THINK TOGETHER
Review the week of Jesus’ death with your family (Passion Week). What things happened to Jesus that week?
READ TOGETHER
The week that Jesus died on the cross is often called Passion Week. The word passion means something you really, really want, but a long time ago it also meant suffering. Because Jesus suffered for us during this week it is called Jesus’ Passion, or Passion Week.
On Thursday of Passion Week Jesus taught his disciples to love and to serve. He invited them to celebrate the Passover feast with him and then he washed their feet, something a servant would do. Then he told them to love each other just like he loved them.
On Friday of Passion Week Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
On Saturday of Passion Week Jesus’ body was in the grave, but his spirit went to Heaven. The disciples didn’t know what was going on. All they knew is that their best friend and teacher was gone and they wanted to be with him again.
On Sunday of Passion Week Jesus rose from the dead! Death and sin were conquered forever.
All of these things that happened to Jesus during Passion Week are what make it possible for us to be saved from our sins and connected to Jesus forever. And because we are connected to Jesus we go through Jesus’ Passion Week, not physically like he did, but spiritually. And we go through it backwards.
Here’s how Paul explains it in Philippians 3:
Philippians 3:10. that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Paul starts with sharing the resurrection of Jesus and then he goes backwards from there to Jesus’ suffering and death. And that is how the Christian life is supposed to be lived.
First comes Sunday: we know that we are resurrected out of our sin to new life in Jesus. We have eternal life and forever love from God.
Then comes Saturday: we miss Jesus and want to be with him. We want to be like him and because we have been resurrected we can be like him.
Then comes Friday: we have to put our sinful thoughts and choices to death.
Then comes Thursday: we choose to love others and serve them instead of being self-centered all the time.
Jesus went from suffering to death to life. We go from life to death to suffering. Because we have all of Jesus life and all of his love we don’t have to be afraid to sacrifice for others. To love others and share what we have with them. To be kind and get to know them. And maybe even share Jesus with them too.
Because of Jesus we will live forever with God in his love and forgiveness.
With Jesus we can live for God and others like Jesus did.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Here’s a video of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. Talk about how washing feet is not just about us obeying a command from Jesus but the natural outflow of being connected to Jesus.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You went from dying to living for me. Help me go from living to dying for you.
Amen.
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