The Week That Changed the World
Daily Reflections for Holy Week
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During . . . Holy Week, we join Jesus as he walked through the final stretch toward his death and resurrection. The first Holy Week began with Jesus riding into Jerusalem being praised as king and culminated in Jesus’ earthly body lying in a tomb. This astonishing week of contrast encompasses such a sweeping range of emotion and expression for the believer—from unrestrained praise to deep mourning. This is a thought provoking week. This is a heart–wrenching week. It is a week that leads to the most important event in history—the resurrection of Jesus, our Redeemer and King. It is truly a week that changed the world.
This collection of daily reflections follows the footsteps of Jesus as he walked through the last week of his earthly life. Theologians have considered the chronological order of the events of this week, with slight differences of opinion on which days certain events occurred. I will follow the most widely accepted order for the steps that Jesus took between the triumphal entrance into Jerusalem and his burial in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb.
The entire life of Jesus was a prelude to the events and teachings during his final week. All that Jesus did during his life led to this moment. One half of all four Gospel accounts focus on the final week of Jesus’ ministry. If this week was so important to the Gospel writers, should we not consider its importance for our own lives today? By reflecting upon the events of Holy Week, we gain a greater understanding of the mission of Jesus.
Certain days within Holy Week have specific names, while others simply include the prefix “holy” to signify that it is the individual day that falls during Holy Week.
Here is a brief preview of what is to come:
Palm/Passion Sunday: Jesus entered Jerusalem accompanied by the praise of the crowd.
Holy Monday: Jesus cleared the temple.
Holy Tuesday: Jesus’ authority was questioned.
Holy Wednesday: Jesus continued to teach in the temple and Judas agreed to betray Jesus.
Maundy Thursday: Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples.
Good Friday: Jesus was put to death.
Holy Saturday: The body of Jesus laid in the grave; and the disciples hid in fear.
Easter Sunday: The beginning of the Easter season—Christ has risen!
Follow along with me. Let’s journey together as Jesus leads us from praise to mourning and from death to new life.
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About the Book
During the last week of the season of Lent, called Holy Week, we join Jesus as he walked through the final stretch toward his death and resurrection. The first Holy Week began with Jesus riding into Jerusalem being praised as king and culminated in Jesus’s earthly body lying in a tomb. This astonishing week of contrast encompasses such a sweeping range of emotion and expression for the believer—from unrestrained praise to deep mourning.
The Week That Changed the World reflects on the footsteps of Jesus as he walked through the last week of his earthly life. The entire life of Jesus was a prelude to the events and teachings during his final week. One half of all four Gospel accounts focus on the final week of Jesus’s ministry. If this week was so important to the Gospel writers, should we not consider its importance for our own lives today? By reflecting upon the events of Holy Week, we gain a greater understanding of the mission of Jesus. It is a thought-provoking, heart-wrenching week, one that leads to the most important event in history: the resurrection of Jesus, our Redeemer and King.
Uplifting and moving, this study invites you to grow deeper in your relationship with God through a better understanding of the last week in the life of Jesus Christ.
About the Author
Steven D. Brooks is a pastor, author, and professor. He is the founder of Worship Quest Ministries, which provides resources and training to encourage worship renewal and spiritual formation in the global Christian church.