Great Sabbath as the Savior Rests from his Redeeming Work of New Creation: Matthew 27:62-66; Psalm 16-17; Ezekiel 37:1-14
Easter Day - The Son of God is Risen from the Dead: Mark 16:1-8; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:1-22; Psalm 148-150; 118
This reading schedule might be good for singles, or widowed individuals who would like to work through the materials of the passion week Biblical information. Another option if able is for singles and divorcees who are alone, to partner with the family of their choice and join in the readings. This may be a lot to organize, but if it is worked at it has the potential to be really sweet.
To do something like this I recognize is a big commitment for many families, that is why I suggest using this as a fasting experience for Holy Week. Day one on the link listed above sets us up for that. It tells us to be willing to slow down the weekly activity. If you do 3 nightly activities like tennis, bible study and football on t.v., be willing to give it up for one week so that you and your family can go through this experience. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
A couple scriptures for our Dad’s and the importance of leading this charge spiritually in the home:
““And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
And:
"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.8” Deuteronomy 6:6-8
Holla if you have any questions:
Stuart
