7 Stones for Holy Week

Random Reflections for Palm to Easter Sunday

Photo by Nilina. Used with permission.

As Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, his followers and the crowds cried out, “God bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Pharisees told Jesus to tell them not to say this. Jesus responded, “I tell you, if my followers didn’t say these things, then the stones would cry out.”¹

Here are 7 stones (reflections) on Holy Week:

1. Jesus Rode a Donkey Because God is King

Here’s a weird gem from doing research for a seminary prof at Western Seminary while at Hope College back in 1989. Before the people begged the prophet Samual to give them a human king,² God was their King. God’s human leaders were called Judges. They rode donkeys.

When God was King, God’s leaders rode donkeys. The literal reason for this is that during the time of the Judges, Israel had few horses. Horses were brought in great numbers later by the Phoenicians.

So Jesus riding a donkey may not have been a symbol of humility,³ but rather a symbol that human kings are no more, the only King is God.

2. The Church Year Needs a Good Friday Sunday

In most churches, more than 70% of the congregation does not attend mid-week services. So for most people, we do Lent, then a mini-celebration - often with a joyful children’s parade, followed by Easter.

Jesus is never crucified for 70% of the congregation. How about this instead:

• Palm Sunday

• Maundy Thursday (10 days before Easter)

• Death of Jesus Sunday

• Good Friday - reflection on the burial of Jesus or the running away of the disciples

• Easter Sunday

3. Why Won’t Churches Change the Liturgical Year?

Many pastors and worship leaders refuse to consider changing the order of Sundays (holy days) because of the liturgical year. The present liturgical year originated during the Reformation but has recently been changing as the church growth movement abandoned much of the liturgical calendar as it wasn’t working.

We can learn from the church growth movement. The calendar should serve the people. The liturgical calendar is not Biblical nor is it immovable.⁴ Churches should make adjustments to help people see the nuances of the Bible better.

4. Communion on Easter?

Many people love to have communion on Easter. Communion joins the Christian community together and is one of the holiest - spiritual - movements we do in worship. The reason to have it on Easter is to tie this holiest moment to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

The reason not to do communion, the one I heard most often, is logistics. How do we serve communion to that many people? Who is going to miss the Easter egg hunt to come cut the bread and pour all the juice? Who will arrange the ushers to serve? How long will it take?

Sorry, I’ve got no answer here. I’ve ushered Easter at the Big Church where we ran 3 services back to back with 500 to 750 people at each. Communion would have been a logistical nightmare. This Easter at the small church we are having communion.

5. The Power of Good Friday

Down in Mt. Vernon at my first church, at the end of the 11 p.m. Good Friday service, we would toll the church bell three times…slowly. At Lake Shore Church, we recreated the crucifixion with a drama and a man on the cross. When an actor slowly, hit the metal mallet to the iron spike it echoes into our hearts. It echoes into our tears.

At the Big Church with the formal Tenebrae service (readings and music of the last days), at the death of Jesus, a musician played the timpani and each strike of that kettle drum echoes deep.

Photo by Roxanne Minnish. Used by permission.

6. The Hallelujah Chorus

Many church choirs perform the Hallelujah Chorus from George Frederic Handel’s Messiah at the end of their Easter service. Sometimes music people argue that this piece so associated with Christmas shouldn’t be used at Easter. Fortunately, other music scholars know that Handel’s Messiah was written for Easter - first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742.

Read more about “The Glorious History of Handel’s Messiah” here.

7. Finding Joy on Easter

Church leaders both lay and clergy can get tightly wound on Easter morning. Before each service build 10 minutes of relaxation into the schedule.

One Head of Staff had us meet in his office before each service to relax. He had fresh ice water, fruit, and chocolate. He would host it with a big smile and compliments for what people had done at the earlier services that day or in the past week.

His comforting presence relaxed us. When we prayed right before we headed out for the big processional with the choir, we prayed with honest joy. We are privileged to lead the people in the Easter celebration.

Jesus is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

1. Luke 19:37-40

2. 1 Samual 8

3. The idea of the donkey as a sign of humility actually roots out of the Palm Sunday story. The donkey was not considered a sign of humility before Jesus.

4. The Roman Catholic Church changed its liturgical calendar in the 1960s.