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WEDNESDAY CHURCH
on the Internet
with Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.
(Your mid-week Christian power surge!)
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Holy Week
Welcome, everyone!
This posting of Wednesday Church on the Internet encourages all readers to view Jesus as an authentic role model for their lives.
During Holy Week, the Savior encountered daily trials and tribulations knowing that the fate of human souls lay in His obedience to God's will regardless of the personal angst, pain, and crucifixion. Jesus talked the talk to all who would listen and walked the walk for all who were watching. He proved honest as well as authentic to everyone who witnessed the passions of the week. Can we, who remember the ancient story today, choose anyone but Jesus as our role model for life?
Thanks for attending Wednesday Church.
Pastor Mike
WEDNESDAY WORSHIP
Opening Prayer
God of All Days: Send your peace upon us this Holy Week. We know that Christ's teachings, challenges, and sacrifices were not in vain. He is our Savior, our role model, and our encouragement to follow His path the best we can. Thank You for your love made flesh full of grace and truth! Amen.
Let's gather for worship!
"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."
(James 4:8)
Let us worship God together!
Prayer for God's Presence and Our Confession of Sin
Gracious God: Your love is needed today. Much is happening in our culture that tempts us to move away from the faith. Be with us and strengthen us now to live in such ways that Christianity and the Church become beacons of light drawing others to the Risen Savior. Make us pure by the forgiveness of our sins. That way, we can support Jesus as honest and authentic witnesses to Christ's saving power. Amen.
We are forgiven!
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."
(Psalm 145:8)
Our sins are forgiven and renewed life abounds. Let us sin no more!
Scripture Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Message "Walking the Walk is Better Than Talking the Talk"
In Holy Week, Jesus taught the right way to witness the faith. His talking was good. His example was better. The point is this. Witnessing is never so much as a word spoken as a life lived.
Today's Bible verses are a part of "The Great Commission." In the text, Jesus assigns the disciples a duty of witnessing to the whole world. Using all of their gifts, they were to teach, baptize, and bring people into the faith. Remembering Jesus, they spoke words but relied upon their lifestyles to talk louder. We receive the same Great Commission. Think about how you can live in such a way to encourage other people come to Christ. Make the Great Commission come alive in your life!
Let's commit ourselves through prayer.
O God: We hear the command of Jesus to witness to the faith. We promise to do all that we can by words and example to be good ambassadors for the Lord. Amen.
Benediction
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bring your Holy Week sorrows into the joys of Easter victory!
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SACRED MISCELLANY
1. Holy Week Facts
- Before the fifth century, not much attention was paid to this last week of Lent.
- By the ninth century, Holy Week meant solumn fasting and prayer for all Christians.
- After the ninth century, Holy Week became a major spiritual celebration for the Roman Catholic Church.
2. After the Roman Catholic Church instituted rites for Holy Week, the days of the week took on special signifigance in keeping with Scripture, church traditions, and worship styles. Here are the feast days of Holy Week.
- Palm Sunday: This worship day commemorates Jesus' familiar entry into Jerusalem. Formal worship services include a blessing of the palms and a procession into the sanctuary. It is also called Fig Sunday because that is the fruit grown on palm trees which is served after worship in many cultures. (The English serve a fig pudding at the big family Palm Sunday dinner.)
- Holy Monday: A time for fasting, prayer, worship, and Bible study about Christ's time in Jerusalem.
- Holy Tuesday: This day continues the Monday protocol.
- Spy Wednesday: This day's activities remember Judas' agreement to betray Jesus. (Matthew 26:3-5, 14-16)
- Maundy Thursday: This day remembers Jesus' command to love one another as He loves us. It also celebrates the institution of the Holy Eucharistic Sacrament as well as that of ordination. The English sometimes refer to this day as Sheer Thursday as "sheer" means "cleansing" in older English and the church sanctuary is "cleaned" of all the colorful items in preparation for the somber worship of Good Friday.
- Good Friday of the Lord's Passion: Good Friday of Holy Week remains a fast day in sadness of the Lord's crucifixion and death. Worship customs include Veneration of the Cross, singing as well as preaching about the Passion, community Christian services to show unity in Christ's sacrifice, and quiet personal contemplation about the Savior's gift of death so that we may have spiritual life. Some churches walk the Stations of the Cross (twelve or fourteen versions) as a worship discipline.
- Holy Saturday: This is a quiet day of prayer and waiting. Some individual Christians and congregations hold an Easter Vigil of prayer all night before the sun rises on Easter Morning.
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Thank you for visiting this Wednesday Church on the Internet post for Holy Wednesday, March 27, 2013. I hope that you found it meaningful and interesting. Please let me know what is most helpful and what you would like to see more of in the blog. I can be reached at mefonfara@gmail.com.
There will be a fresh mid-week posting on Wednesday, April 3rd. If you would, please tell your friends about Wednesday Church (www.wednesdaychurch.blogspot.com). Let's share the mid-week Christian power surge with those people close to us. Thanks again. Walk in peace!
Pastor Mike Fonfara, D.Min.
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