As I sit here in quiet reflection this week, on the one hand, I am struck by the deep spiritual significance of Holy Week for Christians around the world.
Yet, on the other hand, I also recognize that this week may seem no different than any other for those with different faith beliefs or no faith at all.
And between two opposing hands, there lies the tension that Jesus sustained and endured during His time on earth, especially this given week, as some welcomed Him with open arms while others rejected Him.
During Holy Week, we remember the ultimate sacrifice and love that God has for humanity through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We honor and commemorate the incredible grace and salvation that we have received through Him.
In previous weeks, we prayed the Psalms of Ascent and discovered powerful messages that speak to the tension of despair and hope that we experience during this week.
As we approach Good Friday, we reflect on the weight of sin and brokenness in the world and remember the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. Psalm 22 paints a vivid picture of the suffering and anguish that Jesus endured on our behalf, reminding us of the depths of His love for us.
Then there is Holy Saturday. A time of emptiness and loss. A time of great confusion and fear. A time that we may feel surrounded by darkness and despair. Yet, we are reminded that even in the midst of great distress and affliction and a time of waiting and uncertainty, Jesus Christ is our strength and salvation. And why is this?
Because Resurrection Sunday arrives, bringing with it the promise of new life and hope! Psalm 118 provides comfort and reassurance, reminding us that we can call out to God just as the Son of David, Jesus, did, and that because He rose from the dead, we too can be redeemed and raised from death to life. We can go from being lost and broken in sin to being found and made whole in Jesus.
Oh, to be lost but now found! Resurrection Sunday fills our hearts with gratitude and joy as we celebrate the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us to be saved and the hope and wholeness that we have through His glorifying resurrection.
As we pray tonight and in the days to come, let our hearts be stirred to remember those who are lost and in need of the true God and Savior, Jesus.
Because here’s the truth… For we were once lost in sin, and the significance of Holy Week was lost on us as simply another week, no different than the last. For everyone is all the more in need of Jesus, lost and found. Between the tension of outstretched hands and a brutally beaten body hanging on a cross, bearing the sin of a lost world, we were found and made whole in Him. Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are.
May our prayers be filled with gratitude for the incredible gifts of grace and salvation that we have received. And may we be inspired to invite and share the love of Jesus with others. Let’s always live in a tension of never forgetting the true cost of once being lost and now found, Jesus.
Join us at 8 pm via Zoom as we pray this Holy Week. See you soon!
God bless,
Pastor Alvin & Mallary Brown
alvin@makingamosaic.com :: mallary@makingamosaic.com
P.S. In addition to Easter at Mosaic, you’re also invited to join us as we enter into our sixth week of a 12-week long Bible study entitled, “Come and See: Exploring the Gospel of John”.
Join us online for the Good Friday services hosted by our sending church Mosaic Church Austin.
Friday, April 7th
6 pm or 7:30 pm
Join us in person for our Easter Service at the Benbrook Middle-High School Auditorium.
Sunday, April 9th
11 am
P.S.S. Mark your calendar and join us for food and fun at The Brown’s house (text The Browns for location details).
Sunday, Apr. 16th @ 5 pm
Sunday, Apr. 30th @ 5 pm
General Prayer Requests & Updates
For evangelism to flourish so communities and campuses in the greater Fort Worth area will be reached, and the lost will see and experience the love of Christ and be drawn to his kingdom.
For signs and wonders to follow the preaching of His Word.
For team unity and laborers to help carry the load.
For finances and provisions.
For fully funded campus missionaries (2 per campus) to help reach the next generation — University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), Texas Christian University (TCU), Tarrant County College (TCC), Texas Wesleyan University (TWU) and Tarleton State University – Fort Worth (TSU).
Alvin Brown, the Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church Fort Worth, brings over a decade of pastoral ministry experience and more than 20 years of operational and technical leadership expertise. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications Management from DeVry University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Mallary, and their three children and contributing as a writer to various media outlets.