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Tag: Easter Sunday

Mourning into Joy | Easter Sunday: Dawn of an Indestructible Joy | Holy Week | Devotional Series | Part 9 of 10

The Cross has been described in many ways. In its most popular interpretations, it is either seen as a symbol of God’s love or as the symbol of our sins. Both are right. But I don’t want to focus on either of the two. Today, I want to focus on what the Cross does for us. I want to focus on the verb not the noun.

Jesus explained, I’ll be gone for a while – I’ll have to endure death and suffering. But after that will come a joy – a joy incomparable, inextinguishable, a joy that is indestructible – a joy that satisfies – a joy that grants life to the lifeless – that turns our sorrows into a God honoring bliss. (John 16:16-24) Jesus was talking about the joy of salvation. I love it how Tony Reinke puts it into words. He writes,

“Jesus went to the cross for joy: to buy joy, create joy, and offer joy.” (pg. 99)

He carried all that we would suffer to the Cross – with great agony, and returned to grants us an everlasting joy. Jesus’ words were true for the disciples. And it is true for us too. As the Apostle notes, though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. (1 Peter 1:8, ESV) But what is this joy? As Jesus Himself puts it, it is the joy of being born again. It is the joy of being free from sin and death. And this is what Easter Sunday confirms us – that this is the joy made available by Christ, for you and me. Jesus instructs, ask and the Father will give you – this joy that on one can take away.

Dear readers, I know we read about this joy a lot. I am not the first person to talk about it. And neither will I be last. But every time we are reminded of this joy – we tend to jump on it overlooking our pain and our ailments. And that just does not seem right. A joy that comes from ignoring our ills is never permanent. And I believe that is not what Jesus was talking about too. Because the joy that Christ grants is a joy that turns our sorrows, our ills, and our mourning into God exalting praises. What the resurrection grants you and me is the opportunity to turn our sorrows into joy, our mourning into joy, our pain into joy, our sickness into joy, our worries, our anxieties, our heartbreaks, our guilt – all into joy. Therefore, an empty grave no longer holds Jesus’ body, because Christ left it as the grave of our sins. So, dear reader… whatever troubles you today, I pray let’s take it to the LORD and let Him turn it all into an all satisfying, and God glorifying joy. To God be the Glory.

… wishing you and your family a blessed Easter Sunday.

Series Index: (1) Introduction: Why Observe the Holy Week (2) Palm Sunday: Sovereign Mercy (3) Holy Monday: Tough Love (4) Holy Tuesday: Who do we say this Jesus is (5) Spy Wednesday: The Temptation of Worldly Logic (6) Maundy Thursday: Jesus, Truly Human, for You and Me (7) Good Friday: I Find No Fault in this Man (8) Holy Saturday: Silent Prelude

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Mourning into Joy | Introduction: Why Observe the Holy Week | Holy Week | Devotional Series | Part 1 of 10

Observing the Holy Week has always been a polarizing ritual for me. Because, I’ve always felt it to be a virtue-signing act. Perhaps that is my own inner crookedness, that I cannot accept that anyone could even observe this ritual genuinely. Secondly, and this used to be my go-to excuse – (that) the scriptures never made it mandatory. But as I grow older, and as I learn to spend more time meditating in the scriptures – I find that it is not I but Christ that leads me into discipline and obedience towards holiness. (Matt 19:26) In other words, it is not by our strength, but by the virtue of God’s grace that we can genuinely observe the Holy Week to its full effect.

Though it is also true that the scripture does not make it an obligation to observe the Holy Week, but it sure does – undeniably builds us up towards it. The Old Testaments swells up to this point. This is the week, when the promise of salvation was about to be materialized. The Devil was to use all its might, the saints were to see the last of the trying times as sinners-unrepentant, and Christ – God, Christ was to lead us through this darkness – like YHWH led the Israelites through the parted Red Sea. The Holy Week, this ordinary week, may not mean much to the world, but for the believer it is nothing less than historic. Apparently, that’s why, all the four Apostles dedicated a major part of the Gospel to this week (alone). Because it was during the course of this week – that Christ changed our fate. He suffered everything we were meant to suffer. And showed us what obedience and perseverance meant. He took the wrath of God for us, and showed us – it is He – who was to come – and paid the full payment of our sins. And most importantly, it was during this week – He demonstrated the Father’s love for us – and bought us the prerequisite holiness to be united with God.

But beyond these reasons – that are grounded in the Biblical past, there is one that I find absolutely convincing. The reason why we should observe the Holy Week is because this is a wonderful opportunity for us to walk with Ekklesia – the body of Christ. David Mathis explains this better. He writes,

“Marking Holy Week is not an obligation, but it is an opportunity. It is a chance to walk with the church, throughout time and through the world, as she walks with her Bridegroom through the most important week in the history of the world. It is a chance to focus our minds on, and seek to intensify our affections for, the most important and timeless realities.” (Pg. 1)

How wonderful that is. I hope dear reader, that you’ll join me in relishing this wonderful opportunity – in walking with Christ and His Church, this Holy Week. Blessed Greetings.

NOTE: Daily Devotions will start from Palm Sunday i.e. 5th April ’20, 9 AM (IST). And end on Easter Sunday i.e. 12th April ’20. You can also subscribe the blog via email to receive the devotionals directly in your inbox.   

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