Stories of love and sacrifice touch my heart. I love to hear tales of unselfish sacrifices to help others. Stories that show someone taking time out of their busy day to help their elderly neighbor or rescuing a stuck animal. These types of stories give me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside and renew my belief in the goodness of people. They can also make me want to be a better person, and some of them even stir me to change my ways. Let’s look at 3 lessons from Holy Week that teach us to be better people.
As I look towards the Easter Season at church, I reflect on a Biblical story of sacrifice. We find it told in the pages of the Gospels in the Bible. The story tells us about Jesus’ journey from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The verses found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John detail the final days of Christ’s life on earth. Let’s look at the lessons from this week in the church’s calendar. Will they inspire us to change our lives and become better people?
Lesson One
The venture begins on a day we call Maundy Thursday. This is the day our Lord ate the Last Supper with His disciples. After the meal, Jesus washed the feet of His band of twelve followers. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, and He still includes him in these events. The lesson of this part of the story teaches us to serve those around us, even if they hurt us or betray us.
Lesson Two
Next, we learn of the events from the day we call Good Friday. A secret trial occurs and finds Jesus guilty. The court condemns Him to death on a cross. He is innocent of any crime, but Jesus willingly suffers crucifixion for the love of all humanity. Jesus never stops to think of Himself first. The revelation from this day teaches us to love everyone with unconditional love and without exception.
Lesson Three
Finally, sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, we find the best part of the story. It tells us of the resurrection of Jesus. Mary and several other women went to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body in the Jewish tradition. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. An angel told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead, and He had defeated death itself. The empty tomb offers us the truth of life after death for all who believe in Christ. This day teaches us faith.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 (NIV)
Applying the Lessons from Holy Week
The lessons from the Easter story in the Bible warm our hearts. They also show us how to be better people. But God wants to do more than giving us a good feeling. God calls us to take these words to heart and change how we live. He sacrificed everything to show us that He is the way, the truth, and the life. And through His words, we have the added bonus of eternal life. We only need to believe.
Grace and Peace
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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