Holy Week offers Christians an opportunity to prioritize a distinct emphasis on the narrative of Easter. Below I’ve put together some simple readings that I plan to work through with my family this week.
The readings include snippets from all four gospels, and for the most part, they are short enough to even be read at the dinner table prior to prayer (Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday are longer readings). I’ve also included a “big picture” and a prayer point for each reading to help shape discussion and prayer to follow.
Sunday (Palm Sunday): Luke 19:29-40
Big Picture: Jesus is God’s king who has come to save his people.
Prayer Point: Pray that God would give us eyes to see the king and hearts to worship (and worship louder than rocks!).
Monday: Matthew 21:14-17, 23-32
Big Picture: How we respond to Jesus as the king is really important
Prayer Point: Pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to obey Jesus by responding to his gospel.
Tuesday: Matthew 21:33-46
Big Picture: Jesus was God’s son sent to his people and through his death we are able to respond to Jesus by faith.
Prayer Point: Pray that because we have seen Jesus as the cornerstone, that we would be a people who bear the fruit of faith.
Wednesday: Mark 14:1-11
Big Picture: The work which Jesus will do on the cross is beautiful and causes us to worship him with the best we have.
Prayer Point: Pray that our hearts would cherish the things of this world (like Judas and his money) over Jesus, but instead we would offer all that we have at his feet.
Thursday: Mark 14:17-41
Big Picture: Jesus’ death is a sign of the New Covenant that God will not forsake us if we are united to Jesus in faith, the Lord’s Supper is the reminder of this.
Prayer Point: Thank Jesus for his obedience to God. He was willing to obey perfectly in our place, even when it was hard and scary.
Friday (Good Friday): Mark 15:1-41
Big Picture: Jesus was God’s sacrifice for our sins. He was forsaken so that we won’t be.
Prayer Point: Thank God that he made a way for Jesus’ death to count as our death for those who believe in him. Thank Jesus for be willing to die as our substitute.
Saturday: Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42
Big Picture: Jesus really died and was buried, but his disciples were still willing to honor him even when things seemed confusing.
Prayer Point: Pray that God will give you rest, and help you worship Jesus, even when you’re scared and lonely.
Sunday (Resurrection Sunday): John 20:1-18
Big Picture: Jesus triumphed over death and brings this good news to his people so that they might believe and be comforted.
Prayer Point: Praise God that he raised Jesus from the dead, just as Jesus didn’t stay dead forever, Christians will not stay dead forever! Ask the Holy Spirit to help us to tell others of the wonderful news of Jesus.
