Demystifying Holy Week - Beyond Intolerance

For many Christians, this week will go by quickly.

There is a lot to do, with Holy Week services planned for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday when we celebrate the Resurrection.

A good number of people, however, will not attend all the services.  They will skip the painful stories and go to the celebration at the end.

We really can't blame them.  There are some things that we enjoy doing and some things we don't.  Some come to be a part of something and others come because they are curious, or comfortable, or just because they feel they should.

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. - John 12:9-11

When the crowd came to see Jesus and the man he raised from the dead, they came because they were curious.  Could it be true?

Is this guy for real?  Or is it another scam?

The way John tells the story, the leaders of the faith, the chief priests, were more than skeptical.  They were angry.  They were losing congregants and that was bad for business and bad for law and order.

Now, in our modern culture, we don't look to put people to death if they desert the faith.  Until the events of the past few years changed our perspective on that, we believed the world had become much more tolerant of the diversity of faith.

So, this week's remembrance of the trial, conviction, beatings, scourging, and the long brutal march to death by crucifixion, seemed like obvious excessive behavior to me as a child.  The world was no longer that way, I thought.

But, low and behold, a half century later, we are back in the dark ages, with beheadings, burnings, bombings, shootings.

So, it seems fitting that we take a closer look at these days and see them through these clearer, more focused eyes.

More than ever, I believe, Christians need to participate in their faith, to experience this week together and really try to feel what Jesus felt.

Like Lazarus, we have been given new life in Christ, and people want to kill us for that.

It is hard to believe, I know, and many will shrug that off and foolishness, but there is a great deal at stake here.

It is important to realize that most who came to believe that God would love us so much that He would become one of us to help us become closer to Him, came to believe that because of this week's events.

So, my suggestion to all who are uncertain about their faith is to come.  Participate in this week with us and see for yourself.  Is this all foolishness or not?

Our doors are open to all.

Come and share the story with us and see what the week means for you.

More to come...