Dear Faith Family, 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope, (Romans 15:13). 

The Passion Week of Jesus awakens a new level of sobriety.  Have you traveled the road through Jerusalem?  From The Triumphal Entry to Golgotha?  Have you stopped at each overlook?  Can you hear Him?  Do you see His tears?  Go ahead.  Breathe in the aroma as the perfume runs down His head.  Listen as He prays in the Garden.  Can you feel the hatred surrounding Him?  Can you see what Judas is doing?  Wait, is that a towel wrapped around His waist? 

As the plot unwinds through the pens of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the tension in the air seems to choke out all hope.  Do you know the weight of such a Passion?   

When the grave is full, and life is empty.  When the weight of loss wins, and the joy of victory loses.  When the weight of despair knocks, no – pounds, at the door.  Where do you go?  Where can you run?  How do you stand? 

Keep reading.  None of the Gospels end with a full grave or an empty life.  The Passion does not end on Friday.  Phil Wickham sings it like this: 

A great light dawns in Galilee 
Some say madman, some say King 
Wonder-workin' rebel priest 
Jesus Christ the Nazarene 
 
He knew well what it would take 
To free us all from sin and grave 
A perfect man would have to die 
And only He could pay that price 
 
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is comin' 
Don't lose hope, 'cause Sunday is comin' 
Devil, you're done, you better start runnin' 
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is comin' 
 
So, He let those soldiers take Him in 
As His friend betrayed Him with a kiss 
There before the mocking crowd 
Like a Lamb to the slaughter, didn't make a sound 
 
Then He carried that cross to Calvary 
And He shed His blood to set us free 
As the nails went in and the sky went dark 
The redemption of the world was on His heart 

 
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is comin' 
Don't lose hope, 'cause Sunday is comin' 
Devil, you're done, you better start runnin' 
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is comin' 
 
Then He breathed His last and bowed His head 
The Son of God and Man was dead 
With bloody hands, tears on their face 
They laid Him down inside that grave 
 
But that wasn't the end 
That wasn't the end 
That wasn't the end 
Let me tell you what happened next 
 
The women came before the dawn 
To find that stone already gone 
When they looked inside, the angel said 
"Why you lookin' for the livin' among the dead?" 
 
He's alive, He's alive 
Hallelujah, He's alive 
Give Him praise, lift Him high 
Hallelujah, He's alive 
He's alive, He's alive 
Hallelujah, He's alive 
Give Him praise, lift Him high 
Hallelujah, He's alive 
Hallelujah, hallelujah 
Don't lose hope 'cause Sunday is comin' 
Hallelujah, hallelujah 

In hope, 
Pastor Karl