Palm Sunday to prepare for Holy Week Exercises

The Alley Church Podcast

HOLY WEEK EXERCISES

Truly search your heart and determine who or what is your King. What is the King of your life? What are you giving your life to? What do you bow down to and worship with your time, money, and energy/thoughts?

Holy Monday - Dig deep… Where am I looking religious, yet only have the appearance of a fruitful life (fig tree parable Mark 11)? Do I see this as hypocrisy and deception? Being a beloved child of God, challenge yourself to not be like the Pharisees, the religious people and reject the humble true King of Kings, He to them was an embarrassment. If you have not fully given your life to Jesus as King (LORD) of your life, do it now! Renew that commitment and invite as many people as you can to join you in your worship of the King. Matthew 28:19

Holy Tuesday - ENJOY your prayer life. Sense how wonderful it is being in God’s presence (temple) as you worship. From that place, have a conversation asking, “Do I question Jesus’ authority over my life or do I humbly bow to Him in grateful obedience and worship?”

Hardcore would be to ask, are there any areas of your life where you find yourself in “A den of thieves” ( a place where bandits hideout)? Where you look religious and people would call you a proverbial “Good Guy” but you know you are only showing one side… REPENT and let Jesus turn over those tables in your life and follow him into your new life of truly loving your King.

Spy Wednesday - Reflect on the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, which occurred on this day according to tradition. Consider where your own heart may drift toward selfish ambition, etc then seek Jesus in repentance and seek forgiveness for our own betrayals and shortcomings.

Maundy Thursday - Read the account of the Last Supper. Recall the commandment to love one another. Take communion all by yourself or with others (use water if you don’t have juice) it is the heart we are seeking after. Hardcore: Wash someone’s feet with humility of love.

Good Friday - Observe Good Friday as a day of solemn remembrance of Jesus' crucifixion and death. If you are able to join us at 9:30am for a short Good Friday service, we will take communion and reflect together on Jesus' sacrifice. Consider fasting or/and denying yourself as a way of expressing contrition and solidarity with Jesus' suffering. Spend time in prayer, contemplating the profound love and mercy of God revealed through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Black Saturday - Reflect on the period of waiting and anticipation between Jesus' death and resurrection. Spend time in prayer, meditating on the hope and promise of the resurrection, even in the midst of darkness and despair.

SUNDAY - Say to another believer HE IS RISEN and when that is spoken to you answer HE IS RISEN INDEED!!! Identify with the risen King, the merciful judge who took your place, and the Messiah who died the death you should have died and lived the life you could not live (Tim Keller) so you can be FREE to celebrate this amazing gift of FORGIVENESS of sins and The fact that you will have eternal life!!!