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On Palm Sunday, we looked at Luke’s account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Some Lukan scholars see the Gospel of Luke as divided into three parts. The first part, in Chapters 1-9:51, addresses our minds in focusing on who Jesus is. The second part, Luke 9:51-19:28 (known as the “Journey narrative”), focuses on our will. What does it mean to follow Jesus? The third part is the story of Holy Week and his death and resurrection, and it concentrates on our hearts as we witness the depth of what Jesus was sent here to do.

I would like to ground us at the beginning of Holy Week in that second section known as the “Journey to Jerusalem.” In Luke 1-9, Jesus is in his happy place in Galilee calling his first friends and inner circle of disciples, and revealing to the world who he is. I have often though that if Jesus had spent his entire ministry in Galilee, he would have been the most celebrated and popular religious leader of his time. They would have erected statues and named institutions after him. He could have lived a pretty comfortable life and died a rather peaceful death. But Jesus knew he was sent for so much more.

So, in Luke 9:51 we read, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” That can also be translated, “Knowing the time had come for him to be lifted up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Isaiah’s prophecies about the coming Messiah include these words: “The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 50:7). Jesus is in battle mode now fulfilling the Father’s mission… and he invites us to go with him. “He said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23).

Everything that happens from Luke 9:51-19:28 is cast within the framework of the journey to Jerusalem and the cross. For example: “Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22); “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you…’ [Jesus responded] “Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem” (Luke 13:31, 33). His encounter with the ten lepers happened “on the way to Jerusalem” (Luke 17:11). His third passion prediction begins with “see, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). Then, the final leg of the journey is geographically catalogued highlighting different waypoints along the path: “he drew near to Jericho” (Luke 18:35); “he entered Jericho and was passing through” (Luke 19:1); “he was near to Jerusalem” Luke (19:11).

When Jesus speaks to our will and calls us to follow he knows exactly where he is going. Do we dare travel with him? I think about this every time we sing the hymn, “Where He Leads Me.” We sing the words:

I can hear my Savior calling…

"Take thy cross and follow, follow Me"

Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow,

Where He leads me I will follow,

I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

I'll go with Him through the garden…

I'll go with Him through the judgment…

I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

I sing those words… and I shudder. I am going to invite you to reflect on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem this Holy Week, and join in walking with him. We have services and gatherings to help you do just that.

·        Maundy Thursday – On Thursday we will gather in our Kidz Space Theater at 6:30 PM remembering Jesus’ last meal with his disciples and the initiation of the Lord’s Supper. We will have a light meal together with soup and sandwiches (Pastor Terry & I will be making soup!). We will reflect on the meaning of Communion, share some of our favorite stories about Communion, and then I will share one artist’s understanding of what the practice of communion really means through one of his most famous pieces.

·        Good Friday – On Friday, we will gather in our Heritage Sanctuary to participate in a Good Friday Service with our Heritage Choir. We will have an opportunity to take our prayers to the cross together that night and leave them there. We will depart in silence reflecting on the magnitude of the message of Good Friday and the cross.

·        Easter Sunday! – 3 Sunday worship experiences (9:00, 10:00, 11:15) for you to invite your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers to… Easter is such good news that we are compelled to invite others. What would have happened if Mary Magdalene kept the news of Easter all to herself? Thank God, she understood and ran to tell others. Let us do the same.

Easter is the crescendo of our faith… Let’s not miss out on our chance to sing! As we heard on Palm Sunday, Jesus said, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out” (Luke 19:40). Let heaven and nature sing, “Jesus Christ is our risen King!”ce Chair